How Designers Dress Tricky Bathroom Windows
In no room are curtains or blinds more necessary—or more fraught with confusion—than the bathroom. The necessity of window treatments for bathrooms is obvious; no one wants too-close neighbors catching a peek during their most intimate moments. But finding the right style for your space isn't straightforward. You want something that gives you privacy without blocking an enviable view or that mood-boosting morning sunlight. At the same time, whatever you choose to dress your windows with should add to the room's design, either by acting as a focal point or by letting other elements (think: a bold tile or patterned wallpaper) shine.
"When designing bathroom window coverings, our first consideration is always privacy," says Emilie Munroe of Studio Munroe. "This is especially important because the bathroom is always lit when in use and is often used before sunrise or after dark, so happenings within can be extra illuminated." Known for her bold use of pattern and color, Munroe often uses wallpaper in bathrooms, so she tends to steer clear of heavy or ornate window treatments, opting instead for something simple. "We like to highlight vibrant wall colors and patterns, so we typically install blinds, sheer natural fiber shades, or frosted glass panes."
These days, when it comes to choosing the right window treatments for bathrooms, your options are nearly endless—with a few design caveats, of course. We've compiled tons of beautiful designer examples below to inspire you. Scroll through them, then keep reading for an expert guide that will help you zero in on the perfect choice for your space.
Take a Cue From Nature
Your home's surroundings can be a unique source of inspiration for bathroom window treatments. Take this powder room by Liz Caan, for example. Instead of installing a Roman shade or another traditional treatment, Caan juxtaposed the Antoinette Poisson wallpaper with plantation shutters painted in a rich charcoal.
Frame a Focal Point
In this Kansas City retreat by Jeffrey Dungan, a pedestal tub gets its moment of glory in a dedicated niche surrounded by pinch-pleated drapes, which add privacy and a feeling of casual luxury.
Keep It Subtle
When the rest of your bathroom is bold, sometimes it's best to pick a window treatment that whispers rather than yells. This design from the 2023 House Beautiful Whole Home exemplifies that less-is-more ethos with a simple Hunter Douglas roller shade.
Match the Shower Curtain
For a playful touch, why not coordinate your window treatments with your shower curtain? For the 2023 House Beautiful Whole Home, Isabel Ladd paired coordinating patterned textiles from Fabricut—each in a zesty palette of coral, green, and teal—for a bold look that would energize anybody's morning routine.
Channel Relaxation
Nothing says relaxation quite like linen. Another bonus? The breezy fabric is lightweight and often a bit transparent, so it won't weigh down your design scheme. In this Texas lake house, Marie Flanigan relied on a relaxed Roman shade to add polish (and a bit of privacy) to a ground floor powder room.
Maximize the View
Nothing says luxury quite like a soak with a view. To make the most of this clawfoot tub's surroundings, Alexandra Loew chose transparent cotton corded shades that can be pulled up and down, allowing the homeowners to see the scenery—or create privacy—as needed.
Hide the Hardware
Curtain hardware can certainly be a beautiful addition to a space, but there are some instances where it can also detract from the clean lines and minimalism of a design. Case in point: this primary bathroom by Amber Lewis, where there's nary a curtain rod or ring in sight. Instead, the crisply pleated drapes frame a black metal window and the beautiful greenery beyond.
Create Layers
For a bathroom window treatment that marries form with function, look no further than this layered example by Emilie Munroe of Studio Munroe. To balance the space, she gave each window its own natural fiber Roman shade, then topped them both with one oversized shade in a thicker fabric that can be pulled down for additional nighttime privacy.
Bring in Some History
Design pros often view powder rooms as places to have fun, looking to bolder patterns, brighter pigments, and luxury details to make the small spaces sing. In this project by Mark D. Sikes, a traditional window and formal treatments are replaced by a hinged stained glass design that creates privacy and adds historical context.
Craft an Illusion
As is the case in the rest of your home, certain bathroom window treatments can go a long way toward making the space feel larger or look taller than it is. In this charming primary bath by Katie Davis, a crisp Roman shade is installed slightly higher and wider than the room's single window, making the feature look bigger and more prominent.
Meet in the Middle
Café curtains are popping up in bathrooms everywhere lately, and for good reason. The charming retro design lends privacy to the bottom half of a window while letting light stream in at the top. In this feminine retreat, Cecilia Casagrande added pattern and privacy with café curtains in a bold Timorous Beasties fabric.
