Back to School Time Is the Right Time for a New Backsplash

Summertime has reached its end, which means it’s time to say goodbye to the long, sunny days and warm nights. You’ll also find that your diet is changing. While you and your family were frequently cooking on the grill or making simple dishes like hot dogs, now that the kids are going back to school, they’re going to require some heartier fare.

You and your spouse will be spending more time in the kitchen, whipping up breakfasts, packing lunches, and making dinners that fill bellies and spur conversation. With so many people bustling about the kitchen, this hub can become cramped fast. It’s also likely to become quite dirty as family members use appliances and cooking tools more often.

If your kitchen walls are made of a delicate material like wallpaper or a pricey one like marble, you’re going to want to keep them protected. Even if your kitchen walls are simply painted, the hue you chose can be ruined by sticky stains and messes that tend to occur while cooking.

Sure, you could wipe down your kitchen walls every single day, but who has time for that? If you’re not diligent, though, messes can accumulate, sticking and ruining your walls for good.

You don’t want to have to re-wallpaper or re-paint your kitchen walls either, so what can you do?

Enter the backsplash.

Here at CGD Glass Countertops in Toronto, we specialize in all things glass for your home. While we do of course sell countertops, our backsplashes are also really big sellers. If you haven’t ever had a backsplash installed in your kitchen, you’ll be amazed at how much it can simplify your life.

Instead of liquids and other messes splashing onto your wall and staining it, the backsplash catches these cooking mishaps as they happen. Since your backsplash is primarily made of glass, it’s so easy to clean. All you have to do is grab a wet cloth, a little soap (if you want), and wipe in the same direction to prevent streaks. That’s it. All messes are gone, even those stubborn ones that wouldn’t come off your wall before.

What kind of backsplashes can you design when you work with us at CGD Glass Countertops? There’s no limit! You can take a look on our website to see some of the backsplashes we’ve designed in the past, but yours doesn’t have to look anything like that. You may have a certain shape or size in mind to best protect your walls. There may be some colors you’re partial to because they match the other hues in your kitchen.

We’re here to help you design a glass product you’ll be happy with. You can further customize your backsplash by adding a fun and innovative texture, getting it backpainted (a means of adding color that’s exclusive to CGD), and even getting it backlit with LEDs!

As you know from reading this blog, the kids will be bringing home a lot of germs from their school. Keep the kitchen cleaner this school season with a glass backsplash from CGD.

Four Ways Glass Doors Improve Your Mood

Decorative glass doors are an utterly gorgeous addition to almost any room. You can incorporate them at home in the bedroom, bathroom, and hallways. At the office, these doors are perfect for brightening up a dull workspace. In addition to the beauty of glass doors, they can also improve your mood in small but significant ways. Read on to get the scoop.

1. Your Room Will Feel Bigger and Less Constricting

Don’t you wish you could have a bigger bedroom or office space? Who doesn’t! Of course, making that dream a reality would be time-consuming and costly. Instead of redesigning your space, you can make one pretty simple yet effective difference: getting a glass door. The transparency of glass opens up any space, including bathrooms, home offices, hallways, and more. The less constricting these rooms feel, the more time you’ll enjoy spending in them.

2. You’ll Love How the Room Looks

In addition to the roominess you’ll have when you get your glass doors installed, you’ll also be amazed at the beauty of these. Glass doors can be frosted and textured for privacy or left sheer depending on your preferences. Regardless, you’ll find yourself happy to show off your home or office to anyone and everyone.

3. Vitamin D Has a Proven Effect on Mood

Glass doors let the sunlight in, which is more beneficial than you might have thought. Sunlight has vitamin D, which is necessary for good health. In fact, according to Healthline, those who don’t get enough vitamin D may have a higher likelihood of developing conditions like osteomalacia and osteoporosis, which are both conditions of the bones.

It’s no surprise that many adults don’t get much sunlight. After all, we wake up, go to work, and come home when the sun is going down or it’s already dark. With a glass door, you can bring the sunlight to you. When you get more sunlight in your life, your brain produces more serotonin. This is the hormone that brings on feelings of focus, calm, and, oh yeah, happiness.

