Design Details: Panes Worth Having
Patterned glass and resin turn plain doors, windows and room dividers into something to look at
We typically view translucent panels as something to look through, but they can make a statement all on their own. Add a tree etched in glass or embed reeds of grass in resin, and you’ve got a focal point. Here are some interesting ways to use patterned glass and resin in your next project.
You can also opt for an etched-glass feature, such as these doors between a kitchen and dining area. They are prefabricated and sold through European Cabinets & Design Studios.
Resin is another option. In this case, ginkgo leaves are suspended in a partition made by Lumicor, which specializes in the process.
A resin panel by 3form highlights delicate, translucent leaves and brings a modicum of privacy to the commode. Clips anchored to the ceiling and vanity secure it in place.
Pam Baumeister, a marketing coordinator for 3form, says resin panels take two to eight weeks to manufacture and can be installed in just about any location from bathrooms to windows to doors to cabinets.
Pam Baumeister, a marketing coordinator for 3form, says resin panels take two to eight weeks to manufacture and can be installed in just about any location from bathrooms to windows to doors to cabinets.
Privacy With Light
Glass and resin are great options when you want seclusion without darkness. Resin panels with reed-like grass in this kitchen obscure the view of a bright yellow house next door, which detracted from the neutral kitchen, Finne says.
Glass and resin are great options when you want seclusion without darkness. Resin panels with reed-like grass in this kitchen obscure the view of a bright yellow house next door, which detracted from the neutral kitchen, Finne says.
Although resin can be used in just about any application, Finne had this kitchen panel installed as an overlay on a glass window. The window manufacturer and installer would not provide a warranty on the product otherwise, says Finne, who was concerned that resin might discolor in bright light. The panel is fastened with screws, which make it easily replaceable.
This glass with a dewdrop pattern gives homeowners privacy, light and something more interesting to look at than the backside of a door.
A translucent glass wall serves as a screen between the entry and master bedroom in this Minneapolis loft. The pattern is created by a perforated panel made from MDF suspended from the ceiling.
Patterned glass in the shower can turn plain panes into works of art. This custom wave design was manufactured for the homeowner by Cast Glass Images, which can take just about any image and laser-etch it into glass.
Stairs, Decor and More
And then there are the unusual places, such as stairs, like these made from slip-prevention glass.
And then there are the unusual places, such as stairs, like these made from slip-prevention glass.
Or in art. This piece was custom-etched and hung from the hallway’s ceiling.
More
The Great Divide: Structures and Panels Shape Spaces
12 Ways With Room Dividers
Material Choices: Translucent Glass Doors
11 Great Alternatives to Glass Front Cabinets
More
The Great Divide: Structures and Panels Shape Spaces
12 Ways With Room Dividers
Material Choices: Translucent Glass Doors
11 Great Alternatives to Glass Front Cabinets
Nils Finne, the principal architect at Finne Architects, believes that we spend far too much time staring at boring walls. That’s why he incorporates patterned glass in his projects. It’s also a way to bring in light without closing off a room.
“It adds a wonderful unexpected element to a space,” he says. “It’s not necessary, but isn’t it wonderful to do things that are completely unnecessary?”
For this midcentury Seattle house, he painted the design and had it transferred to a durable film that was then applied to the window, which divides the master bedroom from the bathroom hallway. The process costs about $1,000 to cover an 8-by-8-foot door, Finne says.