Glass partitions in the apartment (60 photos). Tiffany stained glass partitions in the room Use in different rooms

Lack of natural light in the home is a problem for many people. The reasons for this may be different: windows facing northwest, shadowing by other buildings, the prevalence of cold weather, or simply poor planning. To freely allow the sun's rays to penetrate into all corners of the home, glass partitions were invented. Along with high light transmission, they significantly save space, making the apartment spacious and stylish.

Pros and cons of glass partitions

Initially, glass partitions could be seen mainly in offices and shopping centers, but now they are increasingly appearing in residential design. At first glance, it may seem that installing such fragile structures at home is a risky undertaking, especially if you have children or pets. However, experts say that such fears are groundless: for interior partitions, durable tempered or laminated glass is used, onto which a film is additionally glued to prevent the scattering of fragments in the event of damage. More secure and cheap analogue- the so-called acrylic glass(plexiglass, plexiglass), essentially transparent plastic.

The advantages of glass partitions in an apartment are obvious: firstly, they take up much less space than brick or plasterboard partitions, while allowing light to pass through; secondly, they delimit space without cluttering or reducing the area; thirdly, they give the interior an ultra-modern, fashionable look.

Glass goes well with most finishing materials, but looks especially harmonious next to plain glossy surfaces: mirror suspended ceiling, polished parquet or perfectly smooth cabinet doors.

Transparent walls - The best decision for studio apartments, lofts and attics, decorated in a modern, industrial, and also Scandinavian style. However, with the help of special decor they can be played up in other design directions - from restrained classics to extravagant boho.

The installation of a glass partition does not apply to redevelopment, unless one of the internal ones is demolished first brick walls. By her own this design is considered an element of furniture, even if it occupies space from floor to ceiling and crosses the entire apartment.

Full-size closing partitions, especially multilayer ones (duplex, triplex), have good sound insulation and prevent the penetration of odors. Both glass and its plastic imitations They are resistant to moisture, mold does not grow on them, and any dirt can be easily washed off. It is eco-friendly and practical material, which, with careful use, will last for many years without requiring either repair or repainting.

Perhaps the only drawback of glass partitions is, again, their transparency. Not everyone will like the openness of their private rooms, especially if it's the bedroom or bathroom. In addition, penetrating light, for example from the living room, can interfere with sleep. To some extent, greater privacy can be achieved with the help of matte partitions, thick curtains or blinds.

Design features of glass partitions

Before choosing glass partitions for your apartment, it’s a good idea to find out about them. technical specifications. So, depending on the installation mechanism, there are stationary, sliding and mobile walls. Depending on the type of canvas, they can be reinforced or all-glass.

Stationary partitions They are firmly attached at the top and bottom to metal rails built into the ceiling and floor, respectively. As a rule, these are large and quite heavy structures, so all work with them must be carried out by specialists.

It is advisable to provide for the installation of a permanent glass wall at the renovation planning stage, and carry it out after completion of all other finishing work.

Sliding partitions Along with zoning the space, they serve as doors, and, if necessary, smoothly move to the side. Depending on the folding mechanism, it can be either a coupe system or an accordion.

Mobile partitions, as a rule, very light and compact. These can be portable plexiglass screens, folding structures, movable walls on wheels. Such interior additions allow you to independently change the layout at least every day, and they are also quite easy to transport from one rented apartment to another.

Reinforced partitions They look durable and stable due to the metal-plastic frames that fix the glass. They are less at risk mechanical damage, they do not rattle so much during sound resonance (loud sounds, thunderstorms, large vehicles passing under the house), and if one element breaks, you do not have to change the entire canvas.

All-glass partitions- a real decoration of a modern interior. Glass panels ranging from 2-3 meters in size create the impression of an expensive and trendy design.

The aesthetic side of the issue

In addition to functionality and practicality, glass has always been valued for its unique beauty. In terms of its qualities, this material is comparable only to crystals, while it provides a disproportionately larger field for creativity, creation interesting game light, textures and colors.

Transparent glass partitions they look so light and weightless that it may seem as if they are not there at all. The only hint of the existence of a barrier is the thin borders of the canvases or almost imperceptible frames around them.

Tinted windows protect from bright light and create a comfortable environment in adjacent rooms. This option is more suitable for warm regions and apartments located on the south side of buildings.