To understand the effect of sunlight on mood, just look at conditions like seasonal affective disorder or SAD. When seasons like autumn and winter arrive and there’s less daylight, SAD symptoms are often worse for those with this condition. That’s because these people get less serotonin. Lack of sunlight sometimes also leads to panic attacks, anxiety, and depression.

4. You’ll Be More Productive

Lacking productivity in your life? According to research, the less sun you get, the less productive you generally are. Everyone strives to be productive because it makes us feel accomplished. With a glass door, you can get more done at work and around the house. That’ll make you feel great!

If you’re ready to order a glass door for your home or office space, look no further than CGD Glass Countertops. This Toronto-based glass manufacturer also specializes in glass panels, partitions, sinks, backsplashes, and—of course—countertops. To get started today, you can contact us via our website (include your name, phone, and email address in addition to your message), call us at 416-398-9733, or email us at info@cgdglass.com. We look forward to hearing from you!

Sources:

https://www.healthline.com/health/depression/benefits-sunlight
http://www.liveultrahealthy.com/blog/how-does-sunlight-affect-productivity/

Shower Tiles That Look Great with Glass Shower Doors

The shower is a place of great inspiration, as who hasn’t had a fantastic idea while sudsing up? It’s also a place of relaxation, of preparing or coming down from a difficult day.

Of course, your shower has to look the part. Whether a shower stall or a tub, no one likes to look at peeling wallpaper, tiles that need fresh caulk, or a growth of mold. If this is your current bathroom situation, it’s time to give the room an overhaul. You don’t necessarily have to make big changes, either.

Instead, let’s start with the shower walls. By cleaning these and then scraping away anything on them, you have a blank canvas in which to start all over again. Glass tiles are one of the best ways to decorate your shower. These are beautiful and may be relatively inexpensive depending on the scope of your project.

These shower tile ideas are quirky, fun, attractive, and sure to make your shower feel like a brand new space.

1. Metallic-Painted Tiles

If you want your friends, family, and other guests to think your bathroom cost five times what it did to renovate, then tiles painted a metallic hue will do the trick. Whether these are gold, silver, or copper, a strip of these tiles is all it takes to take your shower from ordinary to extraordinary. If you can get these painted with an ornate pattern, too, your bathroom will feel even more luxe.

2. Fun Patterns

Speaking of patterns, there are nearly countless pattern options for you to choose from when it comes to decorating your shower tiles. You could always follow the trends this year if you prefer. Of course, those trends may change by next year, so go for what you like when it comes to choosing the pattern for your glass shower tiles. If you’re not happy with the color of your bathroom, then get more colorful patterned bathroom tiles. This will offset the drabness and make things look more interesting.

3. Shaped Tiles

At CBD Glass, we customize all our glass pieces from the bottom up, including glass shower tiles. Whether you prefer your bathroom shower tiles to be longer, shorter, or arranged in various ways, just ask us. We can make it happen!

4. Darker Tiles

If you have a lighter-hued bathroom, you might not think you can make darker glass tiles work, but you’d be surprised. Again, you don’t have to renovate the entirety of each shower wall. A few strips here and there are enough to breathe some new life into your bathroom.

Now that you know just some of the possibilities available to you with glass shower tiles, we encourage you to contact us at CBD Glass today. We can customize your glass shower tiles in many other ways besides the ones mentioned here. Give us a call so we can start discussing your project.

Sources:

https://www.glasstileoasis.com/blog/shower-tile-ideas-2018/

Glass Trends for 2018 You’ll Want to Copy

What’s good in the world of glass? We’re already in the third month of 2018, so the year is moving by swiftly. If you’re a tastemaker who’s always following the world of trends, then of course you’re going to be interested in what’s hot in 2018. A lot of old is new again this year, and glass is more popular and on-trend than ever.

Without further ado, let’s get into some great home décor trends for 2018.

1. Glass Coffee Tables Make a Big Impact

Maybe you already knew this, but a glass coffee table is a stunning addition to almost any room, including living rooms, entertainment rooms, and even bigger bedrooms. More so than ever this year, glass is a favorite material for coffee tables. The shapelier the better; think fun geometric shapes.

