cardboard all the way! or garbage bags, they block out the sun real good.

Try using a decorative privacy film (like those found here http://www.joann.com/home-decor/home-accents/decorative-privacy-film/ or here http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/10-sources-for-119957). It's simple to use, keeps people from seeing in, but still lets in a lot of light.

This is an odd choice of front door for an apartment without an entrance hall.

You could hang a curtain, as the landlord says. If they are telling you to put up a curtain, then they must realize that you will need to put holes in the wood.

But I think this is a perfect place for the use of a window film. They come in a variety of styles; some let in more light, others give more privacy. Some are patterned, so you can chose a more modern style or a traditional one.

I have window film from this site on my front door, which has a large window in it: http://www.decorativefilm.com/

That door certainly is beautiful! I'm going to jump on the window film bandwagon - It's easy to install and won't distract from the beauty of the door. A curtain would look silly, no matter how/where it was installed.

You could ask to use spray frost it easily comes off with a razor blade i have applied it and removed it easily from our windows

3M strips could hold up fabric. You could put up a temporary curtain with these strips and choose when you want the privacy or not. Window film would probably works best since you can cut it to the shape of the glass.

Emma Jeffs window film! It's way prettier than some of the other films out there. It's a bit more expensive so order samples to test it out! http://www.emmajeffs.co.uk/

Maybe put up a curtain but mount it in the drywall on either side? I'm assuming the landlord's okay with this since they suggested putting up curtains in the first place. It's actually a solution I'll be trying soon, since I have a window that I need to cover but will need to mount one end of the curtain "rod" to an adjacent wall just due to the position of it. I've been looking at curtain wire solutions (like the Dignitet system at Ikea) since I've seen nice results from similar wire systems where one end was mounted in one wall and the other on an adjacent wall.

Is this somewhere in Europe? I have the same issue with my front door. I have been taping a folded silk saree to cover the glass for over a year now. Looks awesome from outside, but very ugly (with a zillion tiny bits of masking tape) on the inside.

Window film will give you privacy without blocking the light or having to cover the beautifully designed door and windows.

How about strings of graduated beads of some kind ? There must be some way of mounting each string without damage - especially if they are so light. If the 'noise' of klinking beads gets to you just adhere them at both ends.

I second the window film idea. There are a lot of options out there that are easy to use and removable.

Instead of covering up the glass and if there is room, why not set up a screen, bookcase or some other sort of room divider to "create" a foyer and add a little privacy?

We used the IKEA Division Panel System with a single panel on our glazed door and it works really well.

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/30115113/

I vote for the spray "frosting". Like the previous post said, it's easy to use and comes off in a minute. Plus, you have lots of control...you can spray on as many layers as you need to achieve the effect you want. I used it on my front window that faces the street and love it.

I would suggest window film too. Any curtain will un-do the lovely shape of the glass. If you really want full privacy (which judging from the photo you might), you could go with an opaque (or simple white) film. Just make sure if you choose a pattern that it won't compete with the elegant shape of the oval.

This link has some privacy films listed:
http://www.wallpaperforwindows.com/pc/Privacy-Window-Film-c48.htm

In order to get full coverage up to the sides of the glass, you might make a template using light cardboard first so you don't have to try to cut those arcs while the film is in place. When placing the film, start in the middle of the glass and work your way out with a hard squeegee to push out any bubbles to the edge.

What @HomeBody said. We used window film and I was surprised by how easy it is to apply and remove and how nice it looks.

The winner of the Small-Cool contest has a nice post on covering his windows using the totally removable fabric-cornstarch technique. Would work well here. http://manhattan-nest.com/2010/06/01/the-doors/

We have privacy film on the front door to our apartment and it looks great. It lets in a perfect amount of light and creates a beautiful glow.

This looks just like our house in Richmond, VA! Luckily our apartment is off the main foyer so our big pretty empty foyer is empty - nothing for passerbys or guests to look at. I'd try some custom curtain, or DIY. A few little holes won't be so bad!

Window film would work but those oval shapes seem like they would be a pain to cut well. I have used (currently have) "Matte Medium" from an art supply. Sponge it on in layers until you reach the desired opacity. It is inexpensive, easy to apply and you can scrape it off, when you need to. You can also embed items in it for decorative purposes (ie leaves flowers...).

