Meet Emma Britton: The Decorative Glass Designer to Know

 

We’re delighted to now stock the beautifully distinctive designs of Emma Britton at Mash + Mint. Known for her signature floral patterns and innovative use of glass, Emma blends artistry with practicality in a way that transforms everyday interiors into joy-filled spaces. Emma shares the story behind her decorative glass studio, the nostalgic roots of her work, and why flowers, function, and storytelling are at the heart of everything she creates.

Outdoor dining setup with table, chairs, and picnic basket in a garden.

What drew you to designing decorative glass in the first place?

I was really interested in glass as a medium, and during my training My business started back in 2010 having graduated from Loughborough University a few years earlier where I trained as a textile designer. I’d dabbled with glass as a material during my training, but really became a glass designer by accident. Textiles jobs were scare at the time I was looking, but a role came up in the glass industry selling back painted glass to architects and interior designers. After spending some time in the field, it was clear they wanted new and different options for their projects, sparking my creativity. I came up with the idea of applying floral patterns to glass splashbacks for a look just like wallpaper or fabric but with all the practicality needed. In doing so my flower splashbacks revolutionised the interior decorating possibilities for kitchens and bathrooms by creating something previously unseen and have never looked back.

When someone asks what you do, how do you describe your work in your own words?

I’m a decorative glass designer that is a self-given title because what I do is pretty niche! In a nutshell, I put pattern onto glass and specialise in designing and making beautiful bespoke decorative glass splashbacks for kitchens and bathrooms inspired by garden florals. I also design and decorate popular botanical inspired drinking glassware as well as make interior glass panels and mirrors to commission.

Hand pouring water from a glass carafe into a glass on a bedside wooden table.

What’s your starting point when designing a new collection?

I don’t follow trends, I create designs based on what inspires me, often florals found in suburban gardens. When I’m designing unique kitchen splashback collections Im always doing so with the thought this room should be decorated with personality like the rest of the home. Just because a kitchen is a functional space doesn’t mean they need to be sterile and bland. I love to bring colour and pattern into them with stunning results, and it’s great working with clients looking for something fresh and exciting. The shapes I choose for my decorative glassware are always purposeful with a durable crystal collection for longevity and everyday shapes people can use without worrying. My stemware is elegant but isn’t so fine it won’t ever see the light of day - I don’t want my pretty designs just saved for best, they’re created to be seen and enjoyed but of course serve a soiree beautifully too!

What’s a detail in your pieces that people often overlook, but you really love?

I create many of my designs in repeat, but the detail, energy and artistry I inject into them means the repeat isn’t always spotted - which I love as it surprises people - there’s always a new element to discover on turning a drinking glass in your hand or in one of my flower splashbacks. I often conceal creatures in my designs, for example the frog in my popular County Garden splashback or the butterfly hidden in my Meadow glassware design.

Two champagne flutes with floral patterns on a table outdoors.

Are there any design rules you always follow or always break?

The main one is that I come from a textile design background but work onto glass not fabric. It means my style has quite a lot of flow and movement about it, which is an interesting juxtaposition with the rigidity of glass as a material. I love being able to manipulate how glass looks and feels in interesting ways through the designs I encapsulate or etch.

Your collections seem to tell stories. Can you share the story behind one that’s especially personal or meaningful to you?

The seeds of my design style can be found in the garden of my childhood home in the suburbs that was always full of fuchsias grown by my grandfather. I just loved their shapes and textural qualities and always saw something special in them. It inspired my lifelong love of architectural flowers and the slightly nostalgic design aesthetic you see in my collections. My love of suburban gardens, rogue flowers popping up in unexpected places and natures original colour palette is still at the heart of my design aesthetic and always will be. I’ve been lucky enough to be able to build a career working from subject matter I love, that started way back then - ‘optimistically floral with a slightly retro aesthetic’ I like to call it.

Where do you find inspiration for your designs particularly your floral motifs and colour palettes?

I’m so inspired by a naturally occurring, contrasting colour palette such as blue hydrangeas in front of a painted yellow garage like you can see in my debut floral glass splashbacks for kitchens collection, Up The Garden Path. I take snaps of things I like ready for when I am back in the studio, and I’m often drawing traditional English garden flowers such as foxgloves, lupins, iris, fuchsias and hydrangeas.

Outdoor setting with wine glasses, a carafe, and fruit on a table.

Let’s talk process. How does an idea become a finished piece in your studio?

