Commissioning a New Leadlight Window or Slumped Glass Art
Want to create something timeless and uniquely personal?
Maybe it’s something to reflect your brand or business, maybe it’s to add art to room, or maybe it’s to lift the feel of a space, or create elegance in the surrounding areas. A custom leadlight or slumped glass work can do all that and more.
Each piece we make for our customers is made to order. We work collaboratively with you to ensure the windows are designed by or designed with you. Your piece will be unique to you.
Whether you know precisely what you want, have a hint of an idea, or none at all, we’ll take the time to design a window of leadlight to improve the value and beauty of your environment. Any idea is possible – Victorian, Federation, Art Deco, Edwardian, Art Nouveau, Abstract, Contemporary, Australiana, or something entirely different. No matter how refined your idea, we work with you to turn your idea into a masterpiece of reality.
The Process – First, we talk
You might have seen something on this site you like, or simply have a void to fill. Either way we start the discussion so we can work out enough details to be able to provide you a quote for your commissioned piece. The amount will vary based on the size, complexity and materials, of course. If you’re not quite sure yet, we can still give you ballpark figures and then provide an accurate quote once we have refined the design, have measurements, and answered all your questions.
You’re always welcome to come to our showroom in Elaine to see what our work looks and feels like. You can meet personally with the artisans and we can help you refine things further.
If needed, we can come to your premises and explore your options there. We can bring our professional leadlight books to start working through refining your requirements.
We can use existing colour themes or create contrasting themes to enhance the view or entranceway. Whatever your inspiration, we can form a design that will uplift the area your work will live in. Other customers have used church windows, photographs, artwork, or simply concepts, to commission pieces unique to them. We have created windows and doors to lift boardrooms, return historical buildings to their original glory, create windows that embody memories, create windows and doors for privacy and more. There is no limit.
Next, we take a deposit
A deposit is required to start the next stage of the design process.
We then start to sketch the concepts we have discussed into technical detail and colour. We will send you the designs and work with you until we have reached the design that works for you.
We then take the scaled image to full size as our template. We use glass custom made to suite, here on site. We may also use stunning European handmade glass pieces, depending on your design. Together, these make our leadlight windows a cut above others in our industry who don’t use handmade or custom-made glass. It also helps us ensure the integrity, strength, and durability of your final product.
We work to your time schedule whenever possible. To ensure the best outcome, we recommend at least 2 month’s advance notice to design, build and install your leadlight entranceway, window, or commissioned work. Leadlight takes time to do well, and we don’t take shortcuts.
Slumped glass projects usually have a shorter turnaround time, as the majority of the work is creating your custom moulds.
Next, we build
We fire the glass pieces required in our own kilns, matching the colours, shapes and sizes from our master plan.
We extrude the lead to hold the leadlight, and begin the packing process. We first pack the gap between the glass and the leadlight on one side, then carefully turn the pieces over and pack the other side. This creates a firmer fit on the glass. It stops “rattling”, and ensures a stronger, longer lasting, more energy efficient window or work.
The wood for frames and doors is sourced from sustainably grown Australian hardwoods. We begin with plain planks, bind them together, and start the carving and shaping process. All are handmade by master craftsmen, with tools and methods that have stood the test of time. This allows maximum quality, as well as allowing us to shape the pieces to exactly fit your specific location.
Finally, we install
Australian Standards require an accredited Leadlighter (AS-1288) do the installation of your leadlight or slumped glass art. This can be a reason why a builder or Glazier might advise against leadlight. We are one of just a handful licensed in Victoria to install leadlight.
We do the installation of our work ourselves. We know the pieces intimately and are best suited to handle them. Should an accident happen, we take full responsibility and can deal with the issue promptly and professionally.
Made to Last
Leadlight and slumped glass windows last for many years, making your up front investment one that can pay back for generations. We aim to make ours last for hundreds of years, just like the old cathedrals, homes and castles in Europe.