How Frank Lloyd Wright Inspired Prairie Style Stained Glass Can Enhance Your Fort Collins Home
Over the centuries that the art of glassmaking has been practiced, hundreds of styles of stained glass have been produced. Of the many that exist, one of the most prominent and best known styles of stained glass is prairie style. In Fort Collins, prairie style stained glass is a popular choice for craftsman style homes and luxury commercial properties due to its unique, elegant appearance. But where did this beautiful stained glass style originate, and what makes it so popular? In this article, we’ll discuss the origins of prairie stained glass and its defining features.
Origin of Prairie Style Stained Glass
Prairie stained glass is a style of stained glass that was invented by Frank Lloyd Wright. Wright was an artist and designer who is renowned for his contributions to modern American architecture. His designs have heavily inspired America’s architectural landscape, and continue to play significant influence today. Evidence of this can be seen in the many craftsman style bungalows that continue to remain in high popularity across the country.
Wright’s designs were lead by an interest that he developed during a course he took in college which stressed the necessity to maintain the integrity of materials. Wright felt that no material should be wasted, or left neglected, which is why most of the buildings he designed had stained glass windows instead of ordinary flat glass panes. The windows work on multiple levels not only to draw attention to the aesthetic beauty of glass as a material, but they also filter light and add warmth and color. He fondly referred to his stained glass as “light screens.”
Defining Characteristics of Prairie Style Stained Glass
Wright’s designs for his prairie style stained glass were influenced by two dominating factors: his obsession with Japanese art and the beauty of the Midwest landscape that most of his buildings were constructed in. Just like Japanese print art, his designs have a flat, two dimensional appearance and closely resemble the paper screens used in much of Japan’s architecture. Similarly, his designs also reflect the open feeling of the Midwest landscape and the natural beauty of its sprawling green and amber colored prairies filled with soft light.
Clean lines, attractive geometric shapes, and calming earth tones give prairie stained glass an elegant, alluring appearance. Many prairie style stained glass windows also contain a generous amount of clear glass, ensuring that the beauty of the outside world is still visible from indoors. In Fort Collins’ architecture, prairie style stained glass inserts are commonly used for transoms and entryways, but can also be beautifully incorporated into cabinets, hanging lights, and bathroom windows. Our stained glass studio is always happy to work with homeowners on these requests.
Get Your Own Prairie Style Stained Glass in Fort Collins
Are you interested in obtaining a prairie style stained glass window for your Fort Collins home? Give us a call. We would be more than happy to create a beautiful custom designed window for you.
Martin Faith
Martin's work has been spotlighted on HGTV, the DIY Network, CBS, NBC, and numerous media outlets. He is one of the most accomplished stained glass artisans of his time and the proud owner of Fort Collins Stained Glass. He has dedicated his entire life's career to sharing his love of stained glass with others and is an expert on its origin, manufacturing process, and history. In addition to creating custom stained glass for homes and commercial businesses, Martin also acts as a consultant for church restoration projects. Drawing on his own research and ongoing education as well as the skills that he attained while working as a glass artisan in Scotland, Martin helps property owners identify the best styles and options of stained glass for achieving their aesthetic and architectural goals. His company has been in business for over thirty years and has successfully executed over 50,000 projects.
