When you watch TV shows from the 1980s, there always seems to be one architectural trend that pops up again and again—glass brick. Featured in shows like Miami Vice and Moonlighting, it was a must-have design touch. But then it fell out of favor, as trends often do, and it actually became tacky as time went on.
But then I spotted this Instagram video from @homehusbands that turned my head. I’ve been seeing trickles of glass brick appearing in modern-day homes, but this was done in a way I hadn’t seen before—cool, geometric, and showing off an amber-meets-orange hue that’s ideal for a throwback bathroom.
Caught somewhere between a window and a wall, as Brad Thornton, founder and head designer of Thornton Projects, puts it, these bricks “allow structure and natural light to coexist,” he says.
“Glass brick would provide the privacy that clear glass would not afford,” says interior designer Phillip Thomas.
If you want to embrace this blast from the past that’s found its way into current interiors, read on.
Why Is Glass Brick Making a Comeback?
Glass brick is essentially hefty bricks made up of solid glass (typically used for walls), while glass block, which is used interchangeably, is hollow and lighter, and often used for partitions and windows. Most people use the blanket term of glass brick, and it’s showing up in interiors once again.
“We're at that sweet spot in the design cycle where enough time has passed that we can appreciate the material without the baggage,” Thornton says. “For years, we tore glass brick out because it felt dated, but designers are rediscovering that it solves a major modern dilemma—how to flood a room with natural light without sacrificing privacy.” He says that glass brick can create an “ethereal quality.”
Thomas says that glass brick has been seeing a lot of innovations.
“It is no longer the glass brick of the 1980s,” he observes. “It has changed in so many ways, from shape, to color, to texture, all of this giving new life to the material.”
What Designers Think About Glass Brick
Thomas is enjoying this glass-brick resurgence. “To me, the movement of natural light through an interior is essential to bringing the space to life,” he says. “Glass brick is one of those materials at our disposal that captures light and helps augment the feel of light within a space.”
“I’m a fan, but with a few caveats,” Thornton says. “First, you have to keep it simple. Second, you need to lean into the materiality and nod to its history. To live with glass blocks, you have to be the type of person who feels confident if someone raises an eyebrow because of those 80s connotations.”
How to Style Glass Brick
✔️ Match it with your aesthetic. There are styles where glass brick seems to fit in more than others. Thornton says that it’s most at home in industrial, contemporary, and modern spaces. “Think loft apartments, minimalist bathrooms, or interiors with exposed concrete and metal,” he says. “It also works beautifully in Art Deco-inspired spaces.”
✔️ Try a modern take. “Glass brick is no longer just available in the squares that we remember from the 1980s. It comes in many more shapes, textures, and colors, which opens up the possibility of how it is used and helps to shed the stigma so often associated with it,” Thomas says.
✔️ Showcase it in bathrooms. Thornton says that bathrooms have remained “the sweet spot” for glass brick, with Thomas adding that one of the best places to use glass brick is in showers, something that can make a small shower appear bigger. But it’s not limited to baths—Thornton says that it’s also being used as interior partitions and in kitchens as a unique backsplash or slim statement window.
✔️ Think about juxtaposition. While glass brick does work well in particular styles, you can also consider creating some visual tension. “With the widening of the glass brick market, the types of room styles and interiors that this material can be incorporated in is infinite,” Thomas says. “It can go from sophisticated and streamlined to rustic interiors.”
So, Is It Timeless or Trendy?
“It’s certainly trending right now, but it has more longevity than a typical ‘fad’ because it has real architectural history behind it,” Thornton says. “If it’s used as a high-quality architectural feature to solve a lighting problem, it adds a custom feel that can actually be a selling point,” something to consider if resale value is top of mind.
Thornton goes on to say that if you happen to have original glass brick and you’ve been thinking about ripping it out, reconsider, at least for a moment.
“Cleaning it up or re-grouting can do wonders to modernize the look,” he advises. “And whatever you do, hire an expert. Glass brick is significantly heavier than people expect, and the structural considerations are very real.”
Shelby Deering is a freelance lifestyle writer who frequently covers home design and decor for national publications. She has worked as a full-time freelance writer for over a decade, and has worked in the industry for nearly 20 years, writing home tours, interviewing top designers, and beautifying her own home. She holds a master's degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and when she's not writing, you can find her at thrift stores and flea markets, running, or exploring local trails in Madison, Wisconsin, with her husband and corgi, Dolly.
