Etching and painting would be two more affordable ways to dress up plain glass.

There are all types of vinyl static-cling glass treatments out there that I doubt will be visible from that far below. You can get seeded, ribbed, even stained glass looks and then remove them when your tastes change or when you do have something to display. I use one in my bathroom for privacy, but I can peel it back to see what the dog is barking at.

Someone suggested Solyx on another thread, there are many attractive options. I'm quite intrigued by the paint idea, going to do some experiments this weekend, I think.