The interior decorative windows

The decorative windows represent an elegant solution able to give strong personality to the interiors. Used since ancient times, in sacred architecture and in the most illustrious monuments, over time their use has extended to more and more sectors, bringing added value to properties, thanks to their beauty and uniqueness. The most famous examples for the history of architecture are represented by those of the Gothic cathedrals and the most representative buildings of Art Nouveau. Unlike in the past, when artistic glass only interested the most prestigious residences, over the decades they have spread to numerous homes, thanks to their versatility and the variety of solutions available on the market.

In modern residences there is a growing demand to insert internal windows that serve functional purposes, such as dividing different environments, but also aesthetic ones to restore bright and unique environments. Below, we will see how to best choose the decorative windows, addressing the project from a typological, regulatory, functional and aesthetic point of view. The goal is to guide you to a conscious choice of this component, in order to ensure utility, elegance and safety over time.

Why choose a decorative glass window for your rooms

The decorative glass window for interiors is a unique solution of its kind, very useful and above all with a high scenic result. The choice to include this ornamental element inside your residence is motivated by numerous reasons. First of all, there is the ability of the glass to divide the rooms of the house in a practical and functional way, ensuring visual continuity and high brightness. In fact, unlike full partitions, internal glass walls give a sense of greater spaciousness to the rooms, while dividing them according to their intended use. Furthermore, since transparent surfaces do not constitute an obstacle to natural light, as traditional dividing elements do, these solutions guarantee an abundant flow of light even to rooms without large openings. An example of this is the entrance to the house, an area without its own windows, onto which the different rooms overlook. In this case, the presence of a glass wall or a door equipped with decorated glass, in the living room or kitchen, will allow light and heat to flow also into the corridor of the apartment, increasing the value and functionality of this space too often overlooked. The decorative glass can also be used to delimit two rooms with different functions, without dividing them visually. This is the case of the living area, where the living room and kitchen can coexist in an elegant way, through sliding glass or flexible panels, thanks to which bad odors and vapors will be contained without compromising the hours of relaxation on the sofa.

In fact, the dividing elements ensure fluidity in the passage between the individual spaces, maintaining the right distance between the different functional areas. The stained glass windows are also used in small apartments, to divide the living area from the sleeping area. The glass, thanks to its properties of lightness and versatility, it restores elegance and personality to the environment, ensuring spatial continuity and expanding even the smallest studio apartments. Sometimes, this solution is also used to delimit a make-up area inside the bedroom or a reading corner in the living room. In the latter case, in addition to giving personality to the environment, it will be possible to increase the level of acoustic comfort, ensuring greater concentration.

Finally, the decorated glass can form the panels of the walk-in closets: these are modern solutions, able to personalize the space and give an original touch to the sleeping area. After deciding where to place the decorative glass, it is necessary to establish the type that best suits your needs. An option is represented by the door with glass panels, a functional choice thanks to which two rooms are divided but a greater amount of light is filtered than that normally obstructed by solid windows. A valid alternative consists of the glass wall, a component with larger dimensions and a solution that, in addition to being functional, also serves aesthetic purposes. Widely used in open spaces, glass walls can be full-height, or they can constitute inserts and elements that can be opened only in case of need. In addition, it will be possible to choose between a glazing for interiors fixed to the wall, sliding, with an external guide to the wall and again with a frame anchored to the wall.
Each aforementioned type will have benefits and disadvantages and for this reason it will be chosen carefully, based on your habits and personal tastes.

Interior decorative glass window: which typology to prefer

In order to choose the most suitable decorative glass for your environments, it is necessary to evaluate some elements. Most of the solutions consist of a frame that can be in aluminum, wood or plastic and a glass panel. The largest surface is represented by the panel and the glass that composes it must comply with current legislation in terms of resistance and safety for the user. In this regard, depending on the characteristics of the material, it is classified on a scale ranging from a minimum to a maximum value: the higher the value, the safer and more robust it will be. The two types of glass most used for the construction of doors and panels are represented by the laminated and tempered glass. The first consists of two layers of crystal interspersed with a transparent film of variable thickness, able to make the glass safe. In this case, if an accidental fracture of the glass occurs, the splinters will be retained by the film and will not pose a danger to the inhabitants of the house. As for the tempered glass, a specific processing makes them resistant to shocks and if there are breakages, the very small fragments do not compromise user safety.

