Bathroom Window Treatments - Let your creativity shine through. Oh my =)
Bathrooms are hard-working spaces, which doesn’t mean they can’t be beautiful as well. And, once the fixtures, tile, lighting, paint colors and furniture are chosen, the bathroom windows deserve the same attention to detail.
Maybe you’re starting from scratch with a brand-new bath. Or perhaps a tired so-yesterday bath needs a quick pick-me-up. Whether it’s a new project or rethinking an existing room, those lucky enough to have windows in the bathroom face a unique set of challenges when it comes to window coverings.
Bathroom window coverings should allow the light in, provide privacy, resist the inevitable moisture and complement or enhance your style. Fortunately there are enough options to suit everyone. So, accept the challenge and make it an opportunity to let your creativity shine!
It’s curtains…
Bathroom drapery is trending these days, perhaps because more people want their bathroom to have the warm, enveloping feel of a spa or the luxury of an inviting sitting room. It may seem counter-intuitive when talking about bathrooms, but there’s no reason not to use curtains on bathroom windows.
With curtains, you also have the design advantage of choosing drapery hardware that accentuates the room’s decor. Add elaborate finials to the rods and choose brackets in styles from Baroque to industrial chic.
For a contemporary room, add modern design elements like Paris Texas Hardware Portfolio Rock Finials for a bit of glitz or go sleek with Vesta Apollo Collection Wall Brackets. Even curtain rings can be modern, like these Urban Dwellings Flat Edge Rings. Urban Dwellings Metropole End Holders are both clean-lined and natural, modern simplicity at its best.
If you’re going for a more traditional look, use gathered curtains or any type of pleated heading. Do make sensible fabric choices, though, and go for a mildew resistant, machine washable fabric. Cotton works, as do materials meant for outdoor use. Outdoor drapery panels are a great option: they’re made of Olefin or acrylics specifically designed to repel stains and mildew. They’re also quick-drying, which is a plus in the bathroom.
Then, get creative with hardware. Paris Texas Hardware Jewel Finials add a touch of luxury that instantly warms up a room. For a more colonial look, try the Vesta Highland Timber carved ball finial, which has the added bonus of being paintable. These wooden Kirsch brackets complement a traditional style and are offered in several finishes. Finial Company’s Reeded Wood Poles are classic, with the added panache of gold highlights. They’re elegant without being flashy.
Speaking of curtains…
If you think you’re limited to big box store shower curtains and curtain rods, think again. Shower enclosures can be dressed as finely as your windows. Try using a custom or ready-made curtains dressed up with a decorative rod and finials.
You can start from scratch with completely custom curtains or choose ready-made drapery that can be customized by length and style. If you’re a traditionalist, the soft and pretty look of these Softline scroll-patterned curtains is a good choice. Hide a ho-hum shower curtain rod and liner by using ceiling mount brackets, like these Paris Texas Hardware ceiling mount brackets, which can also be mounted on the walls.
A smooth wooden pole and metal rings in the same finish as the brackets, will create a harmonious and integrated look. One caveat though: tub enclosures are typically five feet long or more and you need a rod that’s at least 1 1/4” in diameter to carry curtains across that span.
Go contemporary by using customizable ready-made drapery with a modern look like these Metropolitan Ready-Made Drapes, paired with a smooth metal pole and matching rings.
For something completely different, consider hiding all of the rodding and hardware with an embossed iron valance in styles from the contemporary to the whimsical. They can be ordered with or without a return, depending on your shower enclosure.
Throw some shade…
Some bathrooms call for a minimal window covering, like roller shades, which come in virtually any color and texture. You can also choose the material that provides for the level of privacy you need, from blackout shades to light filtering or semi-sheers. For a really clean look, use a cordless shade that smoothly rolls up or down with just a pull. These are also child and pet-safe—ideal for a shared family bathroom or the children’s bath.
The downside of roller shades is that they’re pretty bare bones. The top is just the rolled shade and its hardware, so dress it up with a valence or cornice to give it a finished look. Embossed metal valances can withstand moisture while adding a strong design element. Or you could use a fabric valance and dress it up with decorative medallions, such as the House Parts Medallions,Tiebacks and Rosettes.
Balloon and Roman shades add a touch of softness against all of the hard surfaces in the bathroom. They also have the advantage of design versatility: choose a fabric that harmonizes with the decor or use fabric to add a colorful punch. Fabric shades can be mounted using decorative curtain hardware—a rod with brackets and finished off with beautiful finials, Paris Texas Tried and True Resin 1 3/8 Inch Portfolio Collection for example. This is a simple way to add some decorative panache.
Or, you can think totally outside of the box and incorporate decorative hardware into your fabric shade design in the most unexpected ways.
I’d rather go blinds…
Unlike shades, window blinds have movable slats that allow you to control light without changing the blind position. For bathrooms, that’s a good balance between allowing in natural light and the need for privacy. Although some blinds come with a matching valance to help conceal the blind’s mechanism, they still offer an opportunity to dress up the window, by using a soft fabric valance along with a decorative rod assembly. If the bathroom gets a lot of moisture, consider faux-wood blinds, which won’t mildew, warp or crack.
I ‘shutter’ to think…
There’s something so permanent and architectural about shutters. And there’s a reason they’ve always been so popular in warm climates—you can control light, privacy and air flow just by opening and closing the louvers. For even more flexibility, use tiered shutters to control the top and bottom shutters separately. Cafe style shutters are great for smaller windows as well as for windows that only require covering on the lower half.
With so many structural and design elements in the bathroom, windows can sometimes become an afterthought, which is a shame. The right window covering, material and hardware can enhance or reinvigorate the bath and elevate it from the ordinary to the extraordinary.
Continental Window Fashions Pro Tips:
- Choose a coordinating hardware style and contrasting color story to the design in the main living space. For example, if you have a transitional style in your main space, carry those details into the bathroom by choosing similar components in similar finishes. If your color story is grey and taupe, then choose a contrasting scheme to complement your Bathroom; not necessarily choosing the exact same colors but bringing a coordinating accent color which will add interest to your décor and tie everything together creating the perfect flow.
- Your imagination is the limit when it comes to turning your bathroom into a hidden gem. If you like to think outside of the box or if your motto is ‘Go Big or Go Home’ you may want to consider adding clear acrylic rods along with faceted crystal finials or matte black finials; totally unexpected hardware choices that will have your bathroom go from drab to glam in no time!
- With the increasing popularity of Spas and Retreats, bathrooms are no longer viewed as merely utilitarian spaces. You can easily create your own Spa Retreat feel by adding organic fabrics in a neutral, soothing color scheme along with organic drapery hardware elements such as Menagerie's beautiful Bamboo rods and rings. Add a plant or two, a few candles and voila, your bathroom is now your personal Zen space, easy-peasey. Creating luxury and peacefulness in your bathroom by adding beautiful drapery panels and hardware as shower curtains and to soften harsh and sterile windows will create your own private retreat in your own home and will give the phrase "Calgon, take me away!" a new meaning.
