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Decorative Window Film: How to Get the Look of Leaded and Reeded Glass (Without Replacing Your Windows)
The pocket doors leading into our study are one of my favorite views in the house. The large wood doors are beautiful and block out extra sound when closed, but the glass panes have always felt a little plain without an ounce of privacy built in. And if I can make anything feel a little more like us, I will. Replacing the panes doesn’t make financial sense, but I had another idea up my sleeve.
Decorative glass is having a real moment. Leaded panes, reeded panes, the rippled hand-poured kind you’d find in an old apothecary — these textured, character-rich windows are showing up everywhere, and for good reason. They quietly make a room feel collected, lived-in, like there’s a story behind it. Authentic decorative glass can be very expensive (sometimes wildly so), usually custom-ordered, and a real commitment. So when there’s a way to get the look without the contractor or the wait, I’m paying attention.
After the success of our peel-and-stick floor tiles with FloorPops, we started dreaming up more approachable ways to bring our moody, modern traditional style into everyday spaces. Through FloorPops’ sister company, WallPops, we created two decorative window film designs that add instant character to glass doors, cabinets, and windows. No contractor required!
Now, you can find our signature Chris Loves Julia style in two window film designs that I genuinely believe anyone can use to add character to their home at a price that makes it feel attainable.
And honestly? The second the samples arrived, I started putting them all over the house.
Let me introduce you to the new Chris Loves Julia x WallPops window film collection.
Meet Cora: Our Leaded Glass Diamond Trellis Window Film
Cora is inspired by the vintage diamond lattice pattern you’d find in old English manors and French country homes. It has the timeless look of traditional leaded glass: small repeating diamonds with a bevel that catch the light, soften the view, and make plain glass feel instantly architectural.
It’s the kind of detail that usually requires custom glass or sourcing antique panes and paying dearly for them.
I added Cora to the study pocket doors and genuinely couldn’t believe the difference. The doors already looked nice, but this made them feel like they had history. Like they’d always belonged here. It also added a soft blurring privacy through the “leaded trellis glass” (no real lead here!).
It was such a dramatic transformation that I immediately used the leftover film on our dining room transom windows too.
A quick tip: if you have two windows or panes right next to each other and you’re using a patterned film like Cora, make sure the diamonds line up vertically across the seam. You don’t want them offset from one another.
Meet Lewis: A Distressed Reeded Window Film
Lewis has the soft vertical lines of classic reeded glass, but with a slightly rippled, hand-poured texture that feels especially vintage and collected. Reeded glass is everywhere for good reason.
It adds texture and softness without feeling visually heavy. It obscures just enough to create privacy while still letting light through beautifully. Because of the subtle waviness in the pattern, Lewis offers a little more privacy than Cora while still feeling airy.
As I walked around the house looking for a place to use it, I realized it would be perfect on our glass-front kitchen cabinets.
The effect is subtle but transformative. It softly blurs what’s inside the cabinets without darkening them or making them feel closed off. Everything instantly looked a little more thoughtful and elevated.
How to Install Window Film
One of the best things about this decorative window film is how beginner-friendly it is. This is genuinely one of those high-impact DIY projects that almost anyone can do in under an hour.
You’ll need:
- Window film
- Spray bottle with water
- Soft-sided squeegee
- Razor blade or scissors
- Towels
Prep your space. If the glass you’re adhering the film to is set in wood, lay a strip of painter’s tape along the seam where the glass meets the wood as a barrier, and keep plenty of towels handy for excess water.
Remove the seal from the roll. Unpeel the top 5–6 inches, line up the film along a straight edge (top or side), and attach it to the top of your glass. Then lift the rest of the roll up and mist the pane generously underneath — when you think it’s wet enough, spray a few more times. That water is what lets you reposition the film. If you have enough water down, you can slide the whole sheet around instead of peeling up and starting over.
Unroll the rest onto the glass. Once it’s in place, peel up the top section that doesn’t have water beneath it and spray generously there too.
Smooth it out. Use a suede-tip squeegee or a window film application kit to push out the bubbles, working from the center toward the edges. Note: plastic squeegees can damage window film, so if that’s all you have, lay a hand towel or dish towel over it before smoothing.
Trim the excess. Use a brand-new razor blade in a box cutter (or another sharp edge). Align the top and one side with the factory-cut edges, and trim the other two.
Where to Use Chris Loves Julia x WallPops Window Film
- Sliding glass doors
- Windows
- Transom windows
- Door lites and sidelights
- Study or office doors
- Glass-front kitchen cabinets
- Pantry doors
- The outside of a glass shower
- Laundry room windows
What Makes This Window Film Special
- Designed to mimic the look of authentic reeded and leaded glass
- Easy peel-and-stick application using only water
- Removable and renter-friendly
- Filters light while reducing glare
- Adds instant character to plain glass
- Easy to trim and customize
- Bubble-resistant adhesive technology for easier installation
This is a category we’ve wanted to bring the CLJ aesthetic to for a long time. There’s something really satisfying about adding architectural character without a renovation. Both designs give that moody, collected, vintage-inspired look we love — and they go up in under an hour.
We genuinely can’t wait to see where you use them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is window film waterproof?
A: The window film is water-resistant, not waterproof.
Q: Can this go on exterior windows?
A: This can absolutely be used on exterior windows; we just recommend applying it on the inside of the window.
Q: Can this be used on shower doors?
A: Yes, just put it on the outside of the shower doors.
Q: Does this have an adhesive backing?
A: Nope, this unique material clings to your surface with just water. Meaning you can move the film from window to window with no sticky residue.
Q: Is this renter-friendly?
A: Absolutely, no sticky back and easy to remove.
Q: How much does it cost?
A: $24.99 per roll
Q: What tools do I need to get this installed?
A: Scissors for cutting the film roll down to the perfect size or a razor to trim excess. A squirt bottle for wetting the window before applying the film. It helps to have a soft-side squeegee to smooth the film, but that’s not necessary.
Q: Is this see-through, or does it provide some privacy?
A: Neither film is entirely transparent. Lewis provides more privacy than Cora. Cora is semi-transparent, but not totally see-through.
Q: How many rolls did Julia use for the study doors?
A: 2
