Are You Trendy? Why Architects Now Prefer Building with Glass

Do you have a glass accent piece in your home? How about a glass countertop, bar top, or backsplash? Maybe you’re into glass furniture like tables or desks. You could even decorate your bathroom with glass vanities, sinks, and shower doors. If you do, you’re actually ahead of the curve in terms of trendiness.

You may not have even known it, but glass architecture is bigger than ever before. According to a November article from Lloyd Alter at TreeHugger, architects are turning to glass as a building material more now than ever before. So why the shift? What’s changed? Glass has always been a durable, dependable, trustworthy material. Are people just realizing this now?

Somewhat. The architects he spoke to describe how there’s a class delineation that’s present with glass: those who can afford to design buildings with spacious glass windows and panels and those who cannot. Alter says this is especially apparent in the UK.

However, no matter where you live, you’ve probably seen this trend in action yourself. Think about a high-rise apartment or home you may have seen with floor-to-ceiling windows. Doesn’t it seem classier and more high-end than one with traditional smaller windows?

That said, Alter does mention that some residents in the UK have griped that these spacious glass windows and panels have allowed them to become too exposed to others. While this can certainly be an issue, those who are considering larger glass panels for their own home don’t have to worry when they order from CGD Glass Countertops. This Toronto, Ontario, Canada company does produce large glass panels, but they allow their customers to customize the texture and transparency of these panels for the ultimate in privacy.

There are some other interesting notes in the TreeHugger article that are worth mentioning. Alter described how these glass buildings tend to be more energy-efficient. Imagine all that natural sunlight that floods into buildings with large glass panels. There’s no need to turn on the lights until at night, which saves on energy bills. The sun can even warm up these spaces, preventing the need for furnace use in the winter.

He also mentioned how “dust and dirt harboured germs that must be destroyed by fresh air and sunlight.” Indeed, these homes are generally cleaner because bacteria simply cannot stick around with all that bright natural light. Also, glass surfaces are generally a lot easier to clean compared to leather or wood, which may require a special cleaner. With glass, a little bit of soap and water does the trick.

While Alter is cautiously optimistic about glass architecture, the biggest problem he mentions again and again is privacy with such large glass panels. Luckily, when you contact CGD Glass Countertops, in a way, you can have your cake and eat it, too. You can still have privacy through textured glass but enjoy the many benefits that glass architecture offers, including better energy efficiency and less grime and dirt. To learn more about CGD Glass Countertops, call us today.

What You Can Do with Glass Panels

The beauty, the durability, the boundless creativity: glass panels can dress up any room. Whether used for residential or commercial purposes, these panels create mystique and appeal in any room in which they appear. What’s even better than their looks is their versatility, in that they blend into offices or homes, making their uses nearly endless.

Are you considering getting glass panels for your home, office, or commercial project? Contact us at CGD Glass Countertops in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. We’re a decorative glass design and manufacturing company. We produce a variety of glass pieces you can use to accent your glass panels, including sinks, backsplashes, bar tops, kitchen islands, and countertops.

If you do want glass panels, you may be wondering just how you can use them. At CGD, we’re happy to explain the many uses our customers have found for their own glass panels. You may notice, looking on our website, that we also sell glass partitions and you may be wondering: what’s the difference? Is there any?

Yes, and the difference is huge. While we encourage our customers to move their glass partitions from room to room as they see fit, glass panels are meant to be stationary, left in one place. You can affix these to the wall and sometimes even the ceiling. These aren’t bound by shape or size. You want panels that mimic pillars? You’ve got them. You want panels that are engraved to look like decorative artwork? No problem.

You’re only limited by your imagination. At CGD Glass Countertops, we encourage our customers to let their creativity shine as they customize our many glass items. Almost every glass item we manufacture is intended to be altered to the customer’s specifications. You can customize your glass panels to your heart’s content.

How? By sending us a drawing or blueprint of what you want your panel to look like. We will then make it to the best of our abilities. We also offer some cool texture customization options, allowing you to add even more depth and creativity to the final product. Some of our exclusive textures include the look of gently folded glass, the deep crevices of an avalanche, the spacy calmness of the galaxy, and the hope and serenity of melting ice.

Don’t stop there though! At CGD Glass Countertops, we don’t necessarily believe that glass always has to be translucent. It can be, and we do sell it that way, but we also offer a process known as backpainting. With this, we liven up any glass item, including panels, by painting the back of the glass in a color of your choice!

Our semi-translucent colors are muted but still beautiful. Sky blue injects a subtle dose of color, red is for the bold, neon green is for those who like to make strong statements, and multicolored is for those who don’t want to choose. We also offer opaque colors like the soft and beautiful amber, rich gold, and eye-catching dark blue. To learn more, contact us at CGD today.

How to Decorate a Room with Glass Panels

Are your walls looking a little plain? Do you want to fill them with something besides framed photos and artwork? Glass panels instantly add pizzazz to any wall. No matter what your design plan and your budget, you can get a glass panel that works for you. Do you love the paint color you chose for a room? Go for slimmer panels that don’t hog up too much wall space. Are your walls dinged up and dingy from years of kids and pets in the house? Choose a larger panel.

Of course, if you’ve never bought glass panels before, you may not be sure how to decorate a room with them. By following these tips, you can create a classy, relaxing atmosphere you will be proud to call home.

In the living room, a large glass panel, as mentioned, can take the place of artwork. This may be a more budget-friendly remodel than buying pricy antique paintings. It also may be cheaper than getting new wallpaper or crown molding. You’ll be surprised at how different your living room looks with just this one change. Glass is naturally translucent and can reflect light back, instantly adding more brightness to the living room. You may even be able to do away with a lamp or two, freeing up even more space.

Wish your bathroom could look like those you see on those home remodeling websites? A glass panel can make this a space of serenity. Try a slimline panel that creates a border around the whole room. This can distract from other wear and tear that bathrooms naturally experience over time, like a tub that’s not as white as it once was or sinks that are no longer as polished.

Glass panels even work in the bedroom. Get a full-length floor-to-ceiling panel if you really want to brighten up this space but still want your privacy (since, after all, these panels are not windows). You’ll wake up with the sun each morning raring to get your day started. There are few better feelings than that.

Suffer from lack of productivity in your home office? A glass panel can keep you rejuvenated. That extra brightness will prevent fatigue from hitting you mid-afternoon, plus you may even get some vitamin D even if you can’t step outside for a break. That vitamin is linked to better bodily and mental health.

Finally, you can even dress up your kitchen with a glass panel or two. If you don’t have a lot of wall space, keep these panels smaller or slimmer to accommodate. Try frosted glass if you’re worried about the glass fogging up with condensation once you start cooking dinner.

If you’re ready to order a glass panel today, contact us at CGD Glass Countertops. We’re a Toronto, Ontario, Canada company that specializes in glass products of all kinds, ranging from partitions to panels to countertops, sinks, and everything in between. All you have to do is send along a drawing or room measurements to get your quote today.

Sources: http://www.houzz.com/glass-panel