These characteristics are an indispensable condition for the correct use of glass in the internal dividing elements, while it will be the customer’s choice to establish colors, decorations and profiles. In fact, the glass production sector guarantees a constant offer of innovative solutions, which can also guarantee good thermal insulation. The stained glass windows can be made with transparent, opaque, glossy and satin decorated glass, depending on the way the light is diffused. In fact, for very bright environments, transparent and glossy glasses will be perfect for capturing and diffusing light, while for those who want to obtain more intimate atmospheres, jagged and colored solutions will be perfect. In this regard, starting from the 1920s, the Dalles stained glass windows, characterized by the set of thick colored glass tiles, which reproduced mosaic motifs and decorations but let in a smaller amount of light. This type of glass guaranteed the possibility of working on large surfaces and the glass tiles were bound by concrete and not by lead wire. These panels found their way into churches but also residences and are still used today to reproduce modern geometric and graphic patterns.

Finally, to acquire more privacy, the ideal solution is represented by decorated sandblasted glass.
The latter are subjected to a specific process that makes them translucent, so as to be able to filter the light beam, while maintaining a good level of confidentiality. Thanks to the different degree of transparency and the variegated texture of the glass, it will be possible to obtain very different effects for customize home environments. Furthermore, today the market offers numerous techniques capable of personalizing the internal windows and making them more original. An example of this are the partition walls equipped with a layer of fabric or metal, inserted between the two sheets of glass or even the recycled glass doors which, in addition to being an unusual solution, make sustainability their key value.

Another aspect concerns the color of the panel and the chosen decoration; the glazes have a good duration over time and can reproduce designs, mosaics and textures, depending on personal taste. Once the type of decorated glass for interiors has been established, it is necessary to understand which solution is most suitable for one’s residences. Modern decorated glass doors will be optimal for minimal environments, for neutral-colored lofts the winning idea may be to insert colored glass dividers, while for large spaces the interior decorative windows will give a touch of originality.

Last element to consider, but not least, is the type of opening: swing, sliding and package.
This is a choice that must be made depending on the spatial conformation and dimensions available.
The swing model is the traditional and most widespread one but requires plenty of space for easy use. If the environment is small in size, it is advisable to opt for sliding or folding glass windows, considered the space-saving solutions par excellence.

The assembly of the decorative glass and the technical aspects to consider

The decorative windows are not only an aesthetic element for the interiors of your residence, but real functional components that must be chosen and installed carefully. First of all, it is necessary to contact professionals and technicians in the sector in order to obtain a high-performance and safe solution for the safety of the inhabitants of the house.
The technical aspect is of fundamental importance and only those who know in depth the properties and characteristics of internal glazing can guarantee their correct installation. One of the most important aspects concerns the design and assembly of the anchoring structures as they will have the task of supporting glass sheets of considerable weight and dimensions.
The first step is to check the dimensions of the area of ​​the house where you want to insert the wall or glass door.
In addition, it is necessary to examine whether there are out-of-square walls or irregularities on the floors, so as to intervene in an appropriate manner using custom-designed solutions. Assembly depends on the type of solution adopted. The structure of the artistic interior glass window is usually made up of a frame, the glass plate and the rails that allow it to be anchored and sometimes moved. Given the considerable weight of the glass, it is necessary to ensure that it does not overturn and withstands shocks and the action of time. To this end, anchoring systems designed to ensure safety and usability are provided. In most cases, these elements are welded to beams and floors of the house and if this is not possible, they are placed against intermediate structures designed ad hoc. An example of this are the half-height glass panels and the glass walls inserted in rooms with false ceilings.

