How to Choose Bathroom Window Curtains or Blinds

When it comes to adding bathroom accessories to your newly renovated bathroom it’s easy to jump straight in to selecting fancy bathroom mirrors, multi-coloured mood bathroom lighting or designer heated towel rails, but before you do, give a little thought to window coverings. A bit of privacy in the bathroom is essential, and even if the windows are glazed with frosted glass, it’s nice to have another layer to keep the neighbours from looking in at you getting out of the shower in the morning. There are a wide range of options for covering your bathroom window, but there are several considerations which apply to bathroom window curtains and blinds compared with window coverings elsewhere in the house.

Mildew

Even with good ventilation, extractor fans and keeping the windows open, using the bath or the shower creates a damp atmosphere and over time, curtains and blinds can get damp and mildewed. Getting mildew off your curtains is tricky, and they need to be treated with special bleach and washed at a high temperature. Always choose bathroom curtains which are designed to be machine washable rather than dry clean only for this reason, and always keep windows open or the extractor on while showering or taking a bath to minimise issues with mould and mildew on your curtains. Light weight fabrics such as cotton or polyester will dry out far quicker and be less likely to develop mildew than heavy brocade or velvet, so bear this in mind when shopping for new bathroom curtains too. Wooden blinds are also prone to developing mildew so are best avoided in the bathroom.

Colour

Bathroom blinds or curtains should be an integral part of your colour scheme or overall design, rather than buying just any old thing in the hope it will look OK. If you are trying to create a peaceful and calm look for your bathroom, opt for light coloured curtains with a minimal pattern rather than a very dark shade. Curtains or blinds in a very neutral shade of cream or white without any obvious pattern will go with most wall and accessory colours, so if you are the sort of person who likes to change the look of the bathroom totally every couple of years, this is the best choice to avoid unnecessary expense.

Natural light

It’s very important to have natural light in your bathroom, especially for tricky tasks such as shaving or applying make-up. Any window coverings should be designed in a way so that they can be pulled back completely to allow the natural light to stream in when required and lowered when you need some privacy. Curtains and blinds which are very bulky or awkward to raise and lower can be more trouble than they are worth so make sure whatever you buy, it is easy to hook the curtains back out of the way or raise the blind on a cord. For safety, make sure that any cords for blinds are kept well out of the reach of small children as they can be a strangulation risk.

Fitting

The whole point of having curtains or blinds in your bathroom is to provide privacy, so it is essential that your curtains or blinds cover the window perfectly. Measure the size of the window carefully and remember that curtains which are a couple of inches too long are better than ones which are too short. Blinds or curtains can be made to measure to fit perfectly, but if buying off the shelf you may have to settle for the best available fit, although this is probably a cheaper option than bespoke. Consider as well how the window opens; if you have a window which tilts inwards, think about how to position your blinds or curtains so that you can still open the window and pull the blinds if required.

Match your styles

If you have a very traditional type Victorian bathroom suite, roman blinds or curtains may be a better choice, but the same window coverings would look very odd in an ultra-sleek, modern bathroom. Think about your overall style and try to bear this in mind when thinking about what type of curtains or blinds you want, and what colour and pattern would be most appropriate. If you are thinking of changing your bathroom suite in the near future, consider buying blinds or curtains that will work well with any style of bathroom.

If you're looking for more bathroom design inspiration, take a look at the following posts - Designing a Family Bathroom - Copper & Gold Design Inspiration - Grey Bathroom Inspiration.

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