A photo might be helpful here...

If safety is the issue, be sure to have some sort of lock so your child cannot venture into the balcony. Have others enclosed their balconies? Photo or drawing would help.

Thanks for your responses. Attaching few pictures. Some of our neighbours have closed it, but could not find an appealing method. In the current place that we live, we have locked the balcony doors, in effect hardly use it.

Black wrought iron from the top of the glass "fence" to the ceiling of the balcony would be pretty. The contractor will know how far apart to install the WI for safety. I wouldn't have any fancy WI design, just plain. The WI could also be installed horizontally.

Extending the glass would be pretty, too! If the area was fully enclosed you could keep the french doors open more often and incorporate this balcony area into your living space year round. Also it would keep out dust and wind and rain & would be easier to keep clean, maybe there could be a vent for fresh air when the weather was nice. Could you talk to someone who has enclosed their balcony for more information?

Depending on the sun exposure, you might need screening, too.

The furniture & colors should harmonize with your living room.

Ask your family what they might use the balcony for. If to sit and enjoy the view and plants, you will want one type of furnishing and if to eat on the balcony you'll need a table and chairs, too.

This is a cute balcony arrangement, but I do not know how comfortable the little WI chairs would be: http://lh4.ggpht.com/_t8-Y4w1UKrc/Sa9w-hXyEeI/AAAAAAAAVrc/hb9dAYdw59c/s1600-h/image%5B45%5D.png

Your balcony is perfectly safe and very nice as-is.

I'd be thrilled to have such a nice sunny outdoor space for tea in the mornings...

Thanks for sharing your views. We are almost zeroing in on closing it, since we may end up worrying all the time than enjoying it. J22b, closing with an option of selective opening feels like suiting our needs. I have been thinking a lot about making it an extension of living with a nice cosy seating. The big windows as in this picture have been appealing to me. The centre piece of glass as fixed and the other two with grills to open as windows. How do you find this?

The large glass fixed and the others to open as windows as needed looks very nice and would enhance the french doors.

Will you be able to get the complete wall off to make it look like a continuation of living? If not, I guess that will not look exactly same as the pic your are looking at -

How about some strong Bamboo screens..? like the ones used in these pic .. but ofcourse just for the balcony.. http://newsroom.ecocustomhomes.com/?p=20765 so, that will be temporary, ecofriendly, well ventilated.. etc. Glass is a better option if you just need the light :)

The entrance to balcony wouldn't be changed, so it will not an exact continuation of living. Bamboo screens sounds good. Not able to imagine how it will fit though. I cant keep it open without grills. Worth thinking.. Thanks