Colored glass lighting means a pendant, wall sconce or lamp whose shade is made of tinted glass: green, amber, pink, blue or a mix of colors. Switched off, the glass works as a spot of color on the wall or above a table. Switched on, it glows in its own color. This guide sorts our colored glass lights by color, gives the real sizes from each product page, and explains the one detail that decides how much the color tints your room: whether the shade is open at the bottom or closed all around.
Open shade or closed globe: how much color reaches the room
Every colored glass shade glows in its color when lit. What changes from one light to another is where the rest of the light goes:
- Open at the bottom (the Ribbed Fluted Glass Pendant, the Small Colourful Glass Drum Pendant, the Flower Glass Pendant): the glass glows in its color while a brighter warm light falls from the open bottom onto the table or counter. You get color and a useful working light.
- Closed globe or lantern (the Swirl Glass Globe Pendant, the Candy Stripe Glass Globe Pendant, the Ribbed Glass Lantern Pendant): the whole shade glows and the light is soft and diffused, so the color of the glass colors the light itself. Best for mood and decoration.
- Wall sconces (the Ribbed Tulip Glass Wall Sconce, the Fluted Glass Sunburst Wall Sconce): the glass glows and warm light spreads onto the wall around it, so the wall picks up a tint.
The product page of the Ribbed Tulip puts it simply: clear and milky white stay light and airy; green, pink and amber add a warm tint to the whole wall.
Green, amber, pink and blue: what each color does
Green glass is the most common vintage color. It suits dark wood, panelling and kitchens, and it is offered on seven of the lights in this guide, from the emerald Scalloped Glass Globe Pendant to the small green drum.
Amber glass gives the warmest, most golden glow. The amber Fluted Glass Sunburst casts fine rays across the wall; the amber Ribbed Fluted pendant suits a kitchen island or a bar.
Pink, lilac and purple glass soften a bedroom or a nursery: blush pink on the Swirl Glass Globe, pink on the Ribbed Tulip, lilac on the Ribbed Glass Lantern and purple on the Flower Glass Pendant.
Blue glass reads cooler and more graphic: cobalt on the Cobalt Glass Bankers Desk Lamp, sky blue and deep blue on the Swirl Glass Globe, blue on the Ribbed Glass Lantern.
Our colored glass lights, with real sizes
| Light | Glass colors | Size | Light | Lighting area |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ribbed Tulip Glass Wall Sconce | green, pink, amber, milky white, clear | shade 12 cm (4.7 in) wide, total height 42 cm (16.5 in) | whole tulip glows, warm light on the wall | Not stated |
| Fluted Glass Sunburst Wall Sconce | amber, smoke grey, milky white | Ø 24 cm (9.4 in), height 24 cm (9.4 in) | rays of light across the wall | about 5–10 m² |
| Ribbed Fluted Glass Pendant | green, amber, clear | Ø 31 × H 15 cm (12.2 × 5.9 in), cord 150 cm (59 in) | glows + warm light down from the open bottom | about 5–10 m² |
| Flower Glass Pendant | purple, green, amber, clear | about Ø 30 × H 13 cm (11.8 × 5.1 in); green Ø 28 × H 16 cm (11 × 6.3 in) | petals glow, warm light down | about 3–5 m² |
| Small Colourful Glass Drum Pendant | orange, pink, olive, green, white (6 cap combinations) | Ø 15 × H 10 cm (5.9 × 3.9 in), cord 190 cm (75 in) | glows + brighter light down | Not stated |
| Ribbed Glass Lantern Pendant | green, white, lilac, blue, clear (tall); green (round) | tall 14 × 30 cm (5.5 × 11.8 in); round 25 × 23 cm (9.8 × 9.1 in); cord up to 180 cm (70.9 in) | glows all around, diffused | Not stated |
| Swirl Glass Globe Pendant | cream yellow, sky blue, blush pink, milky white, deep blue | Ø 20, 30 or 40 cm (7.9, 11.8 or 15.7 in) | whole globe glows, diffused | Not stated |
| Candy Stripe Glass Globe Pendant | yellow, red or green stripes on white glass | Ø 20, 25 or 30 cm (7.9, 9.8 or 11.8 in) | whole globe glows, diffused | Not stated |
| Scalloped Glass Globe Pendant | emerald green, milk white | Ø 30 cm (11.8 in), height 31 cm (12.2 in) | whole globe glows, warm light down | Not stated |
| Cobalt Glass Bankers Desk Lamp | cobalt blue | shade 26.5 cm (10.4 in) wide, height 36 cm (14.2 in) | light down onto the desk, glass edges glow | Not stated |
A quick sizing guide for colored glass
A row over a kitchen island. With the working rules from our dining table lights guide (about 20 cm between shades and 15 cm free at each end), three Small Colourful Glass Drums (Ø 15 cm) span 3 × 15 + 2 × 20 = 85 cm, so they need an island of at least 115 cm (45 in). Three Ribbed Fluted pendants (Ø 31 cm) span 133 cm and need at least 163 cm (64 in). More rules are in our kitchen island pendant lights guide.
Beside the bed. A Flower Glass Pendant lights about 3–5 m², enough for one side of a bed; the Ribbed Fluted, at about 5–10 m², gives more light for reading. Heights are covered in our bedside lamp height guide.
A hallway. One amber Fluted Glass Sunburst lights about 5–10 m², so a 10 m² hallway needs one or two.
Mixing colors. The Small Colourful Glass Drum and the Swirl Glass Globe product pages both suggest mixing colors in a row or a cluster. Keep one constant (the same size, or the same cap) so the mix looks planned.
For a comparison of glass shapes (globe, ribbed, fluted) see our glass pendant lights guide, and for wall versions our glass wall sconces guide. Stained glass, where many colors sit in one shade, has its own stained glass lamps guide.
Ribbed glass lanterns sit alongside silk and fabric ones in our guide to lantern pendant lights. For colored glass on a nightstand or desk, see glass table lamps, with the space each lamp takes.
Frequently asked questions
Does colored glass change the color of the light?
Partly. A closed globe or lantern glows in its color and softens the light around it. A shade that is open at the bottom, like the Ribbed Fluted Glass Pendant or the Small Colourful Glass Drum, also sends a brighter warm light straight down, so the table below stays well lit.
Which colored glass is best for a kitchen?
Choose an open-bottom shade so you get working light on the counter: the Ribbed Fluted Glass Pendant in green or amber, or a row of Small Colourful Glass Drums. The Candy Stripe Glass Globe is also suggested for a kitchen table on its product page.
Are these lights dimmable?
The product pages state "not dimmable" for the Ribbed Fluted Glass Pendant, the Flower Glass Pendant, the Small Colourful Glass Drum and the Fluted Glass Sunburst. For the others, dimming is not stated: message us before ordering if you need it.
Browse all our colored glass designs in pendant lights, glass wall sconces and kitchen island pendant lights.
