Glass is an essential building material for every home and as living spaces get smaller, it’s no wonder that the proportion of glass used for walls, windows and doors is increasing. This is great when it comes to making spaces feel bigger and increasing natural light, but has the obvious downside of lacking privacy. Fortunately, there are solutions like switchable privacy glass that address these challenges and make it easier than ever to incorporate glass into your home design.
With over a decade of industry experience, we’ve seen our smart glass products used in some amazing projects with customers constantly striving to create out of the box solutions.
In this blog post, we’re sharing some of the most popular and unique ways you can use smart glass in your home. Definitely something to keep in mind for your next home renovation project!
Smart Glass Doors
Privacy glass and film can be used on operable glass doors, including swing doors, sliding doors, retractable glass walls, bifold doors and much more. This is a great way to let more natural light into your home and make spaces feel more open and connected.
Smart glass also goes from clear to frosted in a fraction of a second, faster than you could possibly draw the curtains or blinds. This makes it a great option for home security and many people choose to integrate exterior facing smart glass doors and windows with their existing home security systems. For example, the glass may become opaque with a motion sensor.
Smart Glass Skylights
While skylights may not always require privacy due to their placement on the roof, some skylights do, such as those with roof decks or balconies that overlook them. As homeowners move to make the most out of their space, skylights are increasingly being used to allow light into other areas of the home such as the basement and home extensions where conventional window placements are not allowed.
Even if privacy is not a concern, the glare from sunlight can be undesirable at certain times of day. When our switchable skylights are switched to opaque they cut the glare from sunlight, minimize heat transfer by blocking UV and IR light and still allow two thirds of the natural light through.
Smart Glass In Bathrooms
Smart glass is the perfect way to open up any bathroom with limited space, whilst making them look more modern and luxurious. Smart glass partitions are commonly used between an ensuite and bedroom, allowing natural light to reach deeper into the room. Whenever privacy is needed, the glass can simply be switched to frosted.
Smart glass is also popular for shower enclosures, especially in smaller bathrooms.
Switchable Glass Room Dividers
Glass partitions are a great way to divide your living space while maintaining that open concept look and feel. This is an especially popular option for shared living spaces and condos in areas such as home offices or between the living room and dining room where privacy may be desired some of the time. Smart glass has the added benefit of reducing noise, so not only does it make spaces more private, it also reduces noise without introducing a permanent visual barrier.
Smart Glass as a Projection Screen
Many people don’t realize that smart glass can be used as an HD/4K projection screen. This makes it a popular option for large living room windows and interior glass partitions. Make the most of your available living space by attaching a projector to the ceiling and using a switchable glass projection screen. Free up wall and floor space and say goodbye to chunky TV cabinets and wall mounts.
Smart Glass Extensions
Glass extensions are modern building options, similar to glass conservatories, that flood homes with natural light and increase their value by counting towards the total square footage. One of the drawbacks associated with glass box extensions is privacy, particularly at night. Using smart glass in glass extensions is a great solution as it provides privacy and soundproofing while minimizing heat transfer and cutting the glare from sunlight.
Creative Ways To Control Smart Glass In Your Home
In addition to having diverse applications, smart glass can be controlled almost any way you like. If you wire smart glass to operate with a wall switch and you will be able to switch the glass on and off, just like a light. Smart glass can be controlled via a remote and panels can be wired together so they can be controlled in unison or separately, just like motorized blinds. We even offer switchable glass blinds that go from clear to frosted and everything in between. Smart glass can also be controlled via smartphone, voice command and integrated into many home automation systems.
Remember, there are lots of creative ways smart glass can be used in your home. Smart Privacy Glass can produce all kinds of custom solutions to address your unique needs. Any type of glass can be made switchable, even curved glass surfaces and odd-shaped glass surfaces. Our smart film can be applied to any glass surface. Contact us today to discover how smart glass will work in your space.