How to Buy a Custom Glass Countertop piece for your home

This blog is an extract of a well-written piece on Christie’s (The Auction House) website. It has interesting guidelines that will assist you when commissioning a custom piece for your home or business. I have added commentary to make it particularly helpful for buyers of custom glass countertops.

1. Trust your instinct

If a thing touches me, intrigues me, or fits my style, I am drawn to them. Trust your eye. You already know much more than you realise about what you like or don’t like, whether something feels and looks well made, whether you actually love it. Especially important when deciding upon the highest-value surface that will attract the most use, each day, all day. We can show you ways to pair a Glass high bar that is very fun (especially at night) with e.g. White Glass that looks very elegant…but at ⅓ the cost per sq ft on average. We recently documented a long-distance relationship with a couple in Scottsdale, Az. It was clear we were on the exact same page from the get-go, and it set the table for a beautifully designed and furnished modern kitchen remodel.

2. Develop your knowledge

Go to craft fairs, meet makers and look at their work. Very good advice. We have invested in a fully outfitted Glass Design Center in Tampa, FL. Please visit. Please see what the experience is like. We are happy to serve wine to insure an authentic evening experience bathed in the ambiance of our gorgeous illuminated high bar. 

3. Buy something you need

A good place to start is with something you use every day. Why go to Home Depot for countertops when you can meet someone who actually makes them from scratch and start a friendship?  When you’ve built up your confidence, you can commission something.

4. Take a leap of faith

Familiarise yourself with a maker’s style. If you love it and ask for something in the same style you can’t go far wrong. If you see something you like ask if the maker would consider doing something especially for you. You can be specific on certain details, such as height and colour, but you need to factor some quirkiness in. Some artistic processes like making glass are a bit unpredictable. But that’s all part of the charm, the individual personality of a piece.

5. Certain things are worth paying for

Some people have the idea that hand-made is not well made and will not last, but I think the opposite. Modern makers are highly trained and create high-quality pieces with high-quality materials. By buying from them you also support the artists so they develop their skill. Bespoke doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg, but commissioned art is about making a connection with both the person that makes it and the object itself, and that is priceless. You might also be buying or commissioning something that will appreciate in value.  Artists note: Probably only after Im 6 ft under…

6. Be patient

Things may take several weeks to make depending upon the scale of the project. They’re worth it.

7. Enjoy the process

Artisans are intelligent, approachable, sympathetic and creative. People who work with their hands have empathy and compassion. They have created an artistic bubble that is beautiful and purposeful, and by buying and commissioning their work you can be part of it. These things will enrich your life. See examples of our work here.

We are always ready to serve you. Give us a call…lets discuss your ideas…see where it goes.

Jeff Downing

(813) 784 5211

Jeff@DowningDesigns.com

The post How to Buy a Custom Glass Countertop piece for your home appeared first on Downing Designs.

source https://downingdesigns.com/how-to-buy-a-custom-glass-countertop-piece-for-your-home/

Custom Glass for a Kitchen Island in Clearwater, FL…a very interesting case study

We love clients that bring us their creative ideas and engage us to bring their custom Custom Kitchen Island glass high bar to life.

Freida was one such client. She had a very defined idea about an organic shape and the way the textural flow should flow inside the piece. We digitized her sketch and waterjetted her outline exactly as she wanted…in cardboard first. This cutout was placed in our kiln sand bed where we scribed the outline. The texture for this piece was done in her presence, and after much give and take we were satisfied with the texture for this unusual piece.

The 1.5” thick glass top was fused and annealed in our oven for 5 days. We then took the template and placed it atop the oversized fused glass, and scribed exactly where the waterjet would cut. We then hand-polished the curvaceous edge to perfect optical clarity with a soft roundover all around. No CNC machine can equal the quality of hand-polishing…especially with textured glass. The resulting edge allows the client to peer inside the glass…it is magnified, and an exceptionally interesting view to behold.

The plan called for a three-legged support system, partially atop her kitchen island to a height of 42”.

We had our stainless steel fabricator create (2) 3.5” diameter steel tubes that were 40” tall, and (1) that is 4” tall. Upon these the glass would be secured. Three holes were waterjetted in the glass high bar for the Low-Profile Stainless Caps. The long posts were ruggedly secured to the floor, and the short leg through the island countertop. 

Carefully shooting the floor with our laser-level made short work of a complex 3-D siting. 

The glass was set in place. The result was magnificent. Soon after it was set, the sunshine beamed through her window and illuminated the glass in an exceptionally beautiful and unexpected way. Quite a stirring moment indeed.

We have attached a few pictures of this dramatic piece.

Glass Island High Bar

Glass Island High Bar in Clearwater Florida

Kitchen Glass Island High Bar in Clearwater Florida

 

We would like to thank Freida for her insight into creating this unique piece as well as her photographs after the rest of the kitchen was finished.

Give us a call to discuss your creative ideas and let us help you create your glass showpiece.

Jeff Downing

Jeff@DowningDesigns.com

(813) 784 5211

The post Custom Glass for a Kitchen Island in Clearwater, FL…a very interesting case study appeared first on Downing Designs.

source https://downingdesigns.com/custom-glass-for-a-kitchen-island-in-clearwater-fl-a-very-interesting-case-study/

Shipping Large Glass Countertops across the USA

 

Shipping large Glass Countertops across the USA and Caribbean requires expert crating and thoughtful installation technique. Downing Designs crates, ships and insures our shipments of custom Glass Countertops anywhere.

 

In shipping glass countertops and glass sinks, our experience has taught us:

• Template and Install of Glass Countertops by the same crew is smart
• Overbuild crates
• Insure properly
• Plan well ahead for logistics at the delivery site.

 

Recently, we had an interesting experience in Scottsdale, AZ with Our clients Steve and Celia. Our offer to them for White Glass and Textured Glass countertops was accepted and we discussed arrangements for a template visit for measurements and layout planning.

This project reinforced the need to have 1 person in charge of template, fabrication and delivery, as their kitchen cabinet personnel were unwilling to be part of the risk chain should there be an issue if pieces do not fit correctly. You are going to pay someone to install and template countertops anyways…might as well be the same one making them. Downing Designs is unique in the ability to serve far reaching clients to inspire a professional result from start to finish. This was covered in an earlier blog Glass Countertop Buying Guide.

There is another advantage. When visiting the jobsite, we can get a feel for the “flow” of the room and create our texture in sync with that flow. This is not something to be taken lightly. Glass Countertops will last a lifetime. They are expensive. Like buying a piece of art, make sure that it is exactly what you want. Regret is a hard thing to live with forever. Leaving installations to amatuers also risks much, as the installation of these counters must be handled very carefully.

 

Upon installation trip #1, one of the two crates was badly damaged, and laying on its side in the delivery truck. So much for our prominent “THIS SIDE UP” stickers.

 

We installed what we could, and photo-documented the rest for the ensuing insurance claim.

