For new homeowners, the dingy, windowless, strictly utilitarian bathroom of the past is unthinkable. The bathroom has become an area of pleasure where a person bathes, showers, and tends to personal hygiene in warmth, cleanliness, privacy, and bright, cheerful, and ideally natural light. This has come to mean big, clear windows, which may let in the light but also allow people to peek in, inadvertently or not. What can be done?
Different Shaped Windows
Windows that have shapes that are unusual but still esthetically pleasing are one way to let in the sunshine without compromising privacy. A two-sink bathroom can have a strip of a window between the sinks that continues to the ceiling to create a narrow skylight. This not only brings in natural light but casts interesting shadows and gradations of light into the room as the sun moves across the sky.
An Atrium
People who have plenty of space in a bathroom can turn at least one part of it into an atrium surrounded by glass walls and doors. The room can also have no roof at all and be open to the outside or roofed with glass panels that can be opened and closed to control the temperature and humidity.
Window Film
This is a translucent material that is attached to window glass to control the amount of light that gets in. There are films made to fit many sizes and shapes of windows. They come in such a vast number of patterns that every homeowner can find one to complement the decor of their bathroom.
Glazed Windows
Windows can be partially glazed to prevent prying eyes while allowing the light to come in. In one innovative shower room, the glass of the two window walls are glazed three quarters of the way up while the top quarter is clear. This not only lets in sunlight, but gives the bather a good view to the outdoors while protecting their modesty.
Low Set Windows
Some homeowners use a bank of low-set windows for light and privacy. These types of windows are especially appropriate for a long and narrow bathroom. They make it look a bit wider.
Blinds
Blinds are a common treatment for bathroom windows. In some bathrooms, the bather can risk taking a bath or shower with the blinds up because the house is remote or the interior can’t be seen during the day. Nighttime, when the room is artificially lit, is the time to pull down these blinds, whether they be over a tiny window in a shower stall or a window wall that allows a fantastic view of a hillside or the ocean.
Glass Louvers
Glass louvers are also an excellent way to let in light and protect privacy. These louvers can be adjusted to let in not only light but air for ventilation. They can be clear or translucent.
A Green Wall
A green wall built outside near a bathroom with a window wall of clear glass can lend both privacy and bright light. The sight of greenery is also soothing in itself.
These windows and window treatments are great ideas for allowing in the beauty and peacefulness of natural light while providing for the privacy needed in a bathroom. People who are thinking of building a new home or renovating an old one should contact our professionals at Alair Homes for a consultation.