Allow these 10 designer examples to show you the light.
Though stained glass may at first thought conjure images of old churches and haunted houses, we assure you those aren't the only contexts for this colorful art. In fact, stained glass windows are making a comeback (though, if you ask us, they never really went out of style), with designers incorporating them in creative, modern ways. From super old-school stained glass windows that are brought back to life with contemporary decor to Midcentury interpretations and contemporary takes (like colorful plexiglass!), allow the 10 stained glass ideas and examples ahead to inspire you to reimagine how you let the light in.
This hallway by Reath Design proves that rainbow decorating can be energizing without being overly stimulating. With multi-colored panes and a striped carpet, this is another example of a transitional space being much more than just a place to get you room to room.
In a New Orleans home by Rivers Spencer, original Tudor-style windows with stained glass insets make something as simple as walking through a hallway feel like a holy experience. By keeping the rest of the space neutral, Spencer lets the windows shine and gives the space a more modern feel. The stained glass accents, along with the natural light flooding the space, eliminates any need for extra artwork, carpeting, or other decorative items. Basically, it's a blueprint for anyone who is both a traditionalist and a minimalist.
A stained glass window on the front door of this home by Anna Spiro Design creates a personalized welcome. Whether you choose a Latin message that means something special to you or you opt for initials or the family name, it'll beautify both the exterior and interior of your home. Like a doormat, but so much more elevated and timeless.
Traditional stained glass windows pop against the bright white paint in this space by AP Design House. Modern accent lighting, artwork, and furniture brings the room up to date while still honoring the classic architectural bones of the space. So if you inherited some windows like this and were considering replacing them, allow this example to convince you to preserve them and inject some history.
Stained glass can work in a tropical setting, too: Here, Anna Spiro chose a wallpaper print that mimics the movement in the stained glass, which, by the way, is also perfect for a place where privacy is key (like a bathroom).
While some stained glass is more subtle and functions as an accent, you can also use it as a way to introduce statement-making colors and patterns. Reath Designs created a mosaic with more opaque pieces of glass to brighten up this moody home bar.
Chocolate brown walls and peach throw pillows in this majestic and calming bedroom designed by Fiona Lynch accentuate the colors in the stained glass window, exemplifying that it's best to celebrate rather than fight with pre-existing quirks.
The interior window of this NYC apartment by Crosby Studios gets the stained glass treatment, but 21st-century style. Many old apartment buildings have them because they were built to increase air circulation, and here's how to make them look intentional and incredibly stylish. He used cut-to-size plexiglass from a shop on Canal street and chose a fun bubble gum pink hue.
The old-school energy of stained glass contrasts perfectly with contemporary decor. It can also be a great problem-solver, providing privacy or hiding a less-than-stellar view while still letting in natural light, as in this home by Reath Design.
A black box theater effect frames the stained glass details in the window beyond. Fiona Lynch distinguishes the media room from the adjacent bright white living room with an inky color scheme and plush, rich gray carpeting for optimal comfort.
Hadley Mendelsohn is the co-host and executive producer of the podcast Dark House. When she's not busy writing about interiors, you can find her scouring vintage stores, reading, researching ghost stories, or stumbling about because she probably lost her glasses again. Along with interior design, she writes about everything from travel to entertainment, beauty, social issues, relationships, fashion, food, and on very special occasions, witches, ghosts, and other Halloween haunts. Her work has also been published in MyDomaine, Who What Wear, Man Repeller, Matches Fashion, Byrdie, and more.
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