[AD] I don’t know about you but despite having a floor to ceiling window the side of my front door and a large window on my landing, my hall, stairs, and landing is always so dark. We quite often have to put the light on during the day to enable u to see properly. this obviously isn’t ideal both financially and environmentally but we often have little choice.
I have a solid brick banister going up the stair and along the landing and have often thought how I can bring more light in. I’ve often thought of opening up the stairs and how having glass balustrades for staircases can easily lighten up the space.
Toughened glass was only developed in the early 1900s and is now a highly popular, versatile and durable option for both the home and commercial spaces. It is possible to create a wide variety of staircase components from toughened glass to bring a modern and versatile feel.
Three reasons to install glass balustrades are:
Minimalism
Minimalism first became a trend in the 1950s where the concept of design favoured basic, elegant shapes and rejected complex, overengineered patterns, and decoration. Simplicity and subtlety have never been so stylish, and glass plays a substantial part in this trend. Glass is understated and transparent and it can effectively complement any chosen focal point within your staircase without any fussiness.
Light
Where house design is concerned, the use of light is becoming increasingly important to homeowners. Light travels easily through glass balustrades, allowing you to see more of your home, so whether you wish to reduce your power usage or simply to give the impression of space, the use of reflective, transparent glass is a simple and attractive answer.
In smaller spaces like hallways in modern houses glass balustrades really do make the space feel larger when the area is brightened up with the addition of glass.
Minimal Maintenance
There are two main things that often initially hold people back from wanting a glass staircase. Firstly, they assume that glass is less safe than wood. Secondly, they don’t want to spend additional time on keeping the glass clean.
In the UK there are a whole host of building regulations that surround the types of glass that can be used in these kinds of projects and they are all there to keep you safe. Only toughened glass can be used in all of the glass staircase panels fitted. Consequently, they are just as safe, tough and hard-wearing as traditional wooden balustrades.
Secondly, who wants to be continually cleaning sticky fingerprints off glass all the time? The key to maintaining a clean glass staircase is simply to give it a regular wipe with a soft cloth. Given the location of the glass, between the stairs and the handrail, it will really only get mucky if you have small children, Any handprints will easily wipe clean and the glass will look spotless in no time.
Personally I really would love to open up my hall, stairs, and landing by adding glass balustrades to not only give my home a modern feel but also to bring that much-needed light into my 1950s house.
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