Office Bookshelf with Acid-Etched Glass Doors

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about visual noise; you know it as the clutter and chaos that our everyday environments feature. It puts you on edge, it makes you tense; often without even realizing why you’re feeling that way.

Acid-etched glass is a good solution for solving the problem of visual noise. Like a gentle morning mist, it veils the world around you. Not making it disappear entirely, but definitely by calming it,…soothing it,…and taking the edge off.

Every office has things that are needed at a moment’s notice. But every office doesn’t need to SEE those items. The door hardware catalog, the vacuum, the three-hole punch, the reams of extra paper and pens,….they all are disparate items that don’t share a vocabulary with one another. So how can we expect them to live in harmony in one environment?

All of these random assorted objects can be veiled in the fog,…in an ethereal cloud of acid-etched glass that smudges their appearance and soothes their different shapes and colors. Like an aging Hollywood starlet who blurs reality with a filtered lens, making them instantly more beautiful by glossing over a few of the details.

The true beauty, is that you still have enough visual information to know where they reside and find them again easily with a glance; and these necessary objects are never more than an arm length’s away.

To discover more about Dreamwalls Etched Glass, please visit our website, or view the below video showcasing some of the many waysDreamwalls Etched Glass can be used.

Who says door mirrors always have to hang vertically? They’re just simple rectangle mirrors,…why not try them horizontally for an elongating effect?

When Apartment Therapy tackles a project like this, you know it’s going to do two things: It’s going to be relatively easy, and the end result will look pretty hip. Their design incorporates a painted stripe the same width as the mirror, and has added sophistication by the asymmetrical placement of the mirror itself. They even have full how-to instructions on their site.

Door Mirror via Apt Therapy

Designer Olga Polzzi used minimalistic door-mirror style mirrors in the Hotel de Rome in Berlin, Germany. Such a simple idea, but with a very modern and funky result.

The next one has a an off-the-shelf door mirror like you’d find atLowe’s or Target, and turns it on it’s side for an instant backsplash at the serving bar/prep area of the kitchen. You’d have to reposition the d-ring hangers on back, but then it’s ready to go. I thought when I first saw this photo, “Oh yeah, and what are the odds of finding one the perfect size?” But then I measured my own kitchen, and a set of double cabinets comes out between 48 and 54 inches pretty easily,…a very standard range of sizes for door mirrors that you’d find at a home improvement center like Lowe’s. Frameless ones will even work well.

Door mirror used for a backsplash

HGTV Canada designers Colin and Justin used some inexpensive off-the-shelf3-dimensional pieces to make it into a full feature wall. Installed with simple chrome clips, it’s a mod and inexpensive solution. These would also work well for a backsplash solution.

HGTV Canada designers Colin and Justin adde 3-d pieces

An Apartment Therapy show piece, this bathroom features a long, horizontal mirror. The key is making sure the placement is the right height for the users since the room for error is much more narrow, and it will be a functional mirror. But the long line becomes an important graphic element that emphasizes the long shape of the bathroom and acts like a panoramic window. Very beautiful.

Apt Therapy Long Mirror Horizontal Bathroom

Inspired by the very first photo in this post, blogger “A Base Of Our Own” created a foyer focal point using simple door mirrors found at the home improvement store. Very cool, and good how-to directions to help you achieve the same look. And believe me – learn from their mistakes!! They tried to just use tape to install at first, then tried heavy duty velcro. Personally, I’d install 2 small d-rings on the back of each mirror and secure them from the wall that way,….but that’s a lot more measuring.

A Base of Our Own - Horizontal Mirror Focal Wall

But those are just the DIY versions. What about using mirror as backsplashes when the pros are involved? A custom (bespoke) backsplash of mirror can be cut to your exact dimensions, with matching outlet covers and switchplate covers. This one by Vintage Shutters and Hardware in Raleigh, NC uses mirror and Dreamwalls Color Glass backpainted glass in a beautiful red to create a sophisticated place to gather.

Vintage Shutters and Hardware Mirror and Dreamwalls Color Glass Backsplash

Or, we go back the other way, with Barefoot & Company who created this long, narrow mirror and installed it vertically in a bathroom. However, notice that they drilled exact holes for the faucet and controls in the mirror. A very modern, unexpected look in this Charlotte, NC area bathroom.