Claims can take several weeks to process, but no need to wait for that. We re-fabricated and again shipped the needed pieces. Crate #2 arrived intact. Installation trip #2 was planned and, and the resulting installation went smoothly.

Kitchen Island Glass High Bar

Many thanks to Steve and Celia …happy we were able to get these installed before your big event. We like to say “Nice things happen to nice people”…and their genuine friendliness and hospitality made this trip a very memorable and pleasurable one. 

The post Shipping Large Glass Countertops across the USA appeared first on Downing Designs.

source https://downingdesigns.com/shipping-large-glass-countertops-across-the-usa/

Glass Countertop Kitchen High Bar Design Considerations

When creating Glass Countertop Kitchen High Bars, there are no “standard”  rules to follow, but in our experience there are a few common-sense approaches that yield great results.

No kitchen shape is “standard”, therefore we have to be smart and creative to maximize the utility, beauty and safety of a glass countertop high bar over a kitchen island. We have done hundreds of these installations over the years, and wish to help you prepare for yours.

Intelligent design starts by observing and taking inventory of the physical constraints we have In the kitchen:

• Faucets, Sinks, Stoves in the lower countertop
• Clearances for Refrigerator doors, ADA access, Space to walk around the bar
• Cabinet box layout
• Glass High Bar length and # of people to be seated at the bar, 
• Strength of lower countertop materials (fragile or strong).

Make sure you have clearance for all of these elements and that they are not in conflict for where the glass high bar will reside. When we tell our clients that all quotes start with a sketch and a photo, it is simply because we want to ensure that we have accounted for these potential conflicts. Having a strong lower countertop material is critical as we cannot have a ~350lb glass high bar on 2 supports with a weak substrate like marble or onyx. It could fracture.

Cabinets usually come in 24” deep boxes. If you are designing a kitchen island with a sink, these are not deep enough for a high bar and a typically 20″ deep sink. You will have to augment your island base cabinets to be ~36” wide. This does not need to be expensive.

In the Downing Designs Glass Design Center, we solved that problem by adding a box made of 2×12 wood and fastened it to the cabinet. This allowed for our sink, faucets and elevated bar top  to peacefully coexist. It is very strong as well as inexpensive to make. We covered the back of it with door-skin plywood, painted and trimmed it. Simple, Perfect, Elegant solution.

Case Study

Our client Dany wanted a Glass High Bar atop his kitchen island. He initially desired an “L” shape. We quoted him both a simple linear shape as well as his “L” shape, and told him when we meet, we can decide the best path forward. Upon our initial site visit, we discussed all of the options above, and given his needs and the layout of the aforementioned elements, I campaigned against the more expensive “L” design because:

• it added very little seating room
• It added a lot more to the cost
• It detracted from the linear flow of the kitchen

How to Size a Glass Countertop Kitchen High Bar.

How best to end the glass high bar (overhangs, symmetrical or asymmetrical with the lower kitchen island countertop?). Most high bars we sell are 20” wide. 10” overhang is perfect for most situations. This means that 10” will be “inboard”.

Glass High bar dimensions

Our design methodology starts by simply walking around the kitchen several times and looking at it from all angles…observing the other physical elements in the room…cabinets, perimeter countertops, doors, windows, hallway openings, couches, etc.

Making our bar optically “co-linear” with these elements is a good place to start.

Start by focusing on one overhang at a time. In this case on the left side, it was easy to have a minimal overhang that lined up with the distant perimeter countertop and upper cabinet lines. The refrigerator underneath that end of the bar demanded easy access. We visually confirmed this by placing our template strips to align with those distant elements.

Now to overhang #2. Here we had a lot of room to play on the right side. Off in the distance, the upper cabinets presented themselves as a logical extension that led our eye right to it. We approximated the overhang to be in line with that cabinet and placed our template strips to align with them.

Now, we walk around several times to ensure the “feel” and sizing is correct. Make sure there is clearance for people, chairs, etc. Make slight adjustments…compare before/after. This is a simple, yet often overlooked way to make your Glass Countertop High Bar feel right at home by syncing with the other design elements in the kitchen.

Designing a Texture for Glass High Bar.

Once we have a final size, we can start designing the texture of the glass. 

All rooms have a voice that will “speak” to us and we “listen” for what the personality of the room says to us. From there we can compose a proper Glass High bar layout whose textures flow perfectly within the space it will reside. This is a critical distinction for a custom Glass High Bar vs a prefabricated glass slab. Its like the difference between a custom fitted suit that matches every contour of your body, vs a plastic poncho worn at a rainy football game. 

Knowing where the supports will reside is critical, and we try to flatten those areas to allow for our custom cantilevering supports. We like to place our supports approx 16-32” inboard from each end of a glass high bar. Not many materials to allow cantilevering of 32″ lengths. Our Glass Design Center at Downing Designs has a 37” cantilever off of one end of our glass high bar.

Dazzling Glass Countertop High bar at Downing Designs in Tampa,FL:

Selecting this placement is critical since the supports are to be through-drilled to the lower countertop. We must have clearance underneath to attach the glass high bar supports with washer/nuts onto the through-rod. Having knowledge of where the cabinet boxes are is essential. A drawing is a must. 

Interactive Texturing Kiln with Client

We want to enhance the flow of the kitchen and make it become the focal point of the room. 

It’s going to be a centerpiece so it must be as Artful as possible, while ensuring that the design pleases the client. We invite participation directly in this process.

In this case, Danys daughter Chloe, is very artistic and we agreed to have her work with us to create the texture…first on paper, then in the kiln sand bed. We held a little family contest, where everyone was invited to participate. We then took the best of these and refined further into THE ONE.

Texturing Custom Glass Countertops at Downing Designs

From an Artists standpoint, knowing when you are done is the hardest thing to discern on the fly. We have to STOP somewhere…and often LESS IS MORE in terms of detail. We find that our favorite textures are big arcing textures that really extend the room with their graceful flows. 

Scaling our drawing into the kiln sand bed is a fun process.

Chloe did great and had great ideas with respect to the balance of the composition.

Texture for Glass Countertop

The post Glass Countertop Kitchen High Bar Design Considerations appeared first on Downing Designs.

source https://downingdesigns.com/glass-countertop-kitchen-high-bar-design-considerations/

Modern Kitchen and Bath Design with Floating Cabinets Make Small Spaces Appear Larger.

If you are remodeling your kitchen or bath cabinets, one of the options you have is to float your cabinets off of the floor.

There are many advantages to floating your cabinets. The largest advantage is to increase the visual feel of the volume of space of the kitchen or bath. This benefit is particularly pronounced in small to medium kitchen or bath spaces where every inch matters, and the visual reward can be tremendous.

This is a 3-Dimensional equation, and must be thought through in 3-D fashion to enjoy the benefits of floating cabinets. 

We think about gaining volume for your room in many ways:

Volume below the cabinets. 

Volume above the cabinets. 

Volume in front of the cabinets.

Volume under high bars.

