There are two main things that you need to be concerned about when it comes to bathroom blinds; privacy and their being water resistant. The reasons for privacy are obvious; you really do want to be able to shower without anyone seeing in. Bathrooms are often very humid and can become very steamy. All of that water moisture will settle on walls, windows, blinds, shelving and other bathroom fixtures. Even if you have an exhaust fan installed, it is inevitable that moisture will build up from time to time and humidity and moisture can wreak havoc on non water resistant accessories.
My top pick when it comes to material for blinds for the bathroom is vinyl. Vinyl is hard wearing, water resistant, easy to clean and in most cases vinyl blinds actually do look good. There are different choices of vinyl bathroom blinds. You can install vinyl venetian blinds, shutters, roller blinds and vertical blinds. My personal preference at the moment is vinyl bathroom venetian blinds. They look great; very clean and fresh. Blinds for bathroom or any humid areas, made from vinyl are easy to keep clean and they are also very easy to open and close. You can in fact have them partially opened but still limit visibility from outside simply by having the louvers pointing downwards. Light will enter the bathroom yet you will have all the privacy you need.
Aluminum is another popular choice for bathroom window blinds. Granted, aluminum does not rust however it can corrode. This is not usually a problem, however, unless the blinds are damaged in some way. For example, venetian blinds will sometimes bend if not treated gently and this can cause the blind to begin to corrode in that spot over time. Aluminum is also fairly easy to clean and take care of and it is lightweight which is another advantage with bathroom window treatments.
If you must have a wood look in your bathroom, you would probably be better off buying faux wood or composite wood blinds for bathroom windows rather than actual wood blinds. Wood, even if treated, often does not do very well in humid situations. It tends to warp and bend and will soon become ruined in a bathroom setting. Faux wood blinds do much better although they are often fairly heavy and a little unwieldy especially if you only have a fairly small bathroom window to cover. Bamboo bathroom window blinds are another alternative if you want a wood choice for bathrooms. Bamboo stands up quite well to moisture however unless treated it will grow mold in time.
Roller blinds are a popular choice for bathrooms. Again, they are usually fairly easy to open and close. One drawback with bathroom roller blinds is that in order to provide total privacy they need to be fully closed which can then limit the amount of natural lighting coming into the bathroom. You also need to be careful in your choice of material, as plastics especially when rolled up tightly, as a blind is when it is opened up all the way, can become moist and slimy, which is not really that pleasant! They are cheap bathroom blinds, however which means that they can be replaced fairly easily without it costing a lot of money to do so.
Bathroom vertical blinds are a possibility, however you will need to choose fairly carefully as vertical blinds often have a space at the bottom which would allow room for people to see into the bathroom if they so desired!
Generally, fabric or material blinds are not really that recommended. They can mold and mold is often very difficult to take out of most fabrics. Lightweight material can be used, it is normally not that expensive and you can make or buy very cute bathroom curtains though you need to be prepared to launder them fairly often and to replace them if they begin to grow mold or mildew. Home Depot curtains are fairly inexpensive and some would be great for a bathroom. Something that I have seen used to quite good effect in a bathroom is a plastic curtain, made from similar material that the more expensive shower curtains are made from. It can look quite good, if you choose the pattern and the material carefully and they make great waterproof blinds.
One point to note is that not all bathrooms have a problem with humidity. If your bathroom does not get overly humid, perhaps the climate is just not that humid where you live, then you really do have a lot more options when it comes to choosing a bathroom blind. Another point that is worth noting is that the reasons for not recommending fabric or wood window treatments in bathrooms is because they do not do well in areas where there is a lot of water or humidity. However, you can find some treated woods that do well in wet areas; think of the wooden floors and walls in a natural spa for example. Also, if you are prepared to replace your bathroom blinds and curtains as needed, you can choose whatever you like for your windows!
Some people like a clean and almost geometric look in their bathroom, while other people naturally prefer soft colors and filmy materials. If that is your preference, then decorate your bathroom—including your windows—however you like. It is your bathroom after all, and it is also great to make a bathroom just how you like it to be, so that you can relax at leisure and enjoy the surroundings. There are many different bathroom blinds ideas to choose from, or you could simply line the window with sticky back plastic if you wanted a very cost effective option, however the final decision will of course rest with you; your preferences and your budget. Remember to coordinate your bathroom blinds and shower curtains too!
Where to Buy Bathroom Shades and Blinds
You can find bathroom blinds at most home supplies stores, such as Home Depot, Lowes, and any store that sells blinds and shutters. You will find there are many choices, such as bathroom roman blinds, bathroom shutters and bathroom shades. You can also buy bathroom blinds online, though you do have to remember, if buying blinds online, that you will be responsible for installing the blinds yourself. Some stores also sell matching bathroom blinds and shower curtains; these are actually often a great buy!
You can also buy the material yourself and sew your own bathroom curtains for a fun afternoon project. The choices really are limitless when it comes to decorating bathrooms and installing bathroom window treatments. If you need some bathroom blinds ideas there are plenty online, or you can look through some different home decorating magazines as they often have reasonably priced yet great looking decor ideas.
4 Comments
We are exceptionally pleased. Controlis blinds are great and extremely trouble-free to set up. I love the steel mounting brackets. We got just what we sought after at a great price.
we have a window next to the shower over the bath do you have any blinds or shutters suitable to keep the water from the window?
I was able to read your website would you be so kind to write about the pros and cons of having a window blind in the kitchen?
We have exactly the same situation in our bathroom. We decided to hang venetian blinds, which are almost fully closed with the louvers pointing downwards. This seems to keep out water as if it gets onto the blinds it just runs off as they’re pointing down.
Vinyl shutters would also work well, though depending on the size of your window it may be a bit of an over-kill installing them in a smaller bathroom window. They’d be great for a larger sized window though and the vinyl shutters are not that expensive.