Frosted glass partitions hide rooms from prying eyes, allowing you to see only silhouettes. Moreover, their light transmittance can vary from 15 to 60%.

Fluted glass It has a voluminous texture, so it is usually thicker than transparent. Embossed elements refract light, causing the outlines of objects to be greatly blurred.

Sandblasting drawings on glass they resemble frosty patterns and they look just as fascinating. Matte illustrations on a transparent background (or vice versa) can decorate any interior; you just need to choose an image to your liking.

Stained glass- a whole art that has long been used to decorate luxurious palaces and religious buildings. So why not experiment with them in your apartment?

Glass block partitions can also look beautiful and modern. The inner wall of glass “cubes” is a stable and durable structure, as durable as brickwork.

Use in different rooms

Glass partitions in the kitchen/dining room

Many people refuse a combined kitchen-living room due to fears that the smell during cooking will spread throughout the apartment. A sealed glass partition with a tightly closing door easily solves this issue.

At the same time, the kitchen becomes more spacious, and the adjacent room becomes visually larger. You can also monitor what is happening on the stove from the living room without being distracted from watching the series.

Glass partitions in the bedroom

It is not always possible to separate the sleeping area from the guest area with a full wall, especially if it is a studio or small studio apartment. But all you have to do is install a glass partition - and the secluded corner is ready.

For greater privacy at night, you can close it with a curtain, blinds, or choose opaque glass (frosted, grooved, tinted).

The sunlight pouring through the colorful stained glass window is, you see, a stunning sight. Stained glass windows are associated with pomp and even monumentality, since stained glass windows most often decorate the buildings of museums and churches. Therefore, many people are sure that stained glass windows have no place in the interior of a residential building. In addition, it is generally accepted that stained glass is very expensive and clearly not designed for the average interior.

However, both of these are not entirely true. It's worth saying that stained glass in the interior residential buildings were used back in the 19th century, when the Art Nouveau style came into fashion. As for the cost of stained glass, modern technologies have made it possible to significantly reduce the cost of their production, which, of course, affected the price. Stained glass is not such a luxury these days as one might think. Moreover, there are pseudo-stained glass windows available to everyone.

Types of stained glass depending on manufacturing technique

Transparent pieces of glass, cut according to a pattern, are held together with a metal broach (partition). At the joints the broach is soldered. The result is a single structure made of glass and metal, and the metal not only serves as a frame, but also forms the outline of the lines of the design. This technique little has changed since the Middle Ages.

Stained glass windows made using the Tiffany technique are also called classic. The peculiarity of this technology is that copper foil is used to hold the glass together. The stained glass pattern is lighter, more elegant, and the outline is thinner. The Tiffany technique allows you to use smaller glass, so stained glass windows turn out to be openwork.

The surface of the glass, whole (pseudo-stained glass) or assembled from fragments, is painted with transparent paints.

The glass surface is covered with special colored films with an adhesive base.

The stained glass window consists of a group of glasses that have been sandblasted.

This stained glass window usually has a geometric structure. It is assembled from modules of almost identical size, which can be pre-processed using one of the techniques.

This stained glass window is created by baking multi-colored glass fragments or by incorporating foreign elements into the glass (for example, “baking” wire into the glass).

Transparent glass is taken, a pattern is drawn on it, and colored glass fragments are laid out in several layers. The composition is then placed in an oven heated to a certain temperature. In the oven, all layers are sintered and become one.

The basis is the ability of hydrofluoric acid to destroy glass. Using special stencils that protect glass from destruction, craftsmen create deep contours of designs of any complexity.

And that’s not all the techniques for creating modern stained glass! There are other interesting and original techniques. Thus, all stained glass windows are very different, and their prices can vary significantly.

It is interesting that stained glass, originally invented by man to fill window openings, today it performs its main function less and less often. Various decorative elements from stained glass windows in the interior are much more popular. First of all, these are various accessories made using stained glass: for example, boxes, lamp shades, screens, etc.

Becoming increasingly popular doors with stained glass. In general, today it is very common to sell interior doors with a variety of glass inserts. Various techniques Glass treatments transform ordinary interior doors into a real work of art and elegant interior decoration.

Stained glass for doors is maximally protected (for example, thanks to the triplex technology), and although they look very fragile, in fact there is no need to worry about their reliability.