Also in the case of sliding windows, since the load must be equally distributed between the upper floor and the floor of the environment, it will be necessary to insert an additional structure that performs this task. Depending on the physical conformation of the glass wall, metal, iron or wood profiles will be created which will have to be made to measure in order to guarantee an original and harmonious final appearance. In addition, the glazing elements must ensure stability and strength so that the decorative crystals will not change their position, remaining locked inside the supporting structure.
Over time it is advisable to ensure the correct conservation of the decorative windows, in order to keep their colors and brilliance unchanged. In the case of frosted and drawn glass, during the cleaning operations it is advisable to avoid using abrasive products, paying greater attention and attention to details. The load-bearing structure of the window must also be preserved, so as not to compromise its integrity and function. If the profiles are made of steel, it is necessary to protect them from any corrosive products, while if the predominant material is wood, it will be advisable to use non-toxic substances that respect their natural properties.
In addition to installation and maintenance, it is of fundamental importance that the interior glazing chosen complies with current legislation. In this regard, it is good that the security measures essential to preserve the safety of those who live in the house are ensured. For this reason, the glass used for the panels that make up the internal glazing must be certified and ensure a good level of quality. In conclusion, the insertion of a wall or a glass door inside your home requires particular attention in the choice, installation and maintenance, in order to ensure durability and safety over time.

The charm of the Liberty style decorative glass window

Glass is a versatile and elegant material, used since ancient times for the manufacture of decorative glass used in churches, monuments and luxurious residences. In the Middle Ages the Gothic cathedrals represented a famous example of majesty and the decorated crystal of windows and walls was an important element from a symbolic point of view. In fact, thanks to the mosaic technique sacred scenes were represented and the small fragments of colored glass were able to filter the light creating spectacular plays of color. In the following decades, the production of glass underwent numerous changes and developed and perfected.

During the Renaissance period leaded windows were introduced, characterized by small crystals connected by lead wire. This technique received a good consensus until it found its maximum diffusion during the nineteenth century, when the manufacture of glass began to become partly automated. It is from this period that we witness a progressive rise of decorated windows, until the early 1900s when, with the Art Nouveau, they found maximum use. These were elements affixed to adorn gates, windows and interior doors but also partitions and wall panels, inside luxury residences.
The realization of the glass was performed with craftsmanship and care, contrasting sharply with industrialization and homologation.

The decorative motifs of the Liberty windows took up the themes of nature and the organic world, through the depiction of natural elements such as leaves, vine trellises, flowers and fruits. In this way, decorative windows for residential interiors created a continuum between inside and outside, giving the rooms fluidity and brightness. Furthermore, thanks to the possibility of creating the glass panels that adorned windows and partitions on a project basis, the rooms could be customized and equipped with extreme elegance.
The design of the frames and doors was also custom designed and the glass that made up the panels could be opalescent or glossy, multicolored or monochromatic. Thanks to the insertion of these artistic windows, the light filtered into the rooms making them welcoming and unique.

Among the major exponents of the production of decorative Art Nouveau glass windows is the American Louis Comfort Tiffany who introduced some technological innovations. First of all, the replacement of the lead wire with the copper cord, between one piece of glass and another. Thanks to the constant commitment to perfecting production techniques, Tiffany achieved unexpected results, bringing the use of interior glass to splendor. Even in Italy, albeit with a delay compared to other countries, the Art Nouveau current represented a flourishing period for the production of glass. Just think of the valuable examples of stained glass that characterize the Art Nouveau buildings in Piedmont, Lombardy and Sicily. In Turin, these decorative elements found maximum diffusion also thanks to the presence in the area of ​​the important glass workshop Albano and Macario, founded in 1899.

The decorative stained glass windows of the highest quality, produced by this company, were distinguished by the mixture of glass mosaics and painted and decorated sections. Among the most famous examples of Liberty style stained glass windows,work of the aforementioned Turin laboratory, we can recall those of the Solferino Terrace, an ancient relevance of a residential building from the 1900s and today home to offices and rooms for events and conferences. These are stained glass windows of particular artistic value, preserved to this day as a testimony of the mastery and craftsmanship of the past. In this period, the decorative glass components not only affected the interiors but also the windows, doors and bow windows of the Art Nouveau buildings. In Turin, examples are the bow-window of Casa La Fleur, the windows of the corridor on the ground floor of Villino Raby, both by the architect Pietro Fenoglio, and also the door of Palazzo della Vittoria and the large windows of Villa Scott, in this case both are the work of the engineer Gottardo Gussoni.

Foto copertina: esempio di pannello in stile Liberty con inserti in vetro decorato – Anouk Taeymans, Anversa