The Emerald House

Tucked away in the southernmost stretch of central Colorado stands a whimsical residence, aptly named The Emerald House. The private collector who calls it home envisioned a series of windows that would explore her love for the color green—each one a quiet conversation between light, glass, and nature.

The first window rests above the bath, a playful harmony of mixed greens and soft pink circles. It ties the space together—from the emerald tiling wall to the floral wallpaper that blooms across the walls. By layering glass types, I let the light dance: shimmering through cathedral glass and softening into privacy within the opalized panes.

Drawn to the elegance of traditional diamond patterning, the client inspired me to look to 19th-century French pavement designs. I wove circular forms into the geometry, creating varied diamonds and introducing a secondary color that gently anchors the room’s palette.

For the second window, in the mudroom, we carried this design forward but shifted the mood. I suggested a warm amber accent to bring an earthy, grounded spirit to the space—a soft echo of sunlight caught in glass.

The third window opened the door to creative freedom. Designed for the kitchen, it was meant to cover only half of the existing frame, framing the world beyond. For this piece, I drew from one of my favorite local hikes—Lake Dorothy in the Indian Peaks. The client asked to add a yellow crescent moon, a reflection of her joyful spirit. I tucked it gently into the composition, a “peek-a-boo” moon glowing above the mountains, its golden light deepened by the surrounding purples and ambers.

When the windows were finally installed, the magic began. Light moves through each one differently—sometimes glimmering, sometimes softening, always alive. Below, you can glimpse a few moments where glass, color, and sunlight meet to create their quiet enchantment