Interior doors with stained glass create stunning effects associated with the play of light. In addition, they set the tone for the entire interior, making it gloomy on one side and ceremonial on the other.

In those interiors where stained glass windows are used, especially interior ones (whether doors or partitions), a certain mystery reigns. Still, associations with Gothic churches and ancient museums make themselves felt.

Stained glass partitions, stained glass walls and screens in the interior

Stained glass partitions are less common than interior doors with stained glass, but this design technique is also attracting increasing interest.

Like any glass wall, it is light, even airy. This is especially important when the goal is not to isolate one space from another, but only to separate them. Firstly, thanks to the transparency of the partition, the rooms seem to flow into one another. Secondly, the “two-sidedness” of such partitions introduces a common element into both spaces.

Stained glass partitions look great in spacious rooms filled with light - both natural and artificial. Stained glass partitions allow soft colored light to pass through during the day, and in the evening, when the lamps are turned on, the partition itself becomes a kind of “ lighting device”, pouring light into a darker space.

Beautiful and so unusual pieces of furniture with stained glass. For example, stained glass glass can be a display case for a living room or inserts into facades kitchen furniture. You can and even need to support the stained glass theme with stained glass accessories: lamps, decorative items (for example, vases), a chandelier, etc. You can also make stained glass glass doors sliding wardrobes. You can also order mirrored pseudo-stained glass windows for the wardrobe.

Stained glass in the interior for wall decoration

Stained glass picture or stained glass panel

These elements do not carry any practical functions, but they become bright interior decoration. Stained glass paintings are suitable for spacious hallways, living rooms, and formal dining rooms. Stained glass paintings and panels, as a rule, are made to order for a specific interior, so they fit perfectly into its theme, making the room festive and elegant.

Stained glass for niches and other complex structures

Various niches and projections are still relevant. However, volumetric wall structures made of plasterboard, plywood, etc. have become so widespread that it is difficult to surprise anyone with their design.

The shapes are repeated, but the use of unusual materials allows you to create something extraordinary. Stained glass windows will also help with this. Internal walls The niches can be covered with a stained glass screen behind which there is lighting. A stained glass niche with light pouring through can make an impression.

If a niche is mounted to create a false window, stained glass will come in handy here too. But in any case, backlighting is needed - the false window will then sparkle and become the most realistic.

Stained glass in the interior: ceiling

A few centuries ago, stained glass ceiling lamps were popular in Europe, which decorated not only the premises of theaters, museums and expensive restaurants, but also residential buildings. True, only rich people could afford such luxury.

Today this pleasure is also not the cheapest, but quite affordable, especially if we are not talking about Tiffany stained glass windows. There are reliable ceiling structures (frames) that allow you to hold sheets of almost any material on the ceiling: metal, wood, mirrors and, of course, glass.

Film or painted multilayer pseudo-stained glass windows are most often used for production. Essentially it's just glass dropped ceilings with painting, but what an effect! Of course, a completely stained-glass ceiling in an apartment will not always fit into the interior, but small ceiling structures with stained-glass windows look very original. Between the base ceiling and suspended structure Of course, it is very advisable to install lighting so that the stained glass window opens in all its glory.

Color and style of stained glass in the interior: how to choose

You can choose any ornament and any theme. Some people prefer narrative stained glass windows in the interior on a household or even religious theme. Of course, such stained glass windows are only appropriate in luxurious interiors in the Art Nouveau, Neo-Gothic style, etc.

For niches and false windows Landscape themes with realistic mountains, ocean beaches, and rainbow skies are often chosen.

Particularly popular for interiors residential buildings stained glass windows with floral theme, repeating motifs from old projects of the late 19th and early 20th centuries in the Art Nouveau style. Such floral stained glass windows will look great in interiors in the art nouveau, art deco, neoclassical, and avant-garde styles.

It is also successful to use them in themed interiors- floral, English, Scottish, etc.

Classic stained glass windows in the Tiffany style suitable for interiors in almost any style, with the exception of ultra-modern, minimalist, technical ones.

In modern interiors you can use stained glass windows made according to one of latest technologies, with geometric patterns and plot painting on a suitable theme (for example, an urban plot).

When choosing stained glass for your interior, you need to take into account not only the style of the room, but also the prevailing colors. It is worth turning to those colors that are present in furniture, decor, textiles, so that the stained glass window does not stand out too much from the overall picture.

