I would either add doors and paint them the same color as the walls or else tear them out completely. Those things are ugly, yikes!

Those shelves do look like they're crowding that lovely window quite a bit, and seem not so well designed. My only concern would be in regards to what condition you'd find the hardwood floor underneath the built-ins if you were to tear them out.
Best case scenario: the floor is intact and lovely and you tear those babies out for a much more open dining room.
Worst case: Perhaps you could lower the middle shelf to bench-height, paint it, add pillows and make yourself a cozy window nook? Solves the window crowding situation and adds seating to your home? Also: doors, definitely doors.

Tear that sucker out!

Do you own or rent? I've never heard of an apartment in a single family home. If there are two living units, it's not a single family home. If you're renting, i doubt your landlord would let you do anything drastic. If it were mine though, I'd probably tear it out. If you have to live with it, then paint and add doors. Maybe you could even turn it into a secret entertainment center.

I would add more shelves and doors. I would leave them the same color as they match the existing wood work, but you might paint the inside a lighter fun color.

If you are leaning toward ripping it out, think about the damage to the walls and floor that unit has more than likely created.

Tear it out. There appears to be some sort of vent under the window. Might actually be helpfull to have that exposed again. Consider rebuilding something more attractive on the base if there is too much floor and wall damage.

If they are in rough condition, don't fear the floor under it- you can always frame the bottom of the floor, build a platform to cover the floor and then put in some truely amazing built-in's yourself- if you are handy. Buy some great trim, trim the fronts of your shelving- if you are patient, you could create some really beautiful shelves. If you are renting, ask your landlord. And measure twice. Cut once.

I recently ripped out a closet (Gasp!) and built a nook into it instead- a place to hang coats on hooks, put your shoes on, etc. I know all of you who are begging for more closet space and going "what are you nuts?" but the closet was causing a traffic jam in the landing where you come in from the garage door. Granted, I own my home.

Remove that mess, ASAP. My guess would be your landlord does not like it either, but did not want to spend the time/money to have it removed prior to you moving in. Good luck!!

And if you are allowed to pull out the unit and build a new one, I'd suggest lowering the unit all together and build it as a place to sit rather than display dishes. Maybe build a place for wine storage on one end and shelving for books on another. Make it a window seat with a pad and showcase the window with pratical storage underneight.

OR! You could leave the platform, close the fronts up, put a hindged seat on it and make it storage for items around the home.

If your landlord lets you, your options really are unlimited.

Sorry for the multiple posts..I thought more about it :)

I agree that it might be interesting to embrace part or all of it and make it your own. Storage is good. Why buy another expedit when you can paint this white and add some interesting fabric, wallpaper, tile or mirrored surface to the top surface and interior. Play with it a bit. Envision the bar with the mirrored back wall, the funky designer wall papered compartments, the cushioned window seat library (extending one side up to the ceiling) or the plexiglass backlit entertainment center. Don't you think?

I would add doors and make a seat for the area around the window. Whatever you want to do just make sure to ask the landlord first

They seem to be very deep, and if you don't have any idea of what you would display in them anyway, I'd say tear it out! it is taking up WAY to much space.

Make the section beneath the window lower and add a cushion to create a window seat. Put doors on everything. For the doors under the window seat use a perforated metal so the heating and cooling can escape. It's not very efficient but it is better than having the register completely enclosed. Finally, I agree with all, PAINT. There is a lot of work involved with refinishing old wood. It will be almost impossible to get a correct color match if you stain new and old wood.

If you can tear down with minimal to no damage to walls and floor, I like keeping the lower half and make a window seat as another post suggested.

i think it has potential. it's interesting anyway... It might be possible to make it look good. But it's no use if it doesn't look awesome and has no function, so I would try storing things in there to see of the space is useful. If you like its function then keep it and try to fix up the way it looks. If not just get rid of it.

whatever you do, I see a cute reading nook in the middle. It looks a little high, you could add a small built in ladder or stool.

The size and proportions do not work for the space. They are too deep and I cannot image what they put them in for.

Are you allowed to remove them? If so, then I agree, pitch them.

If you cannot remove, then at bare minimum, remove the center portion and put in a window bench. Paint them a light color to watch the walls.

Two fun ideas to consider: add a BAR, or little OFFICE. Both require only minor renos. First, for both options, you really should take out the cd rack thing on the left and the extra divider underneath the center part, they are throwing off the symmetry of the whole thing (you might need to add a little support under the table if you remove that leg - easily done with a little pre-cut 1 x 1 nailed underneath). Fill the nail holes and paint out the interior and back wall in the same bright or light colour but leave the top and front wood alone, to match your windows and door frames. Toss some funky lamps on top of left and right shelves for vertical visual interest. THEN:

Option 1) Bar / extra seating: Keep the two top shelves on each side and put your glassware in there. You could put extra chairs or stack up some patterned floor pillows in the side cabinets. You could also add hanging glassware storage under the second shelves too (ikea sells these). Display your liquor bottles, decanters, vase collection, etc, on the table top and add some upholstered stool cubes underneath for extra seating / colour.

Option 2) office space: turn the middle table top into a desk. Maybe get a bar stool rather than a chair, because of that weird platform the whole built-in appears to be standing on. Then add more shelving on the sides for computer equipment and books, etc. Get some pretty storage and filing boxes to add visual interest while keeping the clutter at bay. This option works best if there are electrical outlets hidden in the built-ins. If not, the bar is the way to go!

modern doors for storage and a window reading nook up top with lots of colorful pillows, that's what I would do.

What were they? Is it a project someone started and didn't finish? Is it an original feature that is partly torn out? Are they plywood or made from nice hardwood?

If they are not original, made of plywood, and your landlord would allow, I'd tear it out, but, possibly turn it into a bench/banquette that could be used for extra seating, as it's the dining room, and for storage underneath.

For a cheaper, easier, quick fix, paint it white or whatever color you like, add shelves, and hang curtain panels using tension rods just to cover the front.

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/inspiration-hom-63239

Do you need the storage? Do you plan to be in the apartment for quite a while? Will the landlord provide some money, or is the budget up to you?

Cheap & quick - Fabric & Paint - Paint them & make curtains to cover the empty space. Use sheets or try to get fabric on Craigslist. You could use a solid fabric on the builtin, and a coordinating fabric for curtains on the windows.

Make doors. Build wooden frames to fit. You could use translucent corrugated plastic, bubble wrap, chicken wire, masonite, fabric, etc. With anything translucent, you could add lighting inside for that nice glow in the evening. With masonite, you could paint them, or decoupage, stencil, etc.

Reduce the height. Cut them and make them shorter; adding a window seat would be really nice. That way, you have to deal with repairing the walls, but not the floor, and maybe you can use the storage. If they're chipboard and not plywood, this has less chance of success.

Rip them out. They're not well built, and you could re-use the plywood on a desk nook, or another project.

I think it is the time that you will add color to your bookshelves,use lighter color so that it can be emphasize.