Volume under sinks.

Your eye can be led under and over the kitchen or bath cabinets and in doing so makes the room appear bigger. The ability of your eye to see the base moulding trim as a continuum has an enormous impact on how you perceive the space. It opens it up. Most kitchen or bath cabinets have a 5” toe kick before the actual cabinet space starts above the toe kick. By floating kitchen cabinets e.g. 10” above the floor you only compromise your storage space by 5”. The visual difference is much greater than that 5”.

This is also true of upper cabinets. By leaving room above your cabinets instead of going all the way to the ceiling once again the visual trick is intact, and creates the feel of a much bigger room. The continuous flow of crown moulding appears much cleaner to the eye…and the illusion is complete. Its a cleaner and more modern kitchen and bath look.

Upper kitchen cabinets typically are useful only up to about 7.5’ above the floor…above that  most people can’t reach without a chair.

We dare ask the question…is all that cabinet volume necessary?

Only 1 way to find out, and that is to empirically measure the volume of your “stuff”…pots, pans, dishes, glasses, etc. It’s never a bad exercise to have an annual exercise to donate excess/unused items to charity, be it from your clothes, your garage or your kitchen cabinets.

Donate pans and pots and dishes and glasses that you have not used that are just collecting dust and taking up space, and causing you to think you need more cabinet volume than is required.

In this fashion you’ll have better access and more efficient storage for that which remains.

Downing Designs showroom has floating cabinets, floating sinks and floating Glass Countertop High bars… Do you see a theme here? We have seen far too many kitchens and baths where HEAVY feeling cabinets are unnecessarily installed everywhere and this visually repels our eye. 

By taking away “heavy” looking elements that take up space i.e. full length kitchen cabinets, full vanity cabinets, and knee walls for hi bars we open up the visual space. 

Adding pure White Glass Countertops adds to the visual expansion as well.

When you look at our small showroom it has a much larger feel. It has White Glass Countertops on its periphery to make this small space feel more spacious. And that’s exactly the idea we want to reflect.

Our Glass Countertop High Bar also adds to the floating feel and is amazing. It floats atop (2) custom metal brackets that hide the LED supply cord internally and is 127” x 20”. Had we used a knee wall, it would have divided the room visually. This design has a very modern, airy feel and is great fun to be seated at that high bar with a glass of wine.

Our Glass Sinks are floated as well. Not only is it a clean look that allows beautiful downlighting of the glass pattern onto the floor, but it also serves as ADA ready sink. This is typically important in restaurants where bathroom space is precious and owners want 1 beautiful, universal sink design to serve handicap [patrons and non-handicap patrons alike.

Further, it appears we are all getting older each day. Designing for the day when we may be wheelchair-bound is never a bad idea. Do it once…do it right…do it so it will be practical well into the future.

The best part about this minimalist style of floating cabinets, floating sinks and floating High bars is that it actually costs less.

We are huge proponents of minimizing the amount of upper cabinets that you buy at the start of your project… You can always add more cabinets if you feel the need.

We like to say design for the 99% not the 1%. This means that don’t design for the annual Thanksgiving dinner, but rather design for everyday use… which may be one, two or three people.

The depth of your cabinets also can be customized to suit your space. For example, you wouldn’t use 24” deep cabinets in small bathrooms because it takes up too much room. The same thinking can be true in the kitchen or any room. Visualize what a skinnier cabinet can do for the living space.

Good cabinet fabricators can make your cabinets any depth you specify. Again by keeping the visual space open and floated with a minimalist cabinet design you free up the visual space in your kitchen or bath.

Take a look at some of the following pictures. Each of them offer some interesting insight into the value of floating kitchen or bath cabinets.

Thoughtful space planning will pay dividends for you during your stay in your home or condo, and will also pay dividends at resale time.

Think about this…Let’s say that you’re in a condominium or in a development where floor plans are very similar, if not identical. If two houses possess an identical square footage and are on the market for identical prices, the one that feels bigger and more contemporary will always get the bid.

Something to consider when planning your next kitchen or bath remodel.

Give us a call to discuss how floating your kitchen or bath cabinets can achieve great results for you as well.

Jeff Downing

Jeff@DowningDesigns.com

(813) 784 5211

The post Modern Kitchen and Bath Design with Floating Cabinets Make Small Spaces Appear Larger. appeared first on Downing Designs.

source https://downingdesigns.com/modern-kitchen-and-bath-design-with-floating-cabinets-make-small-spaces-appear-larger/

Concrete Wall Tiles, Custom, Large Format

Producing large custom concrete wall tiles can be very rewarding. These tiles can be assembled indoors or out, and have an infinite range of color-matching possibilities. Creative possibilities for incorporating custom relief molds of Leafs, Wood, etc can yield amazing results, especially when downlit with our simple lighting system described at  the end of this blog.

Large format concrete tiles as thin as 1/4”  can be fabricated in any shape desired. They are excellent  for bathrooms, living rooms, and outdoor walls  and can be waterproofed. Several examples below show the versatility and creativity possible with concrete wall tiles. 

Concrete Wall Tile Leaf Mold

Large format Leaf castings of Palm leafs, made at Downing Designs shows how beautiful these castings can become. This mold is 9 feet tall and 5 feet wide  and ¾” inch deep. It only weighs 450lbs…pretty light vs the HUGE concrete countertops and concrete sinks we make that are often 800lbs+.

Notice how acute spot lighting from above really highlights the rib structure…closer examination of the overlapping areas shows us that both leafs’ ribs transmit through onto the concrete and are revealed in great detail this is a beautiful calm piece.

Concrete Wall Tile leaf casting

Concrete Wall Tile leaf casting dramatic lighting

Mondrian Wall Tile Mosaics

Taking inspiration from the artist Piet Mondrian we produced a series of residential installations one in the living room, one in the bathroom. By using different thickness concrete wall tile with varying colors mixed and matched it produced a Mondrian like Mosaic in very large format. Installation is simple and could have been done by any competent wall tile installer.  Once again, down lighting from the ceiling dramatized the differences in wall tile thicknesses and really makes an artistic statement in both rooms. 

Concrete Wall Tile Large Custom: Mondrian

Bath with concrete Wall tile shower ala Mondrian

Bath with concrete Wall tile with 10 degree spotlights

Contemporary Bath with concrete Wall tile shower

Custom Concrete Wall Tile 

We can piece together a mosaic plan scale model for you that sketches out the possibilities and shows you what the final product would look like. 

Any color is possible with concrete wall tiles. We can match any color you desire from a Benjamin Moore color deck or color swatch you send to us.

Concrete is an excellent material to use Outdoors since it is immune to UV light and harsh hot/cold weather. Concrete roofing tiles will last 100’s of years. Take a look at the structure of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge and you will note that it’s caissons are concrete. The pigments we use are battle-tested from decades of concrete roof tiles where they have survived UV light, hard freezing conditions, and acidic droppings from animals.

