Bathroom Window Privacy Ideas: 6 Simple Solutions
Your bathroom is likely a place of quiet relaxation and sanctuary where you can disconnect from your busy life and slow down with self-care practices. While the warm glow of sunlight streaming through your bathroom adds to the serene atmosphere, there’s another component that is essential for your peace of mind: bathroom window privacy. As one of the most intimate rooms of your home, bathroom window privacy is a big part of cultivating that sense of relaxation and calm.
Discover bathroom window privacy ideas based on types of window coverings to find the right treatment that suits your aesthetic as well as gives you the right levels of light filtration and privacy control.
Cover Photo: Flat Roman Shade, Nate Berkus, Lisbon Woven in Bronze, design by Nate Berkus
1. Blinds for Bathroom Windows
Blinds are a popular choice for bathroom window privacy thanks to the easy control of light and privacy with their tiltable slats. Blinds come in several styles including natural wood grains and tones as well as chic metallic sheens. Explore your options for blinds and their benefits to help you decide which might be the right choice for your bathroom window privacy solution.
Wood Blinds
Wood Blinds are made from real wood and feature a wide range of wood finishes and grains from chic painted wood looks to exotic grains.
While Wood Blinds are generally durable, their natural wood composition does make them vulnerable to slight warping from moisture and humidity, so these are best for half bathrooms.
Faux Wood Blinds
Made from foamwood and designed with natural wood colors and grains, Faux Wood Blinds give you the look of real wood with greater resistance to moisture and humidity.
Thanks to their resistance to moisture, Faux Wood is a great choice for bathroom window privacy in full baths with a standing shower or bathtub.
metal blinds
Made from aluminum, Metal Blinds are modern, lightweight and durable. They’re available in 1-inch and 2-inch slats and come in multiple metallic finishes from matte colors to those with a soft sheen.
Being made of aluminum, these blinds are ideal for full baths as they’re highly resistant to moisture.
Bathroom Window Privacy Ideas with Blinds
See curated examples of bathroom designs featuring Blinds to get ideas for your own space.
Personal Spa with Tile & Wood Tones
Create a tranquil, spa-like oasis with rich warm wood tones paired with dark tile. The combination of dark, earthy colors cultivates a cozy, relaxing atmosphere. In terms of bathroom window privacy ideas, choose Wood Blinds made of 2-inch Bamboo in Black for a deep, rich color with a simple wood grain. For greater durability, choose Faux Wood Blinds in Espresso for the same richly hued look and subtle grain. Layer your blinds with a Woven Wood Shade to add more natural texture and design dimension to the space. To keep the space from feeling too dark, choose a white tub and cover an accent wall in lighter grey tiles that have a subtle glass-like shine to them that gently reflects light.
Pictured: Outer Layer: Waterfall Woven Wood Shade, Artisan Weaves, Del Rey in Taupe and Inner Layer: Wood Blinds, 2-inch Bamboo in Black, design by Everick Brown
Inviting, Chic Metal Blinds
For a more distinctly modern appearance — and excellent moisture resistance — choose Metal Blinds for bathroom window privacy. 2-inch Metal Blinds in Champagne deliver a warm, inviting look thanks to the soft gold sheen that’s ideal for bathrooms with gold hardware accents. The gold tone is also great for a luxe, modern glam aesthetic.
Pictured: Metal Blinds, 2-inch Metal in Champagne
2. Roller Shades for Bathroom Windows
Roller Shades feature a single panel of material that rolls around a tube at the top of your window. They are extremely versatile and easy to use and come in both light-filtering and blackout materials so you can get the right level of control for your bathroom window privacy. Materials for Roller Shades are considered “hard” textiles, made of synthetic fibers like polyester and other synthetic blends making them highly durable and resistant to moisture. Some materials even come with a Microban® certification which refers to their ability to resist bacteria growth.
Learn more about the privacy levels of light-filtering and blackout Roller Shade materials to get the right level for your bathroom windows.
Light-Filtering Roller Shades
=Light-filtering materials filter and soften light for a gentle glow. Even with some light filtration, these shades offer great bathroom window privacy. However, at night, if your bathroom light is on and you’re near the window, passers-by may be able to see a faint silhouette.
Blackout Roller Shades
=For the best bathroom window privacy from Roller Shades, choose a blackout material. These materials block up to 99% of the light from the outdoors for a tranquil room darkening effect. Plus, they fully block the view from the outdoors as well, day or night.
Bathroom Window Privacy Ideas with Roller Shades
See curated examples of bathroom designs featuring Roller Shades to get ideas for your own space.
Playful Light-Filtering Toile De Jouy
For playful, yet sophisticated bathroom window privacy ideas, choose Sheila Bridges’ progressive take on the classic toile de jouy design as a light-filtering Roller Shade material. Amplify the energetic, playful quality of your design with toile de jouy-inspired wallpaper with a pop-art influence. Choose simple white trim and a white porcelain sink to keep the rest of your design clean so the toile de jouy really pops.
