People in glass houses—so long having lived in fear of stone throwers—now have reason to celebrate. Thanks to new technologies and a Baskin-Robbins selection of colors, glass tiles are experiencing a modern renaissance. Savvy homeowners are using glass tiles to make small spaces feel bigger and to brighten rooms without adding extra lighting. People are also drawn to glass because it blurs the beginnings and ends of surfaces, suggesting a freedom from physical boundaries, not to mention the limitless design possibilities. Glass tiles are breaking out of their old ceramic mold, appearing now on stairs, walls, fireplace mantels and, yes, even armchairs.

Furniture artist and avid surfer John Moore leads the revolution with a line of chairs “upholstered” in glass and marble tile, inspired by the moon’s reflection on the ocean. The Italian company Bisazza is also thinking outside the box by using glass mosaics as wallpaper with luxe materials like 24-carat gold leaf. There’s also much buzz surrounding the mood ring of bathroom tiles: heat-sensitive glass tiles that shift through the colors of the rainbow when hit with warm water (just like the northern lights streaking across a black sky). And if you’re up at night worrying about landfills, you’ll sleep soundly knowing that eco-friendly glass tile fills an important niche on the scene. But don’t let their humble beginnings fool you: Recycled can never be synonymous with ugly when colors like shimmering “Moonstone” and iridescent “Mediterranean Sea” are involved. Green has never been more golden.