- Inspired by an Extraordinary Era The late 1800's and early 1900's produced some of the most influential architectural and decorative arts in American history, including art glass windows that adorned the homes and buildings of the period. Victorian design brought richness and ornament; the Arts & Crafts and Mission movements celebrated honest materials and skilled workmanship; and the Art Nouveau period introduced a more fluid language of nature-inspired forms and graceful movement.
- Kaleidix® draws inspiration from all three traditions, incorporating the fundamental design principles of simplicity, symmetry, balance, proportion, harmony and rhythm into all of our art glass windows.
- A Tradition of Craftsmanship Every Kaleidix® window is fabricated using traditional leaded-glass techniques and materials. Each piece of glass is selected and positioned as part of the larger composition, with careful consideration given to color, texture, light, and the relationship between individual pieces.
- Our glass is sourced from American art and stained glass manufacturers with legacies extending more than a century, including the Kokomo Opalescent Glass Company (Est. 1888), the Paul Wissmach Glass Company (Est. 1904), and the Youghiogheny Opalescent Glass Company (Est. 1976), whose hand-cast glass can be found in thousands of historic churches, homes, and buildings across America and were used by the studios of both Louis Comfort Tiffany® and Frank Lloyd Wright®.
- The Beauty Is in the Details
- The character of a Kaleidix® window often lies in the details.
- In addition to hand-cast art glass, our windows incorporate embellishments including faceted and smooth glass jewels, bevels, bevel clusters, roundels, etching, vitreous enameling/glass painting and other decorative elements associated with the great art glass of the period.
- Crafted the Traditional Way
- While many contemporary stained glass panels are fabricated using the copper-foil technique, Kaleidix® specializes in the traditional leaded-glass method, constructing windows with solid metal came. Depending upon the design and application, we use lead, zinc, copper, and/or brass came to create the framework that holds each individual piece of glass in place.
- After assembly, panels are cemented to provide additional weather resistance and then reinforced with steel bars where necessary to provide increased structural integrity.