Pictured: Roller Shade, Sheila Bridges, Harlem Toile De Jouy in Multi White, design by Sheila Bridges, photography by Willilam Waldron
Blackout Shade with Geometric Design
For bathroom window privacy ideas that deliver ultimate privacy, choose a blackout Roller Shade material. With a blackout material, light won’t filter through to soften the design of the fabric, so a bold geometric pattern will add a crisp, clean element to your space. Since the shade will block out most light when covering your window, use nightlights, a lamp or flameless candles for softer, more tranquil light in your bathroom versus always have to turn on the bright overhead light.
Pictured: Roller Shade
3. Solar Shades
Solar Shades are a type of Roller Shade made with unique material that filters light while blocking up to 99% of UV rays. The result is reduced glare, less heat buildup and minimal fading of your furnishings from the sun’s harmful rays.
Understanding Solar Shade Privacy
Solar Shades come in different transparency levels that indicate the percentage of UV rays they block as well as affect how well you can see through them to the outdoors. While you can see through Solar Shades from the inside to the outside, you typically can’t see through them from the outside to the inside. However, at night, Solar Shade transparency reverses. This is because our eyes are adapted to see light, and at night, light from inside our homes will allow passers-by to see in from the dark outside.
Since Solar Shades privacy isn’t ideal at night, it’s best to use them for windows that don’t have a clear sightline from the outdoors or in homes that are in remote, private areas. Another option for bathroom window privacy with Solar Shades is to layer another type of shade with more privacy over your Solar Shade so you get the best of both worlds.
Bathroom Window Privacy Ideas with Solar Shades
See curated examples of bathroom designs featuring Solar Shades to get ideas for your own space.
Minimalist Grey Bathroom with Textures
For simple bathroom window privacy ideas, use textures in your window treatments to add visual dimension without complicating your design with too many patters or colors. Choose a highly textured Solar Shade material, like Sunbrella’s 3% Sonoma in a Light Grey and layer it with a Roman Shade in Upton for unique tactile and visual texture. Plus, the combination of the Solar Shade inner layer working in tandem with a Flat Roman Shade provides versatility for both light and privacy control.
Pictured: Outer Layer: Flat Roman Shade, Upton in Pebble and Inner Layer: Solar Shade, Sunbrella, 3% Sonoma in Light Grey
Luxe Jewel-Toned Bathroom with Gold Accents
Create a luxurious escape right in your own home with a bathroom design featuring rich jewel tones like emerald, sapphire and gold accents. Solar Shades in an opulent material like Boucle, which features an elegant, glimmering weave, suits the luxe style while softening light and reducing glare, to emphasize your richly hued design. Layer a Flat Roman Shade in a warm, off-white color with a subtle design like Tidal Line in Moon for a touch more visual interest and added privacy.
Pictured: Outer Layer: Flat Roman Shade, Victoria Hagan, Tidal Line in Moon and Inner Layer: Solar Shade, Chilewich, Boucle in Marshmallow, design by Nikki Levy for the 2022 Kips Bay Palm Beach Showhouse, photography by John Bessler
4. Roman Shades
Roman Shades are window treatments that are raised and lowered by folding into themselves, creating a series of folds when raised and unfolding in a cascading motion when lowered. In terms of privacy, you have the option of adding privacy or blackout lining to your shade for added privacy and light control.
Since Roman Shades are made of fabric that can be vulnerable to mold and mildew in a humid bathroom, it’s important to keep a couple extra considerations in mind.
Choosing the Right Style
Roman Shades come in several different styles, with some being more functional and others being more decorative. For bathroom window privacy, it’s best to choose from one of the functional styles, such as Flat, Cascade or Aventura Roman Shades, as these will provide easy use so you can get the light and privacy you need, when you need it. Plus, you’ll be able to fully extend the shade to fully air out after a bath or shower.
Pictured: Flat Roman Shade, Martyn Lawrence Bullard, Nomad Stripe in Blanco, design by Martyn Lawrence Bullard
Choosing the Right Fabric
With high humidity being a factor in bathrooms, the fabric folds of Roman Shades can be a prime location for mold and mildew. For the best result — and easy cleaning — choose a high-performance fabric with moisture and stain resistance, like Sunbrella fabrics. These materials are made with proprietary acrylic material designed for beauty and performance.
Pictured: Fabrics from the Sunbrella Designer Collection
If you prefer natural fabrics, you still have options. Linen, cotton and wool are all hardy materials that can withstand some moisture and humidity — ideally with time to dry out between bath times. Yet, keep in mind these fabrics deliver character-rich looks with their natural imperfections like wrinkling. These imperfections are often a desired characteristic as they showcase the use of natural materials, but if they’re not ideal for your aesthetic, consider going with a performance material like Sunbrella.
Bathroom Window Privacy Ideas with Roman Shades
See curated examples of bathroom designs featuring Roman Shades to get ideas for your own space.
