SOUTHERN SPOTLIGHT

Chasing Rainbows
Inspired by her grandmother’s affinity for entertaining with colored glass, a native of the
Lowcountry returns to her roots to revive the vintage wares with modern flair.
by Elizabeth Bonner Czapski | photography by Catherine Hurt Photography

R
eady for a change after a
decade of practicing law in the
Washington, D.C., area,
Stephanie Summerson Hall found
herself dreaming in color. She recalled
Sunday dinners throughout her
childhood in Holly Hill, South Carolina,
and the splendor of her grandmother
Estelle’s spreads adorned with
kaleidoscopic glassware. Upon
realizing she rarely saw such vibrant
tablescapes these days, she set out to
bring them back, establishing Estelle
Colored Glass—a collection of
drinkware and cake stands
characterized by elegant silhouettes
and versatile hues.
“I remember my grandmother had
two china cabinets full of all kinds of
unique finds,” Stephanie says of Estelle’s
array of radiant glass accents. “It was
like her own treasure chest, almost like a
wardrobe. Whatever the occasion, she
could make it special.” With this heritage
in mind, Stephanie moved back to
South Carolina in 2010 to be surrounded
by relatives as her immediate family
grew. Nestled into their new home, she
began searching for colorful items to add
to her “forever collection,” similar
to her grandmother’s.
As she delved deeper into the mar-
ket, she discovered that such glass
was seldom made in America anymore,
and the kinds of pieces that she
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SO HOF
the fact that this is a dying art,”
Stephanie says. “We intentionally set
out to bring a revival to colored glass.”
She embarked on design development
and hunted for the perfect production
partner, eventually teaming up with
glass artisans at a storied factory
in Poland.
To test the waters, Stephanie
commissioned a pedestal cake stand,
refined yet fanciful and stunning in its
simplicity. Impressed by the
craftsmanship of the final product, she
soon expanded to stemware, and the
Charleston-based online business went
live in October 2019 with both products
in eight carefully curated shades. In the
short time since, they’ve added stemless
wineglasses, coupes, rocks glasses, and
decanters—all designed with the sleek,
striking profiles that have become the
brand’s signature. “I wanted to channel
fashion into a glass,” Stephanie says of
the overall aesthetic.
For the shape of the original
wineglass, Stephanie drew inspiration
from the silhouette of a ball gown,
aiming for “tall and majestic, very
bills.” Out this spring, a new collection
called Regal reprises these classic
goblets, gussied up with an ornamental
stem for a bit of extra glamour.
The same fashion-forward mindset
permeates an ever-growing roster of
colorways, from soft pastels to vivid
jewel tones and smoky neutrals. “I
approach [colors] with our glassmakers
by sending them pictures of dresses that
I love,” Stephanie says. Lavender is
based on an Elie Saab frock, while a
Gucci gown influenced Rose. Mixed and
custom sets appease clients who can’t
choose just one hue.
Stephanie believes the nostalgia
inherent in her wares is an important
draw and a big reason for the company’s
success, as customers often come to
her with their own reminiscences of
loved ones’ collections. “Before this,
whenever I saw colored glass, it put
me back at my grandmother’s house
automatically,” she says. “I think that’s
what it does for other people. I’m
thrilled to offer products that bring
back happy memories, that are going to
be part of creating memories and then

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sought could only be found by scour- dainty, and cosmopolitan with clean become heirlooms.”
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ing antiques vendors. “I was driven by lines,” she says. “It had to fit all those For info, visit estellecoloredglass.com.
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