Glass and its role in feng shui

Glass and its role in feng shui

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Glass and its role in feng shui

Glass and its role in feng shui

If you’re looking to make a positive change in your home in 2017, you may consider adding some Feng Shui touches to each room in your home. If you’re not familiar with feng shui, here’s a brief primer. Feng shui is a Chinese philosophy that promotes harmony among inhabitants in an environment.

Feng shui is closely associated with Taoism. Although scientists don’t believe that feng shui actually controls the mystical energies it purports to, it can make for an interesting decorating strategy. In addition to decorating the interior of a space, feng shui principles are finding some traction in landscaping and landscape design around a home’s exterior.

Feng shui seeks to create a harmonious balance among the “elements” in feng shui: earth, metal, water, fire and wood. While using the actual material is desirable, certain materials can “stand in” for these elements.

Glass, for example, stands in for water. That’s helpful in rooms that don’t have water, or where water itself can’t be used. Fountains, mirrors, aquariums, dark colors and asymmetrical shapes can also substitute for water. The water element in feng shui is meant to create clarity, good communication and wealth, but be careful how you add it in a space. Too much water can create confusion and indecision.

There’s no strong agreement among feng shui practitioners regarding what constitutes a good balance of the elements in a room, or in a home. Glass lends an air of elegance, simplicity and balance to a room. Including glass to a room may be as simple as adding a glass table top to an existing coffee table or end table. If you intend to lay a sheet of glass on a furniture surface, consider adding small felt buttons to the bottom side of the glass to discourage movement, especially if the glass is not heavy enough to hold itself in place.

You can add color to glass by using Glassprimer™ glass paint. Dark colors, especially black, dark blue and gray, complement the feng shui water aesthetic. Glassprimer™ glass paint can be tinted to match the paint palette of virtually any major paint manufacturer. Backpainting a glass cover for a table top may help bring your room in harmony with the other feng shui elements.

Glassprimer™ glass paint is a specialized glass coating that bonds permanently to glass surfaces. GlassPrimer also makes a glass surface molecular activator that is designed to work with UV-inkjet glass printing processes. Glassprimer™ glass paint can be used in both interior and exterior applications and can help reduce solar heat gain in some applications. For more information about Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit the rest of our site. If you’d like to purchase Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit our online store .

Photo Credit: Kevin Maher , via Flickr.com

Glass doors – inside and out

Glass doors – inside and out

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Glass doors – inside and out

Glass doors – inside and out

If you think that glass doors are reserved for commercial spaces, you may be overlooking a design trend that can transform your home. Framed and frameless glass doors are emerging as a hot design trend.

Frameless glass doors in a residential setting are most frequently found in bathrooms and showers. Frameless shower doors come in a variety of styles and can either slide open or pivot. If frameless glass appeals to you, but the transparency of the glass puts you off a bit, you can paint or frost the glass. Traditional frosted glass is made by chemical etching or sandblasting the surface of the glass. As an inexpensive alternative, you can paint the glass using Glassprimer™ glass paint. Using a frosted finish, you can approximate frosted glass for about $1 per square foot.

Glass doors used around the house can help transmit natural light throughout the space. Some rooms require privacy. In these cases, you can add curtains or use Glassprimer™ glass paint to obscure the view through the glass without interfering with the transmission of natural light.

Glass is extremely versatile in commercial spaces. It can be used effectively to divide an interior space without impacting the transmission of natural light. As an added benefit, glass is an excellent sound insulator. Using glass in the interior space can help control ambient noise in the workspace.

Adding color to glass is a snap with Glassprimer™ glass paint. Glassprimer™ glass paint can be tinted to match virtually any color in any major paint manufacturer’s paint palette. That means you can incorporate Glassprimer™ glass paint seamlessly into any decorating scheme.

Glassprimer™ glass paint is easy to work with, and is a certified low-VOC compound. In addition to its oil-based formulation, Glassprimer™ glass paint also comes in an environmentally friendly water-based formulation that’s safe to use and easy to clean up.