Stained glass in the interior: in what rooms is it appropriate?

Almost all of them. - it's fashionable today. The shelves and doors of bathroom furniture are made of stained glass. You can also find stained glass and pseudo-stained glass bathroom accessories in stores. If there is a window in the bathroom, it is often made of stained glass. Well, if there is no window, then they create a stained glass false window with lighting.

According to many, they are the most appropriate. Here you can make a stained glass half-partition, install a showcase with a stained glass door, or order a stained glass screen for the fireplace. The stained glass picture will become dominant decorative item. Of course, you should not use too many stained glass elements in one room - two or three matching items will be quite enough.

Can be used: these, as already mentioned, are stained glass inserts in kitchen facades, stained glass chandelier or sconce, ceiling structure with pseudo-stained glass (for example, above work area or over the island).

Small stained glass panels can be made from small colored glass. You need to make a pattern out of the pieces of glass, then solder them with tin, using lead wire for the “frame,” that is, to connect the pieces of glass.

Easiest way to do it at home pseudo stained glass, using dark nitro paint for the contours of the picture, and special stained glass paints to fill the contours and the rest of the space. It is better to take textured glass for stained glass.

You can use special paints for painting on glass to paint windows and mirrors. To do this you will need stencils, brushes, paints and a little patience. The glass must be removed and placed on a flat horizontal surface - only in this case can a neat painting be obtained.

If you want to make a painting on already installed windows, it is better to use special self-adhesive films for stained glass (English technology). Translucent color stickers are available, so you don’t even have to cut out the ornament yourself.

Well, for activities with children there are creativity kits - plastic stencils for stained glass with clear depressed or convex contours, which are filled with safe stained glass paints. By choosing suitable stencils, you can make a stained glass (pseudo-stained glass) window in the nursery.

Real stained glass for large surfaces, which make up the interior design elements, of course, should be ordered from professionals, fortunately in our country there are now many stained glass workshops that use the most different techniques: from the classic Tiffany technique and fusing to painting on solid glass.

Once upon a time, only temples and cathedrals were decorated with such paintings made from colored glass, but since the 19th century, along with the Art Nouveau style, stained glass windows also came into the interior of residential buildings, firmly settled in it and became a method of creating unique design dwellings.

It is a mistaken belief that stained glass windows in the interior are appropriate only in huge mansions; they have no place in an apartment. And this pleasure is very expensive. Modern technologies make it possible to make the production of stained glass windows affordable, placing them harmoniously in the interior even small apartment, On the contrary, here stained glass windows - in the kitchen, bathroom, hallway - will become a means visual expansion space.

Apartment interior with stained glass

Initially, stained glass was carefully selected pieces of glass connected to each other metal partitions, creating the outline of the pattern and serving as a frame for the glass. This is how stained glass was made in medieval times, and this technology is still used today.

This is a classic stained glass window. In addition to this technology, other types of stained glass are distinguished in modern design art.

• Painted. A pseudo-stained glass window, not made up of individual fragments, but painted with special paints inside a three-dimensional contour. Then the drawing is covered with a fixing compound. Its advantage is that it can be produced quickly, is affordable and provides great opportunities - you can create any pattern to suit the style of the room, which is why it is one of the most popular types of stained glass.
• Sandblasting. It is created by sandblasting glass and is more often used for the facades of sliding wardrobes, interior doors, and partitions.
• Mosaic. This type of stained glass is similar to the classic one, the difference is that the pattern is laid out from pieces of glass of the same size.
• Fusing. To create it, colored glass fragments are baked; in addition, small foreign particles can be included in them - for example, pieces of wire.

Design of a room with stained glass

Colored stained glass in the interior

In addition to these, it is necessary to highlight etched stained glass, which is based on the ability of hydrofluoric acid to burn through glass. Thanks to this, you can create deep contours, and the drawing turns out voluminous. Stained glass is painted in the same way as painted glass.

Important! A variant of classic stained glass is called Tiffany style. For such mosaic designs, copper foil is used, due to which the outline becomes thinner and the design becomes more elegant. Tiffany stained glass windows allow the use of even small glass, so they are more openwork and light.

Stained glass also includes the film type - the simplest and cheap way create an imitation of stained glass painting on transparent surface. The glass is simply pasted over with multi-colored elements cut from an adhesive-based film. The outline is applied with special paint.

