Don't like them.  Too 80's

Yes! period! ...so many choices in the marketplace to settle for glass blocks....

In a word: yes.

no, but the application can be! too much or too little in the wrong place is 'tacky' ...

Well if glass blocks are tacky...then I am the Queen of Tacky.  We have used them for showers and even around our new missions style front door.   We think they look dynamic..but then again we all see things from a different view point!

Glass blocks are great if used in the right places and not  overdone.

The designer series are far more elegant!

to each their own...but not for my home

No, I have them on one wall in the centre of my front room & dining-room. It looks amazing. It gives my dining-room an amazing look and in the front room my piano sits below the centre of the blocks! They are in the middle with a wall beside them. Wish I could send you a picture of it. So others could view how interesting it looks!

I thought they were until we used them as them for the curved wall to our walk in shower.  They allow natural light into the shower and create a very open feeling in both the shower and the rest of the en suite.  Like many design elements, they fall into the category of less is more and not for every space.  Are they tacky?  No but anything can be made tacky is the application is wrong.

I ssaw them once in a bathroom..one entire wall was done with the glass blocks and the sun from their sunlight shone through there..I thought it was fantastic..and who can keep up with all the different styles from year to year..unless you have thousands of dollars too waste...

I guess I saw too many of them growing up in such places as a small-town, rundown grocery store, etc. to be enamoured at this point.  My husband, however, who is extremely particular and very good at home decorating, loves them.  While we do not currently have them in our home, I haven't ruled them out for future renovations.

No, I don't think glass blocks are tacky, but as others have said, some applications can make them look tacky but I think that could be said of any design elements.

Glass blocks are a great way to add privacy, add sound protection and let in lots of light.  I don't think they deserve to be relegated to the 80's.  Judging from what I've seen on HGTV in recent months, there are still people asking for them to be installed and are still a reasonably popular choice of designers.

Long live these versatile blocks!

And who knows - maybe in the future people will start asking for coloured blocks.  You'd still get light coming through and privacy, but it could add an interesting design element!

Tacky, but very very useful. An interesting dilemma.

Look beyond the 80's - very stylish when used in an appropriate manner - Grandma had a lovely little sunroom at the front of her house built in 1948 and you guessed it - a discreet panel of glass block, about 3 wide by 8 or 9 high  that made the small room very special.

Love them for a surround in a shower but that's about it.  Again, the application is the key.  Give it time and once they are used at the next big designer show, they will be back with a vengence!!

Less is more.  When the situation warrants it, they can be the correct choice.

I love them and who said they are from the 80's anyway, more like the 40's, very retro and we all love retro, so what's the problem?  I wish I could afford some.

Excellent material when done correctly

I love the glass blocks.  I'm an apartment dweller, but if I had my own home I'd certainly want them somewhere, especially the bathroom..

love the natural light they give but there still not for me.  i agree that they can be a great alternative to windows and other design options, and perhaps if i didn't associate them with big, tacky "80's" gta houses, i wouldn't mind them.

I love glass block.  There are so many varieties and uses.  I love to let the light in.

I used them in our bathroom behind the tub, they looked fantastic! If not over used I think glass blocks are very stylish

I still like the look of them, and the fact that they let let so much light in, but give you privacy is great.

Love 'em!

Ugly...ugly...ugly.

I built my house in 2003, and it was the going thing around here....and my house is very upscale.  They are the window  in the shower stall and tub.  I always wanted to put them for a backsplash in the kitchen, but never had a house with a cabinet on the outside wall.

Not tacky at all...I love the way they open up small areas, where a solid wall would seem to be confining.

In a word, foo...

When will glass blocks become a desirable just because of their age in the marketplace?  Everything old is new again, as 'they' say.  I have glass blocks on one side of my walk in shower, saving the area from being a black hole!  Long live glass blocks!

There are other things that are much more tacky than glass blocks!

I love em.......I have used them as a partition in 3 tinted colors when the light hits them a rainbow in the room. Tacky is steel and glass toooo Dr's office and cold. Overuse of anything is tacky. Follow your heart.

Not my favorite for sure....

As reiterated above, it depends on where they are used. My husband's main concern is that, if used on an outside wall, they are not as good at keeping in hear as a solid wall - can't convince him that these blocks - just as many other "stylish" items of the past - have been improved to the point where this is not an issue. I would love to have them as a light source in our upstairs bath - maybe when we renovate, I'll get my wish!

Francie L

If used in the right location, they are amazing.  

We just completed a full renovation of our kitchen and when we opened the wall, we found an old window frame.  We expanded this and installed a 2'x4' glass block window at the back of our kitchen.  What a huge difference this has made!   As our kitchen is long and narrow (very narrow), this glass block window has "opened" up the whole back of the house.

I say - if it's the right location and something you want - go for it!!

i'm not into them. i think there borderline tacky. ive seen them look cool, but most things are with NYC as your back drop.

Blech... Gross.  ESPECIALLY revolting in private homes.

