By incorporating decorative glass in projects, such as stained or textured glass windows, frosted glass partitions, or glass finishes on walls, architects can infuse interiors with color, texture, and varying levels of translucency and reflection.
One of the primary advantages of decorative glass is its ability to transform ordinary spaces into special environments, whether these are in commercial buildings, residential homes, or public spaces. Decorative glass allows natural light to filter through, creating an ambiance of warmth and openness while maintaining privacy where needed.
Decorative glass can serve as both a functional and decorative element. Its use can evoke a sense of style and individuality, distinguishing buildings from their surroundings and making a lasting impression on occupants and visitors. From enhancing the visual appeal of facades to creating unique interior features, decorative glass offers endless design possibilities.
These are 25 of Archello’s most popular decorative glass manufacturers specified by architects and designers, part of Archello's 25 best manufacturers series.
1. Bendheim, United States
Established in 1927, Bendheim is one of the world’s foremost resources for specialty architectural glass. This family-owned company, now in its third generation, offers a vast selection of both in-stock and custom glass options for use in both interior and exterior building applications. Its product line includes Lamberts® Mouth-Blown glass with artisanal features for interior and exterior applications is made by skilled craftsmen. Each piece of glass is mouth-blown to create a delicate, organic surface pattern with occasional small air bubbles, giving it a unique and individual appearance. The glass comes in a wide range of colors and can be used in both monolithic and laminated forms.
2. Vanceva Color PVB interlayers, United States
Vanceva is the only PVB interlayer that offers the range of colored laminated glass options that it does. With over 69,000 transparent, translucent, or solid color combinations, Vanceva provides the perfect solution for creating the desired look and ambiance for any project. One of its notable offerings is Vanceva Color PVB Interlayers for laminated glass is a system based on a foundational palette of 16 basic colors that can be combined in up to four layers to produce custom-colored glass. Vanceva color interlayers can also be combined with tinted or reflective glass.
3. GLASFABRIK LAMBERTS, Germany
GLASFABRIK LAMBERTS glass factory is one of the largest cast glass factories in Europe with a modern plant and machinery. It manufactures U-profile glass at all stages of production, which is used for architectural projects globally due to its quality, clear shapes, and technical diversity. In addition, it produces all types of cast glass, including LINIT®EcoGlass, which is a special rolled U-shaped glass, ornamental glass available in various patterns, antimony-free solar glass, EcoSolar, optimized for the extraction of solar energy, wired glass, and wire ornamental glass. GLASFABRIK LAMBERTS eco-friendly wired glass is a high-quality cast glass integrated with wire mesh, manufactured using the most environmentally friendly methods known to date, including the use of an oxygen-fired melting furnace.
4. Glasshape, New Zealand
Established in 1986, Glasshape is a leading designer, innovator, and manufacturer of specialty glass, including tempered, laminated, bent, and digital ceramic print glass. It is based in Auckland, New Zealand, and is family-owned. The largest specialist bent glass manufacturer in Australia, Glasshape has grown from bending glass for upmarket light shades by developing and building its machinery and mold systems. Its notable products include VisionInk digital ceramic ink-printed glass with options for customization fuses ceramic ink images into glass products. Glasshape is capable of producing a comprehensive range of ceramic printed glass images, customized to fit numerous applications.
5. Vandaglas, Netherlands
Vandaglas is a leading producer of high-quality insulating glass. It sources its glass components from reputable flat glass manufacturers and offers a wide range of facade glazing specialties. With production facilities in multiple countries, it provides specialized teams for project management and other supporting logistics services. It offers a range of insulating glass and facade systems, including fire-resistant and safety glass. In addition, it has the facilities to produce single-glass applications such as glass canopies and partitions. Its CurvePerform Mono curved monolite decorative glass offers a wide range of options, from simple cylindrical curved glass to complex polyaxial forms, which can be made from float glass to super-efficient triple-pane insulating glass. Designers can also use tinted foils in laminated glass, printing, back-lighting, and other options to create exclusive interiors that fit their visions.
6. Saint-Gobain Glass, France
Saint-Gobain, headquartered in France, is a global leader in the design, production, and distribution of materials for the construction, industrial, and consumer markets. Established in 1665, the company has a rich history spanning centuries of innovation and expertise. Saint-Gobain specializes in providing a wide range of high-performance materials, including glass, ceramics, plastics, and other building materials. Its MASTER-SOFT® COLOR-IT printed and lacquered decorative glass with a textured face is a contemporary glass that plays with volumes and textures to give a true singularity to interiors.
