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Exquisitely crafted, undeniably fragile, and effortlessly ethereal, glass is the king of high-design materials. For centuries, the reflective matter has been worshipped for its delicate transparency and illusory ways—be it in the form of stained church windows or decorative hand-blown spheres. And while we tend to think of its shape-shifting abilities in terms of color and form, the material’s most transformative debut comes by way of texture.

On a practical level, ribbed glass has long been embraced in spaces of the home like the kitchen or entryway to bend light and obscure views (you’ve most likely seen this ridged glass treatment used for cabinetry or brief partition walls). From an aesthetic perspective, however, the optical qualities inherent in its creased composition make for a visually intriguing display.  

Whether designed with grooves that are reeded (convex) or fluted (concave), there’s an unwavering elegance and incredibly luxe feel to ribbed glass. Read on for ten gorgeous reasons to bring the material into every space in your home.  

The Kitchen

Reeded glass has been most commonly used in the kitchen as a stand-in for cabinet fronts. Cooks who aren’t ready for fully exposed glass cabinets (be it for their lack of commitment or abundance of clutter) have traditionally opted for this elegant in-between. Thanks to its opaque exterior, the glass will partially mask whatever contents (or messes) lie on the other side.

One design-forward way to add height to your kitchen is by relegating reeded glass to the longer, vertical-oriented cabinets. Its waterfall-like form naturally draws the eye up. Tip: Textured glass looks especially stunning when paired with unconventional materials and industrial metals, like brass, aged bronze, and copper.

If you’re not starting your kitchen from scratch, consider working reeded glass into your existing cabinetry scheme. In this darling blush kitchen, a series of cloudy glass cabinets serve as a captivating counterpoint to the original sliding wood doors. For all the show-offs out there, note that a transparent display like this lends itself to an eclectic collection of colorful kitchenware.

 

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Of all the rooms in the home, the kitchen is the one place where we tend to forgo bonus decorative details for functionality. And while there’s certainly a time and place for conventionality, simple, elevated touches can make the world of difference. Just take it from this sleek cookhouse. Without the eye-catching panel, this might just be an ordinary island. But with it? Sheer genius.

The Pantry

Because we often use glass as a tool to take advantage of sun-drenched spaces, we forget how dark and sinister it can really get. Backed by an all-black palette, here, reeded glass paneling creates an almost eerie glow. The smartest thing about this moody corner, however, is how it relates to the rest of the space. Walling off a small room or a tiny nook with glass is a great way to isolate it, visually, without depriving said space of natural light.

 

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The Living Room

Likewise, ribbed glass can be used in smaller doses as a partial divider between two living spaces. Instead of being totally see-through, this gridded wall (which gets its lattice-like appearance from a cross-reeded technique) merely offers a suggestion of the space beyond, while still maintaining a sense of separateness.

 

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The Stairway

Talk about being a step above the rest. Skewing more toward a sculptural work of art than your typical staircase, the beauty of this refreshingly modern scene can be attributed to its layered geometry (note how the vertical grooves in the bottom glass panels play off the linear behavior of the wood slats).

The Bedroom

What if we told you there was a way to customize your morning light? Designed to adjust, block, and filter with the flip of a few panels, the window-lined wall in this bedroom a dream for anyone who enjoys the simple pleasures in life—like sleeping in on the weekend. And what’s more? The grooved glass panels naturally disseminate any powerful rays that plan to seep through before 7:00 a.m. on a Sunday.

The Bathroom

There’s no rule that says your bathroom has to offer total privacy. In fact, we’re quite partial to this semi-translucent display. Although this sleek, fluted wall makes it easy to sneak a peek to the other side, the surface is just hazy enough to keep anything of importance out of sight.

The secret to a well-designed bathroom? A wow-worthy walk-in shower will get you far. Consider swapping your crystal clear partition for something a little more alive with movement and texture. Matched by a veiny, all-over marble, this sky-high wall really brings the drama.

 

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Though simple in execution, this ultra-contemporary bathroom has us rethinking our own. Between the bronze finishes and that reflective glass door, this small, yet mighty, space is a show-stopping example of what a tiny guest bathroom should look like.

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