People who live in glass bathrooms

We don’t know who thought pastel neutrals should be de rigueur for bathroom tile, but we’d like a word with them: Glass. Long the preserve of the boutique-minded decorator, glass tile has had a mass, well, breakthrough in the last several years. “Glass was popular in the 1950s, and is definitely back because of the resurgence of mid-century architecture,” says Sheri Hirschfeld, showroom manager at local tile mecca Ann Sacks. “There aren’t a lot of contemporary materials available, yet there’s so much contemporary architecture.”

The Melrose Avenue shop offers 20 lines of glass tile in numerous palettes and sizes from $6 to $150 per square foot, appealing to a variety of tastes and budgets. For spring, look for the rainbow colors of the ‘60s-spirited Quilt line, created by artist Erin Adams. The textural pieces can serve as field tile or as borders and accents. The transparent new Promenade line is suitable for flooring and is “like walking on water” because you can see through it to the back of the glass. An iridescent line for spring features rows of penny-sized discs and narrow rectangles reminiscent of brick and mortar design. “Historically, glass was usually done in mosaic like at Hearst Castle, but now people are using glass everywhere,” says Hirschfeld, who adds that glass tile comes in etched, sandblasted, glossy and iridescent varieties. “It’s the most amazing medium to play with,” says the showroom manager, who has helped create Moroccan and Persian rug designs out of glass. “It can be understated or opulent, and it’s very easy to maintain. You just need Windex.”

Ann Sacks, 8483 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, (323) 658-8884.