Our favorite wall washing Spotlight combination is described below it is very inexpensive to achieve an amazing effect and we strongly recommend you look at these materials

3”  Recessed Ceiling mount gimble light

Ceiling Lighting

Its $11.00  Its wet rated. Its well-made (I have 5 of these in my home). Makes positioning of the light wash easy.

The bulbs we recommend for dramatic lighting are SORAA…either 10degree tight spotlights or 25 degree narrow spotlights. These are less than $30.

Each fixture costs you ~$40…and they are simple to wire in concert to achieve the desired effect. Not sure where to place these???  Duct tape one of these fixtures properly wired to an extension cord to an 8’ 2”x2” wood stick and hold it close to the ceiling and watch the effect. Mark the spot and cut your ceiling. Simple. 

The post Concrete Wall Tiles, Custom, Large Format appeared first on Downing Designs.

source https://downingdesigns.com/custom-concrete-large-format-wall-tiles/

Making Original Textured Glass Countertops a Case Study: Eric and Kelly

We solve a big problem for our high-end residential and commercial Textured Glass Countertop clients. Many are only interested in original works of art for their homes …not reprints or copies. They have creative ideas and want them expressed in their decor…right down to the level of details in their glass countertop texture.

Our high-quality glass countertops are too expensive to not have fun shopping for! 

This blog is one of several case studies presented to help you understand how our clients creative input drives the design process at Downing Designs.

Background

Eric and Kelly D. were designing their cute Tampa pool home to reflect their Key West taste. Kelly has an exceptional eye for landscape design, and has meticulously planned and executed by Eric. The effect is at once perfectly calming and vibrant in its color and textural composition. The next step was to make an outdoor bar that fulfilled their intent. They wanted a luminous party bar. One that synced with the flow of the outdoor walkways and layouts. They were concerned that no texture would capture the flow she envisioned.

The Lady gets what she wants. Pretty simple. We met onsite with their GC, and discussed several options incorporating her design ideas. And produced a few initial sketches.

They visited our studio where we discussed our design process. It is straightforward, but requires understanding how we feel about the flow of our textured glass countertops. The Downing Designs design center was designed for just this approach. As we walk around our textured glass high bar, different aspects become apparent: the flow looks different from one end vs the opposite end…the edge is amazing and we show how different textures that dissect the edge vs parallel the edge look like. Armed with this insight into our design process,  the design became formalized in a series of refined pencil sketches, that captured the simple, breezy flow they desired. We proceeded to then scale up our sketches in the kiln with their direct participation. Its no secret that wine definitely helps this process, and this Sunday afternoon was no different.

Making Eric and Kelly’s Glass Countertops.

We took the sketches and made a scaled-up version of the selected design…”Kiln Carving” in the sand. Much like a water colorist, we start with a light outline, then carve our sand bed deeper to refine the design with a series of brush strokes to give us the desired texture. Kelly and Eric watched as I carved the bed…further and further with controlled strokes…taking on the ultimate shape of the textural flow. It is a very interesting process to watch a 2-D pencil sketch become 3-D in a sand bed. Slight adjustments are made during the process as they viewed the artistic shape from many angles to assure that the flow is perfect. Eric took a few strokes on the endpoint of the carving, and Kelly dotted the eye of the hurricane (Hurricane Kelly it is now dubbed). 

Sand bed for glass countertops before carving

Carving Sand bed for glass countertops

Texturing glass countertops Hurricane Kelly

We then stack low iron glass sheets to make 1.5” thick glass countertops. When illuminated with natural light or enhanced with our LED’s (8,000,000 colors!) it can take on any color you desire. We offer professional and extensive lighting consultation as part of our design service to assure you that your glass countertop or glass high bar will be beautifully illuminated, and we discuss the many options offered.

The kiln is heated to over 1400 degrees Fahrenheit…annealed…cooled. After 5 days, the glass has been fully fused, and has taken on the texture of the kiln carved sand bed. We then use our CNC waterjet and/or diamond saw for precise cutting to size. Extensive hand polishing takes our glass to an optically pure lens quality edge. This is a critical Downing Designs quality distinction which we have elaborated upon before.

We also round over all corners and edges to make sure that the glass is comfortable when you are leaning against it, as well as chip resistant when people hit it with hard objects such as wine bottles, elbows and chairs. 

The result is spectacular. The pictures don’t do justice to the effect this BIG beautiful, glowing bar top has upon its patrons. It’s calming. After a long day, what could be better than to have the perfectly soft, upward glow wash over your cocktails, food, and your significant other. We have described this “Time Machine” effect of this glow previously. It’s real. It’s wonderful. It’s powerful at making everyone look younger. My wrinkles become less obvious. Come see for yourself. 

 

SUMMARY

We think that spending a lot of money on an expensive stamped, prefabricated piece of glass is just silly, when for the same amount of money you can have an original design, contoured to fit your kitchen or bath room flow. If you want to have an original, Rockstar bar for your home or restaurant, you don’t do it by covering old Beatles songs.

Give us a call to discuss your ideas and we will develop for you a unified design plan for your layout, complete in all respects with lighting, and glass countertop textural flow. You don’t need to be a wine expert to know that anything pairs well with a Downing Designs glass countertops, especially when infused with the likes of Kelly and Eric’s personality…

Thanks to  Eric and Kelly D. for letting me photograph and write about this experience.

The post Making Original Textured Glass Countertops a Case Study: Eric and Kelly appeared first on Downing Designs.

source https://downingdesigns.com/49970-2/

Making Original Textured Glass Countertops. Case Study: Acqua Cafe

We solve a big problem for our high-end residential and commercial Textured Glass Countertop clients. Many are only interested in original works of art for their homes …not reprints or copies. They have creative ideas and want them expressed in their decor…right down to the level of details in their glass countertop texture.

Our high-quality glass countertops are too expensive to not have fun shopping for! 

This blog is the first of several case studies presented to help you understand how our clients creative input drives the design process at Downing Designs.

Background

Arlene Desiderio was opening her newest restaurant: “Acqua Cafe” in West Palm Beach, Fl.  Like a true artiste, every detail is curated and expresses her charming touch: from the restaurant design, menu, food prep, staff selections,  advertising…everything. By infusing her restaurant design with her personality (and boundless energy), the impact is seen even in the finest details. She has reasons. Past missteps have led her to trust her own instincts vs. those of others. She is successful because she understands what she and her customers want, and plans every element to meet that demand. 

We were contacted by her Architect, Evans Howard from Alonso and Associates in West Palm Beach, and he was rightly concerned that she would be difficult to please because she is so hands-on in every aspect of the Acqua Cafe design concept. She has designed and operated several other successful restaurants. The stakes are high. Glass countertops are too expensive… and to not get what she wants would be a decision she would have to live with for the duration of this restaurant operation. After we described our process for empowering clients by integrating their ideas with our own, I suggested that we have Arlene visit our facility to participate in the design process. Evans agreed and was delighted with this approach. The Lady is paying for it…. The Lady will get what she wants. Pretty simple. We set up a time and Arlene drove 4 hours from WPB to Tampa to incorporate her design ideas and watch as they came to life.