I think glass blocks are over. There's  alot of other ideas for privacy than having to resort to those ol' relics and more fashionable, too.

I think they are cool, I will one day have them in my house.

Like someone already said everything old is NEW again.

They were great 25 years ago but now they look dated.

They are great. I am trying to incorporate them into some of the work we are presently doing on our home.

"Glass block bad!" as my fellow architecture student, Rob Wilson, and I used to say!

Although glass blocks are beneficial from a Building Code standpoint*, they are dated, ugly and just downright wrong!!

If it's privacy you're looking for, tint or frost your windows. This can be done in varying opacities, patterns and colours and, if you have a pretty penny to spend, you can even purchase windows that tint with sunlight like your perscription sunglasses or use a window film that does the same.  You can also add tinted or frosted films to any window which are completely removeable and reusable for a quick, inexpensive and sustainable option.

Please! Let's all do the world a favour and leave this trend in the past. Not EVERYTHING that was once old becomes new again and this one definitely shouldn't!

*(You can often use glass block in construction when you are not allowed to use regular glass either due to being too close to the property line or having already maximized the amount of glass allowed on that building face for just two examples.  If this is your reason for using glass block, consider Georgian Wire Glass (we all saw this in our schools as kids, a small metal mesh is inside the glass for fire protections) or spurge for some of the new glasses which have tiny microscoptic metal chips in the glass particles and are virtually invisible. A fire safe option that won't detract from the beauty of your home or workplace!)

Love them in a bathroom setting but not as part of the overall look in a home.  In an entry way I feel as though I am entering an igloo!  

No, glass blocks are not tacky, but stainless steel appliances are....

Not 80's!  Glass block has been around forever!  The 80's element comes into play when they are stacked "santa fe"-style.....  Used in small amounts, and to maximize light in a room, they are fabulous

I think they are beautiful in small doses.  I have seen them at night from outside with colored lights behind and they looked like gems.  Bathrooms would probably be the only place I would use them.

I love the use of these blocks in certain applications, especially for bringing light into areas a window isn't appropriate but as some have already said too much or put in a wrong area or application can look tacky.

Why say no to light and yes to a concrete wall or a neighbours window?

I think they can look really up to date.

80's??? my grandmother used them in the '40s. Her style was cutting edge and they looked amazing.As everything in home decor, it can be fabulous or a bomb, it just depends how you use it.

No, its how you use them.I think they look amazing.

Glass block can be very becoming in small doses, such as in the bathroom.  Everywhere in the house, no, no, no.  The old saying, to each his own, comes into play here, I think.

Not for me!  Reminds me too much of the whole pink and turqoise look with cactus's and palm trees.

As a realtor I see plenty of glass block and it gives me an instant feeling of being dated. I don't think it's the glass - just the block shape - imagine an entire window of vertically etched glass instead - now we're talking!

I definately think to each their own........but the "sheer" pleasure of relaxing in a whirlpool tub while the sun shines through your glass block wall..........would be just heavenly to me!!!

If you like it who cares what others think of it.

It's not the materials that you use but how you use the materials.  Glass blocks are no exception...neither is leather, or wood or stone or anything else.  

What a tempest in a teapot!  I love glass blocks and wish I could afford some....but like everything, moderation is the key.....it seems that most people like them, and if they are used in an artistic way, it's fabulous!  

Location, application, moderation..... they look fabulous when you consider these 3 factors in your design. I also used them in a bathroom for the shower wall and they look fabulous - light filled but with privacy.

They look awesome in bathrooms where space and light is limited and if they are tastefully done.  

I love glass block accents, etc., but then again, I KNOW what art deco is too, so it wasn't JUST from the 80's!  Educate yourselves a little better and you'll fall in love with bits and pieces of many different eras, etc.  I hate "trends", etc., as  what's 'in' and 'out' is so superficial, tasteless and yes, 'tacky',... 'tacky' because following along the latest 'thing' and discarding something of beauty, is the exercise of small minds!  Get an education and learn something!

They can be if not done tastefully. They're an excellent product. They are great for carrying the light through those awkward spaces.

The strength of the material makes them useful for securing gated communities from undesirables while maintaining a breezy joie de vivre.

I like glass blocks, always have.

for the architectual duo Alexis & student Rob..picture this...a wall with a nice size window, a toilet then a wall with the plumbing running right up the middle for the shower/bathtub then the other wall..then the vanity..needless to say the natural light is blocked. We are owner/occupant of a 4-plex, changing the plumbing is not an option.  So I thought cutting down the walls and adding glass blocks to open up the space and still be able to shower.  If it was only me I would have a claw foot tub.  Any other suggestions to modernize I am open to

.picture this...a wall with a nice size window, a toilet then a wall with the plumbing running right up the middle for the shower/bathtub then the other wall..then the vanity..needless to say the natural light is blocked. We are owner/occupant of a 4-plex, changing the plumbing is not an option.  So I thought cutting down the walls and adding glass blocks to open up the space and still be able to shower.  If it was only me I would have a claw foot tub.  Any other suggestions to modernize I am open to

I like them in the right space. I don't have them in my home but I wouldn't rule them out as an option.  I like that they let natural light in...can't beat that!

