Stained Glass Studio, Stained Glass Studio – Artistic Decor Enrichment

Glass Menagerie Stained Glass Studio in Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Stained Glass Art – Stylish Enrichment for Home or Business

When most people hear the term “stained glass art” they instinctively think of ornately colored windows in religious buildings, such as churches and synagogues. While it is true that stained glass was reserved for windows with a spiritual theme for many hundreds of years, that is certainly no longer the case. Glass Menagerie in Fort Lauderdale, Florida has created hundreds of custom stained glass windows that are installed in a wide variety of settings that include private homes, yachts, restaurants, commercial offices, public, and government buildings and yes, we also create custom stained glass windows for churches and synagogues.

Making Stained Glass Windows

The production of Stained glass windows has a rich heritage with time-honored techniques that our stained glass studio takes very seriously. The first step is always to establish a design style in consultation with our client. Studio owner, and one of Glass Menagerie stained glass artists, Richard May is very meticulous to take into consideration the client’s artistic preferences, the decor of the room, the lighting effect within the space, and the architecture of the building. Richard commented, “The design is important but we must also consider how the window will be viewed. Will it be installed in an exterior entryway with natural lighting or will it be an interior partition wall with more subdued lighting or will the location require artificial LED backlighting? We need to ascertain the possibility of obstructions beyond the window such as trees, roof overhang, buildings close-by, anything that may affect how the light will fall on the window.” A custom-designed stained glass window is a wise investment for any application that will produce a distinctive atmosphere to any home, restaurant, corporate lobby, or any location looking for some artistic renewal.

Stained Glass Studio, Stained Glass Studio – Artistic Decor Enrichment

Making Custom Stained Glass Window Panels

Stained Glass Studio, Stained Glass Studio – Artistic Decor Enrichment

The Process of Making Stained Glass

Custom Stained Glass Applications – Painting with Light

A Stained Glass Window will add elegance and sophistication wherever it is installed. Here are some locations that are prime candidates for stained glass panels:

• Entryways: Most people consider the street view of your home to be the face. If that’s true then the front entryway with decorative door glass is the smile on that face and what better way to decorate the smile but with a custom-designed stained glass entryway. If your home does not currently have an entryway system that incorporates decorative door glass such as entry door panels, sidelights, or transitions. Our stained glass studio can modify any existing entryway to incorporate custom stained glass. And because Glass Menagerie is located in South Florida, their entryway installations will meet with the very stringent hurricane specifications

• Game Rooms, Wine Cellars, Domestic Bars, Theaters, and Music Rooms: Most contemporary homes are integrating special-use rooms into their design. Rooms such as wine cellars, theaters, music rooms, game spaces, and bars. These are timeless locations for a custom-designed stained glass window installation in the entry door, to welcome everyone who enters. And of course, stained glass panels and lamps go perfectly to enhance the interior of any domestic bar or game room.

Stained Glass Studio, Stained Glass Studio – Artistic Decor Enrichment

• Ceiling Lights and Grand Domes: Glass Menagerie has designed and created several spectacular ceiling installations, both flat panel ceilings, and spectacular domes, all with LED lighting installed beyond the glass. Imagine the effect of an entire ceiling fitted with backlit stained glass panels that were designed to fit together to create a cohesive design. An interior domed ceiling adds a luxurious touch of elegance and wonder to a grand entrance foyer or to a great room ceiling.

• Plant Greenhouses, Art Conservatories and Book Libraries: Stained glass panels that have location appropriate representational images can be installed in existing window sites or can be incorporated in an interior divider wall to place a separation in a greenhouse gallery or art conservatory space or to create a personal private space within a library room.

• Chapels in Hospital, Rehab, and Retirement Homes: Most of these facilities have a nondenominational chapel area to provide a place of security and comfort for residences and visitors alike. These chapels are an ideal location for backlit stained glass panels with elegant tasteful designs to impart a warm and calming environment.

Stained Glass Studio, Stained Glass Studio – Artistic Decor Enrichment

• Kitchens and dining rooms: Brighten any kitchen window with a colorful stained glass panel or add a non-colored textured glass design using bevel glass for an upscale touch.

• Restaurants, office reception areas, retail stores: Stained glass sets the mood for an aesthetic appeal to enhance the experience for your clients and customers. Consider adding your corporate logo and incorporating your company colors into the design. Or perhaps you want to set an elegant mood by dividing larger areas into private spaces. Stained glass which enables a space to have a sense of privacy without restricting light and line of sight within the space.

Stained Glass Studio, Stained Glass Studio – Artistic Decor Enrichment

The Process of Making a Stained Glass Panels

It takes hundreds of pieces of glass to make one stained glass window. After the design has been established and finalized with our client, the next step is to carefully select the glass from thousands of colors, textures, and mixtures that are available to us. Stained glass windows routinely require hundreds, if not thousands of individual pieces of glass that must be hand-cut and carefully shaped to match the pattern.

Stained Glass Studio, Stained Glass Studio – Artistic Decor Enrichment

Design of Stained Glass Art Composition

Stained Glass Studio, Stained Glass Studio – Artistic Decor Enrichment

Precise cutting and fitting of all glass pieces for the panel

The Lead Came Assembly Process – A Time-Honored Tradition

The Glass Menagerie studio technicians are highly skilled in the traditional stained glass lead came assembly process that has been used for hundreds of years. The lead channeling must be shaped to fit around each individual piece of glass then it is positioned to match the design. When the entire design has been assembled the lead is sections are soldered together at each intersection then the channels are sealed using cement putty to ensure it is rigid and rattle-free.

Installation of Stained Glass Windows Must Always Be Precise

The final step is the installation. Our professional installation team will personally transport the finished window to the Jobsite to handle the installation and final cleanup ourselves. Sometimes our client requires the finished window to be packed and shipped to a remote location for installation. We know how to pack it right and we will consult with the local contractor to make sure it is handled and installed correctly.

Stained Glass Studio, Stained Glass Studio – Artistic Decor Enrichment

Stained Glass Panel Fitting

Stained Glass Studio, Stained Glass Studio – Artistic Decor Enrichment

Ready for installation custom glass window panel

Do you have an Idea or a Location that would be Perfect for a Stained Glass Art?

Glass Menagerie Stained Glass Studio has the artistic and technical skills to accomplish any Custom Decorative Glass element that you are looking for. Please browse through some samples of our work in the Stained Glass Gallery. Then call 954-735-8191 and ask for me, Richard May, and I promise to help you realize the stained glass artistic enrichment that your project is calling out for.