2. Metals Come Back into Favor

Metals are always a safe choice for everything from cabinets to tables, yet certain metals become less popular over time. This year, it’s all about the intrigue of brass. This gold-like material will instantly jazz up almost any room in the house, especially when combined with glass.

Another big metal to watch this year is copper. Versatile and affordable, a copper and glass desk or accent table would make any room in your home look on-trend.

3. Marble Is the Star of the Show

If you have a bit more money to spend on your redecorating budget for the year, then marble is a great material to consider. It’s always going to make an statement because of its subtle beauty. When combined with glass to make a bar top, kitchen island, or new kitchen cabinet set, you can bet your home is going to be the most appealing ones on the block. All your friends and family will marvel over your new home addition.

4. Simplicity Reigns Supreme

Whether you’re a fan of some of these now-popular materials or not, many interior decorators are projecting the same message in 2018: keep it simple. There’s nothing wrong with hopping on trends, but remember that if it’s a home addition, it’s something you’re going to have for years to come. Don’t choose something so trendy that it falls out of style by 2019 or 2020!

Did any of these trends really resonate with you? If you’re interested in making these décor ideas a reality, choose CGD Glass Countertops. While we do design amazing customized countertops for our customers, that’s not all we have to offer. We also produce backsplashes, glass panels, sinks and vanities, glass panels, partitions, and decorative glass doors.

No matter the trend you want to follow, whether it’s these or your own, we’re ready to make it happen. To get started discussing your glass needs today, you can go to our homepage and fill out an online form. You can also call us at 416-398-9733 or shoot us an email at info@cgdglass.com. We look forward to working with you!

Glass Partitions for the Office: Five Ideas You’ll Want to Use Today

Imagine this scenario: you have a big project due for work, and you only have a few hours in which to get it done. You plan on sitting down at your office, minimizing distractions, and buckling down and finishing this thing.

There’s only one problem. Your chatty coworker just returned from lunch, and they’re eager to share with you how their day has gone thus far as well as talk about any other topic under the sun.

You want to be polite, but you have so much to do. Whether you work in an open-office environment or in cubes, you don’t feel like there’s enough privacy between you and your coworkers.

Even if your attention isn’t diverted by someone who wants to have a watercooler conversation, the natural noise of an office environment can be distracting, too. From low voices on the phone, coughing and clearing of throats, and the clattering of keys, you may not be as productive as you wish.

These five great glass partitions will create a barrier between that noise and show your coworkers you mean business.

1. Floor-to-to Ceiling Wraparound Partitions

Let’s start with the most heavy-duty office partition, shall we? With this example, the glass would wrap around a hall and create a glass cage which can double as an office. These partitions are floor-to-ceiling with an entryway for entering and exiting, so there’s less outside noise coming through. With textured glass around some or all of the partition, privacy isn’t an issue.

2. Floor-to-Ceiling Wraparound Partitions with Doors

This idea is just like the first one, but with a door, which means you can completely block out any outside noise. Not only that, but you’ll feel like you have your very own office with these partitions. Instead of drab walls, you’ll get to look at appealing glass all day, which lets in sunlight and brightens your environment and your mood.

3. Partial Partitions

Instead of stretching to the ceiling, these partitions don’t quite reach that high. They may be affixed to sturdy glass pillars if you want these permanently installed. Still, given that these stop a few inches from the top of the ceiling, you still get your privacy. A single partition in front of your workspace is often enough.

4. Half-Open Partitions

These partitions may be found in the reception area or a doorway. They cover half the wall but provide a wide enough opening for people to filter in and out via the door throughout the day. While not as good for blocking noise, these partitions are appealing and improve the aesthetics of the office.

5. Doorway Partitions

Think of these partitions as giant glass archways around a door. Again, often used for boosting office aesthetics, glass partitions create a stunning effect in an otherwise plain office environment. These can also be used as a branding opportunity, with your company’s name and logo etched into the glass.

If these glass partitions sound too good to be true, they’re not! By shopping with CGD Glass Countertops in Toronto, you can customize your partitions from top to bottom. Call us today!

