Smart glass is sometimes used in offices, hotels and upmarket homes to achieve an expensive, ultra-modern appearance. The major draw card of smart glass (also called switchable glass) is its ability to change from clear to opaque at the flick of a switch. This not only packs a ‘wow factor’ punch, it’s also convenient.
For example, smart glass is commonly used in glass meeting rooms. When the meeting room is not in use, or if the meeting in session doesn’t require privacy, the walls can be left transparent. If the meeting calls for discretion, however, the glass can instantly be switched to a frosted state.
However, the modern appearance and convenience of smart glass comes with a hefty price tag. Because smart glass is so expensive, most people opt for more affordable alternatives. Luckily, the alternatives on the market offer many of the same benefits as smart glass for a fraction of the price. Check out this blog for a list of affordable alternatives.
This week’s featured installation demonstrates how vinyl frosting can be used in place of smart glass. Frosted window vinyl achieves the same frosted look of activated smart glass, although frosted window vinyl doesn’t allow you to switch between transparent and frosted glass at will.
However, vinyl decals can be designed to accommodate the exact level of privacy you need. For example, if you don’t require complete privacy, you can choose to frost only the bottom half of glass meeting room walls.
The spare room pictured here is being turned into a home office, and while the homeowners love the amount of natural light that flows into the room, they needed to increase the level of privacy in order to create a productive working environment. Frosted window vinyl has been used here to provide privacy while still allowing natural light to flow freely. The ‘stippled’ pattern chosen maximises the flow of light by leaving a large portion of the glass transparent without sacrificing privacy.
