To allow heat from the now covered up radiator to continue to effectively warm the space, the front of the bench consists of removable wood panels with a tine metal mesh. The mesh allows heat to filter through while remaining hidden from view. The bench is pretty much finished structurally at this point.
To make the bench feel more Bistro-ish, I wanted the back to be much higher. My mother didn't want a high back which made be concerned about allowing to much of a view from the outside. Our compromise was to apply a spray frosting to the inner window pane to prevent direct views to the interior. In hindsight, it was the best solution because a full back might have blocked to much natural light from entering the space.