apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

The glass over the stairwell was obviously put there to provide natural light for the stairway without the need for electric lights. If you owned the place, you could remove the glass, frame out & sheetrock over the opening and build a closet above - and install a solid door to replace the glass door and sidelights.

...and I'd get those boxes off that glass box - with the weight on the glass, the boxes could crash right through. I also wouldn't put anything over it like fabric/etc. as a visitor who is not familiar with the place could hop up there and fall through the glass too. If anything, just put a standing floor screen in front of it.

But I'm wondering why you'd even rent a room with such a feature if this was something that you don't like/want?

use it as a nightstand and/or cover it with colored tissue or rice paper and let the light come through like stained glass.

My first instict is to suggest window film. However, that seems more likely to provide privacy, than to really block all of the light. Perhaps an opaque window film?

The wood frames on both the entry and the lightbox mean that you could also sort of upholster them. I'd look for fabric with a wallpaper like pattern, or maybe some sort of solid color, depending on your style. Then staple it over the wood frame. For a simply DIY, just fold the fabric over and staple, for a more professional look buy a tack strip from an online upholstry supply company. Or make one out of cardboard, if you feel more ambitious.

For the lightbox, I'd upholster the sides, and use it as a table or display niche.

What if you used contact paper that was opaque instead of frosted to cover the glass. This would be removable when you move out.

My first instinct is to apply a vinyl decal (there's a fabulous selection on etsy.com) and to continue the decal pattern along the wall for an intentional effect. Also, consider a row of shelves like Lack from IKEA for random decor above the box.

looks like it's taking a considerable amount of your space, too bad. :( here's a funny thought for a funny box--make it into a little bar! if it's sturdy enough, it would be fun to light the bottles from below. you could install glass shelves above it. or, it could be a vanity with a tall bench beside it. i'd say make it a focal point, or curtain it off and try to get as much storage over it as possible. a canopy around your bed and full length curtains at your door would shield light and give you some privacy as well.

PS- i'd love to see what you end up doing with such a quirky space! maybe you could submit a before and after?

If you can manouver a drill (or get a friend to) you could put up that wire cutain rod system from Ikea across the tops and bottoms of the door and the window above it. Get some heavy curtains, measure, cut and make a wide seam at the bottom of the fabric and you have some ruched window coverings. For the sides, you could go with some funky paper...

Opaque vinyl film.

If you can't find it yourself, talk to a sign company - that's what most of them use to create backlit signs. You might have a hard time cutting it to exactly match the shape of the panes of glass - you may want to overlap onto the frames a bit, or cover the frames entirely.

It comes in a bajillion colours, but most places only stock the basics and only special-order uncommon colours in full rolls, so don't expect to get a perfect match for your walls - go in looking for a complimentary/contrasting colour.

from ATLA: http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/la/at-australia/diy-masking-tape-screen-melbourne-063423