What to do with glass / windows over doors

motomoto_2

Hello

My bathroom door faces my bedroom door and both have a piece of glass over the top of the door this means that if someone turns on the bathroom light light shines into the bedroom which is very annoying ! I'm not even sure why they are there in the first place.
What can I do - can the area be boarded and plastered over ? Would black paint directly on the glass block the light ?
I would really appreciate your thoughts / comments

Thanks in advance !

mummyroysof3

You can usually plaster board and skim or cheaper alternative is to use plywood and gloss it.

chrisw

Cheaper still is to cut out a piece of cardboard and fit it over or paint it as you suggest. Any gloss paint should do, doesn't have to be black.

missprice

I stuck a piece of cardboard over one. It does the job

But any paint would do the same

SailorSam

In my last house that was built in the 70s it was like that. I wondered why.
I thought maybe someone had thought it was a good idea if you had small kids and wanted to leave the landing light on, or if you got up in the middle of the night any light from the bedroom gave you enough illumination to move around other rooms.

Mojisola

motomoto wrote: »

My bathroom door faces my bedroom door and both have a piece of glass over the top of the door this means that if someone turns on the bathroom light light shines into the bedroom which is very annoying ! I'm not even sure why they are there in the first place.

They are there to provide natural light for the landing. If you block up both, you will see why they were installed.

We blocked up the bedroom one but left the bathroom one for the "borrowed light".

We stuck a bit of card to the glass with blu tack.

trailingspouse

In our early 20th century house, we have a window in the bathroom door!!! It's there to provide borrowed light for the landing, which would have had no natural light when the house was originally built. The glass is frosted, and I've hung a net curtain over it too, but you can still 'see' in if the light's on. It's OK for me and the OH, but a bit disconcerting for visitors...

cattie

I've lived in a few places with a similar thing. An easy solution is to put some matching wallpaper over the glass, or use cardboard as suggested here.

Having recently moved & having a lot of refurbishing done, I've had the glass areas plasterboarded over, so it just looks like a continuation of the wall now.

I wouldn't paint the glass as if you move, it might not suit the next people to move in & if you use gloss paint, it would look pretty cheap & cheerful anyway, just like glass painted over!

phill99

They are called 'borrowed light panels' and provide some natural light to otherwise dark hallways and landings. Temporary solution is to use a bit of cardboard. More permanent solution is plywood or mdf and a coat if paint.

motomoto_2

Brilliant ! Off to purchase a piece of black card from Rymans tomorrow - can't believe I didn't think of this already. Thanks for all your replies.