| Much in the way jazz altered our concept of | | | | as well as being an aesthetic piece, just as they |
| music, glass art has changed our expectations of | | | | would an original painting, or a piece of antique |
| residential lighting. In fact, glass art lighting is being | | | | furniture. |
| hailed as one of the hottest new trends to hit | | | | Glass Art Lighting 101 |
| luxury home design. According to 25-year | | | | Once a homeowner decides on glass art lighting, |
| Southern California interior designer Greg Griffith, | | | | it's helpful to know a little about the glass and |
| G. Griffith & Co. of Destin, FL, "It's emerging | | | | where it should be used, based on its physical |
| as a transitional point for a more energetic look. | | | | characteristics. Here are some tips: |
| From Asian to 18th Century, every style and | | | | Blown glass has some limitations to the size and |
| design can incorporate glass art lighting. The fact | | | | diameter that an artist can create. Some blown |
| that these are actual sculptured pieces means | | | | glass lighting utilizes many pieces in its design to |
| you're adding art to the room without cluttering | | | | create a larger, more sculptural effect. |
| the wall." | | | | Cast glass is very beautiful, but quite unusual in |
| Aside from aesthetics, the benefit to glass art | | | | lighting because it is very heavy to suspend. One |
| lighting is that it's so flexible, it ends up resolving | | | | glass artist has created a woven glass technique |
| many design conflicts. Take, for example, the | | | | that takes on the look of woven fabric, and |
| story of the Wisdom Window. This stained glass | | | | results in a glass art lighting fixture that feels like |
| piece was created by a California glass artist to | | | | a glass blanket. |
| create a welcoming light at the end of a dark, | | | | Fused & slumped glass is popular for glass |
| New York apartment hallway. The artist created | | | | art lighting. Through the use of molds, fusing |
| four matching sconces, but wanted the end of | | | | allows the artist to create large diameter canopied |
| the hallway to feel like a window. He innovated a | | | | type lighting, thus enabling a single shade to be up |
| design where a diffuser sheet will be installed | | | | to 48" in diameter. This creates consistency in |
| underneath the stained glass piece, and lit from | | | | shape and wonderful, unusual textures. |
| behind. | | | | Etched glass is another wonderful medium for flat |
| One New York glass artist developed a unique | | | | panel lighting. Pieces such as The Three Graces, |
| way to illuminate her bathroom. She created her | | | | by glass artist Margaret Oldman, can be lit with |
| own mosaic glass sink and lit it from underneath | | | | plain or multi-colored fiber optics, depending on the |
| to create a warm, amber glow. It also doubles as | | | | look a designer is trying to achieve. |
| her nightlight. To underscore the look of an | | | | Mosaic and stained glass are similar, in that they're |
| underlit sink, matching sconces are ideal. Some | | | | both ideal for flat panel lighting. Artists will often |
| kitchen designers are commissioning glass art | | | | incorporate Italian smalti glass, blown sheets of |
| sconces and pendants to match underlit glass | | | | transparent glass broken into small pieces, or |
| kitchen countertops. This creates interesting, | | | | dichroic glass, which is coated on one side with a |
| ambient lighting in a more finished-looking lighting | | | | metallic-like mirror finish. |
| package. | | | | Buyer Beware |
| Glass art lighting can be a subtle accent, or a | | | | One thing homeowners should remember, |
| prism through which the light bathes a room in a | | | | especially with lighting, is to be sure that the glass |
| swatch of exotic colors. "I find many decorators | | | | artist they've chosen understands how the |
| driving décor based on the lighting | | | | electrical specs will dovetail with the piece, and |
| fixtures," says Seattle-based glass artist, Suzanne | | | | that they know U.L. standards. As founder of |
| Guttman. "It's easy to fall in love with a tentacled | | | | Glass Artists Gallery, I estimate that close to |
| pendant light or chandelier and make it the | | | | 30% of our first-time customers come to us |
| centerpiece of a room." | | | | because they had negative experiences |
| The Cost of Beautiful | | | | commissioning residential glass art lighting on their |
| Investing in gorgeous glass art lighting is less | | | | own. We are very careful about screening the |
| daunting than one may assume. A Bellagio budget | | | | artists we represent to make sure they |
| isn't necessary to incorporate museum-quality | | | | understand the technical specifications |
| glass lighting into a residential design. Sconces | | | | In short, glass art lighting choices become a very |
| range from $400 to $1,200; small pendant lighting | | | | personal way to reveal a homeowner's fingerprint |
| (suspended by one point in the ceiling) ranges | | | | on the interior design. As George Bernard Shaw |
| from $300 to $600; larger pendants and | | | | once said, "You use a glass mirror to see your |
| chandeliers can range from $1,500 to $10,000. | | | | face; you use works of art to see your soul. |
| Serious collectors consider glass art an investment | | | | |