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.

Today’s modern offices need to adapt to the modern work style. With workers more involved in collaboration, flextime, and remotely,…offices require designs that are unique to each corporate culture, while still allowing for what the future may bring. In my opinion, the main two design elements to always strive to maximize, is 1) space and 2) light. Each element influences the other in perception. If a space is designed with optimal working light, it feels more spacious and roomy. If a space is designed well to maximize its space, light flows more easily within it.  For our part, glass can be an important part of office design. Here are just a few ways we’ve seen glass used for smart office designs.

1) Cabinetry – Regardless of the business, there’s always paperwork that needs to be stored away. Sales collateral, client files, samples and catalogs are greatly reduced thanks to the online world, but never going away completely. Using backpainted glass or acid etched glass are good ways to keep them hidden from view but still at top of mind.

Acid etched glass cabinet

2) Office Dividers – For all the romanticism of open plan workspaces, some people actually work better with some amount of privacy. Glass office dividers offer light transmission and privacy without feeling closed off from the rest of the group.

Etched Glass Office Divider

3) Branded Signage – Glass sparkles and dazzles. Nothing is more professional presentation of your brand than in glass.

Healthclub Signage using backpainted glass

4) Desktops – Nothing brings an office together more than color, and a desktop surface made of glass is practical and can be that final element that turns a drab workspace into a glad workspace.

Desktop of Dreamwalls Backpainted Glass

5) Markerboards – Magnetized or not, these boards are non staining and even permanent markers can be cleaned off. So your top secret project can stay up for weeks or even months, and come off clean when the project is done.

Dreamwalls Color Glass Markerboard

6) Breakrooms – Backsplashes and countertops of glass are easy to keep clean and are non-staining. They’re perfect for the breakrooms where commaraderie and celebrations end up happening,….and cleanup needs to be simple.

Dreamwalls Color Glass used in breakroom

7) Reception Desks - regardless of the public served, the lobby desk needs to be easy to clean and keep clean, while adding a pop of color. Backpainted glass is a fantastic way to accomplish that. In our lobby, we use “Linen”,…but it can be custom matched to any color specification very easily to be a part of the company brand.

Backpainted Glass Reception Area

Have I left any out? How have you used glass creatively in office design? We’re remodeling our lobby currently, so I’m all ears!

As we are working more with glass shower enclosures, I’ve been noticing some trends in custom shower enclosure design. When I say “custom” these are completely custom designs with unique panel sizes made exclusively for a space. They can certainly also be for project work – for instance where many of the same design are made for condos or hospitality,…but the designs are unique and are definitely not “off the rack” from a home improvement warehouse. Generally, these doors are 3/8″ or 1/2″ thick tempered glass with fabrication for specialized hinges, handles and hardware. What’s more, these exciting doors quicken the pulse with beautiful new features that are the leading edge of shower enclosure design. At Gardner Glass Products, we are proud to be able to fabricate glass for such beautiful showers that make these bathrooms so special using our full line of Dreamwalls glass products.

Headerless Design – with no hardware at the top, these doors look like beautiful jewel cases in your bath. Advances in hardware engineering and talented glaziers make these enclosures works of art that make them seem to defy the laws of physics.

Dreamwalls_CustomFramelessShower

Exposed “Industrial” Hardware- This european hardware style is popping up from several great manufacturers. It features rollers and bars like barn door hardware, but designed to stand up to the unique bathroom environment.

Dreamwalls_Glass Shower Industrial Hardware

Acid Etched Glass - This translucent glass is available in low-iron versions that have a milky-white appearance that is soothing and ethereal for the bath. It also allows for privacy while still offering all the easy-to-clean advantages of other glass showers. And because it is permanently etched on one surface (usually placed facing the outside of the shower), the effect will never fade, clean off, or scratch off.

Dreamwalls Etched Glass Shower

Shower Seats- Not just for us older folks that need a place to sit, they’re also practical places to more comfortably shave legs, or just set down toiletries, washcloths, or children’s toys while you scrub down.

Dreamwalls Shower Seat Detail

Tinted Glass - Gray, bronze, and even blue tints are a nice look that are completely transparent but with just a hint of color to accent interior color schemes and adds a bit of the unexpected. This is not a film added to the glass, the tint is created in the actual float glass manufacturing process, so the color will stay true forever.

Avery Glass & Mirror _ Gray Tempered Shower Enclosure

Steam Showers - with glass that goes all the way up to the ceiling, these showers can trap in all the heat and steam from the shower to create a sauna-like effect. Moveable specially-cut upper transoms can be opened to help control the moisture levels to prevent your shower from becoming a constant rainforest and aid ventilation.

Dreamwalls Steam Shower

Fixed Panels - Careful positioning of the shower head and placement of a non-moving panel of glass results in a design that eliminates the need for a moving door. It’s a nice look that is very practical as well.