This approach has worked very well for us. Remote clients also can participate interactively as we set a time where the glass oven and sand bed is being sculpted. We send pictures during the process and consult with the client to assure them that their ideas are being integrated and executed as best we can.

Making Arlene’s Glass Countertops.

We start with an initial series of digital sketches of the glass texture to map well with the bar “L” shape in her restaurant. We refine these sketches until the final version is selected for production. 

The magic begins in our kilns where we measure to make a scaled-up version of the selected design…”Kiln Carving” in the sand. Much like a water colorist, we start with a light outline, then carve our sand bed deeper to refine the design with a series of brush strokes to give us the desired texture. After watching how I carved the sand, Arlene was game to cut a few swirls herself. 

Arlene Desiderio texturing sand bed for her glass countertops

We then stack low iron glass sheets to make 1.5” thick glass countertops. When illuminated with natural light or enhanced with our LED’s (8,000,000 colors!) it can take on any color you desire. We offer professional and extensive lighting consultation as part of our design service to assure you that your glass countertop or glass high bar will be beautifully illuminated, and we discuss the many options offered.

The kiln is heated to over 1400 degrees Fahrenheit…annealed…cooled. After 5 days, the glass has been fully fused, and has taken on the texture of the kiln carved sand bed. We then use our CNC waterjet and/or diamond saw for precise cutting to size. Extensive hand polishing takes our glass to an optically pure lens quality edge. This is a critical Downing Designs quality distinction which we have elaborated upon before.

We also round over all corners and edges to make sure that the glass is comfortable when you are leaning against it, as well as chip resistant when people hit it with hard objects such as wine bottles, elbows and chairs. Arlene’s Glass is back painted, LEDs attached with stainless steel cover. We sandblasted her Acqua Cafe logo on the glass to further personalize the design.

The result is spectacular. The pictures don’t do justice to the effect this BIG beautiful, glowing bar top has upon its patrons. It’s calming. After a long day, what could be better than to have the perfectly soft, upward glow wash over your cocktails, food, and your significant other. We have described this “Time Machine” effect of this glow previously. It’s real. It’s wonderful. It’s powerful at making everyone look younger. My wrinkles become less obvious. Come see for yourself. 

Acqua Cafe glass countertop bar glowing soft uplight

Acqua Cafe West Palm Beach glass countertop

 It was a pleasure to be invited with my Mom (Barbara Downing) to dine with Arlene. Fabulous interesting food and staff! Cool Countertop!

SUMMARY

We think that spending a lot of money on an expensive stamped, prefabricated piece of glass is just silly, when for the same amount of money you can have an original design, contoured to fit your kitchen or bath room flow. If you want to have an original, Rockstar bar for your restaurant, you don’t do it by covering old Beatles songs.

Give us a call to discuss your ideas and we will develop for you a unified design plan for your layout, complete in all respects with lighting, and glass countertop textural flow. You don’t need to be a wine expert to know that anything pairs well with a Downing Designs glass countertop at the Acqua Cafe, especially when infused with Arlene’s personality…

Thanks to Arlene Desiderio of the Acqua Cafe for letting me write about how much fun I had with her designing her custom glass countertops.

The post Making Original Textured Glass Countertops. Case Study: Acqua Cafe appeared first on Downing Designs.

source https://downingdesigns.com/making-original-textured-glass-countertops-case-study-acqua-cafe/

5 Must-Know Countertop and Faucet Design Considerations in a Post-Coronavirus age.

1. Non-Porous Countertops
2. Hands Free Faucets
3. Hands Free Soap Dispenser and Sanitizer sprays
4. Automatic Hand Dryer

Many Kitchen and Bathroom design options offered prior to the 2020 Coronavirus outbreak, such as countertop materials, faucets, soap dispensers, hand-drying towels must now be re-considered with an eye towards preventing pandemic propagation in public places.

 “Hands-on” faucets and door handles, Manual soap dispensers, Hand towels, Porous Countertops that do not prevent transmission and/or harbor these dangerous agents, especially in a commercial bathroom setting, must be examined by designers in a whole new light. Given what we know today, it must be considered that some of these options will go the way of dinosaurs as we seek maximum protection from contagious viruses, bacteria, etc. 

This is not yet a legal liability issue for commercial bathrooms, but keep an eye out for that since litigious parties are always on the hunt for such things.

Let’s examine several kitchen and bath design elements to see the best choices for preventing virus transmission:

1. Countertop

We spend a lot of hands-on-contact time eating and drinking on countertops. It is inevitable. Transmission of germs on countertops we lean-on and touch so frequently must be addressed. Think of your own kitchen, favorite busy bar, or restaurant table.

Non-porous countertops such as Glass, White Glass have a HUGE advantage over traditional porous surfaces such as granite, natural quartz, marble going forward.

Glass Countertops can be made in 3/4″ thick glass, backpainted any color, and are very rugged and non-porous.

       Backpainted Glass Countertop

White Glass countertops are 2 or 3cm thick, opaque, stain-free, non-porous and commercial tough countertops.

White Glass outdoor Countertop Bar at American Social restaurant in Tampa Fl

Non-porous materials are both cost-effective and beautiful options for your countertops.

While some suggest that Engineered Quartz is non-porous, cleaning it with Bleach is not permitted. It will void the warranty. From the Cambria website: 

Do not use or expose Cambria Product to certain cleaning products, including, but not limited to, BLEACH, Soft Scrub®, or paint removers. Do not use abrasive or harsh scrub pads.

Nor is it a viable material if you are using hot pans in the kitchen, hot styling tools in the bathroom, or outdoors where UV light will degrade and yellow the plastic quickly.

Spraying with Microban antimicrobial spray can temporarily help. From their site:   

Microban keeps surfaces sanitized against bacteria for up to 24 hours, even after multiple touches* on hard non-porous, non-food contact surfaces.

2. Hands Free Faucets

Fortunately, there are many non-contact faucet options available.

Implementation has been slow, but expect this trend to accelerate. Any commercial restaurant, bar would benefit from installing hands-free faucets in their bathrooms.

Google “Hands free faucets” and you will see many exciting options.

These can be set to hot/cold/warm and sensors detect motion with another setpoint for time on before automatically shutting off.

Retrofitting currently installed faucets can also be accomplished elegantly. Grohe’s foot-touch sensor is demonstrated in this video:

3. Hands Free Soap Dispenser and Sanitizer sprays

Just like faucets, touchless soap dispensers are a great idea for preventing agent transmission.

Google “Automatic soap dispenser” to see many results for home or commercial use.

For on countertop installations we like:  Simple Human and Toto

For Commercial wall-mount sanitizer we like: Automatic Sanitizer Sprayer

For Commercial wall-mount soap dispenser we like: Alpine

Below is a wall-mounted side-by-side soap and faucet dispenser.