Glassprimer™ glass paint is a specialized glass coating that bonds permanently to glass surfaces. GlassPrimer also makes a glass surface molecular activator that is designed to work with UV-inkjet glass printing processes. Glassprimer™ glass paint can be used in both interior and exterior applications and can help reduce solar heat gain in some applications. For more information about Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit the rest of our site. If you’d like to purchase Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit our online store .

Photo Credit: Sint Katelinjne-Waver, via Flickr.com

Using glass in interior decorating

Using glass in interior decorating

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Using glass in interior decorating

Using glass in interior decorating

Few materials are more versatile in decorating than glass. It’s natural to think of glass in terms of windows. After all, that’s where we see glass most often – regardless of whether we’re looking at commercial or residential spaces.

Glass is much more versatile than that, though. Because it comes in so many thicknesses and colors, and can be cut or shaped into virtually any form, glass is a natural choice for many interior decorating plans. Whether you’re rehabbing a piece of furniture, laminating a wall or creating a room divider, the versatility of glass will soon make it your go-to material.

As a laminate, glass can be added to furniture and walls easily. Depending upon the application, a thin glass can be a great laminate for a piece of furniture that has been well used, or that just needs a visual update.

Glass can be cut to virtually any size, so laminating a table, cabinet or even your kitchen cupboards can be a quick-fix project. The result can be a great, classic chic Art Deco look. Glass is easy to cut and can be applied safely and securely with silicone adhesive.

You can also paint the glass virtually any color of the rainbow, thanks to Glassprimer™ glass paint. Glassprimer™ glass paint is specially engineered to bond permanently with the surface of the glass. Backpainted glass is easy to create and will last indefinitely. In kitchen applications, glass is ideal because it is impervious and can be cleaned and sterilized easily.

If you want to be really adventurous, you can laminate an entire wall surface with thin glass. As in the kitchen, glass can lend the same sense of elegance to virtually any room. Backpainted glass as a laminate allows you to create a simple, yet sophisticated surface. Whether you’re adding a splash of color or covering imperfections in the wall surface, glass can help you transform a room quickly and easily. Glassprimer™ glass paint is also inexpensive. You can provide complete coverage on glass for about $1 per square foot.

Glassprimer™ glass paint is a specialized glass coating that bonds permanently to glass surfaces. GlassPrimer also makes a glass surface molecular activator that is designed to work with UV-inkjet glass printing processes. Glassprimer™ glass paint can be used in both interior and exterior applications and can help reduce solar heat gain in some applications. For more information about Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit the rest of our site. If you’d like to purchase Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit our online store .

Photo Credit: dakman, via Flickr.com

En suite glass trends in home remodeling

En suite glass trends in home remodeling

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En suite glass trends in home remodeling

En suite glass trends in home remodeling

A bedroom is arguably one of the most intimate spaces in a home, so it makes sense that remodelers and homeowners alike have gladly embraced the en suite trend. En suite refers to a bedroom and bathroom that are incorporated into a single, undivided space.

It sounds romantic, but let’s just say that bathrooms are bathrooms and bedrooms are bedrooms. Sometimes, a little division is desirable. How can you create an en suite look while still respecting the divergent natures of a bedroom and a bathroom? By using glass, of course!

Having an entirely open bathroom within a bedroom can pose some problems. Bathrooms feature running water. Whether you’re showering, bathing or taking care of other natural functions, you’re going to use some water. Showers and baths (to a lesser extent) aerosolize water, and the tiny water droplets can get everywhere. Over time, that can promote mold or mildew growth if the water isn’t carefully contained.

Glass walls around the bath area can preserve the open character of an en suite design while providing some highly desirable containment for aerosolized water. Glass is easy to care for. It can be cleaned using ordinary household cleaners. Since it doesn’t absorb moisture, it makes a great barrier that can inhibit mold or mildew growth in areas not directly associated with the bathroom.

