Invite Natural Light & Elegance Into Your Home With Stained Glass Transom Windows

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When imagining stand-out window features in a home, most people will immediately jump to bay windows that form a little reading nook alcove or perhaps even large French doors that open a home to much natural light from the backyard patio or balcony. One you're probably less likely to think about — if you even know it by name — is a transom window: smaller windows set just above a door frame that can be opened to help circulate air and let in more light. These are different from sunburst windows or other options set directly within a door, which typically serve as more decorative features rather than ones with a function. Transoms are often also easier to retrofit than inset door windows, leaving room for window treatments like installing a stained glass mural above the door, inviting natural light and elegance into your home.

Transoms have often been a home feature that leans on function over form, being found in ancient Yemen tower homes, as well as the old Texas mining town of Thurber that was abandoned by the 1930s. However, even those Yemeni tower homes had instances of transoms called takhrim, with inlaid patterns of colored glass in gypsum that bring similar Western styles of stained glass to mind. There are renter-friendly DIY stained glass window options you can consider for your home that wouldn't even require replacing that transom outright, so it's an idea worth digging into.

Stained glass is typically viewed with religious connotations given its prominence in church murals throughout history, but the secular use of stained glass in America came into vogue around the 1960s, especially as public spaces like restaurants began using stained glass murals as décor. If you want to add stained glass to your home via a transom window, you should know that it requires special care. You don't want to break the glass, or use harsh chemicals that might discolor them. Soft, lint-free clothes and brushes with natural bristles are best for dusting a stained glass window, and you can use a solution of distilled water and mild soap to give the glass a proper cleaning — just be sure to rinse with cold water after.

Though it might require more effort in upkeep, having a stained glass transom is an addition with a lot of potential value. Stained glass increases privacy, doesn't fade in the sun, and is built to last, which can increase a home's value if properly maintained. There are also a variety of styles for stained glass murals — from painted glass to fused glass to carved or etched glass — that give you the opportunity to showcase your personal aesthetic (and potentially support a local artist in the process). That being said, it is worth giving some thought to whether you want to replace that transom's current window in the first place.

Replacing your current transom for a complete window transformation is going to be a lot of work, whether you make your own stained glass mural or commission one to fit the space. There are various window frame materials you could choose from, depending on the aesthetics of your living space. But vinyl, wood, fiberglass, and composite frames are better insulated than metal, meaning they won't get as hot and are less likely to warp, especially around the leaded soldering connections. Finished stained glass pieces can easily be strung up on wires or given a picture frame backing, so it's a malleable enough medium that you don't have to worry too much about finding the right way to install it. Still, it may be worth consulting an expert to make sure your addition properly fits the space of that transom window above your door.

If the prospect of replacing your window entirely sounds like too much work, worry not. There are decorative films, similar to this Dwersty Rainbow Window Privacy Film, you can buy that mimic the appearance of stained glass, so you can simply cover your window to remove a lot of the hassle. Alternatively, you can make your own stained glass transom with completely different art projects. You can create custom DIY stained glass windows with inexpensive craft markers, for example, or you can use gallery glass paint to achieve the same effect. However you go about it, there's no doubt that a stained glass transom window is a great conversation starter to liven up your home.