Dreamwalls Fixed Panel Shower Partition

What trends have you been spotting in frameless glass shower enclosures? What would you LIKE to be seeing? With water jet cutting capabilities, access to the finest glass in the world from all over the globe, and world-class tempering quality; the full line of Dreamwalls products can help it come to life.

Acid Etched Glass is a specific type of glass that has been “frosted” by treating one or both surfaces with hydrofluoric acid to create an even pattern etched into the glass. The acid is completely cleaned off the glass after manufacture, so the glass is completely safe; and is beautifully even and consistent. Because of the complexity of the manufacture of this product, no one in the U.S. makes it, so Dreamwalls searched the globe for the finest supplier – which we found in Italy.  Dreamwalls is able to provide both regular tinted acid etched glass, as well as low-iron acid etched glass in a variety of thicknesses.

Low-iron acid etched glass is featured in the two above photos. It allows for a whiter effect because the glass itself has less green tint. When backlit, as in the above picture, the white glows like an ethereal cloud. The yellow lighting radiates from under the counter to create an inviting sense of warmth and friendliness to the space.

However, sometimes you might want to play it cool. The above piece of acid etched glass is the regular glass tint, so you see a slight greenish cast. This effect is further accentuated by the thicker 3/4″ glass used for the countertop.  When this piece is backlit, the light glows out from warm to cool. creating a subtle color effect in an otherwise very neutral hotel room. Regardless of the type of acid-etched glass you choose: low-iron or regular tint, be sure to experiment with the actual lighting fixtures you are thinking about using. The effect varies widely based on how close the light source is to the back side of the glass. Always place the light source on the non-etched side of the glass to get the best glowing effect.

Not to be confused with sandblasted glass which shares a similar look but not a similar care and cleaning;  acid etched glass won’t show fingerprints, and is completely easy to clean (see this short video for proof). It is completely food-safe and can be tempered for safety. And remember, Dreamwalls also can silver acid etched glass to create a mirror that is perfect for interior applications as an alternative to stainless steel cladding.

Dreamwalls Acid Etched Products This Halloween, they are the perfect product to create the smokey, light-diffusing effects in your environments. Watch this short video entitled “Ethereal Dreams” – a portfolio of beautiful uses for acid etched glass products.

How can we help you with achieving a matte, practical glass surface of your dreams? Contact us today.

In Monday’s post, I showed a few of the back-painted glass installations I ran across in China. But the Chinese have embraced all types of decorative glass in various forms. Below is just a little scrapbook of my glass experience in Shanghai and the surrounding area.

Bent glass:

Bent Glass in Shanghai, China

Carved glass:

Carved Glass in Shanghai, China

Heavy glass:

Stacked heavy glass balustrade - Shanghai, China

Creative use of mirror:

Mirror detail in Shanghai, China

Etched glass:

Etched glass panel in Shanghai, China

More etched glass:

Selectively etched glass door - Shanghai, China

Pattern-etched glass:

Pattern Etched Glass in Shonguang, China

Laminated glass:

Laminated Glass with real reeds - Shanghai, China

And tinted & etched mirror:

Bronze mirror with etched pattern - Shanghai, China

Now, I admit,….some of these executions may be more successful or sophisticated than others. But what I admire is the creative uses and unique personalization in each. I hope more and more domestic hospitality interiors will show a growing confidence with glass and interior glazing techniques. If you have a unique idea you want to try, let us know. If we don’t do it, I feel certain one of our friends can; and with our 50 years in the decorative glass business, we have a LOT of friends we can call. Let your American ingenuity shine – literally – with a new glass design.

When people mention “etched glass” they can mean a WIDE variety of things. There are acid etched products (which we offer), sandblasted, laser etched, and even printing or decorative films that look like etching. Basically, the term “etched glass”  or “frosted glass” is a generic term used as a catch-all for any of the above methods which produce a glass that will diffuse transmitted light. But it’s important to know the limitations and effects for each of these methods are different.

Dreamwalls Color Glass Acid Etched Glass

Acid etched glass has been treated with hydroflouric acid to produce a matte surface finish on one, or both of the surfaces of the glass. Because the surface of the glass has been chemically-created, the finish is extremely durable, and can not be washed or scratched off. Often, this is referred to as “finger-print proof” or “smudge proof” glass because of its durability withstand oils, moisture, and humidity while still retaining the frosted appearance. Different levels of opacity can be achieved by treating one or both sides of the glass, as well as the “depth” of the etching. (deeper etching creates more opacity). Options of patterns, tints, and limitless color are all possible. This product can be back-painted as well, for a colorful matte finish.

Acid Etched Mirror

• Permanent finish that won’t degrade or fade over time
• Fingerprints won’t show
• Moisture or natural oils won’t remove the finish
• Extremely durable – can withstand vigorous cleaning
• Annealed or tempered – allowing for more flexible fabrication in the field

For more information on the wide variety of decorative glass definitions, visit the website of the Decorative Division of The Glass Association of North America (GANA).