4.   Automatic Hand Dryer

Well entrenched already. We like:  XLERATOR

Summary:

We believe that responsible Hospitals, Reception desks, Bars, Restaurants, Schools all now need to consider non-porous Glass and White Glass countertops,  hands-free faucets, touchless soap dispensers, automated hand dryers as THE STANDARD for new construction. Using materials that harbor dangerous biological agents in their porous surfaces could soon become a point of litigation. 

Non-porous materials are both cost-effective and beautiful options for your countertops.

The post 5 Must-Know Countertop and Faucet Design Considerations in a Post-Coronavirus age. appeared first on Downing Designs.

source https://downingdesigns.com/5-must-know-countertop-and-faucet-design-considerations-in-a-post-coronavirus-age/

Pricing details for Buying and Installing Glass Countertops

Most people shopping for glass countertops will ask what the price per square foot is. It’s a fair question because most inexpensive (Quartz and Granite) Countertops are priced by the sq. ft.
They are easier to price this way because they come in slabs that cost about $5-15 per sq. ft. and can be fabricated using simple hand-held fabrication tools and minimal polishing skill.
High production shops use CNC saws and waterjets to automate these processes.

For a full-service designer-fabricator-installer of Glass countertops, there is a much more sophisticated path to a final tally. There is never a simple answer we can offer a client…so we don’t. Only a thoughtful quote which presents all options to achieve the desired glass countertop look you desire is a must when striving for accuracy. We always like to get a sketch,and any room photos to understand ambient lighting.

Options include:

• Thickness (1.5” is 99% of our glass countertop market)
• Textural Designs and continuums for consecutive pieces
• Saw cutting complexity
• Water Jetting time for cutting holes and arcs
• Polishing (Lens-Quality polish vs Matte)
• LED illumination, Stainless steel covers for LED’s and wiring of LEDs onsite
• Down-lighting
• Custom Metal support brackets for High Bars
• Color pigments inside glass layers
• Back-painting custom color
• Engraving or Sandblasting logos
• Template Service
• Delivery/Shipping
• Installation Services (Stairs, Small Elevators, Cranes)

Glass comes as ½” or ¾” thick low-iron glass. This raw glass material needs to be supremely cleaned, and stacked carefully upon an artistically “carved” oven sand bed to the desired thickness (typically 1.5”). Ramping the oven slowly for large glass pieces is necessary (to prevent cracking on the way up) where the textural design will transfer into the glass as it is heated to a 1400 degree F temperature and fuse the layers as one.

Slowly cooling the glass during the annealing cycle assures that the glass will not be stressed and afterwards cut with reasonable assurance that the raw fired product will not crack. It has to be within a few degrees from its middle to its edges. Glass is a terrific insulator and does not give up or take heat easily. This takes around 6 days from start to finish for a long glass piece. For a glass countertop manufacturer, this is critical time because firings can fail. Any residual dirt or grease that is trapped inside the glass layers will cause the firing to fail. Glass can crack on its own for a frustrating array of “reasons”. This is expensive from a time component because failures won’t allow a business to turn 4-5 pieces per oven per month.

It is then removed from the kiln (as one large, heavy piece) and then be extracted, cut, polish, water jetting for any holes, back-painted, LED illuminated, delivered, installed.

We look forward to discussing the best possible combination of techniques for your piece.
Please feel free to call (813) 784 5211 or Jeff@DowningDesigns.com

The post Pricing details for Buying and Installing Glass Countertops appeared first on Downing Designs.

source https://downingdesigns.com/pricing-details-for-buying-and-installing-glass-countertops/

2019 Buyers Guide to Glass Countertops …Written by an Experienced Glass Fabricator Copy

Content

• Interviewing Your Glass Fabricator

• Author Qualifications

• Glass Countertop Types and Terms

• Textures for Glass Countertop

• Glass Countertop Cutting and Polishing

• Lighting Glass Countertops

• Metal Support Brackets and Installation Techniques

• Glass Countertops Cost

• Installation and Shipping

• Remodeling Trends

• Conclusion

• ERRATA:  The Dumbest Glass Countertop Ideas on the Internet

Thick Glass countertops are one of the hottest design trends in Kitchen and Bath remodeling today. No other material enhances the visual beauty of your space like the translucent nature of glass. It offers endless creative possibilities which high-end designers demand when their projects require a luminous focal point.

This buyers guide will help you understand the many decorative options available to make it “POP” in your home.

As a buyer, we recommend you ask lots of questions of your glass fabricator after website visits followed by On-Site tours and first-hand inspection of product quality.

Do your reputation research. Know what you are getting for your money in writing upfront.  Here are some good interview questions to start…

 

Questions for your Glass Countertop Fabricator

1. Where are your products Made… In the USA? 
2. Are they responsive via phone, text and email?  Speak with Who will Measure, Design, Fabricate and Install.
3. Share your Vision with your Fabricator in Sketches and Photos from e.g. Houzz  
4. Are your Inputs taken when Designing Glass textures?
5. Do they Feel Passionate about their work…or are they just a slab exporter?
6. Are they Reputable ?
7. Get a written Quote with all options itemized with Installation.

Author Qualifications

This guide was written by Jeff Downing of Downing Designs, a professional design-build-install studio that has installed millions of dollars of custom Glass surfaces. He has an intimate understanding of glass countertop fabrication.

Downing Designs has a truly unique approach where human interaction and creative insight are fluidly aligned to imagine a  brighter future for your space. Great things happen (e g. Prototypes) when we cross-pollinate our ideas with others. The result is a functional piece of glass art that has an emotional connection with their clients.

If you Google  “Buy Glass Countertops” you will see many keyword-stuffed, ad-driven sites posting misleading statements and very odd glass high bar support ideas.  Please enjoy our ERRATA section at the end where we’ve called them out for their misleading statements and expensive glass countertops installed in strange, half-baked ways.  Buyer Beware!

Glass Types and Terms

Glass Countertops can be fabricated from a variety of glass. Float Glass is commonly used. Float glass is a flat sheet created by “floating” raw molten glass (a mix of raw material and recycled glass cullet) over a bath of molten tin.

Float Glass  glass pieces up to 177” x 127” x ¾” thickness are available and are well suited for flat, back painted countertops and splashbacks.

3/4″ Low iron Glass Backpainted White

Low-Iron Glass is a Float glass with low amounts of iron which render a light bluish hue. This is critical when viewing the edge, as you will see the color intensity greatly magnified. Low-iron glass is well suited for countertops and backsplashes.

“Clear” Glass is a Float glass with higher iron content that renders it a greenish hue. The thicker the glass, the deeper the hue. Dont use “Clear” glass if you are back painting the glass as it will tint your final result.

Tempered Glass is created from Float Glass by heating in an oven and then quickly cooling. Tempered glass is about 4x stronger than annealed glass, allowing it to be used for thin glass applications e.g. shower doors, sneeze guards. Tempered glass must have all cuts completed before tempering. Usually, glass that is ¾” or thicker need NOT be tempered for use in bathrooms vanity tops, or kitchen glass counters.

