We have a conventional layout 2 up 2 down cottage that has been extended over the years to add a kitchen and conservatory at the back of the house.

The dining room leads down into the kitchen and then from the kitchen into the conservatory. There are no doors between the kitchen, dining room & conservatory.

The dining room window that once would have looked down into the garden has been removed and now is just and opening looking down into the conservatory.

This may seem a crazy layout but we have what we have.

We are looking into the possibility of using glass bricks to “block up” the opening where the dining room would have been (extra warmth etc)

As this opening is the main source of light to the room (currently well lit) we don’t want to loose too much light with whatever we put there but equally don’t want a window.

Any thoughts?

Does anyone have glass bricks or are they now a design faux pas committed to history?

Glass bricks are fine still, however you may find it easier and cheaper to get a double glazed obscured glass window (sand blasted finish or similar) which will provide a nice light source but stop any view, but also be better insulated than the glass blocks.

Down with this sort of thing, careful now!.. With glass blocks there is a really fine line between bollox and style. You really have to have a feel for the space, and a very good installer.

leebaxter – Member

Down with this sort of thing, careful now!.. With glass blocks there is a really fine line between bollox and style. You really have to have a feel for the space, and a very good installer.

There is no fine line, they make anywhere look like a public lavatory.

I saw some in a posh house last week, they looked like a temporary measure and out of place and a definite faux pas, defo last decade. There are some fab glazing solutions tho’

What about electric glass? Examples here http://www.electricglasswall.com/

Cool. Thank you for the responses.

Still undecided myself.

Have seen fantastic applications and proper rubbish ones too.

Sadly cannot afford electric glass.

The opening is massive which makes me think that no matter how fancy the window styled application it would still look like a window ….

There is no fine line, they make anywhere look like a public lavatory.

I don’t hang around public lavatories so can’t comment on this, but they do remind me of police station cells, which is why I’d never have them in any home of mine, through choice at least….

aP is the one to listen to on this, a he’s a proper architect and everything, and basically virtually built most buildings you see today himself so he knows his stuff.

Electric Glass??? Shit off!

(Knocks out boring double glazed window units. Then sees how much Electric Glass costs. Is left with gaping holes. Imagines landlord might not be best pleased. Realises Winter’s coming and a howling icy gale bringing rain, sleet and snow can now blow through flat. Rues impetuous and ill-thought out decision…)

[cough] I think that there’s too much hyperbole going on regarding my ability to offer constructive comments….
You could always look at something like a relatively simple double glazed window and put a Shoji screen to the internal reveal, getting an “architectural” solution without an enormous amount of expenditure.

(Sobs at the humility and modesty of aP…)

How about a combination of frosted panels, similar in size to the bricks? Maybe you could even put little pictures into some of the panels? Or maybe some could be little display cabinets for ornaments? Still lets light through, but has a functional purpose too. Different coloured panels?

I’d be quite excited at the possibilities if I were lucky enough to be in the OP’s position.

Would the panels even need to be square/rectangular? I mean, you could use vignettes to create round shapes, or other shapes. That could look interesting if done well. Not too difficult at all, either.

I have just re-read your OP to try and understand it fully, pics would really help, but we had a very similar situation and resolved it with ‘french’ doors. Provided light, kept in the warmth when we wanted them and opened up in summer.

A bit office-y but there is the Venetian blind inside the double glazing unit type solution. Probably meet most heights and widths.