From Idea to Design
After discussing the project, concepts are developed specifically for the opening.
Proportions matter enormously in stained glass. A design that looks beautiful on paper may not work when stretched into a narrow sidelight or a seven-foot-tall window. For that reason, the design is developed around the actual dimensions and orientation of the opening.
Color is considered carefully as well.
Stained glass changes dramatically depending on the time of day, the direction the window faces, and whether the piece is illuminated by natural or artificial light. Some homeowners want brilliant color. Others prefer mostly clear glass with small areas of carefully placed color.
There are also countless varieties of clear architectural glass. Reeded, seedy, glue-chip, waterglass, hammered, beveled, and other textures can distort the view while still allowing natural light into the room.
This makes it possible to create privacy without making a room feel dark.
Creating Custom Stained Glass for Your Home
A custom stained-glass window or door should feel as though it has always belonged in the home.
At Regal Glasswork, residential projects begin with the architecture, the room, and the homeowner—not with a catalog of predetermined designs. Every piece is created specifically for the space it will occupy, whether that means designing a large statement window, adding stained glass to an entry door, creating a transom above an existing doorway, or introducing a subtle decorative panel into a kitchen, bath, stairway, library, or other living space.
The process begins with a conversation.
We discuss where the glass will be installed, the style of the home, the amount of natural light in the room, the level of privacy desired, and the overall feeling the homeowner wants to create. Some clients arrive with a very specific idea. Others simply know they want something distinctive and need help determining what will work.
Restoring Stained Glass in Your Home
Old stained glass does not always need to be replaced.
Many residential windows that appear damaged, loose, bowed, dirty, or beyond repair can be restored while preserving the original glass and character that made them special in the first place.
At Regal Glasswork, restoration begins with understanding what the window needs—not automatically rebuilding everything.
Some windows require only minor repairs. Others may need to be carefully removed, disassembled, rebuilt, and reinstalled. The objective is to preserve as much of the original work as practical while correcting the structural problems that have developed over decades.
Selecting the Glass
Once the design begins taking shape, the individual glass choices bring it to life.
This is one of the most important parts of creating a custom window.
Two pieces of glass described as "blue" can look completely different when sunlight passes through them. One may be brilliant and transparent while another is heavily textured, cloudy, or nearly opaque.
Whenever possible, glass selections are made with the completed installation in mind rather than simply choosing colors from a chart.
The finished piece may include a combination of colored glass, architectural clear glass, antique glass, bevels, and textured glass. These materials can be used to create depth and visual interest without making the design unnecessarily complicated.
