Custom Residential

Franklin Art Glass Studios has been creating custom leaded glass designs since 1924. Guided by a collaborative approach, we work directly with homeowners, architects, & designers to create one-of-a-kind original designs for their projects. Each window is produced in-house & one at a time with exceptional attention to detail.

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Hand Painted Green King & Queen

The hand painted green King and his Queen guard this rustic custom castle entrance.

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Custom Leaded Cabinet Inserts

Custom leaded cabinet inserts add just the right about of beauty and sparkle while leaving room for collectables to be viewed.

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Custom Leaded Bathroom Windows

Custom leaded bathroom windows add privacy above a bath while transporting homeowners on a romantic Tuscan vacation.

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Living the Good Life on Buckeye Lake

By Susan Zingraf / Photos by Daniel Feldkamp

A gentle lake breeze sways catmint and pink yarrow as bees float among them. Sunshine bathes purple smoke bushes while cranesbill geraniums and annabelle hydrangeas enjoy some shade. It's a tranquil setting and picturesque scene enjoyed by homeowners Dr. Thomas Wortham and Reverend John Kauffman, who built their Thornville home and garden paradise for retirement.

The two designed the home with architect Clyde Gosnell, who helped Tom and John realize their vision for "a gentleman farmer's house circa 1910," explains John, and for the home to fit in with its surroundings. The 3,600 square foot, three-story house is artfully designed to look modest and older than it is.

Muted red metal gable rooftops and gray composite siding complement the home's natural surroundings. A wraparound back porch and extensive flower gardens help create the charming country cottage exterior. The interior style is warm and comfortable with natural wood tones, built-in bookcases, and open living and dining areas displaying Spanish colonial era paintings alongside Stained Glass windows.

The Stained Glass window (above), designed by Andrea Helf Reid of Franklin Art Glass Studios, makes a statement all its own, but also provides a bit of privacy between the home and its neighbors. Another powerful stained glass piece in the stairwell (left), also designed by Reid, gives a nod to the gardens and natural elements that Tom and John hold dear.

Much of the home's furniture was found nearby - new pieces from the Buckeye Lake Community of Millersport, and the vintage pieces from an auction house in Newark.

Amish built cabinetry and upscale appliances set the stage for Tom's culinary creations. Flowers from the garden add life to the kitchen table's settings.

As active members of the arts and gardening communities, Tom and John use their home for entertaining everyone in their lives, "We've hosted charity events here and love to entertain our family and friends," says John.

"We want to share our house as much as possible." The serenity and charm of the home are a direct reflection of the hosts, who cherish the opportunity to share it with others. John concludes, "We wanted to create a place that was welcoming."

House Trends Magazine
September 2017

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