Barefoot & Company Narrow Bathroom Mirror

When you work with professionals, it is all about the details they provide as Barefoot & Company shows with a detail shot of a mirror backsplash installation with a matching mirror outlet cover.

Barefoot & Company Mirror Outlet Cutout and Matching Cover

So just think about the simple, rectangular door mirror a bit differently, and don’t be afraid to turn conventional thinking on its head,…or, at the very least, on its side. You’d be amazed at how drastically they can change the look of a room with just a little creativity.

Gorgeous ocean-themed color palette from the image Snowy Beach & Hatteras Light. Photo Credit: Ray Matthews

Spring fever has finally hit and our weather over the past few days has been wonderful. Sunny skies and comfortably warm temps have me daydreaming about packing up and taking a quick trip to the beach. That’s the great thing about living here in NC…..a weekend trip to the beach or mountains isn’t unrealistic. Both are only a few hours drive away which is a very nice perk! North Carolina has more than 300 miles of pristine coastline, filled with award-winning beaches like Cape Hatteras, which was named one of the top 10 beaches in the nation by Dr. Beach in 2012, and it’s home to tallest lighthouse in America. Along the coast you’ll find all kinds of amazing wildlife like the wild Banker Ponies and plenty of activities for the entire family. My favorite part of heading to the beach, though, is being able to relax and take in the natural beauty of the NC coast.

A breathtaking shot of Jockey's Ridge in NC, the East Coast's largest sand dune. Photo Credit: Ray Matthews

Much of this natural beauty is captured by NC native Ray Matthews. His stunning photography is most definitely partly to blame for my current beach obsession! A resident of the Outer Banks, Ray’s love for the coast is evident in his work. He became interested in photography during his college years, particularly interested in landscape and ocean photography.  He has received many well-earned awards and recognition, and was featured during the “Our State” episode on UNC-TV, North Carolina’s public television station.

NC native photographer Ray Matthews

“I’ve always been drawn to the dramatic weather and subtle beauty of the barrier islands. Skies here change constantly, the ocean is endlessly compelling, and the landscape, shaped by the waters on either side, reflects the changing light of the seasons and the moods of the sea. Trying to capture this has kept me shooting over the years.”

Sunrise and Pier Fisherman. Photo Credit: Ray Matthews

Visit Ray’s website and you’ll be amazed by his talent. Browse & purchase more of the coastal photos featured on this blog, or photos from his travels around the rest of North Carolina and other states. His photographs are perfect for note cards, and you can purchase those on his website, as well.

So until I’m actually able to take my beach trip, I’ll have the beautiful work of Ray Matthews to keep me day dreaming. Have a fantastic weekend!!

Holly

We put the FUN in functional with Dreamwalls Color Glass MessageBoards

“The best interiors make your heart pound.”

-Interior decorator Tony Fornabaio, Elle Decor – November 06

[Perfect pops of color and a Dreamwalls Color Glass MessageBoard make the KeyBank interior in Cleveland, Ohio eye-catching and fresh.]

I love the beautiful pastel colors of Easter! Photo Credit: Carolyn Cochrane Photography

It’s Easter weekend which means it’s time to hide those Easter eggs for the kiddos! While parents are busy dyeing and stuffing their eggs with candy or toys, the workers at the North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro, NC are also busy stuffing eggs for their “children” to enjoy!

Spanning 500 acres, the zoo is home to 1,600 animals from 2 continents (Africa and North America) that represent over 225 various species, and there are around 52,000 plants there for your enjoyment as well. From the polar bears in the Rocky Coast exhibit to the Lemurs down on Lemur Island, all of the animals live in areas that are constructed to look and feel just like their natural habitats. Each year, nearly 700,000 people from all over the country travel to our state to visit, and last year, thanks to new exhibits and animal births, the zoo reached it’s highest attendance record in 15 years!

Photo Credit: NC Zoo. Sniff...sniff....a grizzly bear has found his Easter treat!

This weekend, the zoo is hosting their annual Egg-Stravaganza party. Small and large colorful paper mache eggs are filled with treats and the animals get to have their own version of an Easter egg hunt! It’s a treat for the animals and a treat for the zoo visitors who get to watch. With treat-filled eggs laying around, even some of the normally hard-to-spot animals should be out and about! The baboon below looks like he’s taking his treat search seriously, while the little lemur looks like he’s having some fun with his egg!

