Todd Reed brings us this liturgical stage design incorporating home-made stained glass windows.
Todd started out with pink insulation foam from Home Depot and drew a pattern resembling an abstract stained glass window.
He created 5 windows (2 – 8′, 2-12′, 1 – 16′) and used an exacto blade to cut out each shape. After cutting out all 525 pieces he used gloss black paint to paint in all the frames and the front of the window. After letting them all dry, he hot glued crushed white voille fabric onto the back of the foam. then I took watered down paint, and painted in each of the panels from the back. When lit from the back with LED it looked like stained glass. The set cost $200 to make.
Why Stained Glass Works in Church Stage Design
Stained glass has been a cornerstone of church architecture for centuries, and bringing this aesthetic to your stage design creates an immediate sense of reverence and tradition. The interplay of colored light filtering through translucent panels transforms ordinary worship spaces into something that feels both historic and ethereal.
Beyond the visual appeal, stained glass-style backdrops offer practical advantages for modern churches. The colored panels diffuse stage lighting beautifully, eliminating harsh shadows and creating a warm, inviting atmosphere. Unlike solid backdrops, these translucent designs allow you to backlight them for dramatic evening services or rely on front lighting for a more traditional appearance.
The DIY approach using insulation foam makes this design accessible even for churches with limited budgets. Pink foam board from any hardware store can be transformed into something that looks like authentic leaded glass. The key is in the details—carefully cut shapes, clean edges, and the right paint combination to create that distinctive stained glass look.
Consider the theological symbolism as well. Stained glass traditionally told biblical stories to congregations who couldn’t read. Today, your stage design can evoke that same storytelling quality, reminding worshippers of the rich heritage of faith while creating Instagram-worthy moments that younger generations appreciate.
Related Designs
- Stained Glass Everywhere! – Massive 14-foot Easter stained glass panels using vinyl and cellophane for immersive worship experiences
- Stained Savior – Bold Easter stained glass design featuring foam board letters spelling JESUS with vibrant backlighting
- Fractured Glass – Modern geometric stained glass look using coroplast frames and colored film for contemporary spaces
- Faux Stained Glass – Another take on creating beautiful stained glass effects on a budget
- Light Boxes – Similar backlit panel technique for creating glowing stage elements
Pro Tips for Creating Stained Glass Stage Elements
Choose the Right Foam: Not all insulation foam is created equal. Pink Owens Corning foam is dense and cuts cleanly with a sharp blade. Avoid white beadboard foam—it crumbles and doesn’t hold detail. Buy extra because you’ll likely need practice pieces.
Invest in Quality Cutting Tools: A sharp exacto knife or craft blade is essential. Change blades frequently—foam dulls edges quickly. For intricate curves, consider a hot wire cutter which melts through foam smoothly without pressure.
Seal Before Painting: Foam can absorb paint unevenly. Apply a thin coat of white glue or mod podge diluted with water before painting. This seals the surface and gives you a smooth canvas for your colors.
Layer Your Lighting: The magic happens with light. Position LED strips behind panels for even illumination. Experiment with RGB lights to change colors seasonally—purple for Advent, gold for Easter, white for Christmas.
Looking for more stained glass stage design inspiration? Check out our complete collection of Stained Glass Stage Design Ideas, featuring detailed tutorials and budget breakdowns.
This looks awesome! Thanks so much for the detailed pics that really helped me understand how you did this project. I want to do some kind of stained glass look for our Christmas backdrop and this might be it.
Hey thanks tons for these photos. We went with something similar for our recent Christmas theme. Used tissue paper and just glued it to the back of the foam board. Worked really well!
Thanks for posting in such detail! Can you tell me how you connected the 2 panels together on the larger windows? Also, what kind of stand did you construct to support them?
~Kathy
Kathy – not sure how Todd connected his panels, but we used a thin piece of flat metal across the gap between the two panels and attached it with small bolts through each foam board. For the floor-standing panels, we used 2 x 4″ wood to build wooden L-shaped stands behind each panel. A couple screws kept the panel attached to the stand. Hope that helps.
Kathy, I am so sorry that I am just now seeing this…I was not notified of it…BUT, I simply took 1x2s and hot glued them down the sides of the foam. This created a rigid stand for me to use them as free stands instead of having to attach them to something. If you email me, I will send you pictures of the back of them with the stands!
Getting ready to build these this week! What a great idea!! I would love to see the pics of the back of them with the stands that you mentioned to Kathy. Can you send me a couple pics? Thanks so much for this great idea! It’s gonna really add to our upcoming service!
I would love photos of the back e-mailed to me!
Todd, our church is looking at doing this. I know this post is three years old, but I will take a chance and ask to see if you remember what thickness you used for your foam. I didn’t know if it was 1′ thick foam or 1.5′ thick foam. Also, I was wondering if you still had pictures of the back of the windows as to what the stands looked like to get them to stand up. Thanks so much, and that is an awesome idea you came up up!
can I get your a pic of the backs?
These are awesome, how did you get them to stand up?
love the windows–before we make them… Any chance you’re close to Clearwater, FL and would loan these to our church for the Lenten season?
Can you please email me how you made them stand up? Great design thanks for the idea!
Love this!! Would love to see the back of the finished product, please email me. Thank you!
These are amazing and I will be making these for Advent and want to get a start on them now. Could you please email me how you stabilized the panels and a picture of the back side if you still have them. Thanks!
Could you send me how the back of this art piece looks too……please!!
Were interested in building these for our production. Are you able to email pictures of they stood up? Also, what’s the longevity of these?
HI. We love this idea and the pieces created.Is the original person that submitted still active on this site? And/Or did someone else already make a similar set? We were wondering if we could borrow the set (we will cover shipping costs). I am with a nonprofit in NY and would only need this set for one night in June.
Thank you.
Thank you so much for taking the time to share and post this. I too would love a photo of how to make it stand up.
How did you make them stay stand up and what does the back side look like. We are looking at doing this for our colorguard show. Need to get them made by next weekend Jan 28, 2017… Can you email me what you used for a base etc….
This is wonderful! Any chance this “Stained Glass” set if available for rental? My church is located in Washington, DC.
Could I get a picture of the backs?
Hi, would you still happen to have the pictures of the back showing the stands?
Please email them to me. Thanks so much!!
We are going to start building these this week for the backdrop for our Lenton/Easter services. Can you tell me what kind of frame you constructed to get them to stand up and did you use a template for the actual “glass” design? Any guidance would be most helpful.
Hello. I am needing information on how they connect and stand on stage. My email is tvcloggers@yahoo.com
Love these! Can you email me the pics of the backs?? I would love to do this! Thank you!
I love this and would so appreciate photos of back as well as any detail such as thickness of foam you would be willing to share via email. We are interested in making these for our church advent season. Thanks kindly