7 Skyline Design, United States
Skyline Design is one of the leading manufacturers of architectural glass in North America. Headquartered in Chicago and founded in 1983, the company has continually worked to redefine the creative potential of large-scale, decorative architectural glass installations. It is distinguished by its collaborations with leading designers, artists, and photographers. The company produces both exterior and interior glass for corporate, hospitality, transportation, public and healthcare facilities. Its Vitracolor Back-Painted Glass for writable glass boards and wall-cladding incorporates vibrant color with the classic beauty of architectural glass. With low-VOC and water-based paint production processes, Vitracolor sustainably ensures a uniform coating for each glass panel and offers virtually unlimited color possibilities.
8. Saint-Gobain Glassolutions, France
Glassolutions is the transformation and distribution branch of the Saint-Gobain group. Its products are wide ranging and include CREA-LITE thermoformed decorative glass with three-dimensional textures. Starting from an image, a digital model, or an exchange of ideas, a relief proposal is created in a virtual three-dimensional image. Once this personalized relief is validated, a mold is machined. The glass is then deposited into this mold and baked at high temperature to allow the glass to deform. CREA-LITE® can be colored by color powders deposited on the flat glass and vitrified during baking (enameling), or by digital printing after baking.
9. Forms+Surfaces, United States
Forms+Surfaces designs and manufactures architectural products used in public spaces around the world. From walls and elevator interiors to site furnishings and lighting, its line invites creativity and provides real-world solutions to the challenges our customers face. ViviTela Shibori decorative glass based on artisanal Japanese dyeing methods represents the artful intersection of centuries-old fabric dyeing techniques and innovative digital imaging and glass manufacturing technologies. The collection originated using traditional Japanese dyeing methods known as Shibori—an artisanal resist-dyeing process that produces patterns on silk using ropes, wood blocks, folding, binding and tying.
10. Si-X, Netherlands
Si-X, a Dutch company, designs, draws, calculates, produces and installs specialized glass for facades, roofs, floors, stairs, balustrades, hard glass constructions, showcases, light and art objects. The strength of Si-X is its broad knowledge of materials coupled with the know-how of production technologies. Si-X large-format digitally printed decorative glass panels can be produced up to 9.300 x 3.210mm in size. These large dimensions open new possibilities for customized creations. The digital printing process can be applied to almost all types of glass. A thermal tempering process results in a permanent bonding of the ceramic printing ink to the glass.
11. Nathan Allan Glass Studios, Canada
Nathan Allan Glass Studios is a leading North American manufacturer of kiln-formed art glass. It offers a wide variety of products, including over 65 classic textures and ten exclusive designs. Nathan Allan's art glass has been featured in prestigious projects around the world, including Fendi's flagship stores in Rome and Shanghai. Its product line includes Teardrop XL decorative glass with a distortion effect for privacy. It is made of glass that is 98% clear, with a texture-less design that features sweeping convex-shaped cells inside each glass panel. The pattern is continuous and seamless from panel to panel, making it perfect for feature walls, partitions, and windows.
12. E-stonetech, Japan
E-stonetech blends European traditional glass craftsmanship with Japanese techniques to create innovative products. Though originally a manufacturer of stone products established in 1969, the company transitioned to glass processing in 2012. Its expertise allows it to transform massive 10-ton stone blocks into any desired shape and finish, a skill it now applies to glass. This technique is used to create products like Le verre soyeux (silky glass) large-scale textured glass panels which uses recycled glass in the production process for unique depth and character. Virtually any shape can be created, smooth or curved, for both interior and exterior applications.
13. Frajt, Czech Republic
Frajt is a Czech Republic-based company. Initially focused on the construction sector and manufacturing veneered furniture, it has expanded its operations to include specialized production with new materials such as high-pressure laminate HPL and aluminum. Frajt has become a specialized supplier of sports interiors, wellness center interiors, and swimming pools, constantly seeking innovative solutions. Its Glass Wardrobe decorative glass panels with digital and ceramic prints uses ceramic printing on glass to produce luxurious wardrobes enclosures for wellness, spa, and hotel locker rooms.
14. GLASVETIA AG, Switzerland
Glasvetia AG offers all-glass construction services from a single source: planning, static calculations, advice, execution, and installation. Glasvetia AG knows the many possible uses of glass and can therefore respond to the individual needs, requirements, and wishes of builders and planners. It makes products such as Glasvetia glass panels with decorative embroidery which, interestingly, combines glass with textiles. Adding embroidery to the glass creates an interesting visual effect by interrupting its transparent appearance, and combine practical function with design to serve as privacy screens in meeting rooms or decorative surfaces on glass walls.
15. MAGNA Glaskeramik GmbH, Germany
MAGNA Glaskeramik is the manufacturer of glass ceramic, which has a translucent appearance that gives it a crystal-like brilliance when exposed to light. Polished glass ceramic emits a radiant shimmer and when treated, it has a unique texture and appearance. Its MAGNA Glaskeramik fully recyclable decorative glass line is produced in MAGNA Glaskeramik's factory in Germany from almost 100% recycled materials, including scrap material from the industry and bottle glass production, and is itself 100% recyclable, allowing these products to contribute to Green Building requirements such as LEED, BREAM, or DGNB.
