Stained Glass Ceilings

Under a skylight

Many Victorian and Edwardian houses once had a decorative lay light beneath the roof lantern over the stairs — a ceiling of coloured glass protected from the weather by the glazing above. We make new lay lights for exactly these positions, and for modern roof lanterns and skylights that would benefit from a softer, more personal light.

Under daylight, the ceiling changes constantly: cool and calm in the morning, rich and warm as the sun moves round. It is one of the most rewarding ways to use stained glass.

Backlit ceiling panels

Not every room has a skylight. In basements, windowless dining rooms, hotel corridors and restaurants we build stained glass ceiling panels lit from behind by LED light boxes. The light is evenly diffused, so there are no hot spots, and it can be dimmed or set to a warmer or cooler tone.

Every light box is designed with access for maintenance, so drivers and LEDs can be reached without dismantling the glass.

Overhead glass is the most theatrical place for colour — the whole room becomes its frame.

Engineering overhead glass

Glass above people's heads has to be treated seriously. Overhead panels use laminated safety glass so that, even if broken, fragments stay bonded in place. The decorative glass is protected within that build-up.

We work with your builder, architect or structural engineer on the support frame, loads and fixings, and divide large ceilings into sections that can be lifted and fitted safely — each one numbered and drawn so assembly is precise.

Designs that read from below

A ceiling is seen from a distance and from an angle. Fine painted detail that delights in a window can disappear overhead, so we design with bolder lines, clear radial compositions and colour that holds its strength from the floor. For domes and circular lights we often work from the centre outwards, like a rose window turned to the sky.

Typical commissions

• Lay lights beneath roof lanterns
• Backlit ceiling panels with LED
• Domes and atrium features
• Hotel and restaurant ceilings

Questions we are often asked