If privacy is desired, you can decorate the glass using Glassprimer™ glass paint. Glassprimer™ glass paint is specially engineered to bind with the surface of the glass. It will not peel, chip or fade once the paint has cured. You can determine the level of coverage you want to apply, and it can deliver a frosted glass look for about $1 per square foot. Better still, it can be tinted to match virtually any major paint manufacturer’s palette, so you can incorporate Glassprimer™ glass paint into your paint plan with supreme confidence.

If you’d like more information about Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit the rest of our site. If you’d like to purchase Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit our online store .

Photo Credit: Brandie Kajino, via Flickr.com

How glass can work with a vaulted ceiling

How glass can work with a vaulted ceiling

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How glass can work with a vaulted ceiling

How glass can work with a vaulted ceiling

If you have a vaulted ceiling in your home, you know that it can be both a joy and a challenge! One idea you can use visually reduce the size of a wall without giving up the benefit of the vaulted ceiling is to create a hybrid solid and glass wall.

The solid wall extends as high as a conventional wall would – 8 – 9 feet. The remainder of the wall is made from glass, which extends from the top of your conventional wall to the ceiling. This one alteration will allow natural light to flood into a space but will preserve the privacy that a conventional wall provides. Not to mention that it looks fantastic!

If you have a vaulted ceiling, you know that sound carries very well in the open space. Glass is an ideal sound barrier. It offers significantly better noise insulation than conventional construction materials do. It can really make a difference in the amount of sound in an office or a bedroom.

Glass is also the ideal material for bridging the gap between the top of a wall and a vaulted ceiling. It’s readily available, and can be custom cut to fit any size vault. Whether you’re attempting to divide an existing space, or you simply want to sound-deaden a workspace, bedroom, bathroom or office, glass can help you preserve light diffusion while achieving your other architectural and interior design goals.

You can also decorate the glass in any way that makes sense to you using Glassprimer™ glass paint. Glassprimer™ glass paint is specially engineered to bond to glass surfaces. Once cured, the paint will not delaminate, chip or fade, even when exposed to humidity or direct sunlight. It can offer significant control of light or create privacy for about $1 per square foot.

If you’d like more information about working with glass or Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit the rest of our site. If you’d like to purchase Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit our online store .

Photo Credit: Jeremy Levine, via Flickr.com

Improving the view in your dining room

Improving the view in your dining room

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Improving the view in your dining room

Improving the view in your dining room

Depending upon how your home is laid out, you may be able to “open” your dining room by adding one or more glass walls to it. If you use your dining room regularly, or do a lot of entertaining, a glass-walled dining room may visually enlarge your space, and help you and your guests connect to the surrounding environment.

Whether you opt for framed or frameless glass, your dining room will take on a totally different feel. Natural light will make any meal or gathering more enjoyable, and will quickly become the favorite hang-out spot in your home.

You’ll want to consult a structural engineer to determine exactly how much glass you can incorporate into an existing structure. If you intend to add a dining space onto your home, an architect can help you determine the best placement for the glass.

A glass-walled room works best for properties that have some space around them, and that have an enjoyable view. Some homeowners take the concept of a glass-walled dining room one step farther, and install operable door walls that allow them to open up the entire space for dining and entertaining.

Glass will work well whether it’s used as part of a wall or as a ceiling. Glass walls on three sides will create a conservatory or greenhouse effect and can make for a very pleasant dining and entertaining experience.

Careful control of light and heat can be achieved with products like Glassprimer™ glass paint. Glassprimer™ glass paint is engineered specifically for use with glass and other non-porous structures. The paint bonds permanently to the surface of the glass and will not chip, fade or peel, even when exposed directly to sunlight. Glassprimer™ glass paint can be used for both interior and exterior applications. It is guaranteed to last for 10 years when applied according to the manufacturer’s instructions on interior projects.

If you’d like more information about Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit the rest of our site. If you’d like to purchase Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit our online store .

