The Centuries-Old Feature I’m Quickly Adding to My Home Mood Board

All homes — whatever their style or age — are special. However, recently I’ve been drawn to spaces with original details that tell a story of the past long before I was around. Charming features that stand the test of time represent a long lineage of people who enjoyed them, and I think that’s a testament to their longevity. 

You see, interior design, much like fashion, is cyclical, and I believe that whatever was once adored will have its time in the limelight in the future. And I’m referencing a specific element now: stained glass transom windows. 

Stained glass transom windows, which are the windows above an interior door, “were originally used as a way to allow more airflow into a home or building without compromising security and privacy,” Steph Mickelson explained in an article. They were popular in the 14th century and had another moment in the 18th century — and now I’m delighted whenever I see one appear in an Apartment Therapy House Tour. 

The stained glass transom window (as seen above) decorating the space above Jessica Rachel Williams’s bathroom door is the precursor for what’s to come. Her bathroom, located in an original 1885 brownstone apartment, is decadent, with tiles that span from the floor to the ceiling. There’s a large window in the bathroom, and the transom allows light to flow through into the studio apartment (likely in a brownish-golden hue). 

Ceramicist Morgan Levine also wanted to feature a transom window above her bathroom. She and her husband, Gregory, renovated their 1870s Brooklyn apartment and wanted to incorporate this detail into their space. Morgan worked with artist Jonny Campolo to create the light blue, brown, and gray pieces. “I’m really smitten with the stained glass transom,” Morgan said at the time of the tour and also mentioned how one of her favorite home elements overall was how the light trickled through it from the bathroom skylight. 

The stained glass transom windows in these two homes, like all the places they inhabit, add a great deal of character to the space. Just as Morgan mentioned that she’s “smitten” with it being in her home, I’ll match her in jealousy — I can’t wait for the day I can install this architectural detail in my home.