It goes without saying that we love glass here at KLG Rutland. We love helping households get the most from their glass windows and doors, not just in terms of aesthetics but in terms of energy savings, thermal efficiency, sound insulation, and glare reduction. But we also love to help households to explore some of the less conventional ways in which glass can be used in their household decor. 

Glass can be a wonderful feature in all kinds of design concepts, whether your tastes lean towards traditional, rustic, or farmhouse aesthetics or you prefer something a little more contemporary or industrial. From innovative glass shelving solutions in the office or bathroom to glass kitchen splashbacks, there’s no shortage of ways in which this versatile material can help beautify your home. 

But did you know that glass is also the perfect medium for wall art? We often rely on glass to protect our framed wall prints, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. This post is dedicated to the wonderful wall decorations that can be achieved with glass.

What are the different styles and types of glass wall art available?

Glass is one of the most versatile materials out there, capable of creating a huge variety of looks and effects. Glass is a great choice for wall art because it captures, reflects and defuses the light within your home beautifully, allowing artists to create a bewitching range of effects for every home. 

• Stained glass- Stained glass is made by adding different metal oxides to the molten glass to create different colours. Multicoloured glass segments are encased in a metal frame and separated by strips of lead or other pliable materials.
• Fused glass- Fused glass (also known as warm glass or kiln-fused glass) uses glass pieces that have been melted and fused together in a kiln to create distinctive multicoloured or three-dimensional pieces.
• Metal and glass- Metal is often used to support glass elements to create bold and beautiful shapes for wall art. However, metal can also create a compelling visual juxtaposition with a fascinating interplay between the solid and the translucent.
• Mosaic glass- Mosaic wall art uses small glass pieces embedded in a ceramic or polymer backing and arranged to form stunning shapes and images. As the pieces catch the light they can create a spellbinding shimmering effect.
• Recycled glass- Recycled glass wall art uses repurposed post-consumer glass that has been altered by staining, melting, cutting or fusing to create wall art that is as sustainable as it is breathtaking.
• Mirrored glass- Mirrored glass typically uses a melange of mirrored glass pieces of different sizes and shapes to reflect surrounding light and images to create uniquely beautiful visual effects.
• Etched glass- A range of techniques from laser etching to sandblasting or acid etching can be used to imbue the glass with stunning shapes and images that reflect the light with a slightly spectral sheen.
• Bevelled glass- Bevelled glass is created by grinding and polishing the surface so that it is no longer flat. This distorts the reflected properties of the glass for some beautiful and challenging optics.

How can homeowners choose the best glass wall art option for their space and style?

There’s an incredible range of glass wall art available. With such incredible variety from an extraordinary range of talented artists, it can be difficult to choose the right piece for your home. Whether you have a traditional or modern home aesthetic, we have some tips to help you find the perfect glass wall art option for you.

When shopping for glass wall art, you should consider:

The function of the space

Each room has a slightly different set of needs and practical considerations. For instance, a lounge or dining room might benefit from a statement piece that’s designed to provoke conversation. However, a bathroom or kitchen might benefit from something more modest and discreet, especially given the presence of steam, smoke, and airborne oil deposits.  

The design and decor of the space

Some interior design concepts lend themselves to different types of glass wall art. In a chic urban apartment with a contemporary feel, a challenging piece of mirrored wall art or bold fused glass piece might add an intriguing sense of depth and dimension when juxtaposed with plain white walls. Alternatively, stained glass and mosaics can lend a greater sense of heritage to cottage core, farmhouse or traditional aesthetics. 

The function of the wall art

Are you looking for a bold statement piece to wow guests at dinner parties? Or do you want something soothing to look at as you drift to sleep at night? It helps for your glass wall art to have an intended function in order to choose the best piece for your space.

Size and placement 

Finally, the intended size and placement of your piece will also help to guide your decision. Smaller spaces, for instance, might benefit from a mirrored glass piece or the elegant simplicity of etched glass wall art. In larger spaces with a greater abundance of usable wall space, however, might benefit more from a large fused glass piece that uses different colours and textures to create three-dimensional or overlapping effects.

What are some creative ways to use colour, pattern, and texture in glass wall art?

The great thing about glass is that it can be infused, imprinted, and crafted into all kinds of colours, textures, and ornate patterns. So feel free to experiment with these to complement and contrast with the surrounding furniture, decor, and architectural features. For instance, a glass and wrought iron piece is a stunning addition to a country house or repurposed barn with smooth white walls and exposed timber ceiling beams. 

Likewise, a bold recycled piece can lend a cool factor to a newly developed semi-detached house or loft-style apartment. 