Photo Credit: David Cedrone, via Flickr.com

Endless Summer: Consider a Glass Greenhouse

Endless Summer: Consider a Glass Greenhouse

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Endless Summer: Consider a Glass Greenhouse

Endless Summer: Consider a Glass Greenhouse

If the prospect of saying goodbye to summer has you down, consider building your own glass greenhouse to help you get through the winter blues. A small greenhouse can support a wide range of flowering and edible plants. It also takes advantage of the natural phenomenon of solar heat gain.

No one disputes the healthful benefits of a good dose of sunshine, but in the winter, heat is what most people are after! Heat is generated by the invisible light frequencies in sunlight, and those invisible rays can turn a greenhouse into a warm winter oasis.

Your greenhouse can be decorative, practical or both. If you live in a climate where snow is the norm, there may be a couple of winter months where your greenhouse is out of commission. Otherwise, you may have a fully functional room that’s both sunny and warm, even when the ground is too cold to grow anything.

Greenhouse kits typically allow you to build a temporary structure. The structure may stand year-round, but it may not be robust enough to stand up to high winds or heavy snows. You can build a permanent greenhouse, however, that can withstand these off-season hazards. You’ll also reap the rewards of a little winter sun!

Whether you use your greenhouse strictly for potting, planting and starting, or you use it as a way to get a little winter refreshment, having a greenhouse on your property offer some significant benefits. While it’s not likely to increase the value of your property to potential buyers, it may increase your enjoyment of the property if gardening, planting and landscaping appeals to you.

You can also decorate your greenhouse, and if it catches too much sun, you can also diminish the solar heat gain by using a glass coating like Glassprimer™ glass paint. Glassprimer™ glass paint is durable, and is suitable for use on either indoor or outdoor projects. It’s highly UV-resistant, so it will withstand the effects of direct sunlight, and you can cover a glass surface for about $1 per square foot.

If you’d like more information about Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit the rest of our site. If you’d like to purchase Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit our online store .

Photo Credit: Jinx McCombs, via Flickr.com

Glass wine cellars are trending

Glass wine cellars are trending

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Glass wine cellars are trending

Glass wine cellars are trending

If you’re looking for a way to incorporate glass into your home and you happen to be a wine aficionado, think about installing a glass wine cellar. Traditionally, wine cellars are built on a home’s lower level to counter the negative effects of ultraviolet light. They also take advantage of more stable, wine-friendly temperatures and humidity found below ground. Traditional wine cellars are also usually made of mahogany, and if glass is used at all, you’ll find it in the door.

A new approach to wine cellars elevates the area to the home’s ground floor, usually around the kitchen or dining room. Glass wine cellars are often small. That’s because the wine doesn’t stay in a glass cellar very long! UV light does, in fact, age the wine more quickly. Also, when wine is stored on the main floor of a home, the corks tend to dry out as the result of lower humidity.

Glass wine cellars are meant to be conspicuous, and conspicuous they are! Special coated glass and filtered lights can help slow the natural aging process, but they won’t preserve wine indefinitely. That being said, the aboveground wine cellar is meant for wines that will be consumed. Experts recommend that in the absence of temperature-, humidity- and light-controlled storage, wine should be consumed within two years.

What does a glass wine cellar look like? You might find glass walls and a glass door, with special LED lighting in the room. The walls and doors help conserve some of the humidity needed to preserve the corks. These small wine cellars often look more like a display case than a traditional, below-grade wine storage area. While a glass wine cellar may take up residence in a corner or along a wall, some cases are free-standing and serve as a room divider, or even the focal point of a room.

Rather than resting the bottle in a traditional little wine cellar cubbyhole, bottles are displayed lengthwise in open racks to keep the label visible. This approach is certainly less efficient, but the purpose of a glass wine cellar is visibility.

If you’re considering a glass wine cellar for your home, but you’re unsure of how to protect the wine from the damaging effects of UV light, consider protecting the inside of the cellar with a UV-resistant glass paint like Glassprimer™ glass paint. Glassprimer™ glass paint offers excellent UV resistance, and comes in virtually any color.

If you’d like more information about Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit the rest of our site. If you’d like to purchase Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit our online store .

