Client: Private

Overview

The entrance door for a contemporary California home was inspired by Craftsman style detailing. This home, located on the straits leading to San Francisco Bay, is an homage to the Craftsman Style. My design intention was to match the shapes in the architecture of the new construction and reflect the client’s aesthetic preferences including desiring privacy, but with the ability to peek out to see who is at the door. The design would be of our time rather than a historical recreation or a period piece. I used traditional leaded glass made from the best mouth blown glass and custom beveled glass prisms in an improvised geometric design. At first glance, the design appears symmetric; however, upon closer inspection it includes numerous asymmetric abstractions. I utilized a line extension technique that leads the eye around the composition. Beautiful day or night, the door greets guests upon arrival, setting the tone for a wonderfully detailed home. I try to capture the spirit or soul of a place with my designs. The door creates a glorious entrance and exit experience.

Goals

The front door introduces the exquisite detailing in the craftsmanship of this home. The play of natural daylight on the glass creates beauty from both inside and outside the door. At night, when illuminated by interior light, the door becomes a beacon to welcome visitors.

Process

After the design process with the clients and the fabrication of the art glass, a custom mahogany door and quality hardware were sourced by the contractor. The art glass was designed to fit the opening and was installed by the Arthur Stern Studios crew.

Additional Information

Various textures and kinds of the finest blown glass, sourced from the Lamberts Company in Germany through S.A. Bendheim (the US importer on the East coast) was used for this project. Andreas Lehmann hand cut, ground, and polished the custom prism pieces at his studio in Oakland, CA.