How can glass wall art be incorporated into traditional or modern home designs?

While there is often some overlap (such as in farmhouse or industrial interior design concepts), styles tend to veer more towards either the modern or the traditional. Modern or contemporary styles tend to favour clean lines, minimalism, and elegant simplicity. Traditional homes may incorporate older production techniques and more ornate designs. 

As such, stained glass, glass and metalwork, or mosaic pieces are generally a good fit for traditional homes. They are not only time-honoured techniques, but they create a classic look that is ageless yet full of history and antiquity. 

On the other hand, a more contemporary design concept may use mirrored glass to create a greater sense of light and space that works well with minimalistic interiors. 

Both traditional and modern homes can benefit equally from incorporating glass wall art into their interior design. The piece just needs to be carefully considered, chosen and placed in accordance with its intended setting.

How can glass wall art be customised or personalised for a unique touch?

Looking for truly personal to decorate your home? One of the wonderful things about glass wall art is that it can be customised in creative and unique ways. Glass wall art can be etched with specific patterns or images. It can incorporate a wide range of colours, depending on your preference and the surrounding design concept. It can be personalised with unique laser engravings or inscriptions. 

A little customisation can make a rare piece into a piece that’s truly one of a kind. 

What are some practical considerations for hanging and maintaining glass wall art?

When choosing glass wall art, it’s important to balance the practical with the creative. The glass used in most wall art, while fairly resilient, is much less toughened than the glass that’s used for your windows and doors. As such, it’s essential to ensure proper hanging and installation. Ensure that the piece is firmly secured at multiple points of contact on the wall. Edge grip stand-off mounts can be used to securely hang glass art seemingly invisibly while providing a firm hold. 

Glass wall art can accrue dust and dirt over time, so it’s important to ensure that your art is cleaned or wiped down fairly regularly to preserve its beauty for the long haul. Avoid using harsh chemical cleaners. A dash of spirit vinegar diluted in water is usually all that is required to make your glass wall art sparkle. Wipe with a soft microfibre cloth to avoid dulling the glass with tiny scratches, and consider using an electrostatic duster to remove dust from elaborate three-dimensional art which may have nooks and crannies where dust can accumulate. 

When it comes to wall art, glass adds a touch of class

As we can see, glass is a medium for all art that combines striking beauty with unmatched versatility. If you’re looking for something truly unique, there’s no better choice. What’s more, because glass wall art encompasses so many different styles and techniques, there’s a piece for traditional homes, modern homes, and every type of interior design. 

Shelves are more than just a way to store your belongings. They’re a showcase for your treasured possessions. They’re a means of celebrating your framed pictures, books, flowers and vases. They’re a great way to help you to make your home look larger by making use of your vertical space, and a valuable ally in the battle against clutter. Of course, shelving can be made from all kinds of materials from oak to bamboo to wrought iron. But too few of us have stopped to consider the potential benefits of glass shelving. 

Strong, affordable and scratch-resistant, glass can be used for all kinds of shelving solutions from floating open shelving to wall-mounted built-in storage units. It’s even easy to clean and maintain so it will continue to look terrific for years to come with very little upkeep. 

What’s more, because glass is so incredibly versatile, it will look equally at home in both contemporary and traditional interiors. Let’s take a look at 10 breathtaking glass shelving ideas for all kinds of homes. 

Idea 1: Use floating glass shelves for a sleek, modern look

Floating glass shelves create a wonderfully minimalist look, displaying items without calling attention to themselves. They make the items on them look as if they are quite literally floating in the air.

To help a glass shelf pull off this illusion, floating shelves need hidden wall mountings. This creates a stylishly clean and contemporary look. As the brackets and mounts are so small, floating glass shelves use up very little space. This creates plenty of opportunities to vary the spacings and groupings of the shelves.

Using different sizes and depths of glass wall shelves is a great way to add interest to your space while also placing added emphasis on whatever you want to put on display. Floating shelves can also look incredible in the bathroom, creating a spa-like effect and preventing things like towels, washcloths and toiletries from creating clutter. 

Idea 2: Incorporate built-in glass shelving for a custom look

When you’re installing a new bathroom, kitchen, bedroom or office, it’s easy to incorporate built-in glass shelving into whatever units you wish to install. This helps to ensure that your storage solutions fit elegantly and unobtrusively into your design concept, helping to create a cohesive look.

That’s not to say, of course, that you can’t have some fun with your glass shelf space. You can customise your look by using different colours, finishes and fittings to unify your look and create storage solutions that are both beautiful and practical.