Various types of stained glass differ in the complexity and cost of work and the materials used, but all of them allow you to create a unique interior.

Apartment interior with stained glass

Interior design of a room with multi-colored stained glass

Unusual stained glass window in apartment design

Stained glass in the interior

Initially, decorative stained glass windows were invented to fill the window opening. Today, not only windows, but also doorways and niches are decorated with glass mosaics; they are also used to create decorative items - lampshades, decorative screens, boxes and vases are created by craftsmen using stained glass techniques.

If we talk about the interior decoration of the home, then the most popular places of application are stained glass technology are:

• window openings - completely or partially;
• doors;
• ceilings;
• niches in the room.

Stained glass windows will be appropriate in any room - they can be placed in the bedroom or living room, as well as in the bathroom or hallway. Only their functional purpose can differ: if in the dining room and nursery they are intended to become an element of stylization, then in the bathroom and hallway they can also have a practical function - to close the room from the view of prying eyes.

Design of a room with stained glass

Colored stained glass in the interior

Window stained glass

Stained glass in the window is more appropriate for country house, mansion. Agree, in a multi-story reinforced concrete tower such a design somewhere on the 10th floor level will look ridiculous, but a private house such a design will make it noticeable against the background of other similar ones. Stained glass windows in the interior will decorate not only the classic style, but also:

• avant-garde;
• neoclassicism;
• modern;
• Art Deco.

English and Scottish designs will successfully complement stained glass windows country houses. Floral, landscape scenes, sea spaces - themes for decorating houses in modern styles.

A continuous light belt of bay windows visually expands the room, and a stained glass window in light colors will create a special play of light. It is difficult to decorate a room with such windows with curtains: stained glass windows will only slightly muffle the bright daylight and hide what is happening inside the room from prying eyes. Decorated with stained glass paintings adjacent to the house will look interesting. closed veranda With panoramic windows. Small pieces of glass will create an indescribable atmosphere of something mysterious, magical and at the same time cozy.

If you want to recreate the decoration ancient castle– Tiffany styles and fusing allow you to transform Vacation home V medieval dwelling– stained glass windows with arches will ideally complement the stylization, and not only interior decoration, but also the exterior of the house.

Important! It is worth making stained glass windows in rooms where there is no such high requirements to illumination. In the office, for example, it will be dark. The need to strain your eyesight and use artificial light sources while working will become annoying. And in a bright, spacious living room or bedroom, such windows will not cause discomfort.

Apartment interior with stained glass

Interior design of a room with multi-colored stained glass

Unusual stained glass window in apartment design

Doors with stained glass

This is the most popular way to use stained glass in the interior. Interior doors become a means of stylization, a unique decorative element. In addition, they are a way to hide from prying eyes what is happening behind the door, for example, in a bedroom or children's room, saving the owners from the need to install a solid door.

In a nursery, a stained glass pattern on the door can become a continuation of the fairy-tale theme chosen for the decoration of the walls: the windows of a princess’s palace in a girl’s nursery, or the porthole of an underwater bathyscaphe or spaceship- in the boy's bedroom. The avant-garde style in a teenager's room allows pieces of multi-colored glass inserted into the doors, arranged in a certain order or chaotically.

Doors with stained glass painting will decorate the interior in classic style. Properly selected scenes will complement the Mediterranean and Oriental living room designs.

Design of a room with stained glass

Colored stained glass in the interior

Stained glass ceiling

If several centuries ago glass mosaics were often decorated high ceilings rich houses, theaters, now this design is becoming popular again, and not only for styling public institutions - restaurants, theaters, hotel lobbies, but also in residential buildings. Modern technologies make it possible to securely fasten sheets of glass at any height. If you properly install lighting between the main and suspended stained glass ceiling, the effect will be simply amazing.

Important! You can make transparent stained glass not the entire ceiling in a room, for example, a living room or bedroom, but only a part multi-level ceiling– it will make no less an impression.

Apartment interior with stained glass

Interior design of a room with multi-colored stained glass

Unusual stained glass window in apartment design

Decorative stained glass

Stained glass windows in the interior are often used not for practical purposes - to close a window or doorway, but for purely decorative purposes. For example, an irregularly shaped stained glass panel in a wall niche will make the room cozier and brighter; you can also use a picture of small pieces of glass to visually add light to a dark hallway - all you need to do is place a couple of stained glass panels on the walls.

