6 Frosted Glass Alternatives

By Amanda Sims

By obscuring shapes but allowing in light, frosted glass can be a highly practical material to employ in a renovation. Perhaps you’re turning one room into two, or partitioning off a part of a bathroom from the rest of it—hell, maybe you’d like glass-fronted cabinets but would just rather not have to keep the dishes in perfect stacks. The only problem is that no matter how elegantly you implement it, frosted glass can look dated and drab. The good news is, there are a handful of fresh alternatives that do the job just as well—but look ten times as nice.

Designed with regular, convex ridges across the surface of the glass (like this), reeded glass is a favorite for door panels and partitions alike.

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Similar to reeded glass in that it’s ridged, fluted glass has a concave pattern across it (see the difference here).

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While traditionally used in schools and businesses for its highly durable nature—the wire keeps it from totally shattering if broken—wire glass can look very pretty, even contemporary, in a home.

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If the former is too austere for your taste but you like the idea of it, consider its rustic cousin chicken-wire glass (we especially like the antique versions you can sources on sites like 1stdibs).

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For a touch of retro, consider installing glass blocks, a vestige of ’80s architecture that is making a welcome comeback.

By Katherine McLaughlin

By Mayer Rus

By Ariel Foxman

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For slightly less regularity, textured glass and its bark-like patterning might be the solution you’re looking for in a modern home.

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