Baltimore, through the transoms
Unique stained-glass transoms add a personal touch to Baltimore rowhouses
Transoms, found above many front doors, have been used since the late 1800s as “an expressive way to create unique architectural details,” said architectural historian Amanda Gierke. Nowadays some homeowners are taking things to a new level with custom stained-glass creations.
Strolling through neighborhoods like Brewers Hill or Hampden, you can spot the state flag or crabs above rowhouse doors. You'll see transoms in classic patterns. And you may even find 3-D elements.
For the designers who inject such color and character, a resurgence of vivid transoms has meant their passion projects have grown from a hobby to a business.
“We were home-based for seven years and had such a large increase, we moved into a 3,000-square-feet space,” said Donna Terraza, owner of Terraza Stained Glass, a Baltimore firm that specializes in custom stained-glass windows and restorations.
Steve Baker, owner of stained-glass art company Wholly Terra in Hampden, saw transom interest pick up in the late 2000s. An avant-garde designer, Baker often incorporates three-dimensional elements and circles in his signature transoms.
“We love the person down the street creating something unique,” he said. “We want to be part of that.”
Local look
Riverside resident Matthew Perry, 30, wanted a window that showed his love for his state. “I've always stayed really local. I like Maryland culture and the people. I wanted something that showed I was a Baltimore boy,” he said. To that end, he commissioned a window featuring a Maryland flag and a crab. He said he loves it when the sun shines through the window in the morning and the colors of the Maryland flag are displayed on his floor and wall.
When Lynn Staggs, 51, moved to Canton from Chicago, she wanted to ensure her new home fit into the neighborhood. She felt a colored transom would help, and got inspiration from a vintage find. “I bought a 100-year-old window in Chicago at an antiques warehouse. It was originally in a brownstone, and I had it shipped down to Baltimore for restoration work,” she said. It was then installed as a full-sized window in her home, and Terraza replicated the pattern in the transom above her door.
Heather McPeters, 47, of Hampden had a clear idea of what she wanted when she decided to change her window. “I really like the change of the seasons. I like nature,” said McPeters. “I wanted my transom to be important to me.” To that end, she chose a design featuring colors that evoke the seasons, with circles in green, red and yellow hues.
When Cindy Cates, 65, moved into her Canton home two years ago, the transom was just plain glass. So she had a twin mission — bring the window to life and pay tribute to her mother. “My mother had always loved rooster paraphernalia,” Cates said. Her brightly colored window, featuring a rooster perched in the corner, accomplished both goals.
When Ankit Aggarwal, 35, and his wife, Alexis, first purchased their Fells Point house, they completely overhauled its interior. Installing a new transom was the finishing touch, and they thought carefully about what they wanted. Baker, of Wholly Terra, suggested something more experimental than what they had originally intended, and they decided to go for it. “It helps to make our house stand out, not in a showy way. I like that it's unique and so recognizable” Aggarwal said.
After they had finished a renovation on their Patterson Park house, Jake Brokaw,43, wanted to surprise his wife, Brigitte, with a dual birthday and Valentine's Day gift. “My wife owned the house since 1999, and hearts are her thing,” said Brokaw. So he had a transom featuring a large stained-glass heart put in above the door. The window frequently gets compliments from passers-by, Brokaw said. The only problem? It's a gift he'll never be able to top, he said.
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