As well as exterior panels for doors and windows, stained glass is now becoming more popular with interior designers. Tiffany table lamps and furniture with stained glass doors have been popular for years but there are other uses which are often either not realised or explored:
- As a method of both defining and bringing more light into a room.
- As a decorative feature to disguise unsightly views or areas in a house
- As a way of achieving the benefits of stained glass but not being fixtures. In short, you would be able to take them with you when you sold the house.
- As a purely decorative feature making a bold statement . For instance, about a company products or a personal lifestyle. These are often backlit for maximum impact.
Introducing light into a room
One of the simplest methods of increasing the light levels in a room is to fit glass panels into a solid door.
The design shown below was taken from the old Victoria Baths in Manchester and adapted to fit the door panels of a four panel door in a downstairs toilet.
The top two solid wood panels were removed and replaced with stained glass panels which not only provided the necessary privacy but also significantly increased the lighting level within the room.
This could also have been made into one large panel but would require a strengthening rod to support a panel which would be about 7-8 square feet.
Disguising unsightly areas of the house
How many times have you wished there were some parts of your house that you could just hide?
Well, stained glass panels are very useful in this respect.
A good example shown here is the fireplace when it is not lit. A stained glass panel can cover those unsightly ashes as well as providing a warm glow to the room if backlit. It also solves the problem of draughts from the chimney as well as preventing heat loss up the chimney.
A perfect solution to a regular problem in houses with real fires.
Careful measurement is essential to ensure a good fit.
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Moveable stained glass panels
Often, clients object to the fact that stained glass panels become fixtures and cannot be removed when they sell the house. This doesn't have to be the case. As far as windows are concerned, with the correct framing being added to the panel, it can either be hung within the frame or screwed onto it. So you get the benefit of stained glass panels and are still able to take them with you when you move. The Fry's window which was commissioned by an avid collector of old packaging was meant to enhance his collection whilst protecting it from strong sunlight. With it being framed and screwed to the window frame, he knows he can enjoy it and
yet remove it when he sells. Let's face it, not many people would want a Fry's window in their new home so it won't prove to be a disincentive to selling the property.
Making a bold statement
In houses or offices, people often like to stamp their own identity to the place. This was particularly true in the 1890 to 1930 period amongst rich industrialists when buildings such as Town Halls and libraries were built with grandure and style reflecting those of the benefactor. Whilst the exteriors of buildings are less distinctive today, the interiors certainly aren't and many architects and interior designers are producing 'bold statements'. This is where stained glass can be very effective for such items as internal doors as well as backlit 'art in the reception area'.
This was commissioned for the entrance to an internal door in a photographic studio .
The entrance door to the Council chamber at Altrincham Town Hall built at the turn of the 20th Century.
Free no-obligation quotation
If you feel that your home or office could be improved with stained glass panels to the interior, then contact us for a free no-obligation quote. Simply, go the 'Contact Me' page and follow the instructions.
Copyright © 2005 Vintage Glass Studio by Ian Lonsdale