Client: Private

Overview

Leawood Residence is a tour de force of custom art glass lighting. The interior architecture already being a gorgeous Frank Lloyd Wright inspired space, it was easy to dream up many artistic lighting ideas to fill this home with a warm glow. All glass was designed and fabricated for this residence. Processes included hand blown glass, mould-blown glass, fused glass and slumped glass.

Goals

It was important not to overshadow the architectural design of the home, but to merge with the aesthetics. Each project that is installed found its home in unique nooks and was strategically framed by the structure of the vaulted ceilings and stairways.

Process

Our glass curtain, in the stairwell, took significant prototyping to complete. It is all blown glass on cables that include power for internal LED lighting. Other work throughout the home is hand blown forms, kiln-fused glass, or a mixture of both.

Additional Information

I had worked with Leslie Hatfield on commercial hospitality projects and she called and wanted to introduce me to their designer Donna Kirsopp to explore concepts for lighting a "Frank Lloyd Wright" inspired home. The interior ceiling was 30' in the great room and the stair tower was 25'. I had been working on an idea for a Glass Curtain and proposed hanging combined mould-blown glass shapes from a collection of factory moulds I recovered fro several long shuttered American glass factories. The designer liked the idea of locating the glass curtain system in between the stairs and we met with the client to select colors and develop the placement of the glass shapes. The architect took our CAD images and placed them into the architectural elevation. As we progressed with the mechanics, the making of the glass and the LED lighting, we were again asked to propose additional lighting locations in the great room and loft as well as the dining room. I have for some years been fusing my blown glass rondels into large panels. The design for the great room, loft and dining room were based on the clients expressed interest in the gardens surrounding the house. The couple loved Dogwood trees and there were a variety of species as well gardens bearing there favorite flowers.