Each of us at least once as a child saw the glass blocks, though in Soviet times they were decorated for the most part technical and public premises. But today this building material is experiencing a second wave of popularity, but already in the interiors of apartments. Let's deal with what the glass blocks have earned such attention and how to issue an interior.
Pros and cons
Before disassembled the advantages and disadvantages of glass blocks, we will deal with the terminology. A glass unit is a design that resembles a sandwich, with thick glasses outside and an empty air cavity inside.
Read also examples of furniture alterations of the USSR
Advantages:
Have a high sound insulation. The air layer is shuffling 60-70% of external noise.
Sunlight passes. Inside you can mount the backlight or use bricks instead of a window frame.
Different durability. The partition from the glass blocks can be compared with the brick - it will simply flash one dozen years.
Not afraid of water. Often you can see the glass blocks in the interior of the bathroom, kitchen, shower or even pool.
Easy to care. It is enough to wipe from dust with a wet cloth.
Perfect warmly. Relatively warm material, so the glass in the interior of the living room is not uncommon.
Do not pose a health hazard. Glass is environmentally friendly plastic and other alternatives.
There are no shortcomings in glass bricks. Therefore, if in your view there is no clear anchor with Soviet interiors or a similar perspective does not scare - be sure to use glass blocks in the interior!
The last nuance is the cost. The average price per piece varies within 200-300 rubles. On the one hand, the cost may seem unnecessarily expensive. On the other hand, the construction of the wall with glass blocks you spend only the material itself and glue - no surface preparation (stucco, putty, soil).
What are the glass blocks?
For the construction of walls from glass blocks or decors, squares are used standard, or rectangular bricks. The sizes of the squares are preserved since the time of the USSR - 19 * 19 * 8 cm or 24 * 24 * 8 cm. Rectangles are exactly half of the main form: 19 * 9.5 * 8 cm.
For convenience of work and more decorative appearance, special end blocks are produced - angular, with rounded edges cut under a quarter-circle. Due to these elements, the erected walls look complete.
On the photo amber glass blocks in the living room
30-50 years ago Colored glass blocks were greenish, because It was made from ordinary crude glass - it was the most inexpensive. More raid there were transparent, crystal clear. Modern manufacturers widened a ruler by adding a nice blue, rich green, neutral brown, as well as yellow, red, purple, pink and other colors.
The color palette increases, due to the addition of matte glass to the gloss: so everyone will be able to find something under its style and taste
On the photo glass in the interior in the style of loft
Original inserts are added to the usual color or transparent: glass cubes, inside which compositions of stones, plastic fish or insects, flowers, fruits.
The texture is distinguished by smooth, textural. The second category includes wavy, lattice (inches), bubble, imitating waterfall, shagreen.
Application options
Glass blocks are used to solve various tasks: from zoning to decoration of space.
Partitions
The construction of walls can be useful in studios - for example, to highlight the bedroom in the room of Open Space or a clear separation of space for cooking, rest. Glass blocks in the bathroom interior often highlight showers.
The design of partitions from glass blocks is winning both in itself and in combination with other materials: they are sewn into plasterboard, creating peculiar glowing windows or rows.
When you need to build a big wall, glass is combined with brick, concrete blocks, since it is in itself it looks too cold, reminds ice.
Window
Glass bricks are used to design inner windows in residential premises or external - in private houses in bathrooms to hide from curious views of the neighbors.
For example, installing the glass blocks between the bathroom and the kitchen on the place of Framuga, you will simultaneously get the decor and additional backlight. And hardening the opening in the deaf wall between the living room and the bedroom without the window - make the recreation area more cozy by hitting natural light.
Furniture
The material is so universal that the furniture is often made from glass blocks in the kitchen interior! They serve as a stand under the table top or bar counter.
Add a backlight to the glass, it turns out a modern original kitchen room decoration.
On the photo Glass Bar Stand
Apron
Glass apron over the working surface - not only practical, but also aesthetic. The surface is easy to clean, not afraid of water, fat, high temperatures, misses light: in general, for all qualities it is suitable as a replacement of tiles or skinali.
Decorative inserts in the wall
Wall design with glass blocks use when you want to apply this unusual material limited. Squares, as if pixels, can be collected in any form: from abstract, to quite recognizable.
Optionally, the backlight is embedded, which serves as an evening muted light or night light.
How do they look at the interior of the rooms?
There are no places where the blocks of glass would not be used: in the bathroom they love for water resistance, in the kitchen for ease of care, in the living room for heat, light, visual ease.
Living room
Glass blocks are used for partitions between the bedroom with a bedroom, a kitchen, a cabinet. Either as decorative inserts into the walls.
Kitchen
Stacking applications Multiple:
wall between the dining room, the working area;
Podstole under the bar rack, dining table;
Finishing vertical working surface (apron).
Thanks to the properties of lightweight and high light light, in the kitchen, the glass perfectly replaces the tile, even surpasses it.
On the photo wall of glass bricks in the kitchen
Bedroom
Glass blocks in the bedroom use limited: in large numbers they create a cold atmosphere, because Glass outdoor resembles ice. True, if you take beige, cream, peach, yellow, orange blocks as the basis, the Iceberg effect can be avoided.
Bathroom
In the bathrooms, limit yourself in the use of glass is not necessary: they are limited to the shower cabin, separate the toilet from the bathroom, lay the apron over the sink, lay the opening between the kitchen or toilet.
In order for the abundance of glass blocks does not look boring, combine the colors or add decorative inserts: it is best formed with beach motifs (inside fish, sand, corals, algae). The texture is smooth or a wave, grille.
Remember: the smaller the convex parts, the harder will clean the walls.
On the photo transparent wall for shower
Parishion
Glass blocks in the hallways serve as the input separator from the residential part of the room. Walls make deaf or windows where it is convenient to put vases, figurines, other decorations.
Replacing the walls of concrete or brick on glass (provided that we do not bring up the structures!), Provide yourself with light in the corridor during the daytime and saving electricity.
Balcony
Apply as in other rooms: divided into zones, furniture design. To replace the window, it is better not to use, because The bandwidth of the rays is less than the glass package.
Watch photo of the application of glass blocks in the interior of the apartment in the gallery: We collected the most original and stylish solutions!