Photo Credit: NC Zoo

Everything from elephants and birds to cougars and seals (and lots of other animals) will be Easter egg huntin’ and treat eatin’ this weekend at the zoo!

Photo Credit: NC Zoo

Woohoo…..it’s a 3-day weekend for us here at Dreamwalls so we’re all ready to monkey around!! Have a very Happy Easter everyone!

Holly

GLASS SHOWER SAFETY: Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love My Glass Shower

Tempered glass is a wonderful product for shower enclosures. It offers you the clarity of glass, an easy-to-clean surface, with unlimited fabrication possibilities, and the added safety of breaking into small nuggets of glass if broken.

However, those tiny nuggets CAN still cause minor cuts,….and the sudden surprise of a tempered glass shower panel “popping” can be frightening. There are reports every year of glass showers “exploding” and online articles with sensationalistic titles about these occurrences. But it is important to put these reports in the correct perspective and context. So let’s address the reality of the safety of tempered glass for shower enclosures.

The Source:

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has a  National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS), which is a national probability sample of hospitals across the country. Patient information is collected from each NEISS hospital for every emergency visit involving an injury associated with consumer products. From this sample, the total number of product-related injuries treated in hospital emergency rooms nationwide can be estimated. One can query NEISS using their coding information, and find a wealth of information on specific types of consumer-related injuries.

The Data:

In 2011, for example, there were a relatively low 1,434 injuries nationwide requiring medical treatment involving glass bath or shower enclosures.  30% of that number involved children under 12 years old. (To put it into context, there were a whopping 12,281 injuries requiring medical attention related to “binders or notebooks”!) Most patients were treated and released and very few required hospitalization. In many cases, falls were involved in a shower or tub that weren’t in any way caused by the glass enclosure itself – they just happened in such spaces and were broken on the way down or the event involved a head injury or some other injury that required the hospital visit. Injuries can be coded multiple ways, so if it happened in a glass enclosure and there were injuries, it was likely recorded.

Safety Points to Keep in Mind:

Let us stress that safety IS of vital importance when choosing the design of your shower enclosure. Here are just a few general tips to follow when using a glass shower enclosure to ensure it lasts a lifetime without any safety concerns:

• Use a reputable professional glass installer for your glass shower enclosure. If they provide references, call them.

• Inspect the glass carefully immediately after installation while your installer is present. Chips or cracks at the edge and corner can cause the glass to shatter, even at a later time when no one is in the room.

• If the glass doesn’t have a “bug” (see yesterday’s glossary for a definition) printed on the glass for aesthetic reasons, ask for a copy of the documentation that proves that the glass is, in fact, tempered.

• Periodically check the shower door hardware to ensure handles, hinges, and fasteners remain secure.  Tighten them (or have them tightened) if needed, but be careful not to over tighten.

• Ensure that the door edges are not directly contacting the wall, metal hardware, or other glass panels during operation. There should never be direct glass-to-metal contact, and vinyl bumpers are essential. Periodically check the door or panel alignment and make certain that all gaskets and bumpers remain in good condition.

• Inspect glass periodically for any chips or cracks, paying special attention to the glass edge, notches, and around holes in the glass for hardware.  If there is any evidence of a crack, call your glass installer.

• Do not use the shower door towel bars or handles as a safety grab bar or as a lift assist when getting in and out of the bath, or lowering and lifting off a toilet. Never allow children to hang from the bars or handles or to slam doors, and never allow children to horseplay around glass shower enclosures.

• If the glass DOES break, use caution. While the glass looks like harmless gravel, it will still cut you once the weight of your body is on it. So don’t try to walk across the nuggets. If you’re in the shower at the time, lay a towel across the glass and gently remove yourself from the space, or use your trusty shower squeegee to clear a safe path.

This post is not meant to frighten you away from using glass for your shower enclosures. They are beautiful, practical to clean, let in more light, and are completely safe for use in bathrooms. The statistics show that injuries are extremely low from glass showers, but bathrooms in general are the most dangerous room in the house for accidents due to slipping and falling. Designs that reduce falls in general, like barrier-free entries and shower seats are always a good suggestion. You may consider including “official” grab bars at support locations so that the shower hardware won’t inadvertently be used for that purpose. Knowing your client and how they live is always so important to everyone’s safety.

