The cabinet shop I work in has been contracted to produce a lot of weird booths, bars and stuff for a new restaurant. One of the things that the designer has requested in the bar design is glass blocks with fiber optics embedded in the epoxy.
Any suggestions? This lady doesn't really care if it is feasible or not, she just wants it to look the way she is thinking of if.
If the latter is the case, I'd suggest a thorough application of high-strength magic. Ask her to spec or source it for you ; )
If it were me, first thing I'd do is call up the shop and make an appointment. Maybe get my hands on some mock-ups and prototypes.
Maybe there's a different way to get the same end result and without some physical trying it out, you'll never know. So, make her come down and actually see what it is that she's requesting.
Hmm, what could work like Romex, go in mortar joints and yet be transparent?
Rice noodles?
prefer the taste of bean threads
IMHO that's a tired, out-dated, overdone, idea. A much better idea is to do a "bubble wall". 2 sheets of acrylic (~3" apart) curved to follow the bar shape (block curves never look good nor do the mortar joints! Acrylic can be curved and invisibly seamed - and has great transparency if desired!). Between the acrylic is water with bubblers installed at the bottom. The bubbles add a very nice movement to the wall and they pickup and reflect the light very well. By controlling the air flow and cycling the light color different moods can be achieved and the look is never stagnant.
Another option I've looked at (but ultimately didn't spec) was to put "beads" in the water and then instead of "bubblers" mini jets are used to circulate the beads. The jets blow the beads up and sideways, then as they float down they're blown back to the first jet and they just continually circulate. This is a very nice, slow peaceful look but since the beads move in a circle (really more of an oval) they're best used in a panel where bubbles (which float slightly "zig-zag" up) can be used where an unlimited panel size/shape is desired. Also, the circular bead motion can be slightly hypnotic, though in the bar kneespace this would be ok, I wouldn't recommend it for a back-bar. Go with the bubble wall (mirror the back of it increase the "depth") on the back-bar, glass shelves with bottles in front of it, and you've got a very nice look. If desired, you could even cut cost by not doing the bubble wall in the kneespace (if the bar will be primarily obscured by patrons) and just go with lit acrylic to simulate/match the bubble wall back-bar. Depending upon the overall design of the space, you can even wrap posts with bubble wall and have the bubbles go floor to ceiling!
(Also note, because the water does not have to support aquatic life, maintenance is very minimal)
HTH,
Michael (LS)
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