Idea 3: Add a touch of glamour with mirrored glass shelves

Of course, one of the most common uses for glass in interior design is the humble mirror. Mirrored glass can add a touch of magic to your shelves and display space. Mirror and open shelving arranged into beautiful geometric shapes create a glamorous, Hollywood Regency-style aesthetic. Ornate decorative frames can further enhance the feeling of glamour and elegance. What’s more, mirrored shelving can reflect the ambient light around it as well as reflect the image of its surroundings. This can help to create an illusion of space and prevent your walls from looking too busy. 

Idea 4: Create a rustic or industrial look with metal and glass shelves

Glass and metal often get along very well together in all kinds of interior design concepts. Wrought iron, steel, bronze, and other metals have the strength and stability to support the tempered glass shelving while subtly complementing the aesthetic of the glass itself. The solidity of the metal frames and supports combined with the elegance and simplicity of the glass makes for a visually striking juxtaposition. 

This lends itself to a surprisingly diverse range of aesthetics from an ultra-modern industrial design concept to a more rustic farmhouse look that is perfect for bathrooms and bedrooms. 

Idea 5: Use glass shelves to create a cohesive look with other elements in the room

One of the many great things about glass shelving is its ability to blend seamlessly into virtually any design concept due to its sheer versatility. Because it can be made into all kinds of shapes, with a huge range of colours and finishes, it can be used to create a seamless match with its surroundings. As such, it can be rendered to fit in with surrounding design elements like cabinets, countertops, wardrobes, drawers, and bookcases. 

This helps to create a unified and cohesive look and tie together the surrounding design elements in a satisfying and aesthetically pleasing way. 

Idea 6: Go for a minimalist look with clear glass shelves

While glass can be made and printed with all kinds of colours, finishes and textures, there are many who prefer to celebrate the elegance of clear glass. Especially those whose tastes veer towards the contemporary and minimalist.

Clear glass fits seamlessly into all kinds of design aesthetics, and when combined with smaller and more discreet frames and wall mountings can look practically invisible. This can be a great way to draw the eye’s attention to other design elements within the space, or accentuate the beauty of whatever you choose to display on your glass shelving.

Idea 7: Add a touch of whimsy with coloured or patterned glass shelves

Neutral colour palettes can give your home’s interiors a calming and minimalist appearance. However, in such a space, a splash of bold colour or dramatic pattern can add a sense of visual punctuation, lending life and fun to the design concept.

Glass shelves can be made in a range of colours and printed with all sorts of patterns for a more dazzling effect that elevates the look of whatever you choose to store on your shelves. Bent glass shelves are a visually striking and popular choice, adding a sloping effect to the storage solution that adds a dash of whimsy and fun. 

Some may even use resin to preserve dried flowers on the surface of the glass, or use coloured LEDs to lend an ethereal and dazzling quality to their storage.

Idea 8: Use glass shelves to display collections or sentimental items

Glass shelving can either add a wow factor to your storage or it can be an ultra-discreet way to showcase the things that matter the most to you, enabling them to speak for themselves as eloquently as possible. 

They can draw the eye to the intricate beauty of collectables, accentuate the joy of a family photo, add a stately air to beloved books, or create a reverential place for family heirlooms to rest. 

Idea 9: Utilise glass shelves in a small space to make the most of limited storage

Slender, discreet, and virtually invisible, glass shelving is the perfect storage medium to use when usable space is limited. What’s more, because glass reflects and amplifies ambient light, it can prevent shadows from making the shelving area feel cramped, dark or gloomy.

The bathroom and kitchen are two areas where compact shelving units can be employed to reduce clutter by maximising storage space, even when there is only a little wall space available. 

Idea 10: Use glass shelves to add an outdoor element to an indoor space

We all know that proximity to plants, flowers and other natural materials can help us feel calmer, happier and more relaxed at home. Elements of nature can beautify our living space while helping us to feel a greater sense of equilibrium with the world around us. 

Combining glass shelving with a natural wooden frame or encasement can create a beautiful and stylish juxtaposition, while glass shelving units with terrarium-like designs can be a great space in which to store houseplants and succulents. They can look great with creepers cascading from them, and refract the light reflected from crystals, geodes and other minerals beautifully. 

Glass always adds a touch of class

There are few materials as sturdy, versatile, low-maintenance and elegantly beautiful as glass. While it may not be the most obvious way to showcase your stored items, we can see it as an excellent choice where space is limited, where minimalist design concepts are preferred, or where space and light come at a premium. Whether they’re installed in a traditional or contemporary setting, glass shelves have the potential to subtly enhance and elevate your storage solutions.