It has always been a common question in the design world “can I mix old styles with new?” and I never tire of expressing how much mixing the two can create such wonderful results.
That being said when we dive headfirst into our renovations there are certain things that require a touch of modernisation and others that can be left well alone. My inspiration for this piece came from our old friend “stained glass windows”, originally found in churches and other religious buildings it extended its use to domestic buildings and over time has become a statement of old.
In its original context, the purpose of a stained-glass window is not to allow those within a building to see outside but to control the light and for this reason they have been described in literature as “illuminated wall decorations”.
For this very reason alone, I believe they should be something savoured from the past and to be used to create focal points to a room. Try using the colours within the glass as the primary colours in the room and keep all other areas neutral. Mix modern shapes and clean lines that mirror the shapes in the glass.
Using vintage reclaimed glass in a modern renovation could be a scary prospect but have faith that the old styles can enhance the true beauty of modern design.
Joals Interiors is a interior design shop based in Dorridge near Solihull.