Six Great Backsplash Ideas for a Cleaner Kitchen in 2018

As much as you try to stay clean when cooking, depending on what you’re making, sometimes it seems next to impossible to avoid messes. When these messes happen, you probably scour the countertop and your sink. What about your walls, though? Cooking liquids of all kinds sometimes splash their way up there, too.  

Depending on what your wall is made of, these stains may clean out easily or not at all. For instance, wallpaper may be ruined if you leave a dark stain on there for too long, and paint can be discolored, too.

To protect your walls in the future, glass backsplashes are the way to go. These simply require soap, water, and a soft cloth to remove liquid stains. Cooking just got a whole lot easier.

If you’re looking to customize your glass backsplash, be sure to contact CGD Glass Countertops, a glass manufacturer in the Toronto area. With so many options at your disposal, how do you choose? Check out these six great glass backsplash ideas.

1. Single Sheet Glass

This large, transparent backsplash is designed, cut, and fitted to your exact kitchen wall measurements. It will fit beneath cabinets and pantries and above the sink. This way, no matter how much of a cooking frenzy you whip yourself up into, you know your walls will be covered—literally.

2. Glass Tiles

Small glass tiles can be arranged much like the sheet glass idea above, or into a rectangular shape that keeps your walls safe from splashes during your cooking adventures. These tiles can be multicolored and placed in no particular order to bring out the artfulness of your kitchen walls.

3. Iridescent Tiles

With this backsplash, some or all of the tiles are iridescent so they catch the natural sunlight in your kitchen and shine. Tiles in beachy colors like coral, seafoam green, pale blue, and even nude will give your kitchen a tropical edge.

4. Glass Starburst

If you really want your kitchen walls to stand out, a glass starburst is the way to go. The texture, shape, and design of this glass encompasses most of your kitchen wall, but you won’t be worried about how well this backsplash functions when it’s so pretty to look at.

5. Sheer Textured Sheet Glass

If you like the coverage of sheet glass but find it to be a little boring, try sheer textured sheet glass instead. The textures, which you can choose when you work with CGD, add marvelous detailing to otherwise plain walls. 

6. Backlit Sheet Glass

Here’s another way to decorate sheet glass backsplashes: with LED backlighting. That’s one of the many features offered at CGD Glass Countertops. Whether you want white lights, multicolored lights (like green, blue, and red), or even alternating lights, we can get your kitchen glowing every day and night.

Have you decided on your new kitchen backsplash? Once you’re ready to get started, visit our website and request a quote online via our email form. We look forward to working with you!

Dress up Your French Doors with Glass

The sophisticated design, the architectural beauty, the impressive wonder: French doors take any home from plain to classy instantaneously. Not only that, but these doors also allow a tremendous amount of light to flow in, as they often feature large glass panels.

Have you always dreamed of having gorgeous French doors in your entryway, bedroom, bathroom, or even living room? Why keep dreaming? At CGD Glass Countertops, our decorative glass doors can be customized to your liking. That means we can work together to create the French doors you’ve always wanted.

Need some ideas that speak to the versatility of glass French doors? Here’s a great list to get you started.

Sliding Glass French Doors

Create an open-air office with sliding glass French doors. Whether you prefer a black or white doorframe, paneled glass will establish a comfortable atmosphere that will inspire you to work any day.

If you’re not quite feeling this setup for a home office, you could always order sliding doors in a bathroom. Our frosted and textured glass at CGD means privacy is a top priority.

Lastly, you can even get sliding doors for the kitchen. In this case, you may want single large glass panels instead of a tiled look. These doors keep noises and smells out.

Decorative Glass French Doors

If you’re the type who likes to shake things up no matter where you go, decorative glass French doors are for you. With our myriad of glass customization services available at CGD, we’re certain we can design your French doors to be one-of-a-kind, artistic masterpieces.

Take a look at our website and browse our options, including our glass texture shapes and designs. If you’d like to take your French doors to the next level, we can even backpaint them. This adds a healthy dose of color to your living room, entertainment room, or bedroom.

Floor-to-Ceiling Glass French Doors

Only recommended for the brave, floor-to-ceiling glass French doors are very impactful. You’ll wow friends, family, and neighbors whenever they come to visit. These doors have very thin frames and often slide over one another via tracks installed near the ceiling and the floor.

