The home was designed using concepts developed by German architects in the 1920s ("Glasarchitektur"). The views of the surrounding environment serve as the "wallpaper" in a house made entirely of glass ("I have very costly wallpaper," Johnson once quipped.
The Farnsworth House, which was designed by Mies van der Rohe, was another source of motivation for Johnson. The Glass House is home to a collection of pieces associated with the Bauhaus movement, including furniture designed by Mies.