Since ancient times, kitchens have had cupboards with glass doors. Now, bulky sideboards have been replaced by more elegant cabinets, but glass doors have been adopted from their predecessors. Kitchen sets with glass doors have many fans. We dedicate this article to glass kitchens.
Main advantages
Glass kitchens, compared to wooden ones, have a number of distinctive advantages. So, a glass kitchen is more durable. Wood deteriorates faster during use due to the characteristics of the material.
Glass used in interiors is additionally tempered at the production stage. Due to this process, the material becomes very durable and there are no scratches or other traces of work left on it.
To create the material, special sand with special additives is used. Therefore, such furniture is completely safe and does not bring any unnecessary, unpleasant odors into the house.
Design options
In addition to factory methods of “pumping” glass facades, there are options that can be done at home.
- Lighting. Glass benefits from proper lighting: and it will be easier to find something in the cabinets.
- Painting. Do you have artistic talent? A brush and paints, or glass markers will help you turn ordinary glass doors into works of art.
- Stickers. In December you can glue snowflakes, in spring - large and small flowers. This way the kitchen will transform along with nature.
Glass elements are an effective way to make the top row of cabinets look lighter and more attractive. Use this hack to transform your kitchen!
Glass facades
Glass panels for the kitchen must meet a number of specific requirements. And appearance is only one of the conditions. This selection is due to the fact that it is in this part of the apartment that the furniture is subjected to the most severe tests. The kitchen is a place with a high level of humidity in the air, and often also a higher temperature. In addition to all this, during the cooking process, furniture may be exposed to water and grease. For all these reasons, kitchen furniture must be of high quality and reliable.
The main requirements for glass for facades are strength, resistance to high temperatures, high humidity and mechanical loads.
Triplex is an excellent material for the kitchen facade. This material has a large number of necessary characteristics and meets all requirements. At first glance, this material seems thin and fragile, but this is just an illusion.
In fact, triplex is a very strong and reliable material, the strength of which can be compared to marble. In order to break such glass you will need to try hard. In addition, it will not crumble into fragments. In addition, triplex furniture allows you to use a wide range of design solutions to create a unique look for your kitchen.
There are no things that do not have shortcomings. In this case, the cost is quite high.
Thus, the choice of glass panels for the kitchen should be approached responsibly, since the material must meet high requirements.
In a small kitchen
If the kitchen space is small, difficulties often arise with the selection of furniture. Properly designed glass facades will help visually enlarge the room and make it more spacious.
The optimal solution is beige panels in warm shades, with a glossy mirror finish. So, thanks to the refraction of light, the kitchen will seem larger and filled with light. Avoid excesses - the most simple fittings, straight lines.
To add useful space, extend the set with a window sill. Glass panels underneath and an identical tabletop - and now an additional work surface has appeared.
For a small kitchen area, we recommend playing with the loft style. The combination of different textures, combining wood with glass and concrete - it seems like nothing complicated, and the room immediately looks beautiful and modern.
Transparent elements will also fit into the theme - they will expand the room, making it more spacious. But don’t get carried away - if all the cabinets are made transparent, it will be difficult to maintain order in the kitchen. Therefore, some of the boxes must be closed.
Glass apron
The purpose of the apron is to protect surfaces from steam, moisture and grease. Most often, this part of the kitchen is made of MDF, ceramics or stone. A glass apron for the kitchen is no worse than conventional materials.
The glass splashback for the kitchen is a single panel. It is created either in one single piece, or from several large ones so that a minimum number of seams is obtained.
One of the advantages of this particular apron is that it is quite easy to install. You can even do the installation yourself, since it does not require any special skills. It is important to take into account the location of the various holes, since it will not be possible to make additional ones.
A significant drawback of this apron is the preparation of the surface. It should be perfectly smooth. In addition, such a piece of furniture will hit your wallet hard.
In the kitchen-living room
There are more requirements for the design of such rooms: any inaccuracy in the kitchen design disrupts the harmonious perception of the entire area.
Try to choose a set and a kitchen island with facades of different textures: rich glossy glass, translucent matte, minimalist finish. This kind of interior is now at the peak of fashion. And for good reason - it’s both beautiful and practical.
Work with the shapes. Glass in bright colors is often used not only for facades, but also for decorating various structural elements. We liked this option: a muted shade of light green, an original bar counter with a panel bordering it. Unusual and modern.
However, a simple white surface will be no worse. If you like more traditional types of designs, consider this one. It looks stylish, and thanks to the properties of the materials, maintenance will not be difficult.
Plain facades in deep tones are another almost classic technique. It is better to choose rich colors - for example, dark burgundy. It wouldn’t look good in a small room, but here it seems appropriate. True, the decor needs to be selected carefully - such shades behave capriciously, and the abundance of details can ruin the effect.
As you can see, glass facades are not the usual transparent panel, like on a window, but a very diverse material that provides many design possibilities. It suits any design style and easily fits even into a non-standard interior.
Glass table
Glass countertops in the kitchen have a wide range of advantages, namely:
- Quality of material. The glass for the table is very strong and absolutely safe.