I got this old window treatment book as a gift the other day, there are so many options and there was a solution to this! when i get home, i'll check the name of the book so you can have a looksie yourself.

If you really wanted to put in curtains perhaps a tension rod would work on the side panels. You could use a light fabric that would give privacy, stretched tightly between rods top and bottom. The oval shape of the wood would still be visible as a shadowy shape. It may also be possible to make a fitted curtain panel using a tensioned loop inside the window opening against the wood framing around the window. The window film is probably the simplest solution. I've never used any but those Command Adhesive hooks are supposed to be pretty good too. http://www.command.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/NACommand/Command/

I have a window near my front door as well, and I currently have a curtain hung using 2 small tension rods. One is at the top and one is at the bottom.

how about a modern window film, courtesy of AT WAYYYY back in 2010.

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/10-sources-for-119957

The oval shape is suuuuper easy to cut out if you think back to 7th grade math class and use two pushpins and a length of string equal to the max diameter of the elipse!

I had a similar problem. I needed privacy for my two french doors for night, but also wanted to be able to see though them during the day. I put a long rod over the top of the whole length, plus 1 foot extra on each side for curtains. I was worried that it would look weird, or be inconvenient to open and close the doors with the curtains; neither of which were a problem. If you also want to see through the windows sometimes, I would use the small circular closet bracket/flange/holder to hold the rods on the walls (or lathe and plaster) which would be easy to repair holes.

i would hang a floor to ceiling curtain at a diagonal to the door. it could be opened for light and when privacy isn't an issue and then closed. it would create a mini triangle shaped foyer. you could put a little table on the wall for keys, etc. to make the space seem intentional.

You could use privacy window films. They are available at all big box stores. Here is a link to how I did it in our house.
http://whatsurhomestory.com/window-film/

How about a curtain with a top and bottom rod pocket, maybe gathered hourglass style for some flair?

My front door is a beautiful beveled lead glass, during the day I want to enjoy the sun shining through, at night there's a privacy issue since you can see in. I have a white curtain that is pulled back with a beaded tie back. Also you might consider the faux stain glass paints in frost, it will allow the light yet offer privacy. Also it is easily removed when you move.

Hi I see many comments suggest using window film. I agree it's the easiest way to create the privacy you want, while giving your front doors a decorative element. You'll also get the great benefits of UV protection for your furnishings and flooring. I copied your photo and dropped in a couple of designs from Wallpaper For Windows so you can see what your doors would look like. If you'd like to see them just let me know & I can email them to you.
I don't think I can upload them via this post. But I will do a blog post with them at: http://www.wallpaperforwindows.com/decorating_ideas/

If you want some curtains, I would do off white ones, light cotton material, on the two side ones, attached with either tension rods top and bottom, or, because they stay put better than tension rods, small rods that you can screw or nail the holders for into the white part of the inside of the window frame. I would make a flat tie that I'd button or pin to gather the curtain together just in the center, perhaps leaving a tiny bit of glass showing there, perhaps not. Wouldn't work for the door. While I usually prefer curtains to window film, I can't see putting curtains on this door, so go with just film there.

Here is my $5 solution.

Walmart has spay cans of frosted glass. I used it on my bathroom window its looks pretty real but its really a thin film of spay plastic. I taped off the edges of the window and walls with plastic and then layered severel coats until I got the opacity I wanted. I verigated it so i could still see the sky. One can should do you. Here is the best part. It comes off with nail polish remover! My guess is you could first use a flat blade to remove it then any little bits, use the remover as window cleaner. Making sure you keep it off the wood.

If you are " artsee" you could use a Q-tip dipped in remover to creat a design like roses...Or use a stencle for a few sprays remove then finish spaying to give an etched frosted glass look.do a sample first though I haven't tried it, but I can't imagin it not working. ( I am a professional faux painter)

I have never used "window film": but vote for it for the front door. It would be a shame to conceal that graceful long oval. The side lights can have classic "sash curtains" and the damage would be minimal for the hardware. Has no tenant ever put any privacy material up on this door? I can't imagine that unadorned glass looking in on the living area especially at night. There are rods that "curve" but not to that degree.