Let the Sunshine In — With Stained, Leaded or Beveled Glass Windows

Stained glass windows are beautiful in and of themselves, whether colored or clear, because of the artistry and aesthetic of the work itself. The beautiful patterns of the glass, the colors, the textures and the exquisitely detailed workmanship leave you no doubt that you are looking at a piece of art. But there is one thing about stained glass that makes it very different to any other form of art and that is the way it interacts with any light, but sunlight in particular.

Although you certainly could install stained glass in an interior door or kitchen cabinet door, and many people do, the most common application is in windows – so the sun can shine through. This creates a variety of effects: rainbows, dancing patterns of color and light, which make the room look magical during all different times of the day. Although the effects caused by refraction of the sunlight through the glass are pretty fantastic, even lovelier is the gorgeous glow of the windows themselves.

Glass is a common substance, isn’t it, one that is in every home and generally taken for granted. But our clients tell us repeatedly that they never get tired of looking at their custom designed, hand crafted Scottish Stained Glass windows because they are just so spectacular with the sun shining through them.

By the way, although we call all of our work “stained glass” in general the term leaded glass refers to windows that have no color. They use a special type of glass with that uses lead added instead of the usual calcium – and no, this lead is not dangerous in any way. As for the term “beveled,” this indicates decorative glass in which the edges have been angled, allowing the sunlight to refract in spectacular patterns.

Stained glass windows have practical applications!

Aside from the gorgeousness aspect, were you aware that stained glass has a practical aspect as well? Many of our clients use clear, textured leaded glass to solve some privacy problems. If you don’t want callers to be able to see into your home when they come up your front walk, leaded glass provides the perfect solution while creating a distinctive entryway. If your neighbors are a bit too close, clear leaded glass in the bathroom or bedroom windows gives you that much needed privacy. But unlike other privacy solutions like shades and curtains – stained glass lets in the sun! It doesn’t darken your home for the sake of privacy.

And if you are looking for a bit of thermal efficiency, the addition of stained glass windows to your existing windows is like turning a single pane into a double pane! We have developed our own installation process to bond the stained glass panel to the inside of a window. This protects the stained glass from the elements, and keeps any dust or dirt from getting in between the two panes of glass.

If you love the look and feel of natural sun light in your home, you’ll be delighted even more by stained glass windows. Rather than blocking the light, they actually enhance it. Take a look at our galleries and you’ll see what we mean! Then contact us about creating your own custom Scottish Stained Glass.