Oakwood Estates meets up with Marilia Carvalho stained and fused glass.

As you approach the beautiful round windowed building, you really cannot begin to imagine the hidden treasures inside.

Originally the first village hall in Burnham (1912) and most recently home to graphic design business Marilia and her husband John have transformed but also managed to restore and show the true potential of this unusual building.

On entering you see Marilia’s workshop and gallery . Lost in a beautiful sea of colours each piece tells a story from Marilia’s heart.

When we asked Marilia about her inspirations she talked us through each piece one by one and it was a delight to walk through the gallery with her.

Marilia is named the ‘stained glass artist’ but in our opinion this is an understatement.

The workshop side has so much to offer, from grand bespoke pieces costing up to six thousand pounds to necklaces averaging at twenty pounds something for every budget to enjoy.

We even got a sneak preview at the Christmas decorations Marilia is working on currently.

Marilia also commissions abstract panels infusing fossils and minerals as well as traditional repairs .

A big part of this business is contracting out to churches, large stately homes and Marilia informs us that quite often people throw out windows that could so easily be restored and saved.

As we enter the courtyard Marilia has a fine example of this ,  a vintage frame containing a beautiful coloured glass with a mirrored backing reflecting the sun it really is a beautiful piece.

Marilia offers regular stained glass workshops and invite only pre views- should you be so lucky, however she also hosts a Christmas gallery open day and invites other artists including pottery and ceramics.