Photo Credit: Joe Ross, via Flickr.com

Glass design trends: Outdoor rooms

Glass design trends: Outdoor rooms

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Glass design trends: Outdoor rooms

Glass design trends: Outdoor rooms

If you haven’t heard of outdoor rooms, that’s ok. You’ve certainly seen them. They’re spaces that blur the boundaries between a home’s interior and its exterior. Outdoor rooms may make extensive use of glass – big glass – and create a space that’s both livable and lovable.

Connecting with the outdoors is desirable, no matter what climate you’re in. Outdoor rooms may incorporate arbors, or they may use or extend a home’s existing structure. They often feature large, operable windows and doors that cover an entire non-load bearing side of a home.

Glass is ideal for outdoor rooms

Outdoor rooms may accommodate a variety of activities, but entertaining is certainly high on their to-do lists. They may feature kitchens, relaxation spaces and lots of fresh air and sunshine.

Outdoor rooms need to be rugged enough to tolerate sun, rain and seasonal weather, so materials that can stand the test of time are favored. Natural materials like stone and wood fare well in outdoor room designs. Manmade materials, like pavers, glass and concrete also work well in outdoor spaces.

Just because a material is natural doesn’t mean it can’t be decorated. The great outdoors can be brutal, so you’ll need materials that can stand up to the things that Mother Nature dishes out. Glassprimer™ glass paint is an ideal coating for outdoor projects.

While Glassprimer™ glass paint is designed to work with glass, it also works well with other impervious materials like stone and metal. In addition to durability, Glassprimer™ glass paint offers incredible UV resistance. That means your colors will stand up for years, even in direct sunlight.

Glassprimer™ glass paint bonds permanently with the surface it’s applied to, so it won’t chip, fade or peel, even in direct sunlight or high humidity. Because the paint is rugged, it also cleans well.

If you’re looking for more inspiration for your outdoor room, please visit the rest of our site. If you’d like to purchase Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit our online store .

Photo Credit: Ben Freedman, via Flickr.com

Incorporate Glass Into Outdoor Kitchen

Incorporate Glass Into Outdoor Kitchen

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Incorporate Glass Into Outdoor Kitchen

Incorporate Glass Into Outdoor Kitchen

If you do a lot of summertime entertaining, an outdoor kitchen is probably high on your list of desirables. Outdoor kitchens have become exceptionally popular, and offer some dramatic advantages. Since your food prep space is outdoors, you’ll need to select materials that can take what Mother Nature dishes out.

Glass is a natural outdoor choice

Some surfaces are obvious choices for an outdoor kitchen. Impervious surfaces like glass and ceramic should be first considerations. These materials will not only perform well and endure, they’ll also look very natural among your other material choices. Natural wood, stone and brick are also likely choices for use in your outdoor kitchen.

The placement of your outdoor kitchen is important. Most outdoor kitchens are located near the house, to minimize the cost of running plumbing and electricity to the kitchen fixtures. In addition, you may be able to extend the existing roofline of your home to incorporate your outdoor kitchen into your home’s profile.
If you don’t intend to locate your outdoor kitchen next to your home, you can find other places that are suitable to host your outdoor kitchen. Other activity centers – like swimming pools, gazebos or beach fronts – can provide the ideal location for an outdoor kitchen.

Regardless of where you locate your outdoor kitchen, your choice of materials should reflect your outdoor hosting needs, and the reality of your outdoor environment. If your outdoor environment is predominantly sunny or very humid, you’ll need highly durable materials that are UV-resistant and weather resistant.

Whether you choose glass, stone or tile for your countertops, Glassprimer™ glass paint can help! Glassprimer™ glass paint is specially designed to work with hard-to-coat materials like glass, metal and stone. Glassprimer™ glass paint bonds permanently with glass surfaces, to provide a durable, UV-resistant coating that will perform beautifully for years.

If you would like more information about Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit the rest of our site. If you’d like to purchase Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit our online store .

Photo Credit: Media Director, via Flickr.com