- Weight. This table is much lighter than a wooden one.
- Appearance. A glass table will look very impressive
Glass can be transparent, frosted or tinted. In addition, the matte material has a slightly greenish tint. If this color is not suitable, then it would be better to purchase tinted glass.
The main disadvantages of a glass table are its cost and transparency. Through such a table, people’s legs will be visible, as well as the floor. This is especially problematic when the flooring is unsightly. In addition, glass requires special handling and care.
Kitchen aprons made of ceramic tiles: photos and tips for choosing material
You can decorate a kitchen apron, including using regular ceramic tiles. Most often, preference is given to the standard tile size of 10x10 cm. But sometimes you can find larger sizes - 20x20 or 30x30 cm. As for color and design solutions, the palette of proposals is limitless - materials of all kinds of colors and patterns are available for sale. You can verify this by looking at photo catalogs of kitchen tile backsplashes.
Tile splashback with fine cellular texture
Let's consider what criteria you need to use to choose ceramic tiles for a kitchen backsplash:
- the thickness of the tiles must be at least 4 mm;
- the porosity of the material should be low;
- the tile must be covered with glaze;
- The marking on the packaging must be “AA”.
Helpful advice! The “hog” tile is perfect for a kitchen backsplash.
How to tile an apron yourself: photo of tiles in the kitchen
It is quite possible to lay out a tile apron with your own hands. To do this, just follow the following algorithm:
- The first step is to remove all old finishing materials from the wall. Then the surface needs to be leveled and plastered. If necessary, new electrical wiring for sockets is laid;
- then you need to apply laying markings. 70-75 cm is measured upward from the floor and a straight line is drawn using a level. The bottom row of tiles will be laid out on it;
Scheme of tiling a kitchen apron with laying tiles behind the stove and sink
- 60-70 cm is measured upward from the drawn line and another line is drawn in the same way, which will be the edge of the top row;
- if you are planning to place a tile apron over a kitchen stove, then you need to put an additional 60-80 cm up. It is also better to leave an allowance of 10-15 cm in width;
- after taking all measurements and applying markings, the place where the tiles will be laid must be primed;
Apron with a floral pattern in a kitchen decorated in a classic style
- A wooden block or plasterboard plate must be attached to the marked line for the bottom row. After that, check it again using a level;
- After all the preparatory work is completed, you can begin preparing the glue. It must be done according to the manufacturer’s recommendations indicated on the packaging;
- Using a special notched trowel, glue is applied to the wall with the calculation of laying 2-3 tiles;
Artificially aged mirror tiles in vintage style
- We lay out the first row using special polypropylene cross-shaped stops to create smooth and neat seams. Using a level we check the results;
- if there is a need to cut individual tiles for installation in the corners, use a tile cutter or grinder with a diamond blade;
- small unevenness of the wall can be hidden by placing an additional layer of glue on the tile with the same notched trowel;
Geometric pattern laid out using ceramic mosaic
Helpful advice! The grooves left by the adhesive on the wall and on the tiles must be laid in different (perpendicular) directions. This will provide better grip.
- in those places where you plan to install an outlet, you need to proceed as follows: using a crown, a hole of the required size is made in the tile. Then the tile is applied to the wall and marks are made, according to which the electrical outlet will then be mounted;
- then all rows of tiles are laid out;
Originally shaped tiles were used to cover the kitchen backsplash
- at the end of the work, the tiles are carefully cleaned of dirt and glue residues;
- a day after installation, you can start cleaning the seams and removing the plastic crosses. Using a rubber spatula, it is necessary to apply waterproof grout;
- After the grout has dried, the surface of the tile must be thoroughly washed.
The niche above the gas stove is lined with blue mosaic
Which pattern and color should I choose?
The main advantage of skinals is the possibility of using them in kitchens, the interior of which is made in different styles. It depends on the style whether the option will be plain or with a pattern.
Styles where plain skins fit perfectly
Minimalism implies the absence of unnecessary decor or a minimal amount of it. A matte or glossy glass surface will highlight the minimalist design of the kitchen.
Japanese style requires a large amount of free space, the absence of bright accents and a minimal number of decorative elements. An apron in pastel colors can easily play up the main principles of this trend.
High-tech kitchens are distinguished by the presence of stylish household appliances and restraint. The color of the apron can be anything from white to neon pink.
Skinali with a pattern: a flight of design ideas
Ethno style, national motifs of Morocco, India or any other country you choose will be complemented by an apron with a landscape or ornament.
Country style, for kitchens in a “rustic” style, skins depicting national dishes or natural products will be an interesting solution.
The increasingly popular loft style with imitation of bare walls will be complemented by a panel depicting brickwork.
Modern. If you didn’t opt for a city panorama, then choose laconic images, for example, a floral print.
Classic. A large selection of panels for prints makes it possible to practically not limit ourselves to the framework into which any style forces us one way or another. Classic gives us much more space for flight of fancy. Nature, geometry, abstraction or something else - everything is in your hands.
Provence - delicate French style will be complemented by flower buds in pastel shades.
