Are you a fan of glass bricks anywhere in the home?

7 years ago

last modified: 7 years ago

Whilst they provide filtered light, privacy and can hide an ugly view, we feel they're best used in Art Deco style homes, where they were a common feature.

What are your thoughts???

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Yes

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Olivia Kwarda Tuivaga

7 years ago

For my own home, I'd never have them, but I do like them in art deco buildings! Like your example and like this -

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or this -

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Comments (25)

Betty Weaver
7 years ago
I totally agree, I don't think they work in every home. I like them in the photos you provided but wouldn't have them for myself! I prefer to admire from afar!
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HughVF
7 years ago
I like them in stairwells or hallways as you don't spend a lot of time viewing/looking out but appreciate the natural light and privacy.
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Kat Monares
7 years ago
You're right, they're not right for every home. They can definitely work for bathrooms, though! Maybe even staircases?
pompom_
7 years ago
I agree with the comments above. If I lived in a beautiful art deco home I would keep it and work with it. Is there such thing as a simple art deco aesthetic?
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smarterBATHROOMS+
7 years ago
I believe they have their place in the right setting as suggested above, yet as renovators we are more often then not taking them out. If filtered light is required opaque glass usually seems to go in their place.

Warm regards sB+
Gallifrey
7 years ago
Hard to imagine where they would ever look good. Not a fan of Art Deco either.
Najeebah
7 years ago
I think they're great in the correct space, but they're not my style generally.
a house of some relatives has a staircase on the side that overlooks a busy main road. the wall around the staircase is done in glass brick, floor to ceiling, and gives privacy from the road and wonderful light and heat. It's one of the places it works perfectly
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Additional Concepts Pty Ltd
7 years ago
As a builder and into modern design, I don't see a place for glass brick windows at the moment. I must admit, I installed many gbw's
In the mid - late 90's and am a bit scarred. I do believe they will come back in to the modern home eventually though.
For me, apart from being used in an Art Deco
Build glass bricks should be replaced with a nice modern frame window with some type of obscure glass.
Jeannie
7 years ago
Love them! Don't think they should be thought of in just an art deco setting.

We used them to great effect in a very modern home.
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up the creek retreat
7 years ago
Like everything they are on their way 'in' I used them in a square box home Reno 35 yrs ago applied ceiling to floor to give light to a small dark bathroom. I have recently bought a 20yr old home with g/bricks in the stair well albeit I did paint the apricot grout white. I'm loving the look & no need for blinds
Crissy
7 years ago
i would never have thought of using them but our current home has them and actually suit the style of the home...it all depends on how they're used
lorwellen
7 years ago
Used them for the bathroom for privacy as it borders our entrance - big blunder however, as not ventilation has proved a real problem and need to work out how to keep the room aired
Julie Herbert
7 years ago
floor to ceiling in a bathroom gives great light, use an extractor fan for ventilation.
janbindoff
7 years ago
Our early 50s home had glass bricks so when we renovated we updated with modern glass bricks. They work really well with the aesthetic of the house and provide a lovely filtered light - like reflected water, dappled and shimmering.
Gayle
7 years ago
I like glass bricks and think they're useful. I have them as a bathroom window in my 60s brick veneer. They have increased the light, do a good job as privacy screen on the dead side of the house and I think they look good too!
Debbie Fisher
7 years ago
I like them once again, in the right setting, I think the benefits can out weigh the negatives.

Glass bricks and skylights can definitely be a positive in the right space. In a time when power prices are going higher every quarter to make use natural/free light has to be a bonus and for that reason I would not be surprised if they become back in vogue
jane_bhandari
7 years ago
For a bathroom wall they are great, but then you need an extractor fan to ventilate the space. Just don't have to bath too close... you will have spectators!

I love glass bricks and am always looking for new ways to use them. For one house I designed from scratch they became the shower walls, giving some privacy and lots of light. I am not a fan of glass showers because they need to be meticulously cleaned, but glass bricks are more forgiving. Once in a while a little bleach gets rid of mold.
Lyn Ahlefeldt
7 years ago
I think the sculptural style of glass bricks would also work with modernist and 70s spare style homes, especially with raked ceilings. If I can work them in usefully, we will have them in our home for retirement, yet to be discovered.
janbhan
7 years ago
I used them once for clerestory lighting in a very high ceilinged room with a sloping roof. The windows were all on the short wall, and I realised that the high part of the ceiling was going to be very dark. So I hada triple row of glass bricks put in while the building was still under construction. That room and it's bathroom is well lit during the day, but its counterpart, which did not get the clerestory, is awfully gloomy, and the bathroom is like a cave. It was hard to convince the very old fashioned architect that glass bricks were the answer. Security plus light plus privacy. ... what more can you want?
mrspatriciahawking
7 years ago
I like them, no matter what period, they are great for letting light in
Yvonne Newman
7 years ago
They are excellent tool to create privacy whilst allowing the light to get in (say ... over the kitchen sink where the window overlooks the neighbour's bedroom or something like that). However they will increase the heat in a room if facing the western sun. This is a good thing if you live in the south but not in some northern areas of Australia.
janbhan
7 years ago
Yes I was told that, but this was a north facing wall. So not a problem. Since the windows were too high to look out of the view was not an issue but security was. Glass bricks are very hard to break!
Najeebah
7 years ago
indeed they are Janbhan, I know some people who had vandals take a shot at their glass bricks years back. a very slight chip on the outside is all the damage
janbhan
7 years ago
An architect friend designed a spiral staircase with glass bricks on the outer wall. The trade were very heavy touch end glass. Walking up and down was a rather out of world experience, but the feeling of light was amazing.

I have also seen a full bathroom inner wall made of glass bricks, a very innovative idea that divided a large room into two bathrooms. The bricks had a pattern that allowed light through but made it absolutely opaque,..very attractive and scattered the light beautifully. The only solid bit of wall was where the commodes were, on either side. I have wanted to do so et hinges similar ever since, but those bricks are expensive!

Are you a fan of glass bricks anywhere in the home?

Olivia Kwarda Tuivaga

Comments (25)

Betty Weaver

HughVF

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