Everything I do is hand designed and I work with a variety of materials to develop my patterns for glass. However, my favourite material to use is paint - the colours offer vibrancy and range and are so flexible it makes developing ideas very natural. From initial paintings I move into designer mode and evolve them for my glass splashbacks and glassware that involves combining technical and artisan processes. My splashbacks are made in laminated glass and I’ve specialised in this process for nearly 15 years, honing my making skills through experimentation and technique. Working in-house means I can take risks with new materials and processes to capture inside the glass with stunning results. Offering matching floral glassware to complement my splashbacks helped me to create covetable design collections drawing on my textile design skills. In 2015 I started with some floral glass tumblers and they went stratospheric, so from then on I added more and more shapes and designs to my glass collection and it keeps growing.

You’ve collaborated with institutions like Kew Gardens and The RHS, what did those partnerships mean to you creatively?

It’s always an honour to receive such prestigious design commissions for glass collections. Creatively they push me in new directions and open the doors to ways of seeing, new colour combinations and design arrangements through the incredible gardens I have the privilege to work in.

Can someone commission a completely bespoke piece from you? What’s that experience like?

I absolutely love working on bespoke splashback design commissions with clients, it’s an opportunity to create something completely personal for them and their home. The experience is really flexible and enjoyable. I start by taking some pointers about their space, colours and inspiration and we talk about the possibilities. We work together throughout and I’m always checking in as the design evolves. The final result is a close collaboration of my innovation and flair for design and their individuality and is always so much fun for both of us. I really enjoy trade commissions too both interior glass and glassware collections, I love working to a design brief.

You balance beauty with practicality how important is function in your design choices?

Function is at the heart of all my product decisions, my designs aren’t trend driven but approached with the idea of timelessness for ongoing enjoyment not disposal come next season. Splashback projects I did when I founded the business still look as good now as when they were installed. My glassware shapes feel luxurious and elegant, but aren’t so delicate you don’t want to use them. I don’t want these pretty designs sitting in a cupboard, they’re designed to bring a little luxury to your everyday. A slightly thicker stem but still beautiful for decorative wine glasses and champagne flutes, for example, builds in longevity.

Wine bottle and glasses on a table with a blurred natural background

Your work often lives in people's homes, kitchens, and bathrooms, how do you want people to feel when they live with your designs every day?

People tell me my nature inspired splashback designs have made their house feel like a home so whether they’re in a kitchen, bathroom or bootroom they create a focal point that radiates throughout. I love that the characteristics in my work can create those familiar feeling, reassuring and homely interiors, grounding them with a spirit of place so they feel connected, settled and right. I want my splashback designs to be a catalyst for inspiring people - whether that’s to enjoy cooking in their kitchens or an excuse to make time for a bath. Decorating your home should be about filling it with things that bring you joy, not following design trends.

You're proudly made in Britain. Why is that important to your process and values?

The U.K has lost so much of its manufacturing and industry, it feels really special and important to be playing a small part in the modern production landscape. I love bringing together technology with artisan techniques in the studio and nurturing these creative skills here for the future with my team. Being a role model for other female entrepreneurs to take the plunge and do something they love in an industry they think might be closed to them is a privilege, and that it is possible to make a living doing something you’re passionate about.

Outdoor setting with a cake, flowers, and drinks on a table with a natural background.

What’s something people might not know about running a decorative glass studio?

That glass is actually a very durable material, it doesn’t break very easily, people are often scared of handling it but it can be really strong.

Are there particular homes or spaces where you love seeing your work installed?

I’ve had the honour of working in some splendid homes across the U.K but what pleases me most is getting the perfect design in the right place. Achieving a seamless look that simply brings together someone’s kitchen or bathroom and effortlessly brings them joy every day is a great feeling. Seeing the same design in multiple homes that might have very different styles and budgets but where it still works gives me a real feeling of success.

What’s next? Any collections or ideas quietly bubbling away that you can share with us?

I’m always innovating and you can never rest on your laurels or take anything for-granted when you’re running a business. I’m constantly looking ahead and taking on board what my customers say to make sure I’m always at the top of my game, offering products and looks people keep coming back too . My designs have a timeless quality about them and aren’t trend led so will always be original and offer something a little bit different.

Emma Britton’s work proves that practical doesn’t have to mean plain. Her designs bring charm, colour, and personality into kitchens, bathrooms, and everyday routines - pieces that don’t just decorate your home but make it feel more like you. We’re proud to now stock Emma’s collection at Mash + Mint and help you discover the magic of decorative glass, beautifully made in Britain.