Stained Glass in Home Decor Accents

Some of the ways you can enjoy stained glass in home decor might surprise you, especially if the words "stained glass" immediately make you think of old church windows! Stained glass brings a touch of luminous color into your home, which changes as the light in the room changes. Decorative stained glass designs also create a mood of tradition, luxury, and craftsmanship. Renaissance or Victorian style rooms are especially suited to incorporating stained glass in home decor accents and furniture. But truth be told, the look can work brilliantly in any interior design scheme.

Stained Glass Window

A window is the most obvious way to enjoy stained glass in home decor. Our client George in New Jersey has an original stained glass window in the dining room of the Victorian house that he has restored. We spotted it while delivering the antique 1920 French Renaissance Henry II style oak buffet that you also see in the picture. (See more photos of George's Victorian restoration home in our earlier post.) If you don't have an original stained glass window, you can still add one to your home. This elegant window offers a lovely contrast to the ocean-blue tile and copper bath. It creates a bathroom that blends a traditional flavor with a touch of contemporary chic.

Architectural details aren't the only way to enjoy stained glass. It's easy to add a splash of stained glass style if you choose certain styles of antique furniture. This oak Mechelen buffet in our gallery dates to 1900 and it features original red, green and amber stained glass in a decorative floral design on the doors. It’s remarkable to think that this glass was crafted over a century ago! You will often see stained glass details in Mechelen pieces, as you can see in our post: What is Mechelen Style Antique Furniture? 

Stained Glass Lighting

Lighting offers another way to enjoy stained glass in home decor accents. This Dale Tiffany Amber Monarch wall sconce in our gallery is hand-crafted in art glass. The period-style geometric pattern in welcoming amber tones is nicely set off by a mica bronze finish. It looks like an antique stained glass wall sconce, but with a very modern benefit. You have the option of mounting the shade in two ways. Either uplit, as shown in the picture, or hanging down to shine the light below, perhaps as a reading lamp or in an entryway. The video in our post on Dale Tiffany lamps shows how the artisans craft each piece of stained glass by hand, using the same techniques as the original master glass artist: Louis Comfort Tiffany. You can even incorporate the look of stained glass in home decor accessories without using actual stained glass! This shower curtain from Café Press creates a clever illusion of colorful stained glass. And we love these fabrics printed with stained glass designs by a company called Spoonflower in Durham, North Carolina. They work with different designers and the digital prints are available in various types of fabric from cottons to silks. Stained glass fabrics include graceful Art Nouveau designs, Frank Lloyd Wright styles, and a few that truly are based on old church windows. Some can be ordered in wallpapers, gift wrap, and decals too!

Hope you enjoyed!

Wow! We hope that gives you some food for thought on how you can enjoy stained glass in home decor... without having to buy a church! Do you have any stained glass in your home, either in windows or doors or in decorative accessories? What do you like about it? Tell us in the comments box below.