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A report by Apartment Therapy describes how prop stylist and interior designer John Dittrick covered an unused window in his 1920s Brooklyn rental with a painting made to its exact dimensions. His sister, artist Liz, painted the artwork, and Dittrick painted the window trim gold to give the installation the appearance of a framed piece.
Prop stylist and interior designer John Dittrick turned a boarded-up window in his 1920s Brooklyn rental into a large art display by having his sister paint a canvas to fit the opening and painting the existing trim gold. Apartment Therapy reported the project as part of a House Tour, describing a renter-friendly way to make an awkward architectural feature look intentional without installing a separate frame.
Dittrick told Apartment Therapy that the unused window had looked like “a big random rectangle with a frame around it.” Rather than leave it as an eyesore, he enlisted his sister Liz, whom the report identifies as a talented artist, to create a painting sized to cover the old window. The account says the artwork was made to the window’s exact dimensions.
The siblings also changed the appearance of the existing trim. Dittrick painted it gold, making the edges resemble a frame around the artwork. The project therefore relied on the painting and the window trim itself, rather than a separate, oversized frame. Apartment Therapy described the result as a feature of the dining room in Dittrick’s rental.
The report places the artwork in a room with walls painted Benjamin Moore’s Bedford Blue, lightened by 25 percent. It says the painting complements the color and brings together the room’s farmhouse-inspired decor. The article does not provide the painting’s subject, its materials, the project’s cost, or the time required to complete it.
Making an Awkward Window Intentional
The project offers a practical design idea for renters facing an architectural feature they cannot easily remove or alter: treat it as a surface for decoration rather than trying to hide it with a temporary cover. In this case, the custom artwork concealed the appearance of an unusable window, while the gold-painted trim helped the installation read as a deliberate display.
That distinction matters in a rental, where a full renovation may not be permitted or financially sensible. The example is specific to Dittrick’s apartment and does not establish that every window can be covered safely or that landlords will approve similar changes. Still, the report shows how using existing trim as a visual border can give a large artwork a finished look without buying or building a frame.
Apartment Therapy also suggested the approach could be adapted to a bedroom window with an unattractive view into a neighboring building. That is the publication’s design suggestion, not a reported result from Dittrick’s project. A window that remains functional, required for ventilation, or needed as an emergency exit should not be blocked; the source does not discuss those conditions.
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A Fix for This Brooklyn Rental
Dittrick’s apartment is described as a 1920s Brooklyn rental. According to Apartment Therapy, its boarded-up window was an unwanted feature in a home he had styled with a cozy, farmhouse aesthetic. The source does not explain why the window had been boarded up, whether the condition was temporary, or whether the landlord had plans to repair it.
The account comes from Apartment Therapy’s House Tour coverage, rather than a report about a building renovation or a change in rental rules. The project is presented as one detail in the apartment’s design. The outlet says Dittrick’s sister created a painting to cover the opening and that he used gold paint on the existing trim to suggest a frame.
The source’s broader point is that a feature a resident cannot readily change may still be incorporated into a room’s design. It does not offer technical instructions for covering a window or establish that the opening was sealed, in use, or safe to block. Those details are not supplied in the report.
““a big random rectangle with a frame around it.””
— John Dittrick, as quoted by Apartment Therapy
Details the Report Leaves Open
Apartment Therapy does not state why the window was boarded up, how long it had been unusable, or whether the landlord had authorized the project. It also gives no dimensions, cost, materials list, installation method, or information about how the painting was attached. The report does not say whether the gold paint can be removed or whether the trim was already in need of repainting.
It is also unclear whether the opening is entirely nonfunctional or whether covering it affected light, ventilation, or emergency access. The article describes the window as unusable, but does not provide a building inspection or safety assessment. Its example should not be taken as confirmation that covering an active or required window is suitable in other homes.
The source presents the result as part of a home tour and does not report reactions from the landlord, other residents, or a building official. No wider trend or measured effect on apartment design is established by this single project.
No Further Project Plans Reported
The source reports a completed design project and does not identify a planned renovation, follow-up, or other next milestone. Apartment Therapy’s article invites readers to treat the idea as inspiration for similar awkward features, but it does not say that Dittrick or his sister intends to repeat the project.
For renters considering a similar change, the relevant next step would depend on the specific window and lease: clarify whether the opening is functional or required, and check with the landlord before painting trim or covering it. The source does not provide project instructions or advice about permissions, building rules, or safety.
Key Questions
What did John Dittrick do with the boarded-up window?
He covered the unused window in his Brooklyn rental with a painting made by his sister, Liz, to the opening’s exact dimensions. He painted the existing trim gold to make it resemble a frame.
Was a separate frame added?
No separate frame is mentioned in Apartment Therapy’s report. Dittrick used the existing window trim, painted gold, to create the appearance of a frame around the artwork.
Where is the artwork displayed?
The report places it in the dining room of Dittrick’s 1920s Brooklyn rental apartment. The room’s walls are painted Bedford Blue by Benjamin Moore, lightened by 25 percent.
Why was the window boarded up?
The report does not explain the reason. It describes the window as unusable, but does not say whether it was permanently closed, awaiting repair, or affected by a building issue.
Can renters use the same idea on any window?
The article offers the project as design inspiration, but it does not address safety or lease requirements. A renter should not cover a window needed for ventilation, light, or emergency access without checking applicable requirements and getting any needed landlord approval.
Source: apartmenttherapy.com
