Glass Block Window Ideas for the Kitchen

Start with Standard Design

• Plan glass block windows around placement of standard windows. Be sure to plan operable windows to fit well with the home’s exterior, such as a double roll-out window system above the kitchen sink. Plan sliding or French doors, too, so that the kitchen has a basic plan that harmonizes with the house exterior. Look at the openings to figure out if glass blocks can replace any standard windows. For example, review the possibility of replacing the windows above the sink with fixed, glass blocks.

Create a Glass Corner

• A corner is a possible place for large glass walls. You can, for instance, install a floor-to-ceiling 5-foot-wide glass section on each side of a corner at the end of a house. This forms a complete kitchen glass corner from inside and outside views. The size of this space will add lots of light and ambiance to an otherwise small or dark kitchen. It can provide a space for indoor plants, too.

Build Walls of Light

• Glass blocks can form upper walls. Walls in lower sections of the kitchen, below shoulder height, can have one or two standard windows. Glass blocks installed on the top half of the room can form expanded window space. Special construction is required to use long sections of glass blocks, but house framework can easily accommodate this -- especially if your house is under new construction. Framed block windows come in premade sizes.

Enhance Glass Doors

• French doors and sliding doors may need additional window space. You can add a panel of glass blocks on each side of glass doors to really open up a kitchen. Panels just 18 inches wide each can add to the open feeling. The glass block sections installed on either side of the doors will add several square feet of window space. The glass blocks can also fit across the top of the doors if your ceiling is higher than standard -- such as 9 or 10 feet. Draw the design on graph paper to make sure the size of the openings are visually pleasing.

Open a Large Wall

• Build an entire end wall of glass blocks. If your kitchen is on the back or end of your home, you can construct a complete wall of glass blocks. This is the best way to gain maximum light while maintaining privacy. A kitchen dining table next to the wall creates a great eat-in kitchen. You can install a deck outside the large wall of glass blocks with a dining space there as well.