If you have rooms with tall ceilings, such as a living room or home office, these doors are a great fit.

Simple Wood and Glass French Doors

Of course, if you’re not a fan of excessive additions, you may like a pair of painted wood and glass French doors. Painting these white really brings out the luxury and loveliness of your French doors.

Arched Glass French Doors

We definitely saved the best for last here. Ideal for a bedroom or home office, arched glass French doors will make you feel like you’re living in a chateau every single day. These look stunning in the bathroom as well.

Now that you see how many options you have with glass French doors, it’s time to start planning yours today. Contact us online at CGD Glass Countertops and we’ll work on getting you a quote. We look forward to hearing from you.

How Glass Partitions Can Save Your Sanity This Holiday

If you’re like a lot of families, you may have in-laws, cousins, aunts, and uncles coming over to spend the holidays together. Whether due to your house’s size or proximity, everyone is going to be congregating at your place.

You may have one guest bedroom, but it’s certainly not enough to hold all this extra family. What do you do? You’ll have to get creative about sleeping accommodations, of course.

Privacy is also an issue during this extended stay. You only have so many bedrooms and bathrooms. It seems like everywhere you turn, there’s somebody around when you really just want a moment alone.

Glass partitions from CGD Glass Countertops are just what you need this holiday season. These will create more space, provide privacy, and contain your extra family members.

Here’s how.

Use Partitions to Separate One Room into Two

If bedroom space is limited, you may have guests sleeping all over the place, like on the couch and the floor. Give everyone a sense of their own space with a glass partition in the middle of a spare bedroom. This way, family members can go through their own routines (whether that’s staying up late or getting up very early) without interrupting your other guests.

Close Off Your Home Office with a Partition

It’s important to spend time with family during the holidays, but you still have to get some work done, too. If you have a lot of kids or other needy relatives competing for your time, keep your office space private with a glass partition.

If you don’t have an office door, or if your home office is in a corner of the room, this will really let people know you mean business.

Keep the Kitchen Prep Productive Via a Partition

If you have a large kitchen and no kitchen island, you can easily situate a glass partition in this room as well. You might want to split up the space between the countertop and the oven and then form a type of cooking assembly line.

For instance, one family member might make cookie dough, pass this to you, and then you put the cookies in the oven. This prevents too many people from bumping elbows during cooking, which would frustrate anyone.

Create a Separate Dressing Space with a Partition

With so many people staying over, privacy becomes an issue. Glass partitions around the house allow your family members to get changed and do other private routines easily without the risk of being seen.

Glass partitions are incredibly versatile, as you can see. Not only that, but these are stunningly beautiful, too. They make a great addition around the house beyond the holidays. Whether you want to create drama and use the partition for decoration or you just need some privacy, these are a must-have.

To get started ordering your glass partition today (customizable according to your specifications), contact us at CGD Glass Countertops. We’re looking forward to hearing from you!

Five Signs It’s Time to Upgrade Your Bathroom Countertops

Compared to the kitchen or the bedroom, you probably don’t really give your bathroom much attention. After all, unless you’re taking a luxurious bath, you’re pretty much in and out of there.

Yet recently, when you were giving the bathroom a thorough cleaning, you realized that some parts of it were in disarray, specifically the countertop. You’re not sure how it happened, but the once passable-looking countertop you had when you moved in has steadily become an eyesore.

If this sounds like an all-too-familiar nightmare, don’t stress. It’s just time for a change. Here are five signs it may be time for a bathroom countertop upgrade.

1. It’s Ugly

Listen, maybe you picked your bathroom countertop yourself years ago. Perhaps it was there since you’ve moved in. Regardless, the décor and style is not trendy anymore. Now, every time you walk into your bathroom, you cringe.

It doesn’t have to be this way. By choosing a timeless material like glass, you know you’ll love your bathroom countertop now and years in the future.

2. It’s Too Big

Some bathroom nooks are tiny and some just look tiny. Few things make your bathroom feel more claustrophobic than a poor layout.

