Afternoon Obsession: Stained Glass Homes

Stained-glass windows are usually confined to churches, projecting teachings and significant stories through a beautiful fusion of light and color. But several designers and homeowners break this trend, adopting and tailoring the union of colored glass and light for traditional and modern homes alike.

Last week Brit + Co. posted 10 inspiring stained glass ideas for the home. From doors to showers, homeowners have subtly incorporated stained glass with minimalist all-white, wood, or stone surroundings. The stained glass doesn’t clash or add unnecessary gaudiness but rather shines as it should. Designer-made or discovered at the flea market, each piece fits its interior space.

Two of my favorites are Italian designer Armin Blasbichler’s Pantone swatch door (pictured above) and the Giorgio Piredda Matisse-inspired window, custom made for fashion executive Carla Fendi, also a connoisseur of European art (pictured below). Laminated glass and Pantone swatches– each color is labeled by hand–comprise the stained-glass door at the designer’s home. Carla Fendi homogenizes her bathroom with only blues and whites. The window hangs like a painting but does more than decorate; it illuminates the space, appearing like an installation in her private gallery.