When it comes to craft projects, glass blocks are amazingly versatile. There are so many fun and interesting ways to decorate with them in every room of the house.
Once you could only find glass or art deco blocks at home improvement centers. There were solid and in order to put lights or objects inside, you had to use a large drill bit and a complicated process to get them “open” – if you choose to do this – consider hiring this out to a professional. Now you can find glass bricks conveniently at your local crafts store with one side left open. You can even use these wonderful finds as vases. They are generally available in two sizes and I’ve seen them available all year.
Take a look at these top 10 ways to use lighted glass bricks to bring soft illumination, charm, and beauty to your home.
- Faux gifts – Fill two bricks with Christmas lights. One should be smaller than the other. Stack them and then tie a large ribbon around the stack, completing the look with a bow on top. Voila, you have “gift boxes” for decorating during the holidays or simply for every day. (Or how cool for a baby shower or wedding!) Place the lit glass bricks under the tree, next to potted plants, on a windowsill or mantel, or decorate the foyer with them to welcome your guests.
- Paint the outside of a block with a design that will fit into your decorating scheme for that room. Put lights inside and you have added charm to the space!
- Nightlight – wonderful idea for a child’s room. Add decals, stickers, or a painted scene on one side of the glass brick. Insert Christmas lights inside. Place on a shelf or dresser and turn on at night for your child. They’ll love it!
- Create a lighted village display – glass blocks can easily be transformed into a little village display. Paint each as a building – the post office, library, church, house, etc. Add fabric and other accents to make the glass squares look like the building it depicts. Fill each “building” with a string of Christmas lights and you have a lighted village display! This is a fun project to complete with your kids.
- Decorative paperweights – another way to decorate with glass bricks is to turn a small one into a decorative paperweight. Add your favorite embellishments or paint the block to match your office decor. The weight of your creation is perfect for keeping papers in place.
- Wedding decor – glass bricks with lights, tulle, and ribbon look absolutely stunning at a wedding reception. Fill the glass brick with lights. Attach gorgeous organza or wired ribbon around the edge of the brick. Nestle the bricks into mounds of “billowing” tulle and you have a beautiful decoration for your gift table, foyer, food table, cake table, or any other space you like.
- Window decor – instead of the traditional candles, place one lighted block into your window. It will illuminate the room softly and will look beautiful from the outside as well.
- Welcome sign – spell out the word “welcome” with glass bricks. These would be a perfect addition to a foyer or nursery. Or spell out other messages like “believe”, “faith”, “joy”, etc.
- Lighted stand/base – decorate with blocks in any room of the house by using one as a stand or base for a display. Place a glass brick filled with a Christmas light string on a flat surface. Put small items on top of it such as small collectibles, candles (in another container), a vase of flowers, a small lamp, or anything else that would look pretty sitting a bit higher and illuminated.
- Ambiance – add a bit of romantic lighting to the master bedroom with a few lighted glass bricks strategically placed around the room. Decorate with ribbon to match your decor.
- As you can see, there are many possibilities when it comes to projects involving glass bricks. Let these ideas just be a starting off point for your home decoration and gift giving list.