Art of glass

Letting light into dark spaces is one of the main attractions of designing with glass, but it can also introduce creativity and beauty

- ARABELLA YOUENS

BRICK IN THE WALL

Glass bricks are often associated with the modernist movement of the 1930s, especially South Beach in Miami, and the industrialist trend of the 1980s. Yet today, look around and there’s a resurgence in their use. They are also making their way back into domestic spaces as demonstrated in this dining room by Child Studio, which features library cabinets with Rosso Levanto marble cladding. This room is separated from the neighbouring kitchen by a glass brick partition. ‘This allows light to filter through the geometric pattern,’ say the co-founders Alexy Kos and Che Huang. ‘The combination of dark mahogany, patterned marble and green upholstery feels so chic, yet warm and unpretentious.’

ROOM WITHIN A ROOM

The challenge of open-plan kitchens is that, even with the best extractor fans, it’s not always possible to keep cooking aromas from escaping into the rest of the space. The solution is having glass walls. It allows all the action in the kitchen to be visible and the room remains firmly connected to the rest of the house rather than being shut away. This is the approach interior designer Katharine Pooley took when redesigning this chalet in Switzerland. She’s paired this double-height glazed room with natural materials such as stone and timber. ‘It’s a layered contemporary feel that showcases richly textured, contrasting finishes that fits perfectly with the open-plan layout,’ says Katharine.