A Simple Picture Frame Becomes Intricate Stained Glass With A DIY

Stained glass windows can be a beautiful element to add to any decorative style, bringing a bit of age-old charm and vivid color to even the newest and most contemporary spaces. While you may be blessed with stained glass panels and accents if you live in an older home, these beautiful colored panes are much harder to find in new builds and modern homes. Adding stained glass to your home can bring in a lot of impact and elegance, but can often be expensive, with new stained glass panels, windows, and suncatchers fetching a hefty price tag from retailers. Older windows and antique panels can be even harder to track down and expensive when you do find them. Instagram user Hayley Stuart, however, has an ingenious DIY solution that can be created with any old picture frame and paints designed specifically to create a stunning faux stained glass effect.

These fully customizable panes are great for leaning on window ledges or hanging over existing windows. You can even use them as distinctive and striking wall art lit from behind with LED or string lights. The paints are inexpensive, available alone or in sets like the Gallery Glass window acrylic glass paint set. You can create geometric shapes and simple designs for minimal and modern spaces or use more detailed and elaborate botanicals and landscape scenes in maximalist and vintage-inspired homes. Use them to help transform your kitchen into an eclectic daydream or to add a pop of color in a small bathroom window. 

To turn an ordinary photo frame into a stylish stained glass panel, start by removing the glass from the frame and cleaning it thoroughly. Free hand a design on paper or trace out the shapes with a marker, then lay the glass over your design to help guide you. Coloring book pages can also make great templates since they are already divided into segments, or you can or take inspiration from other unique stained glass windows to add a pop of color to your home. Lay out the leading lines with a thick line of black, charcoal, or silver paint and allow them to dry. For geometric shapes, Gallery Glass instant lead line strips can make the process easier. 

Use a piece of sandpaper or a scraper to smooth out any rough edges after the lines dry. Use a brush to generously apply your colors inside the lines. The more paint you use, the more intense the color will be. You can also make DIY paints from acrylic paint and regular glue to create a faux stained glass finish on clear glass. Mix one part white glue, one part clear glue, and your desired color in a small bowl. Covering the glass with a clear acrylic spray beforehand can help the glue and paint mixture adhere more readily to the surface. Finally, allow everything to dry overnight. Add a line of adhesive around the edge of the glass to adhere it securely inside the frame, then hang it wherever you'd like.