Coloured Glass Panels for Bathrooms from JELD-WEN Australia

Coloured glass panels are the popular choice for contestants on The Block

While the contestants on The Block certainly have their work cut out for them this week to deliver their master bedroom and ensuite, it is clear glass panelling has emerged as the modern and contemporary alternative to tiles in the bathroom.

According to the most recent HIA-JELD-WEN Kitchens and Bathrooms Report, 39% of people surveyed said the average age of a renovated bathroom is between 16 -20 years with a further 25% stating an age range of between 11-15 years.

JELD-WEN Australia Director of Marketing Bruce Tosello said bathrooms, together with kitchens, are still the most renovated rooms in a home and in 2010/11 homeowners spent an average of $15,000 on their bathroom renovation.

"Homeowners are naturally looking to modernise and transform their bathrooms to make them reflect their own design tastes and current trends," said Mr Tosello.

Stegbar's coloured glass panels encourage this freedom giving homeowners the option to choose the colour and the panel size for the area they wish to cover, or opt for a floor to ceiling wall installation for a truly distinctive look.

"In the 2011 series of The Block it was Jenna and Josh who went all out in their ensuite with Mirastar glass panelling to give the illusion of space, not to be outdone, Rod and Tania also showed viewers how glass panels in a main bathroom can create a dramatic look and in both cases the couples won in their room reveal," said Bruce.

Glass panels are both easy to clean and extremely durable which is great news for those who hate the task of cleaning bathrooms. No longer do you have to waste endless amounts of time scrubbing off unsightly mould or grime build-up in your bathroom as glass panels have no grout lines, reducing the chances of oil, dirt, mould and grime build-up. In addition, Stegbar's coloured glass panels offer complete moisture resistance, essential in any wet area, and as your custom colour is applied to the back of the glass panel it won't peel, crack or fade.

Stegbar has put together some tips for homeowners wanting to renovate their bathroom, please see below.

To help viewers recreate looks from The Block, JELD-WEN Australia has created a dedicated website that will be updated weekly with images and information on all the products supplied for each house at www.jeld-wen.com.au.

Tips to get the best out of your coloured glass panels

1. Layout of the bathroom always takes the most time in planning and usually causes the most arguments as well. Deciding on where the toilet, shower and vanity will go almost always attracts differing opinions between couples and families! Remember that in most instances where these items will go is often determined by where your plumbing is and relocating plumbing will definitely add additional expense to your bathroom budget depending on the house or apartment situation.

2. The use of colour in a home can add real personality however it's always a good idea to consider the future resale value of your home when picking colours. Remember bright colours will not necessarily appeal to everyone so be sure to think about whether the colour you choose would still suit future design trends. A clever way to achieve the best of both worlds is to use neutral tones in your coloured glass panels for the majority of surfaces and pick one surface which can be a feature colour or use all neutral and accent your bathroom in other ways like featuring bright towels or accessories.

3. Remember to consider what access you have in your house as this could play a major part in determining the size and shape of panels you can have in your bathroom. If the panels don't fit through the doorways then they can't be installed.

4. One aspect that most always confronts every renovator is floor and wall levels and this definitely impacts the installation of glass panels. Stegbar's experienced sales reps will come out and do a measure and quote at your home however we have to have a wall in place in order to do the measure and sometimes even when the wall is there rectification works may be required first to get straight walls and level floors. Stegbar will also need to know where you want to place taps so make sure it's marked on your walls

5. Don't forget to consider where you will position your window for light and ventilation and also privacy - have a look who can see into your bathroom or just specify translucent glass for privacy.

Stegbar's coloured glass panels are custom cut and installed by Stegbar's experienced professionals in your home. Pricing is available upon application and will vary according to the area you are looking to cover. For more information go to Stegbar's website www.stegbar.com.au or call 1800-681-168 to locate your nearest Display Centre.