Glass tops have been part of our lives for as long as most of us can remember. But they were sure different than the “new glass” being used by many designers and furniture manufacturers today. Back in those days (though it really wasn’t that long ago) we were surrounded by clear glass coffee tables, side tables, kitchen and dining tables that were usually set into some kind of wooden or laminate frame which was a good thing as the material used was often no more than ¼” to 3/8” thick.

The original popularity for the clear top was no doubt due to the excitement of a “new look” as well as the successful use of a material that worked so well in a small space to “open it up” seeming to actually make a small room bigger than it was and at the same time expose an interesting table base or an exciting rug. It was only much later that people began to complain about durability and the way that glass scratches so easily not to mention the problem of the never-ending fingerprints and smudges. Nevertheless glass tops have remained popular.

To this day walk through most retail (and even designer) shops and seldom if ever will you spot a glass top thicker than ½”. Personally, I have never displayed a glass top in my showroom nor have I ever specified one for a client that wasn’t at least ¾” thick –a thickness I believe that always conveys a sophisticated and expensive look. And beyond that it also seems to be a question of scale and balance. How do you place a thin piece of glass on a weighty pedestal base and expect to achieve a great look? It will never happen. But use a ¾” (or even a 1” thick glass) and watch the magic! Add a 1” bevel and the look goes more traditional, but for a more contemporary feel leave off the bevel and go for a flat, polished edge.

And beyond this most basic element of thickness is a whole new world of glass tops that has finally exploded into the design consciousness leaving the isolated world of the artistic glass workshops and now available through designers and architects as well as any number of design showrooms and even certain retails outlets. Your mother’s glass top table has now been replaced with real art that is at the same time beautiful as it is functional.

One of the most memorable tables I ever designed for a client was a glass top coffee table (3/4” of course!) supported by four pedestal legs in each corner. The client chose to have an intricate oriental design carved into the underside of the glass which was then painted in a faux tortoise as were the supports resulting in the most exquisite of tables.

The designs available that can be etched or carved into glass is really only limited by one’s imagination – anything from a Greek key to lattice work and way beyond into the newer realm of infused color created by our own local glass artist extraordinaire, Leslie Rankin.

Recently I was approached by Leslie to design an extension dining table that would support a large glass top with leaves that she had created for a highly imaginative contemporary home at Anthem. The results were spectacular in that this unusual table not only functioned but the beauty of Leslie’s glass creation was literally breathtaking to behold. The process of infusing color into the glass is achieved without heat, the glass is then carved, and finally a mirror back is applied.

This newest evolution in glass can be seen on counter and bar tops, sink tops and wherever else the most dramatic and creative of looks is desired. In most applications glass like this will and can be used with a more simple pedestal base as the point of interest is certainly more in the top than in the support which is of course obscured. Conversely, the more creative and important the base may be the glass of choice would probably be a clear one – just at long as it is at least ¾” thick!