Poet Robert Francis wrote, “Words of a poem should be glass/But glass so simple-subtle its shape/Is nothing but the shape of what it holds.” Although the poem is about words and poetry itself, the sentiment holds for glass, which can be “poetic” as well as utilitarian.

Glass panels can be a good way to bring light to a room and make it feel more spacious. In a few recent projects, Thomas Buckborough, owner of Thomas Buckborough & Associates, in Acton, Mass., has used glass panels in doors and as dividers.