In some circumstances, I think they are quite appropriate and stylish

No, I don't think they are tacky at all.

How about the fifties? We lived in a house in Yellowknife,N.W.T. in the sixties. House built in late 50's had glass blocks in small entance facing south. The light came in and made such a difference. Was surprised and delighted to see them make a comeback. Such an improvement on the earlier version. I would have them in a minute if our present house if it was practical for the floor plan. Everything old is new again!

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I love them. They fondly remind me of the past but still look stylish and functional with today's designs.

Used properly they can really 'light' up the room.  I have incorporated glass blocks in my shower wall to allow sunlight from the window to shine through.  Gives privacy and light and a dash of design.

I think their versatility in opening up a dark room makes them a very useful decorating tool. They are not from the 80's era ~ they were merely rediscovered then and as so many decorating & design ideas are "recycled" ~ why not!

I love them and would like to use them beside my front door where there is just a frosted glass panel right now...ick.

All those commentors above who have used them should send us pictures for inspiration!

I love and plan to use them in our new home.  So many uses.!!!!

Glass blocks were used in art deco which is my favorite and back in.

I agree with Shelby..art deco is awesome.  Glass blocks allow natural light and still provide privacy.  i love them!

Tacky, Tacky, Tacky!!!

While I have seen several tacky example over the years, I have also witnessed some stunning examples.  The most pleasing aspect of glass block is to let light in to spaces that would otherwisse be dismally dark.  They have been around for a while, but remember that in fashion and style all that was old becomes new again at some point ... hardwood flooring, subway and ceramic tiles, modular furniture, spike heeled shoes, bell bottom jeans, etc.

For those of you who believe they are tacky, I feel sorry for you.  Let a little light

iinto your lives.  Live and let live.

Susann, you are right...what goes around comes back again.  Maybe those of you

who think of these as tacky will be looking at them differently in the next twenty five

years or so.

I am renovating 2 bathrooms that are back to back, one with no window...I plan to use 2 rows of glass block along the ceiling line, to let the light through, and I think it will look cool.

"Not tacky at all...I love the way they open up small areas, where a solid wall would seem to be confining."

I totally agree. THAT andddd they still afford PRIVACY. A window that can afford both natural light and privacy. Who'd ask for anything more?!?!

As long as they are used correctly & not overused. They're great. I really like how they are used in the photograph of the bathtub. Opens up the space with light, affords privacy and with the moonlight, some candles and the dark sky at night.. could be romantic. & theres nothing like a bit of natural light coming through a space a woman spends time in making herself up!

I saw a TV program where a loft was being rennovated & they had used these glass blocks as the closing wall in a curved formation. It looked really sleek & modern. As small as the bathroom was it looked very spacious.

There are tricks to bringin' the 80's back with more than just decor. But not everyone can pull it off I guess!

However.. I don't like them placed around a door frame like the other picture provided. Reminds me of a really old office entrance or something. Probably wouldn't be the greatest idea to use them in more than a couple of rooms in the house..

I have two glass block (windows) in my living room and think they are great ~~ they let in the light but also good for privacy ~~ not tacky at all....

Just building a new home and put a window of 12"x 48" strip for the window. Built a deck on the shower-bathtub for a shower screen of 8"x8" blocks of same pattern. Can see the window from the opening to get into the tub and WOW. Does it ever look great. My one daughter was partial to them, saying the were so "Old School". Now she can't believe how the bathroom looks! Have a 1/3 wall  in the ensuite bathrrom as a privacy wall by the toilet.Have a bronze glass block window in there surounded by marble. Once again, it looks great! Am putting them in the dining room as a partial wall and can hardly wait to see what they look like. Was going to put a 1/3 wall in the main entrance but too much? Can see the dining room from the main entrane entrance so will quit while I'm ahead. Everyone that has come to see the house has commented on how classy they look. Mixing "Retro" with "Modern" has made my home a beauitful, one of a kind.If I could show picutres, I would. Even my husband is impressed!!

To say yes or no to the question is knee jerk and mindless; in the right application they are exactly the right material and in the wrong application they are conspicious and out of place ...just like everything else. Any material in the wrong place is tacky. An exquisite modern lamp in beach cottage is bound to look out of place.

people are tacky, materials are not, therefore, the way people use materials can be tacky

Hello !

 Tacky,as beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.

Some people consider those big windmills producing electricity,UGLY .I think they are neat,and they have been around a long time and finally we really need them.Those glass blocks contain NO air,a vacuum instead,so not so much a non-insulating construction material.Cool to the touch for sur unless the sun is on them.

So my answer is WHO CARES ?

could everyone using glass block can provide us with pitures. We are building a house and i was thinking of using it as backsplash, will it be tacky?