16. OmniDecor glass design, Italy
Glass is the material Italy-based OmniDecor has been exploring since the company's inception. It makes DecorFlou decorative translucent etched glass via a process resulting from extensive technological research and production engineering which the company considers its most important cultural patrimony: a marriage between science and design. DecorFlou sheets are decorated with modern textures given by selective etching on one or both sides.
17. Amuneal Manufacturing Corp, United States
US-based Amuneal Manufacturing Corp produces products like Frankford decorative low-iron glass partitions, a system that was first launched in 2014 as a modular and movable wall system influenced by a fascination with vintage factory windows. In 2016, the design was retooled to create both freestanding architecture and special features within a space. Amuneal’s expanded offering includes standard doors available in hinged, pivoting, sliding, accordion and bi-fold configurations and a variety of new metal, glass and mullion/infill options.
18. LIKO-S, Czech Republic
LIKO-S is a Czech company specializing in interior solutions, including partitions, movable walls, and glazed systems. Established in 1992, it prioritizes innovation and sustainability in its products. With a focus on design flexibility and functionality, LIKO-S caters to diverse architectural needs worldwide, promoting modern workspace concepts. Its LIKO-Glass® decorative laminated glass panels uses laminated glass technology to create unique graphics and textures embedded in glass panels. Almost anything can be inserted between fine glass panes – graphic motifs, organic materials, color-tinted layers, high-tech films with digital blinds or references to businesses or hobbies, even materials like dried flowers.
19. Goldray Glass, Canada
Goldray Glass, headquartered in Canada, is a leading architectural glass fabricator. Renowned for custom decorative glass solutions, it offers innovative products like digital ceramic printing and laminated glass. Goldray Glass serves diverse sectors globally, emphasizing design versatility, durability, and environmental responsibility in its offerings. Its Dichroic decorative laminated glass with 3M premium grade polymeric film was developed to withstand the test of time and the challenges presented by weather conditions. By laminating film between two or more layers of glass, Goldray Glass produces a brilliant color shift through transmitted and reflected light, creating a striking color change that enhances any space.
20. Meltdown Glass Art & Design, United States
US-based Meltdown Glass Art & Design offers many specialty treatment options for glass products. Its Versicolor decorative glass with hand-applied vitreous enamels is manufactured through a process of hand-applying vitreous enamel paints that are fused into the glass as a part of the casting process. The result is a brilliant hand-crafted color that is rich in luminosity and very durable. Several color options are available and they can be applied to any of the company's cast textures.
21. Quidam, Italy
Quidam draws from 40 years of experience in the field of glass processing to develop products like CHORUS decorative glass with ceramic inks for privacy. This line represents a synthesis of visual privacy, resistance, solar control, aesthetics, safety, acoustic privacy, and structural load performance. CHORUS integrates different technologies to facilitate the creation of customizable glass solutions tailored to specific design requirements. The incorporation of special colored components ensures both uniformity and chromatic resistance. Through meticulous research into graphic decorations and the application of specific ceramic inks that fuse with the glass plate during the tempering process, CHORUS guarantees visual privacy tailored to individual needs.
22. HENRY GLASS, Italy
HENRY GLASS, an Italian-based company, is a manufacturer of high-quality decorative glass. It offers a wide range of glass products, including decorative panels, mirrors, and architectural glass solutions. HenryGlass printed, mirrored or sanded decorative laminated glass can be customized with different decorations and colors for great versatility and a variety of compositions and styles.
23. LEDGLASS, Spain
LightinGlass extra clear glass with LED illumination by LEDGLASS, a Spanish manufacturer, is an innovative product that presents extra-clear glass achieved through an acid etching process, creating a mesh of dots that captures and emits light from an LED strip. Suitable for façades and banisters, it combines functionality with decorative appeal, offering enhanced visual impact and customization through illumination. Ideal for projects requiring privacy, LightinGlass can undergo safety glass processes and is covered by a patent registration, showcasing its adaptability and versatility for various technical requirements and design needs, merging lighting and design seamlessly.
24. Nickel, Italy
25. Nanjing Flourishglass Company, China
Nanjing Flourish Glass Company is a leading glass manufacturer based in Nanjing, China. Specializing in the production of high-quality glass products, including tempered glass, laminated glass, and insulated glass, it caters to diverse industries such as construction, automotive, and home appliances with a commitment to excellence and innovation. Nanjing flourishglass laminated glass is manufactured by bonding two pieces of glass with one or more layers of Polyvinyl Butyric (PVB) films in between.
