Why HGTV's Emily Henderson Warns To Think Twice Before Putting Blinds In The Bathroom

Bathroom window coverings can often spark much debate, based on both functionality and aesthetics. While it's one room in the house that most definitely requires suitable privacy, it's often a small room that lacks a lot of light, especially if you cover your windows completely. In addition, considerations like mold, moisture, and bacteria can make some window covering choices more ideal than others. HGTV's Emily Henderson recently showed off her own bathroom remodel on Instagram and specifically mentioned her avoidance of using blinds in the bathroom. Instead, she used attractive white cafe curtains, that while heavy enough to provide privacy where anyone could see in, were open at the top, allowing the sunlight to fill the room. 

The solution was a brilliant one for several reasons, not only avoiding many of the pitfalls of using certain window coverings in a bathroom space but also providing a gorgeous light and airy feel to the room and its many windows. In a piece on window treatments in Style by Emily Henderson, she extolled the benefits of a good set of cafe curtains. "I started using cafe curtains and I love the function, they filter light through the day and give privacy at night."

While various sorts of blinds are usually the number one choice for outfitting rooms where privacy is a must, they are often a poor choice for bathrooms. They provide the necessary privacy required, but can also be subject to environmental hazards like warping or rusting if made out of wood or metal. They can be very difficult to keep clean in a space where mold and bacteria can be a problem. They are also a bad solution due to window placement, which is sometimes above tubs or inside showers in many homes.

Other types of window coverings that make a bathroom private can often suffer similar drawbacks. Roller or Roman shades can harder to clean. Wooden accordion shutters can become warped from moisture or rusted at their hinges. Full curtains, while they may provide the necessary privacy and are washable, can make a room feel dark and overcrowded. 

Emily Henderson's solution of cafe curtains offers a great option for having a fully washable material that still grants sufficient privacy and allows an abundance of light to flow in from above. Since they are smaller, they are usually machine washable and can be cleaned regularly much more easily than full-length curtains. While many worry about the transparency of fabrics, you can find many cafe curtains in fully opaque styles or double up on your layers and panels to achieve the necessary thickness. Great options include these textured waffle knit curtains from Amazon that can be coordinated with your shower curtain or other linens.

While they may not work in a more urban environment where higher vantage points cost you privacy, there are also a number of other great solutions that are great for covering bathroom windows that still allow light in, including window films like this one from Target, which come in simple frosted designs or gloriously ornate ones that mimic stained glass. If you prefer blinds, opt for PVC ones (including ones that look like wood like these from Home Depot) over other materials, since they can be easily wiped down when cleaning and are less likely to suffer damage from the environment.