• Designer Note:  Lighting flat glass with LEDs is generally a waste of money because it has no texture depth to deflect the light.

Slumped Glass is made by placing glass over a mold then thermoforming at ~1300 degrees F in Kilns until the glass “slumps” and to the shape of the mould.  Slumping glass over large textured ceramic sand beds creates textured glass Sinks and Glass Backsplashes.  

Fused Textured Glass is a process where sheets of float glass are thermoformed over a large ceramic sand bed or mould and fused at ~1450 degrees F,  then annealed. The annealing process “heat-strengthens” the fused glass product to almost 2x annealed glass strength. Fused textured glass at 1.5” thick is very strong and is an extremely durable material that can be cantilevered  to a much greater degree than most surfacing materials.

Glass Countertop Cantilevered 37″ from left Support

• Designer note:  1” thick countertops do not have the visual depth on edge vs 1.5” glass but cost only fractionally less.

Textured glass hides the appearance of fingerprints and minor scratches.

Fused Glass with Colors is created using an inter-layer “paint” of glass frit and enamels and then fired. Vibrant colors are possible.

Glass With Colored Frit Fused in between Layers

Hot glass is the process of gathering and molten glass and twirling it into the artists final vision. Beautiful small artistic glass sinks and pieces can be formed this way. Examples include Dale Chihuly and “Big Wave” Dave Wight.  

White Glass countertops (aka Nano glass, Crystallized glass) are a fusion of recycled glass and minerals created at 3000 degrees. It is poured, cooled then polished to a very high gloss shine. White glass countertops share a non-porous nature with Glass.

Pure White Glass countertops change the spatial relationship of every room they reside. In fact, they make kitchens and baths appear ~25% larger.

White Glass Countertops in Kitchen

From a 2019 survey on Houzz:  White countertops continue to grow in popularity. Nearly one in three counters are done in white (22%, 27% and 31% in 2017, 2018 and 2019 studies, respectively) making them the #1 countertop choice for homes.

White glass is much harder on the Mohs hardness scale (7) vs glass (5.5)  or granite (6.2) or engineered quartz (6.7). It is a superior countertop material for outdoors as it reflects much of the solar energy, is UV-proof, non-porous, stain-proof, requires zero maintenance or sealing, acid-proof and does not burn from cigarettes. White glass comes in slabs 120” x 60” x 1.2”

Black Glass countertops are similar to White glass…but a deep, pure opaque high gloss black. These will get hot in direct sunlight.

Recycled Glass Countertops is a matrix made up of small chips of colorful recycled glass chips in a binder and sold in slabs. A concrete based binder for your recycled glass countertops will require a sealant application. A resin-based binder will stand up to stains better, but can’t be used outdoors…UV light will degrade it. Many choices for colors and binders are available. Vetrazzo, IceStone, Geos are notable brands.

 

Textures for Glass Countertops

Texturing Glass Upon selection of the glass countertop to be used, fabrication can begin after measuring, templating, and texture design. A like a bespoke tailor, a full-service glass countertop designer-fabricator will demonstrate ALL of your options to accessorize your glass countertop to achieve the utmost in “wow” factor. These critical points include:

Stamped Textures provide a consistent textured look that is omni-directional. These can be interesting when selected for the right environment.

Hand Sculpted Textures are artistically carved into the kiln bed to create the texture you desire. Deep textures create drama and are spectacular when lit with LEDs and downlights. See our Fox News video showing some of this sculpting process.

• Designer Tip: Communicate and review pattern suggestions, and refine these until happy. Select a glass texture that enhances the personality of your room “flow”. Don’t settle for a stamped textured piece of glass when for the same amount of money you can have a custom designed statement piece that flows elegantly with the lines in your home. Make sure your texture flows from one piece of glass to another across the seam in multi-sectional countertops. See Video below for a glass counter that flows well with the room.

 

 

Hand Texturing Kiln Bed for Glass Countertops

Smooth texture transition at corner

Air Bubbles trapped between layers of glass are part of their endearing “flaws” since glass is not formed under a vacuum.

They enhance the visual interest and depth of thick glass countertops. More Bubbles can be creatively added to glass countertops (with chemicals) if that is your desire.

 

Glass Cutting and Polishing

Kiln-formed glass must be cut to size and have holes drilled. Waterjets, wet saws and polishing tools with plenty of water are used. Make sure your glass fabricator has these in his shop to efficiently move your glass from kiln to cutting to polishing.

• Designer Note:  Make sure you inspect the quality of the edge polish of your glass countertop upon arrival. If it has lines from a worn out CNC bit, reject it!  Your glass edge should offer a perfectly polished lens into your glass.
• Also, 45 degree bevels present (2) sharp edges where the top meets the face. Gently rounded over edges are much more comfortable, and much less prone to chipping. See below picture illustrating those points.

Lines on Face due to Worn Out CNC bit…”Shiney but Liney”

Lighting Glass

Make sure you have a thorough Lighting plan for LED Edge Lighting, Down lighting and Ambient Lighting so they can all contribute to the WOW factor of your glass countertop.

LED Edge and Down lighted Glass Countertop…Note Dramatic Shadows on Floor

LED Edge Lighting is typically this is the best way to light textured glass countertops. Narrow LED strip lights on the edge of the countertop allow for high levels of striking high-contrast color. Done right, your glass countertop will “POP”…especially at night. Color and brightness are achieved with a controller, usually a smart phone app. This produces millions of stunning colors that can even dance to your music. You will need to run wires from the LED strips to a controller and transformer to a 110v power outlet. Use quality LEDs…this is not a place to save money as they can be tricky to replace once installed.

• Designer Tip: Your LED cover and wiring should be minimalist and allow viewing into glass as well as reduce the pixel appearance from the front. Get a plan to conceal the LED wires through the supports and lower surface.

Minimalist LED Cover…no Visible Wires.

On A Lighter Side Note:  Our “proprietary” research shows that properly lit Glass High Bars are in fact “Time Machines”. Apparently, a huge benefit of the upward angling and soft mood lighting from our glass high bars is that it “turns back the clock a few years”. (It makes my vintage 1959 wrinkles almost go away…we are not sure how to price that benefit just yet).

Down lighting from the ceiling will create a powerful mimic shadow upon the floor and lower surface. It is a perfect lighting technique for High bars to complement LED edge lighting.

• Designer Tip: Modern LED downlights are available that create a tight, well-defined X-Ray shadow upon the floor. They are powerful, dimmable and consume very little electricity. Aim the light to project the shadows where you desire…preferably at an angle to make the shadows look bigger.

Ambient lighting allows the glass to pop naturally during the day in a sunny location. Low iron glass is naturally beautiful when lit with sunlight. See the pictures and video below.