Disappear From View
Everyone covets a great view, and designers often orient the tub and shower toward the windows when a bathroom has them. For that kind of space, you need a window treatment that lets you admire the view without giving others a show. In Emily Henderson's own home on Lake Arrowhead in California, she chose barely there blinds that practically disappear into the window frame, putting the focus on the picture windows and the tree line beyond.
Create an IRL Filter
You know how they say candlelight is flattering to everyone? Well, the same goes for transparent linen shades. The ubiquitous style flatters any space and design scheme, making it a surefire success when you're stumped on how to dress your bathroom windows. In this seaside escape by Alexandra Angle, the shade brings a quiet coastal elegance and gives the room a filtered glow.
Introduce Natural Textures
Bathrooms are filled with hard finishes, from stone countertops and ceramic tile to metal faucets and shower heads. Simply put, there are few opportunities to introduce soft textures that warm up the space. Bathroom window treatments are a great way to add that layer. For this California home, Lauren Nelson turned to woven shades from Hartmann and Forbes for that essential cozy layer.
Keep the Palette Tight
Looking to craft a serene, relaxing retreat? Keep your bathroom's color palette—including the window treatments—tight, opting for breezy neutrals in place of bold patterns or saturated hues. In this Brooklyn brownstone, the Brownstone Boys dressed the oversized floor-to-ceiling windows in transparent Roman shades that echo the creamy whites in the rest of the room.
Dress to the Nines
When the bathroom window in question is out of the way of prying eyes, you can feel free to have a bit more fun with a window treatment that doesn't cover every last inch and brings a bold statement. In the luxe powder room of her Dallas home, Courtney Petit installed a balloon shade as a decorative accent on a high-up paned window. For a cohesive look, she used the same striped fabric for the sink skirt.
Use an Allover Pattern
When you find a pattern you love, you might really want to lean into it. For this bold but traditional bathroom, Clary Bosbyshell let Brunschwig & Fils Bird and Thistle print take over the walls and the Roman shade for a cohesive, enveloping feeling.
Let in Light
To give her family's visitors privacy without putting a damper on the great light in the guest house bathroom, Liz Dutton dressed the oversized window in transparent panels that mimic the breezy shower curtain surrounding the vintage clawfoot tub.
Make It Mini
Even small windows deserve love and attention. This pool house bathroom by Dominique DeLaney is utilitarian and stylish thanks to floor-to-ceiling variegated cerulean blue tile and a micro Roman shade. The latter lends privacy without blocking out the sun, which is so integral to the room's summery vibe.
Tailor It to Perfection
Never underestimate the power of a crisp pleat. To give this powder room a sophisticated and refined feeling, Clara Jung of Banner Day Interiors opted for a Roman shade in a fabric that has a bit of weight to it so it can be tailored and crisply pressed.
How to Choose Window Treatments for Bathrooms
Before you commit to shutters, sheers, or seagrass, there are a few important factors to consider for bathroom window treatments. Examine your space in regards to each of the below elements, and you'll be well on your way to a functional and stylish solution.
Privacy Needs
There's no getting around the need for privacy in a bathroom, but the layout of your space and the location of your home determine how opaque or permanent a solution needs to be. It depends on where your bathroom lies on the spectrum between "the neighbor across the alley can see into my shower" and "a neighbor an acre away might see my shadow." The more private your home is, the more flexible you can be when choosing bathroom window treatments.
Natural Light
Maximizing natural light is always a primary design goal, whether we're talking about the layout of a living room or the window treatments for a bathroom. If at all possible, you want to stay away from any window treatments (like blackout shades) that may cause your bathroom to feel too cave-like or claustrophobic. "Capturing as much natural light as possible in a bathroom is essential," Munroe says. "For this reason, we often layer treatments to create the optimal balance. One of our favorite options is to lightly frost the window glass, then layer a textural natural shade above for additional nighttime privacy."
Moisture Levels
Bathrooms get humid, especially in older homes that may not have the same quality ventilation as new builds. When choosing window treatments for bathrooms, it's important to consider how damp the space gets and select a material accordingly. Some options, specifically natural materials like seagrass or wood, may not hold up well in heat or humidity.
Design Style
Like in any other room of your home, the window treatments you choose for your bathroom have the ability to tie the entire space (and your design scheme) together in a beautiful way. You can go bold with a patterned café curtain (a trending style Munroe loves for incorporating "fabric and pattern in a smaller room without adding heaviness") or keep things simple and spa-like with a set of transparent cream Roman shades—just make sure to consider the space from a holistic standpoint before deciding on a design direction.
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