Matching New Stained Glass to The Old

As a Scottish Stained Glass designer, I’ve noticed that a lot of newer, custom homes that I have encountered are built with a door that comes with premade leaded glass. However, the entryway typically has a sidelight without any stained glass to match.

Sidelights are convenient and functional because they allow plenty of natural light into the interior space. Unfortunately they leave an open window for passers by to have a clear view directly into the home. Because Scottish Stained Glass has the ability to create windows at any size or shape, we can design and produce a leaded stained glass window to fit those empty sidelights.

Custom Stained Glass Sidelights

A project that I recently worked on was a newly constructed home. The family was still in the process of moving in and immediately recognized their dilemma; they had an entryway with preexisting leaded glass, but their sidelight was bare and did not generate any sense of privacy.

Because they had three young children and were located on a main street, they were uncomfortable with their current setup. They were also concerned that they would be unable to find or come up with a stained glass piece that wouldn’t combat the original design within the door.

We worked together to create a design that complimented the stained glass in the door. Their existing piece had very definitive textures and the lead was polished zinc, so we first focused on those details.  We looked through the glass samples and were able to match the textures.

At Scottish Stained Glass, we can also customize the lead lines, choosing from our standard lead which is a darker, charcoal color, brass, or zinc which looks like polished silver.

For this project, we also wanted to compliment the shapes of the door glass. The center bevel cluster was a traditional shape with mostly curved lines, a star shape in the center, and there was a border that enclosed the design. We chose a bevel cluster that was proportionate to the size of their sidelight and simultaneously balanced the lines. Though the bevel clusters were not identical, they made a perfect pair and looked as though they were supposed to be used in conjunction with one another.

Complete Spaces with Scottish Stained Glass

After the stained glass had been installed, I went back to their home to see the completed project and make sure that the final design was up to their (and our) standards. Walking up to the home, I was pleasantly satisfied because I immediately noticed that it looked as if the entryway had been created as a whole and not as two individual pieces.

The leaded glass design was totally complimentary and the textures were identical, as were the zinc lines. Most importantly, I was unable to get a clear view directly into their living space which solved their main concern of privacy.

Though all of our pieces are custom designed at Scottish Stained Glass, we can encounter several challenges while working with our clients because there are limitations to our craft. However, by focusing on details and working out creative solutions directly with the homeowners, we always find a solution that satisfies all of their needs. We can help you too!