Modern Renaissance-Inspired Bathroom
Capture the simple, elegant beauty of modern Renaissance design with a monochromatic, neutral color scheme. Add visual dimension with different textures such as sponge-painted walls, burnished gold accents and a delicate-looking, yet high-performance, sheer fabric like Sunbrella’s Vitela in Ivory.
Pictured: Flat Roman Shades, Sunbrella, Ventana Collection, Vitela in Ivory, design by Sunbrella
Mediterranean-Inspired Tile with a Texture Roman Shade
Bring color and texture into your bathroom design with Mediterranean-inspired decorative tile along one or more walls. Be sure to carry the colors used in the tile throughout other elements in your space like décor and your bathroom vanity. For added design dimension, choose a fabric like Tangier Weave in Onyx for a highly textured look and feel.
Pictured: Flat Roman Shade, Martyn Lawrence Bullard, Tangier Weave in Onyx, design by Martyn Lawrence Bullard
5. Drapery
Drapery is a great choice when it comes to privacy to control, but for use in bathrooms it’s important to be intentional about your drapery design and fabric selection. Like Roman Shades, Drapery is made of fabric and creates luxurious folds, so it’s important to make choices that minimize the likelihood of mold and mildew development.
Tips for Choosing Drapery for a Bathroom
- Pleat Style: Drapery comes in various pleat styles, some of which are functional and others which are best for decorative stationary use. For bathroom window privacy, it’s best to choose a functional style like Ripple Fold, Tailored Pleat or Pinch Pleat, so you can control your light and privacy. Additionally, you’ll be able to fan your curtains out to let them dry fully between showers or baths.
- Length: Be cognizant of your drapes touching the floor. If your drapes hang near a sink or bathtub, keep them short at sill-length so they won’t pick up water that may puddle on the floor.
- Fabric: Choose materials that are better suited to exposure to moisture and humidity. Sunbrella fabrics are an ideal choice. However, linen, wool and cotton can also be good choices, as long as you allow your drapery to dry fully.
Bathroom Window Privacy Ideas with Drapery
See curated examples of bathroom designs featuring Drapery to get ideas for your own space.
Simple, Charming Café Curtains
With a window right next to the bathtub, café-style curtains that cover just the bottom half of the window are an excellent choice to provide the privacy you need without blocking out all the natural light. To keep your design clean, bright and simple, stick to a white or cool off-white color scheme. Work in woven elements like a woven wood light fixture and woven basket planter to texture and an inviting organic element. For your curtains, choose a soft, light fabric like Luxe Sheer Linen in Oatmeal, which provides just the right amount of privacy while still letting light filter through.
Pictured: Tailored Pleat Café Curtains, Luxe Sheer Linen in Oatmeal, design by Becky Shea, photography by Jake Shea
Leafy Decorative Drapery as a Room Divider
For a larger bathroom with second-story windows, you may not need drapery on the windows themselves. Instead, use drapery as a luxurious room divider. Choose an inviting leafy design like Palmier to bring a tropical element to your modern luxe bathroom design. For a dramatic, yet playful design, paint your wall in wide stripes in peach and off-white. Use other black elements in your space like black window trim and picture frames to complement the black leafy design of your drapery.
Pictured: Tailored Pleat Drapery, Martyn Lawrence Bullard, Palmier in Onyx, design by Martyn Lawrence Bullard
6. Motorized Window Treatments
Motorized window treatments are available in a wide range of styles including Roller and Solar Shades, Roman Shades, Drapery and more. Motorization is an ideal solution for bathroom window privacy as it allows you to easily control your window treatment with a remote, an app on your smartphone or even the sound of your voice when paired with a smart home device. So, whether you’re prepping for a bath or already in the tub, you can get the privacy you need at will.
Why Privacy Glass & Privacy Film Might Not Be Best
When considering your options for bathroom window privacy, you’ve likely encountered frosted glass, glass blocks, Smart glass and privacy film all as possible solutions. These solutions can be a good choice in certain situations, but there are some important considerations to be aware of:
- These solutions, with the exception of privacy film, are permanent installations that will forever obstruct your view of the outdoors. You won’t have the option to look outside your bathroom window or brighten it with natural light.
- Glass blocks, Frosted Glass and Smart Glass all require professional installation which means a hefty price tag and a potentially long renovation project.
- Privacy film is flimsy and will easily show scratches and may start peeling overtime, especially in a humid bathroom.
- Privacy glass options and privacy film aren’t always that private. Many of these solutions may distort or blur the view to the inside of your home, but they rely on the light inside your home being dimmer and darker than the light outside. This may work well during the day, but come nighttime, the light levels are reversed, with the light in your home being much brighter than the outside. That means a clearer view of your bathroom from the outdoors, giving you far less privacy than you might expect.
Get Expert Advice on Bathroom Window Privacy Solutions
With bathroom window privacy ideas and a better understanding of your options, you’re ready to narrow down your choices to the one you think will work best for you. Discuss your thoughts and get expert feedback with one of our Design Consultants when you schedule a free design consultation. We’ll discuss your bathroom window privacy solutions together and land on the option that works best for you.
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