False windows with a stained glass insert will look impressive, for example, in a bathroom. The window in this room is a new trend, and its absence can be compensated for by an imitation glass mosaic. You definitely need to illuminate the false window from the inside, this will add realism, and the stained glass window will sparkle in a new way.

Design of a room with stained glass

Colored stained glass in the interior

In the spacious living room mosaic panel will create the impression of festivity and pomp. It can be placed on one of the walls, or using this technique you can build a partition that zones the room. It will be successful to use such zoning of the living room combined with the kitchen if total area sufficient. You can replace the part of the wall separating the living room from the hallway with a stained glass partition.

Designers recommend such partitions as a unifying element of two adjacent rooms - they seem to flow into one another, while zoning the space and filling both rooms with light. When the lamps are turned on in the evening, a magical atmosphere is created - the stained glass window casts light from the illuminated room onto the dark area.

Apartment interior with stained glass

Interior design of a room with multi-colored stained glass

Unusual stained glass window in apartment design

Stained glass and furniture

Furniture with stained glass – perfect solution for many styles. Cabinets with stained glass fronts would be appropriate in the kitchen, display cases for dishes in the living room, cabinet doors and dressing rooms in the bedroom and hallway. Mirrored pseudo-stained glass or sandblasted glass is often ordered for sliding wardrobes.

A light screen with stained glass inserts can become a decorative item in the bedroom. Its purpose is more decorative, although it can cover part of the space of the room without affecting the illumination of the hidden area.

Original, stylish - mosaic tabletop for a small coffee table. Shelves and cabinet doors in the bathroom are another use of mosaic technology. Such items are used to create exclusivity in the interior.

Design of a room with stained glass

Colored stained glass in the interior

Stylish things

Stained glass in the interior is not only huge windows and door inserts. The decoration will be complemented by lamps with mosaic lampshades, boxes, and vases made using this technique. A frame framing a wall mirror will enliven a small hallway, just like a stained glass one coffee table in a spacious hall.

The main thing is not to overload the space; it’s better to have a few such objects, but they will become an element of the design and will be combined with it according to color scheme so as not to stand out from the general decoration of the home. The choice of technology will depend on the design of the room: classic stained glass should not be used in modern high-tech, minimalism, loft styles. But that doesn't mean that glass mosaic and modernity are two incompatible things. Geometric patterns, suitable themes and modern decoration technologies will help you create an unusual and cozy home, distinguished by exclusivity and originality.

Video: DIY stained glass

There are many design methods design of living space. Stained glass partitions, made in various technologies, can not only divide the room into several zones, but also become an effective addition that emphasizes the sophistication of the decor. The main advantage of such products is the fact that, by transmitting light, they create the effect of airiness and lightness. In addition to utilitarian functions, the products effectively decorate the room, creating an elegant play of light and glass.

Stained glass partitions to order inexpensively in Moscow

By contacting the Stained Glass-Diamant art workshop in Moscow, everyone has the opportunity to order amazing external aesthetics exclusive types of stained glass. Among the current options, the most popular are stained glass partitions, which organically combine luxurious decorative effect practicality and functionality.

Types of stained glass partitions by technique:

From us you can order products obtained by processing, made using unique technology or decorated by hand. In addition to premium collections, we can offer our clients budget solutions with technology or . Stained glass partitions, regardless of your choice and price range, have the following advantages:

1. Good service life;
2. Sustainability decorative elements and the entire structure to mechanical stress, the influence of sunlight and moisture;
3. Easy to care for;
4. Acceptable noise insulation coefficient;
5. Variety of design solutions.

Our capabilities

The modern material and technical base of the Stained Glass-Diamant company, as well as the use of advanced equipment, in combination with innovative technologies, allows you to efficiently and quickly produce any types of stained glass partitions:

1. Stationary. Fixed structure that performs a function load-bearing wall, will become best option for small rooms;
2. Sliding. The perfect solution for the living room or kitchen;
3. Screen. Model with high degree mobility, will be an effective addition to a residential apartment or office space to create a special atmosphere;

You can evaluate the benefits of the services we provide in Moscow in person by visiting our representative office or placing an order on the website, by phone or e-mail