Mar 01, 2013 | Post by: mnanda001 2 Comments

The Glass is Half Full.

Recently, I came across this really sophisticated , yet fun desk in one of my shopping adventures and started thinking about the use of glass in design mostly as it relates to glass furniture.  I feel like people are either really open to having glass furniture or a little skeptical.   I think the skepticism comes from the thought of  cleaning it (fingerprints) or perhaps the use of glass in a home is not thought as decorative and is thought to be more utilitarian or maybe people think it’s only for contemporary or modern style homes (I assure you this is not the case!).  At any rate,  I’m not really sure why I sense skepticism, but I sometimes do.
Surely, glass can make it’s way into home in so many ways….here are just a few examples.
{Glass Tile}
Here’s a picture of one of my recent projects.  We opted for a tile backsplash in the kitchen to open the space up and add some sparkle.
Here are some other glass tile examples that I’m admiring today.

 

This picture not only has glass tiles, but also a glass basin!  Stunning!

 

{Glass Staircases}

How smart is this? Using glass on the stairs leading the third floor allowing the light from the roof skylight to filter down to the first floor. Love!

Or having an entire wall be glass windows and glass stair railings to allow for the light to filter in.   Love! Love!
{Glass Counter Tops}
Or look how glass door fronts can add so much drama to a kitchen.
Love (again!), but they really need to add glassware and white plates and/or serving pieces.

As you can tell I’m a fan of incorporating glass in home decor for so many reasons, but the biggest reason is it’s reflectivity and light quality it gives to a room.  One of the biggest design flaws in a space is forgetting about the presence of light (both natural and artificial).  Think about how you feel on bright, sunny day and now translate this feeling  into a space in your home.  Yes! It’s the same feeling.  Light makes a room feel better, ‘lighter’,  often times more comfortable and more organic.  Glass helps brighten a room with it’s translucent and reflective qualities.  It can enhance views and visually expand a room.

I’m not so sure how many of us are able to install a glass staircase into our space, but adding in glass furniture in an existing space is VERY doable.   The remaining part of this post I’m going to focus on how we can incorporate glass furniture to help brighten our home.  My focus will be on something most of us all want or need in our home…desk space and coffee tables.

Starting with office space.  How many of you wish they had a proper home office (Me! Me! Me!)? Have a home office, but it’s very small and/or have a work space that you want to keep open, clean and uncluttered?   Well, if you have small office space or want a work space to have an open feeling have you thought about a glass desk?  Especially if you have storage space with a nearby cadenza  and/or bookshelves to store things…a glass desk might be the perfect fit for you!   Also, glass desks often can seamlessly be incorporated into a room that is NOT formally an office.   Here are some of my favorite spaces that illustrates some of these ideas.

{Glass Desks}
Here are some examples of work spaces incorporated into another room.  A glass desk helps make the work space fit seamlessly into the room and in the second picture almost creates a sculptural artist feel to the room.

Moving on…..most of us can relate to needing or wanting a coffee table.  Do you have…a small space?  a pattern rug?  Big pieces of furniture (i.e. oversized sofa, piano etc…) and need something  to balance the room?  Views to enjoy?  If so, have you considered a glass coffee table?

In one of my recent projects we incorporated this glass oval coffee table in a multi-functional, yet small living room.  It reveals the bold, green damask rug and reflects the natural light that comes into this space perfectly.

For a minute, I urge you to forget about your personal design style/taste and take a look at these stunning glass coffee tables that I’m admiring today.   Can you see how the glass coffee table in each of these very different spaces enhances the room?   From enhancing an incredible view, the light in the space, the functionality or the style of the room to helping visually expand the room and/or providing balance to the room or just adding the kick of personality to the space that it needed.  Do you see what I see?  Check it out!

This glass table lends a sculptural,yet functional piece to the room, yet allows the views to be unobstructed.

The glass allows for the table to take on more height with a darker finish for the legs in a
monochromatic room without over crowding the space.  The table actually anchors the space.
This glass table helps keep the room feeling light among the dark walls. Also, the rectangular glass table
reflects the light beautifully from the light coming through the large rectangular windows.
This round glass table (and end tables) is the perfect balance to all the square/angular shapes in the room (chair backs, lamps, sofa, wood panels, ceiling).  In addition, it highlights the electric blue, bold rug.
The glass table allows this room to take on an oversized coffee table and other side tables are not needed.
The glass table with it’s large wagon-like wheels is one of the room’s statement pieces.
Glass tables in this room allow for TWO oversized coffee tables.  This is an unexpected, bold
and functional feature of the room.  No need for side tables keeps things clean and streamlined.
A rectangular and streamline coffee table balances the large sofas and also reflects the light beautifully.
A round glass coffee table balances and compliments the curves of the large black grand piano on the
other side of the room.
  

Well, I hope this post gives you some ideas how you can brighten your space using glass.  Tell me…what ways have you incorporated glass in your home?  Any unique ways that you can share with me and our fellow blog readers?

May your ‘glass’ always be half full.

Until next time…

~M

2 Comments to The Glass is Half Full.

  1. Lisa Raju
    March 1, 2013 9:30 pm

    Love all the glass in these pictures, Maya! Love the ways you can use glass and it not be furniture. I feel like glass and kids do not mix well. I like the tile in the bathroom, particularly.

    • mnanda001
      March 2, 2013 8:31 am

      Hi Lisa! Great to hear from you! Glad you enjoyed the post and I hope you got some ideas for your new home.

      Yes, I’ve encountered skepticism with clients who have small kids when it comes to glass coffee tables/furniture. In some spaces I agree kids are not the most favorable mix with certain glass furniture. It all depends on the space’s functionality and what type of furniture we’re talking about. Perhaps (glass or mirrored) console tables (out of playing surface reach) could be an option or a bedside table in the master bedroom…lots of options and yes! the beauty of glass can be incorporated in other ways in a home other than furniture.

      Aside: Believe it or not we have a glass coffee tables in our small sitting areas in our home. One of the tables is my husband’s table when he was single. Call me crazy on so many levels. : )
      This is what it looks like on any given day.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

humblerise.com