Glass Countertop without LED in Daylight

Same Countertop Down lit at Night

 

Under lighting Glass requires a tall structure on the underside of the textured glass to allow for even distribution of light…which may be unsuitably high for your countertop.

• Designer Note: It also creates a very “flat” lighting effect that minimizes the contrast of shadow vs light and robs textures of their visual depth. It “highlights” the rib structure of the underlying panels…and is not pretty. (see below). This technique does however work well with onyx slabs.

Underlit Glass Countertop…Looks like an XRay!

 

Metal Support Brackets and Installation Techniques

Supports Metal support brackets of all shapes and sizes are available. Custom metal supports must often be fabricated to suit unusual installs e.g floor-mounted supports.   Your metal fabricator should be able to offer you any custom design you wish…not just some one-size-fits-all support.  Make sure your plan for your high bar is sturdy and elegant.  Methods of attachment of the glass to the support include:

• Silicone. Best used to attach textured glass to flat supports.
• Metal Caps. Low Profile caps are best if caps are used.
• UV glue. Fastest bond for flat glass to flat metal supports.

High Bar with (3) Low Profile Caps, No supports

High Bar with Low Profile Caps, Stainless Supports in Ground.

High Bar with Custom Supports…attached by Silicone

 

• Designer tip: Many designs are lazy and use ill-conceived support techniques. They often prevent you from freely rotating in your high bars stools because your knee hits the support. Or, they use “hockey puck caps” on top of the glass to prevent you from having an uninterrupted smooth flow across your high bar surface. Look for these “beauties” in the “Errata” section at the end of this article. Make sure your supports do not interact with your knees at your glass high bar. Look closely at the  pictures above and below. They have a clean look owing to thoughtfully designed custom cantilevering brackets . They are concave on the high bar chairs side, thus making it very hard to hit your knee as you rotate your high bar chair.

Custom Bracket designed to Not Hit Your Knee

Back painting glass maximizes the visual depth of the textured glass countertop, backsplash or sink basin, while hiding the ability to see under or behind the glass.

• Designer Tip: Back painting is preferred to laminating or painting your underlayment because gnats can find their way between the bottom of textured glass and the top of the laminate where their little carcasses will pepper the background forever. Not Pretty. Silver metallic and white back paint add depth. Back paint can be tinted to match your decor.

Textured 1/2″ Glass Backsplash Backpainted with LEDs

Installation and Shipping.

Expensive Glass requires skillful planning and experienced manpower to install.

• Designer Note: We have been on a few time critical installations where cabinets, plumbing, electrical work, ceiling plastering were all being dome in the same kitchen at the same time!  This is not good.

Please have a schedule that allows the glass counter to be one of the last installations...just like a valuable piece of wall art. Having too many tradesman in the room after installation increases the risk of damage to your artistic piece.

Crating for Shipping. Crates are specially fabricated for glass countertops with plenty of sturdy foam to cushion it during shipping.  Make sure you purchase insurance t cover the cost of both the glass as well as the shipping costs.

Solid Crate for Shipping Glass Counters

Glass Countertops Cost:

As you can see, there is a wide range of options for glass countertops. It is impossible to conclude a precise cost but these numbers below can give you a start.

• $100+/sq. ft. for ¾” flat low-iron glass. Backpaint, thermoforming, waterjetting custom shapes, holes, etc. adds to cost.
• $350+/sq. ft. for 1.5” textured low-iron glass. LEDs, backpaint, custom shapes, size of piece, supports, installation, etc. add to cost.
• White Glass and Recycled Glass are $125-175+/sq. Ft.
• Installation and delivery costs add to the above.

Remodeling Trends

In an interesting article on Houzz, they show that homeowners are increasing their spending more on High-End countertops vs other kitchen elements.

Houzz Survey…Buyers are Splurging on Countertops

Conclusion

You are going to have to place your trust and money in someone to faithfully execute your glass countertop project. If your vendor cannot confidently lead you through each step in the design, template, custom textural sculpting, fabrication, lighting, back-painting, supporting, securing, shipping as well as installing, then find one who can …or…risk a poor outcome. Glass counters cost too much to risk a poor outcome in the hands of amateurs.

Find a passionate glass fabricator that can listen to you and bring out the best in your ideas, create a plan and lead you through the process. The result will be an unbelievable artistic “wow” piece in your home for many years.

Jeff Downing is the founder of Downing Designs in Downtown Tampa, FL. He has represented Hewlett-Packard and Philips Medical amongst others before quitting to open his custom design studio. His teachings and blogs help architects, designers, etc. to embrace creative new ways to use glass in their projects. He previously represented ThinkGlass for several years before purchasing his own kilns to bring his unique artistic glass visions to life.

 

ERRATA  

STRANGE Glass statements we have scraped from the Internet…”Fake News”

“On average, the minimum cost for glass countertops per square foot is $75, while the maximum cost per square foot is around $105.”

Clearly they have never made a thick textured glass countertop.

“Annealed Glass—Similar to tempered glass, annealed glass has chemicals added to the resin mixture to increase its strength.”  

A chemical added to the resin??? This is glass, NOT plastic.

“Nonetheless, there are many other factors that can increase or decrease the total cost of glass counters. Supplies such as sealants and adhesives add an average of $2.45 per finished square foot of surface area.”

Sealants????   Why do you need to seal glass? Its non-porous.

“Contact with acidic foods, drinks, and certain cleaners can affect the surface and require fixing”  

Not unless you are serving hydrofluoric acid to your guests! Nonsense!

 

Odd Designs Ideas for High Bars

 

Underlit Glass Countertop…Looks like an XRay!

This ugly under lighting completely ruins an otherwise nice glass countertop. Very Odd looking.

 

Glass Countertop with Hockey Pucks and Archaic supports. Where am I supposed to sit ?   Knee and Shin bashing will occur.  Careful of those Hockey Pucks!  Thanks, but I think I’ll stand…

Again, where am I supposed to sit?  Knee bashing will occur. Shins are safe here. Robs the ability to seat people normally.

Posts to Floor Reduce Usable Bar Space

Glass Countertop with fat supports and LED covers

 Where does my glass of wine and dinner plate sit? Look out for those hockey pucks!  You cannot see the edge of  the glass while cooking!   Glass Counters should look great from all sides.

What is the Point? No Cantilever, Lots of Hockey Pucks,No room to clean under.

 

This client went with a slab vendor  (Thinkglass) that merely took their money with no thoughtful advice (e.g. backpaint) to prevent this half-baked result. The result is a glass countertop that shows everything inside the cabinet. Thinking about themselves and not about getting this piece right!

Glass Countertop without BackPaint…NOT Pretty to see insides of cabinets

Thanks for making it this far. If you care to speak further, please call or text my cell phone at (813) 784 5211.

Jeff Downing

The post 2019 Buyers Guide to Glass Countertops …Written by an Experienced Glass Fabricator Copy appeared first on Downing Designs.

source https://downingdesigns.com/glass-countertops-buyers-guide-copy/