Tip #5: To Glass or Not To Glass?

Acid etched glass obscures the contents of the cabinet and works well with a contemporary look.  Of course I always welcome questions from inquiring minds but today we’ll cover the final fifth question of the top five I get from my clients.  They want to know, “can I have glass doors on my cabinets if I’m not exactly tidy”?  I say YES!!  I love the look of glass doors on cabinets and there are so many different choices.  I even think that glass doors on food cabinets can be interesting and very "Parisian bistro looking".  I know most of you won’t go that far but for your dish storage they’re great.  You can see what’s where and score a little visual interest at the same time. This is what I'm talking about!.  I think it looks great.  Still not comfortable? You don’t have to go clear.  There are lots of patterned or frosted (acid etched) glass that “hide a little”.  If you’re traditional you might like the look of seeded glass whereas acid etched is definitely more contemporary. 

Eclectic Kitchen but mostly traditional with seeded glass (no mullions)

 

Contemporary Kitchen by Westfield General Contractors Michael Robert Construction    Be aware, mullions may not line up with shelves.  Use tempered glass for lower doors.  In this case it works as glass doors reflect the window and the French doors.

Mullions? What are these things? They are the little strips of wood that divide the glass opening.  This treatment is usually more traditional.  I usually prefer no mullions.  If you’re going for glass, go all the way.  Mullions can be visually busy and conflict with the shelves inside the cabinet if they don’t line up with the horizontal members.Mullions can get creative too.  For example the X shape will give you a design detail reminiscent of a British Colonial Bermuda style. 

This client decided against glass at the last minute so we inserted rattan instead of glass for a beautiful original look!Adding a glass door to your cabinet can be a little more expensive because we typically have to finish the interior of the cabinet to match the outside and that is an upcharge for most cabinet manufacturers.  One or two shouldn't break the bank however.Glass doors are best added to upper cabinets for safety reasons.  You can add them to a lower cabinet but just remember to spend the extra money for tempered glass.Starting next month I will be answering more consumer questions over at  The Sun Sentinel.  Send me yours and you may get a reply in print!