If its big enough i would turn it into a tv alcove. Or put some lights in there and make it a cool display!

I think a floorplan or another photo would help because I don't know where this is in relation to the rest of the space.

I think it needs something rather tall on that wall. Maybe a great chair with a tall back and a side table.

Then put a nice collection of books and sculpture/ vases. Think big in scale- NOT a collection of several small items. You could even lean a painting or a framed photograph (again, watch the scale) and mix it in with some vases.

Not sure this would be allowed since it's a rental, but I see a lightbox! Install a few bulbs, cover with frosted glass, mica, or some other translucent material. You could even cut some interesting silhoettes to place behind it. It would be functional art.

I second Laura's comment - tho I'd be sure to add lighting and the table below could be a console/dresser to act as your landing strip...

Agreeing with the idea of displaying a collection or books.
That space is *way* too high for a TV.

I am visualizing an aquarium sized to fit with some sort of low maintenance pet - plastic iquana, turtle?

What a bizarre space and the level? What in the world was this about? You can't paint but apparently you CAN modify the sheetrock to your heart's content!

Seriously - place a console table in front of it with a lamp. Hang a big picture. And then fill that space with large interesting vases.

Nevermind - I am checking out the ceiling height in relation to the doors. You can't hang anything but maybe a row of interesting ceramics or framed series of art.

I think you should fill it with low-light, colorful plants! And maybe a sculpture or two.

I like the idea of anchoring it with a big piece of furniture - you could get away with something wide and leggy like this console from Pottery Barn (not that I'm saying buy that one, but size-wise you see what I mean) with a pair of tall lamps or vases at either end. Then I think I would use the alcove as an art display shelf, layering things of different sizes and shapes and colors. You might even be able to put a tiny lamp in there for some light, especially since you have power. Or hide some rope lighting behind things to backlight the space.

Yes, the space in front needs something -- chair, table, bookcase, desk, lamp....

as for the actual alcove: plants, flowers, personal altar, "frame" for a collection of largish objects....

Never too deep for a bookshelf! Just cut a 2x4 (or 2x whatever it needs to be to get the depth right) the lenght of the alcove, place against the back wall and use it as a "stop" for your books.

I also like the light shelf idea. My only concern would be seeing the cord going from the lighting down the wall to the outlet.

OR use it as a display shelf.

i think i see an electrical outlet within the alcove, so i would plug in a strand of white lights (on a white cord). find boldly sized glass pieces(either all clear or a mix of colors) at flea markets, target,CB2 or pier one or similar....place in front of the casually strewn white lights, allowing the light to be scattered and refracted by the glass pieces. (target had delicate, hand blown glass fish.)

another choice, buy 3 or 5 stretched canvases that will fit in the space, and create your own paintings or collages. choose canvases that are stretched on thick wood strips, and they will stand on their own.....paint the wrapped edges. light alcove with hidden LED lights (IKEA?).

What about a set of tall votive candles, in a variety of sizes? Or even putting like a small tapestry.

fishtank!

Hide it behind floor-to-ceiling curtains, then use it for storage. :)

~Q

What about colorful glass pieces ala Jonathan Adler at the parker?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/laphoto1/1273871430/

a collection of vintage world globes would be perfect - big enough to see and entertaining.

It NEEDS a backlit sculpture.

what an inspirational alcove! do something fun with it rather than just putting up pictures/vases/candles. what about a modern fake fireplace?

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ny/heat-cold/spark-fires-linear-burner-046451

whatever you do, make sure it's lighted up from the back part of the alcove

A lot of enthusiastic ideas here, but few have considered the awkwardness of its height. A console table in a dark color, decorated with tall objects, will keep the eye low. Then fill the alcove with some smaller objects in the same style, and maybe some books.

Or, if you have a lot of books, fill the entire alcove with them and put a narrow desk below.

Fit a mirror inside it, and then place interesting objects/vases with flowers, etc. infront of the mirror?

Do *not* put tall candles in there, at least not if you mean to burn them -- they will scorch the top of the alcove and be considerably worse than painting.

Measure the alcove size, get a canvas stretcher frame made up to fit just inside that space, stretch canvas onto it, and paint it a single, bold color -- whatever you like -- and put the canvas at the back of the alcove in lieu of painting. Then display a small collection of all-white sculptures in front front of the canvas for a nice reverse-silhouette effect.

You could store a nice selection of French & Italian wines up there, 2 bottles deep. Choose interesting labels. Under the alcove you should get a 1970's rec room bar with two stools and have some friends over.

Bar!

Fill it with books and be done with it.

Don't you have a collection of any sort? Pottery? Antique toys? Vintage spools? Danish peppermills? It would be a great display case. I agree with the suggestion of putting in some light, too.
Beneath the alcove a simple cabinet or a buffet or dresser with a lamp would do the trick, balancing out proportions and giving you some storage.

well you could stick a wine rack, like the person above me said, or back light sculptures or something. You could put a bar or something under it.

A row of candles inset in tall (or varied height) glass hurricane candle holders would make this a pretty feature.

I'd personally put some indirect lighting in there so that you just see the light but not the source of it...