The glass shower industry, like all industries, has its own terminology. Below is a short list of some of the glass shower terms a designer should know if they’re designing a bath featuring a glass shower enclosure.

Glossary of Glass Shower Terms

Annealed glass: regular float glass. It is glass that has NOT been heat treated. By law, it is not suitable for glass shower enclosures.

Barrier-free: in terms of handicap access, this refers to an enclosure system that has minimal or no bottom track or curb. Depending on the overal shower size and designs, this is part of a universal design system and my make this style ADA compliant.

Bug: The term for the logo that indicates that a piece of glass is tempered safety glass.  The “bug” may vary, but will always contain a reference to the American National Standards Institute standard ANSI Z-97.1. For aesthetic reasons, you can choose to NOT have the bug placed, but the request must be made IN WRITING at the time of the order. The manufacturer can then provide documentation that the piece is, in fact, tempered.

Clear glass: glass that is transparent. (for extra-clear, ultra-clear, or low-iron; please see the definition under “low-iron glass”)

Curb: the threshold of a shower that the enclosure is placed on top of, usually made of tile, marble or fiberglass.

Curved glass: glass that has been specially formed to fit into a circular floor plan.

Custom enclosure: an enclosure that requires a special size of tempered glass and framework.

Etched glass: glass that has a design cut into its surface to create a frosted appearance. For shower enclosures, this effect is created by acid-etching, since sandblasted glass would not stand up to the soap, oils or cleaners which may be present in a shower. Digital printing can create a simulated etched effect.

Fixed panels: the glass or plastic panels of an enclosure that are stationary.

Framed: a bath enclosure system that mounts all glass panels within a metal frame.  Usually a lower-end or off-the-shelf style of shower.

Frameless: a bath enclosure system that minimizes the amount of metal used to hold the system panels and door in place. The edge of the glass is exposed, but finished with a safe, flat polished edge.

Heavy glass: glass used in many frameless enclosures. Usually 3/8-inch or 1/2-inch in thickness. It is still required to be tempered.

Laminated glass: A minimum of two pieces of glass with a middle layer of vinyl which is the heat and pressure treated. The vinyl layer keeps the glass intact when broken and prevents body parts from penetrating the glass pane.  It may be used interchangeably with tempered glass in shower installations. By code, all glass shower doors and enclosures must use either tempered or laminated glass in their construction.

Low-iron glass: glass that is made using less iron and other minerals during float manufacturing process to create a transparent glass that has less greenish tint. The amount of actual tint will ultimately vary due to thickness of the glass.

Neo-angle: a shower that consists of a center door and  two fixed panels at a 22.5 degree angle on either side of the door.

Obscure glass: glass that lets light through, but is not totally transparent. Acid etched glass or patterned glass are examples.

Patterned glass: glass that has a repeating shape embedded in the glass. May be transparent or obscure.

Printed glass: glass that has been printed with a design using permanent inks. May be screenprinted, digitally printed, sprayed, curtain-coated or printed in some other manner for transparency, translucency, or opacity.

Reflective glass: glass that bounces back at least some of the light that strikes it.  This kind of glass is commonly called a one-way, or transparent, mirror. The amount of transparency or reflection depends on the strength and location of the light source.

Return panels: fixed panels that are set at a 90° angle to the shower door or other panels.

Steam bath: an enclosure that is usually equipped with special plumbing to create steam. The door itself either runs from the floor to the ceiling or has a top with special seals to contain the steam. Transoms may be incorporated to regulate the steam levels.

Tempered glass: glass that has been heat-treated by a process of gradually heating and cooling. Once a piece of glass has been tempered it cannot later be cut. If it breaks, it breaks into many small pieces. By code, all glass shower doors and enclosures must use either tempered or laminated glass.

Textured glass: glass that has been made with a texture on its surface that creates a translucent effect.  This is the same concept as patterned glass, but may also be textured using deep acid etching or a printed coating. May refer to non-slip or increased-traction surfaces.

Tinted glass: glass that is made during the float process with a transparent color running through it. Gray, Bronze, and Blue are the most common tints, but Pink Rosa, Green, and other tints are possible.

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What are some terms that you used regularly in bathroom enclosure design? Is there some term or bit of jargon you really hate using? What are some of  your favorite features to include in shower enclosures?

Photo Credit: Modern Dog Magazine

“Live and work but do not forget to play, to have fun in life and really enjoy it.” – Eileen Caddy