Glass blocks in the interior

Today it is often possible to meet such a material not so long ago used everywhere, like a glass block. Surely, many people immediately when pronouncing this word in Soviet memory will pop up. Since this material was widely used in the construction and decoration of many premises. As a rule, they were used to build walls in public institutions - hospitals, schools, culture houses, and sometimes they were even replaced with street walls of residential entrances. Perhaps someone has positive emotions associated with this, but most likely it will cause negative memories for most. Glass blocks of those times did not differ in variety - often they were gray, nondescript square bricks. But today the picture has changed radically, since glass blocks in the interior began to be used more often, in connection with which a great variety of them appeared.

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What is glass block?

The traditional glass block was a hollow cube with glass walls about 1 cm thick, which, due to the air cushion inside, reduced sound permeability by 60-70%. The light transmission was 80%, and the dense glass completely eroded the outline of everything behind him and did not allow peeping, which was not intended for prying eyes.

Today, glass blocks have changed, acquiring new colors and shapes - for example, bricks, new content - they are filled with mother of pearl, herbariums or installations, a new look - decoration with graphics or ornaments.

Important! The sizes of modern glass blocks are also very different, but still the standard 8x24x24 and 8x19x19 cubes remain the most popular.

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The advantages of arranging interiors using glass blocks

Well, firstly, those still Soviet advantages have not disappeared, for example:

• Good light transmission.
• Structural strength.
• Protection from prying eyes.
• Increased soundproofing.

But with the improvement of construction technologies, new arguments have appeared for the design of interiors of modern apartments using glass blocks:

• Increased moisture resistance, which allows the use of glass blocks in bathrooms, showers, saunas, swimming pools.
• High resistance to mechanical stress and high temperatures.
• Unlimited cleanings with any detergent.
• Excellent thermal insulation.
• Beautiful and stylish appearance.

Important! The last point led to the fact that today glass blocks can be found in living rooms, in kitchens, in hallways and even bedrooms, because with their use even the simplest Khrushchev can be transformed into the palace of the Snow Queen.

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Ideas for use

The correct use of glass blocks in the interior of an apartment can bring a touch of something “updated old” into it, which always causes positive feelings and also creates a pleasant atmosphere:

• Today, in the design of an apartment, it is less and less common to find a wall that is completely lined with such glass blocks. Often they are used as a decorative element in the design.
• This material is an excellent tool for zoning parts of the room. Due to its transparency, it does not obscure the areas of the room remote from the window.For example, if you have a one-room apartment, then with the help of glass blocks you can separate the living area from the bedroom, erecting a partition from this material, while the rest of the room will practically not suffer in terms of natural light.
• The same method of separation or zoning can be applied in today's popular studio apartments, where the kitchen and living room are combined. Between them, you can install such a partition of glass, because due to their transparency, blocks of glass will bring lightness and airiness to both parts.
• Glass blocks in the hallway will look great, if they replace one of the non-bearing walls. This will make it possible to make the hallway lighter, since such a wall will transmit light from the window of the adjacent room.

Important! Glass blocks can not lay out the entire wall, but its individual sections, making a kind of window. It will look very beautiful, especially if you use colored glass blocks.

• Since the entrance hall often contacts the kitchen, the reconstruction of the wall with the help of glass blocks will affect both of these rooms. In addition to the design of a small kitchen, you can make zoning of this room by separating the dining area with such a glass partition.
• Very often, the full-scale use of glass blocks is carried out in the design of the bathroom. Firstly, as mentioned earlier, they are not afraid of moisture, and secondly, thanks to the matte look, you can put a place for a shower with such material, or, if you have a combined bathroom, you can successfully separate the toilet from the bathroom area.
• Also, very often such blocks lay out the window opening in the bathroom, resulting in a kind of decorative window.

Important! This technique is very convenient, since such a window does not need any curtains, nor will the lighting of the room suffer.

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Rules for the design of interiors using glass blocks

Everything is good in moderation, and glass blocks are no exception. Glass cubes can bring translucent beauty and ice chic to the general environment, but you should not go too far with glass if you do not have an aim to create an ice cave:

1. The maximum proportional ratio of glass blocks to other finishing materials in residential premises is 1:10, in toilets and bathrooms - is not limited.
2. When decorating rooms, try to combine the icy coldness of glass blocks with more “warm” finishing materials, for example, fabrics, wallpaper, laminate, forging, wood.
3. When using transparent, colorless glass blocks, try to balance the color scheme with some other, brighter tones - who in the house will like a hospital room instead of a living room?
4. This material successfully zones the space: it can be used, for example, to separate the recreation area from the kitchen in the studio apartment. But do not forget that in living rooms such cubes should bear a more decorative, rather than functional load.
5. A memo for lovers of designers: there are masters who can create real masterpieces of furniture art from glass blocks.

Important! For the sake of stability and safety, such furniture is made on rigid fixed frames and, although it will look very beautiful, it will not work to move it.

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Stock footage

Conventional glass blocks in the interior can add a twist to the design of modern apartments. We hope that our advice and recommendations will help you determine your wishes, one of which will certainly be an elegant wall made of this interesting building material.