The Amazing Light figures of Glensheen

It's hard to miss the unique designs of the light fixtures found in the various sprawling rooms of the Glensheen mansion. Many lights punctuate room designs or help blend the theme of the whole floor. While there are many to pick from, let's deep dive into my personal top 4 with an honorable mention to the infamous stairway banister light.

Written, designed, and photographed by Erin Moseman.

The Breakfast Room

The Master Bathroom

The Smoking Room

Marjorie's Room

The Breakfast Room

While the room itself was designed by John Bradstreet, this beautiful light fixture was created by the Minneapolis Handicraft Guild. A women-focused handicraft artisans group that focused on keeping machine-made products out of their selection of goods. They emphasized art education, creation, and sales. The guild was the first in the state to establish an arts school, which contributed to its sharp rise in popularity and notoriety.

The light fixture itself is a downward pendant design. The amber glass and floral ivy mirror the stained glass of the room itself. It's the only light in the very naturally lit space and is lit with low lumens. During the daytime, the light would be very ineffective in comparison to the enormous amount of light entering from the large windows along three of the four walls of the room. But at nighttime, it would bathe the green room in a comfortable, warm light. The light is one of the standout colors of the room, acting as a break from the greens.

The light stuck out to me for its beautiful color contrast, yet perfectly matched design. The room is decorated with plants, both living and within the motifs of the room, and this is reflected in the hanging light of the room. With how much natural light is being taken advantage of in the space, I find myself looking at this figure as purely decorative. While it does function as a light, it works far better as a focal point of the space.

Master Bathroom

A room bathed in white lets the few colored elements really shine through. Both light styles were created by the Minneapolis Handicraft Guild. The whole house is one of the guild's largest living collections of work. The one that really caught my eye is the twin lights surrounding the large mirror over the sink. The bulbs have no covering but remain low enough in lumens not to strain the eye. I love the way the lights shine and reflect off both the base of the figures attached to the wall and in the large mirror. The dark brass metal stands out as one of the only dark elements in the room.

The light attached to the ceiling of the room is an open bulb, but also has a radial crystal element gently directing the light towards the floor and away from the ceiling. It spreads a brighter light across the entirety of the room and helps the heightened ceiling effect created by the cornice protruding from the walls and the smoothed wall-to-ceiling corners. The Light blue color of the ceiling gives the room a subtle color scheme, which is matched in the towels used in the room. Nearly every other element in the room is stark white. The crystal shade refracts the light in a geometric pattern on the solid color wall, adding visual interest.

These lights seemed exceptionally simple for a master bathroom. The crystal light on the ceiling can also be found in other bathrooms of the house, but the brass fixtures around the mirror caught my attention. Being the only dark color in the space, it draws the eyes to the mirror. The way the light reflects against the polished brass base and mirror is profoundly beautiful. The warmer color gives life to the sterile white room.

The Smoking Room

One of the first rooms someone might see on the first floor, it stands out for its unique foreign style and stunning architectural decor. The light fixtures are no exception. Another room, built with the influence of John Bradstreet, shares similar elements with the Breakfast Room. Water lilies can be found throughout the room, but most notably on the lights. The lily motif lights hang in a chandelier style from the center of the room, and also line the walls as sconces across from the fireplace. The dark wood elements of the room were created from Japanese cypress wood treated in a special technique to preserve the texture and grain of the wood. This style of wood treatment is called Jin-di-sugi and was also used in the breakfast room.

The waterlily lights were created once again by the Handicraft Guild in Minneapolis. These lights, in particular, were made of hammered copper. The room is filled with thematic items and favored works of art by Chester, but the light fixtures themselves are also artworks on display here. Each light was handcrafted. Irregularities can be found within them, and no two lights are the same.

The warmth of the lights against the contrasting wood and paneling is what brought my attention to the lights. Upon closer inspection, I could see an opalescence reflected from the inside of the copper shade over the light. It created this almost oil spill coloration of the inner rim of the lights that was hard to pull my eyes from. I love how the rest of the room is really focused on pulling the themes from the walls into the items in the space itself. I especially appreciate the love given to a simple trash bin with painted lilies on its outer surface.

Marjorie's Room

While information on this simple yet beautiful piece was hard to come by, I couldn't help but add this to my list of favorites.

Two matching candlestick bases hold mock candles with bulbs on the ends of them sit on the edges of the mantle of the fireplace. There is a simple embroidered cloth that rests over the light, shading the intensity and illuminating the artwork on the fabric. I've never seen a light quite like these. There are a few other rooms in the house with similar styled lights, but the true simplicity of these sticks with me. With so many other intricate lights and ornamentation in the room. These felt so hidden in plain sight.

The Congdons truly filled their home to the brim with art, and not an inch of space was left behind. From the paintings, stair railings, and lights, everything in their home is truly special. The beauty of the light fixtures was not lost on me and stuck out on my journey through their mansion. The Emphasis on having as many handcrafted works within and part of their home as possible is an impressive goal they have achieved well. I can't wait for my next tour through. After learning so much about how so many elements came together is sure to present the house in a brand new light.

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