If your toilet is in one corner and your shower in another and your countertop is directly across from that, it’s tough to maneuver around. A bulky bathroom countertop may have worked for you once, but now you want to slim it down.

3. It’s Falling Apart

Stains, water damage, subtle cracks from years of wear and tear…if you’re seeing these on your bathroom countertop, you pretty much have no choice but to remodel. These unappealing signs of damage may be small now, but with continued use, your counterpart could fall apart.

It’s better to replace it of your own volition than being forced to later. The latter scenario is not fun for your wallet.

4. There’s Mold

Whether the pipes are old and have started to develop mold or it’s the exterior or interior of the countertop that’s got the stuff, you can’t ignore this issue. Mold is a health hazard, and can irritate preexisting issues like allergies and asthma.

If you see mold on your bathroom countertop, you need to prioritize a renovation stat.

5. The Hardware Is Rusted

Those nickel-brushed or copper sink or cabinet handles seemed like a nice decorative touch at the time, but you didn’t think about their long-term looks. After being exposed to water again and again, your metal hardware has now rusted or corroded. It’s terrible to look at and use.

Glass can handle the water exposure without corroding. It’s easy to clean, too, which means you can prevent mold and other unwanted stains.

Are you ready to get started designing the bathroom countertop of your dreams? If so, contact us at CGD Glass Countertops. We’re a Toronto-based glass manufacturer that designs custom glass products, mostly countertops. We also make decorative glass doors, glass panels, partitions, sinks, and backsplashes.

To learn more, give us a call today!

Add Drama to Any Room with Suspended Glass Ceilings

Whether you’re a homeowner with a taste for the divine or you’re a commercial business owner who’s trying to make an impact, suspended glass ceilings are the way to go. These create a sense of drama in any room, from offices to kitchens, livings rooms, and bedrooms.

That said, we understand that a suspended glass ceiling is no small undertaking. In this post, we’ll explain exactly what these ceilings look like (or can look like), their benefits, and where you can get them.

What Are Suspended Glass Ceilings?

Suspended glass ceilings are a specialized service offered by CGD Glass Countertops, its sister company. These ceilings, despite their name, do not have to cover a room’s preexisting ceiling (that is, unless you want them to). If they don’t, they will often be affixed to a thick metal pole that hooks into the true ceiling, creating a layered look to any room.

What Do They Look Like?

That’s the fun part about these ceilings: their look is up to you! This is the time to let your interior designer out.

You can decide to add lights atop or beneath the suspended glass ceiling, creating beautiful illumination. Your glass ceiling can be large, mid-sized, or smaller. You can choose from almost any color of the rainbow, from demure copper hues to vivid reds or blues.

You’re not limited by shape, either. If you want a square or rectangular-shaped suspended glass ceiling, that choice is yours. You can also design these ceilings to be round, oval, triangular-shaped, or almost anything else. If you want them hung at an angle or just installed straight up, you also get that choice.

What Are Their Benefits?

There are nearly countless benefits to a suspended glass ceiling. Here are some to think about as you make your decision:

• There’s so much versatility with these glass ceilings. These work in a commercial environment such as an office, hotel lobby, museum, restaurant, or bar. At home, you can get a suspended ceiling in your entryway, living room, entertainment room, kitchen, or bedroom.
• Illumination from a lighted suspended glass ceiling adds a new dimension to many rooms.
• By getting a glass ceiling installed, you create a fresh, fun atmosphere in any room without having to spend time on a pricy remodel.
• For businesses and homeowners, these ceilings are an uncommon decorative choice and make for a great conversation piece.
• Suspended glass ceilings could increase a home’s curb appeal.

Where Can You Get Suspended Glass Ceilings?

If you’re looking for suspended glass ceilings for your home or commercial business, contact us at CGD Glass Countertops in Toronto. We’re one of the only companies to offer such a one-of-a-kind service.

We specialize in all things glass, designing and manufacturing the items ourselves according to our customer’s specifications. Our other products are decorative glass doors, panels, partitions, sinks, backsplashes, tabletops and bartops, bathroom and kitchen countertops, and kitchen islands.

If you’re ready to get started designing your ideal suspended glass ceiling, contact us today. Once we know more about the scope of your project, we can offer you a quote.