Recently I’ve seen increasing interest in bespoke glass walls for bathrooms, particularly in the hospitality industry for those looking to make a real design statement.

Glass by its nature looks expensive and is thin so gives the illusion of more space in a room in comparison to solid walls. Top-end hotels have been using this material for years so that their rooms look more spacious as well as contemporary.

It doesn’t even have to be in the luxury market as the advantages benefit all. Glass walls can open up a room where space is of a premium. It’s ideal for small hotel rooms as the lighting from the bathroom can help illuminate the bedroom too. Glass walls also allow more natural light to get through and can often eliminate the need for extra electrical lights in the bathroom, therefore also providing a cost saving. Below is an example of a bespoke glass wall en-suite bathroom we installed for the Easy Group in their Birmingham hotel. Space was of a premium in the room, so glass was the ideal solution. We carried out the installation of the same glass en-suite walls in 82 rooms, each required bespoke glass as the rooms were not a standard size.

But I hear you say “How weird! People can see you using the bathroom!” or as one client said, “That’s a bit quirky isn’t it?” I understand there are concerns with many hotels reviews in the past talking about the ‘ultimate hotel horror’ but with clever use of frosting or even curtains, the effect can be stunning while still maintaining privacy. At least it’s not total open plan!

An example of clever frosting across the glass or even a dark tint to the glass helps with privacy.

Also, glass is getting smart! We all know technology is continually advancing at a rate of knots and it is where glass is concerned too. Innovations in the application of smartphone technology to glass walls are currently being researched, and it is already a reality in science-fiction movies!

Well maybe we’re not there just yet, but we can change glass from translucent to opaque at a flick of a switch! Perfect for those rooms where extra privacy glass with these properties becomes an increasingly important design tool.

With the help of wall-mounted switches or remote controls, users can select between transparent and non-transparent. This effect can be repeated any number of times because it is produced by liquid crystals in a conductive layer, within sheets of glass. As soon as electrical current is applied, the glass changes from opaque to transparent as this image shows perfectly.

At Altitude Glass we’re now offering this new ‘switchable glass’ as an option, it’s incredibly innovative and a fabulous design feature! Contact us if you would like to find out more or arrange a quote.

Glass bathroom walls are a real design statement when they are used correctly, with consideration to function as well as style, and can be a stunning feature in a room.