In Focus: The Stained-Glass of Forest Hills

Stained-glass windows adorn many of the homes in the Gardens. The use of stained-glass windows as an artistic feature was popular in the early twentieth century when most of these homes were built, especially in Tudor style homes.  There were many stained-glass artists working in the New York City area at the time, fueled by the wealth of the Gilded Age, and tapped by the architects of the time who incorporated stained-glass features into their designs.

In Forest Hills Gardens, stained-glass windows are seen in many of the larger or standalone homes. The patterns and designs vary from geometric patterns, such as diamonds or patterns, to depictions of nature, like birds or trees.  In homes commissioned by individual owners, we even see depictions of buildings or themes that were clearly requested by the owner—such as a favorite church, a family crest, or an image of the home itself.

We invite you to look at our current sampling.  However, please know that this is an evolving project as we add to this repository of images. If you live in a home with stained glass, we would love to feature photos of your windows on our site as part of this series.  Please contact us if you would be willing to contribute photos, and/or share your stories on maintaining these works of art.