Every room in the house deserves some love, and the bathroom is no exception. It’s also a top contender for “most private room in the house,” so you should do everything you can to keep it that way. At the same time, looking and feeling nice should be top of the agenda.
This is all well and good in theory, but how exactly do you execute this? There are all kinds of factors to consider, including style, practicality, and privacy. Additionally, it’s essential to know what not to do to avoid any travesties from appearing in your bathroom. Take out your notepad and pen and dive into the do’s and don’ts of bathroom window coverings.
The Do’s Of Bathroom Window Coverings
Winston Churchill famously said, “We shape our buildings, and afterward our buildings shape us.” His analogy is apt, considering the multi-sensory nature of the bathroom, a room whose layout, design, and lighting have huge implications on our experiences within it. With this in mind, here are some of the excellent bathroom window covering options you might consider:
- Plantation shutters: Sometimes called plantation blinds, plantation shutters are a popular window treatment that can open or close or easily swing open due to their hinge attachments
Aluminum indoor plantation shutters are a particularly appealing option. They are often painted with powder coating, a finish that’s favored for its long lifespan and durability. Being aluminum, they are also particularly suited to reflecting light and heat away during the warmer months and retaining warmth during colder times, allowing you to save money on your electricity bill.
- Bathroom draperies: These are simple and stylish options that have longstanding popularity for a few reasons. The bathroom is a space dominated by hard edges and smooth surfaces, so draperies add a sense of softness to the room. The right color—harder and softer cream colors are ideal—can also add an element of sophistication to your bathroom.
- Cafe curtains: Cafe curtains are mini curtains or mini blinds that sit about halfway down the window, leaving the upper half exposed. These are often (but not always) yellow and hang from a skinny rod across the center. They add privacy while allowing plenty of natural light in and are a chic addition to your bathroom.
- Window ideas: In some apartments or multi-story buildings, bathroom coverings may not be necessary at all. If this is the case, a few more options are available to you. Stained glass windows or frosted glass aren’t a bad idea as they are both stylish and let in plenty of natural light.
The Don’ts Of Bathroom Window Coverings
So, we’ve seen the good, but there is no light without darkness. To know what we should do, it is essential to consider what we should not do. To keep your bathroom covering ideas on track, here are the don’ts of bathroom window coverings:
- Plants: The green bathroom is increasing in popularity, and it’s easy to see why. Indoor plants filter air, calm us down and liven up interior spaces. What they don’t do, is provide sufficient window covering. Not only will they not sufficiently restrict views into the bathroom, but the frequent moisture of the bathroom will mean they require constant maintenance.
- Don’t deviate too far from the overall house style: Consistency and cohesiveness should not be disregarded in favor of aesthetic anarchy in your home design. Being a different room from the rest of the house, there is a freedom to deviate ever so slightly from other rooms, but be careful to make sure your bathroom coverings are in keeping with the rest of the house. Cohesiveness will ensure your design contributes to a sense of comfort and ease throughout the house.
- Solar shades: These are great for many rooms in the house but are a terrible idea for the bathroom. While you can see out, but not in, during the day, this is reversed at night so that people can see straight through the window. A mistake of this magnitude is tantamount to an interior design disaster.
- Wooden shutters: Wooden shutters won’t survive in a damp bathroom. They will crack, grow mold, require constant maintenance, and certainly have a much shorter life than aluminum plantation shutters.
In conclusion
As roughly 60% of the world does not have access to safe sewage facilities at home, you should not take yours for granted. Some window covering ideas, including plantation shutters, draperies, curtains, and styled glass, are essential for both privacy and design. Keeping clear of plants, improper coverings, and maintaining a consistent style will keep you from any headaches further down the track.