...then I could imagin to put any collection in there for example. such as
-vases in colored glass (they'd go well with the indirect light)
-framed photographs that lean onto the back wall. in several layers maybe
-any decor items...

but i'd also get a tiny telly in there. i have a tiny one and i love its tinyness more than any wide screen comfort. but that's me and my thing for vintage 70s gadgets and my bohemian style...

good luck, show results! it seems to be a nice place.

or get a custom sized fish aquarium for this spot. ha!

This appears as definitely a decorator/showy part of the space.
Not boring stuff like book storage in the alcove.
Artsy: make it a showcase for a few things.
Your rotating collection of favorite things of the moment.
Console table, with a chair out front maybe?
Maybe try putting IKEA string of puck lights (with dimmer) under the top;
or even from the bottom shining up?!
( careful with candles in here though)
Have fun with it.
Kind of a cool feature.

or hang a large painting over the entire wall and use the alcove for hiding secret stuff or any bulk...

Consider this:

Mount a flat panel television on the wall underneath it... The alcove can serve as storage for the entertainment center - maybe install sets of shelves inside which are big enough to house your cable box, stereo, dvds, video game unit, whatever you have...

A long skinny mirror might be nice, with some candles in front. You could probably have the mirror customized to the exact dimentions, if you wanted.

If it was me, I would place a mirror at the back, place a few lights inside or a string of lights to provide some lighting, then put some plants or awesomely shaped items on the shelf. OR! If you can find a bunch of really pretty colored bottles, vases and glass pieces, they could be arranged to provide a pretty bright, colorful and cheery art piece! :)

I was thinking fishtank at first.... but I feel like that would be the typical answer ( not that it's a bad thing!).

I would try and collect colorful bottles, jars, etc ( preferably of the same shades) and light them from behind.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/132/362520569_6b87456951_m.jpg
or maybe this?
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/211/495777366_25efa22d91.jpg?v=0

a branch with a nest

I'd put some colored vases up there - add some color. It's all white and you can't paint, so throwing a red vase, maybe some brown in there - would look great.

No candles. Candles will not be safe to light there, and when candles are placed where they're not safe to light, it makes them look disconcerting.

Backlighting will be nice. How? Well, get some translucent white plexiglass and install it enough inches from the back to accommodate the depth of the light, which should probably be inexpensive flourescent lights, but with a bulb in a color that looks good in the room; keep in mind that "daylight" is blue-ish; "soft light" or whatever is (methinx) pinkish, and the other kind is kind of yellow?

Once you have that back-lighting in place, there might be some kind of plant (if you're good with plants) like some ivy or something, possibly in a matching row. Otherwise, some interesting sculptural pieces, whether they're vases or busts.

Mirror across the back, small light - like a globe light , plant - i.e. the kind that goes downwards, a vase a, a colorful object you love and a console table that is tall or a thin bookcase against the wall. Just don't clutter it up with too much stuff. Alternative to mirror - get a piece of wood cut to size of opening and paint it any color you like! Hard to understand where it fits in room and other furnishings based upon the mirror.

I LOVE the bar idea! Have a mirror cut (it is cheap!) and antique the back of it to make it look like it has been there forever.

i like the idea of vintage spools
or a showcase for a collection
or coloured glass pieces

or actually the branch and nest. i can imagine that looking really cool mounted from the side disecting the space.

or maybe some kind of string art?
ala
http://www.miamiartexchange.com/miami_art_articles/miami_art_articles_2008/interview_with_aili_schmeltz.html
or what about a wire and then clipping pictures all the same size on it, like a picture clothesline?

or an abacus with coloured plastic disks?
http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Millefiori-GLASS-7-X-10mm-Abacus-beads_W0QQitemZ220218442446QQihZ012QQcategoryZ146297QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I would paint it either a deep rich color or a vibrant color and put (3) modern planters with grass in it. It could be real or fake grass. I think it would be a clean modern mix with an older apartment.

Traditionally, you would put your upright piano or organ here, with a display in the alcove about 6" above the top of the piano.

Lacking a piano, try a low hutch or bookcase in front of the alcove, then do a coordinated, multi-level display of things -- teapots, vases, salad bowls, stuffed owls, old books, whatever.

paint it a pop color and put different shaped ceramic containers that are the color of your other walls in it.

I like the idea of backlighting a frosted glass panel, but i feel like the wall should definitely be retro-fitted with either a painting or panel w/ back lighting. Tailor whatever piece to fit specifically into your unique space and it will look like it was meant to be!!!!

Sorry, but it is likely a misshap due to an air duct or some other such thing...obviously the builder was not asthetically (sp?) trained...Don't turn it into any of the aforementioned things...its an eyesore...cover it over...hide valuables behind a huge painting/mirror and place a console in front and do with it what you woud do with a wall that had no eyesore as this.....don't try to decorate around it. Esp if this is in a walkway...keep things proportionately correct to allow passage. If there is considerably more room to work with you have more latitude. Also consider what you might grab in the case of disaster...keep a stack of bins full of important documents...water...all the other items we are supposed to have on hand....in case of fire/earthquake...etc...break that mirror/painting...grab your babies and those bins...and get the h out of there......trust me...you wont think twice about that eyesore

I had a funny little alcove like that when I was living in this old Victorian house during uni. It was funny because it was even smaller than that, but had an electrical outlet in the ceiling portion of it (this was recessed, so you couldn't see it unless you crawled up in there, it was high, too). We used it as a home for plants, to put them on display.