Tired of struggling to see properly in your house’s dimly lit bathrooms? Outdated spaces often have limited natural lighting due to old-fashioned designs and minimal windows. Fortunately, modern windows offer ample options to make your bathrooms bright, airy, and refreshing, while still maintaining a much-needed sense of privacy.
Whether you are updating an aging bath or installing a new one, these approaches to choosing new windows can add valuable, inviting sunlight to your reimagined space.
Windows That Are Perfect for Creating Bright Bathrooms
Whether your bathroom is spacious or cozy in size, you can still find several ways to bring in added natural light with new windows. Consider these options as you develop your remodeling design:
Install Skylights and Solar Tubes
One way to bring in the sun’s rays without giving up privacy is to use options that passersby cannot easily peer into. Skylights and solar tubes are a great example of this, because they bring in so much daylight. They are especially practical in small, top-floor bathrooms as well as any rooms that lack exterior walls.
Select Large Windows
When you plan a bathroom remodel or include a new bathroom in a larger renovation, consider investing in windows with expansive panes. The more glass, the greater the natural light, right? The great news is, there are so many options to choose from, such as:
- Picture windows — While they do not open and will not provide fresh air, picture windows invite in lots of sunlight.
- Sliders — These come with two or more sashes for ample illumination from outdoors, and they can be customized to fit perfectly in any size bathroom.They also provide additional ventilation.
- Casements — If wall space is limited, tall and narrow casement windows can provide a practical solution that brightens your room and provides more ventilation.
Position Windows Higher on Walls
To balance strong natural illumination with a sense of secluded relaxation, consider installing windows high on walls. In this position, they do not provide a view into your house, but they still allow great lighting. Plus, they can be relatively simple to add to an existing space during the remodeling process.
Practical options for high-wall placement include:
- Transoms — These horizontal, stationary windows can be installed above existing doors and window systems to make the room brighter.
- Awning windows — Since they crank open from the bottom, awning windows are ideal for high locations, where they can invite in fresh air as well as daylight.
Choose Privacy Glass
Maintaining a sense of privacy is a must for most homeowners. That said, your bathroom does not need to be dim and dark to deliver it. Today’s windows come with a variety of styles of glass, so why not choose panes that promote seclusion?
Frosted glass obscures the view into your bathroom from the outside, while permitting the sun’s rays to enter in. Also, there are decorative glass designs (such as stained glass) that can make it hard to see inside. These options preserve privacy, and they also look attractive, adding to your bath’s spa-like feel.
Include a Window Inside the Shower Stall
During a bathroom remodel, you have the opportunity to design the space as creatively as you like. One option that many homeowners enjoy is the addition of a window inside the shower, where it can be especially beneficial to have more natural lighting and ventilation. Privacy glass and high placement help to discreetly conceal the shower.
Other Tips to Make the Most of Your Bathroom Window Lighting
Once you have installed new windows, you can take extra steps to maximize the additional daylight you now enjoy. We recommend considering these tips and techniques, so your bathroom remains as bright as possible:
Add More Mirrors and Reflective Fixtures
When reflective surfaces are placed strategically on walls, the sunlight entering your bathroom is multiplied, causing the space to feel bright and airy.
- Mirrors — Large mirrors placed opposite windows reflect natural light around the room. You can also create that effect with multiple small mirrors.
- Reflective surfaces — Consider choosing cabinets with mirrored doors to increase lighting in the room.
- Glossy tiles — Shiny floor and wall tiles in light colors help to reflect illumination.
- Pale paint palette — Choose soft, light paint finishes that reflect the sun’s rays.
Use Minimal Window Treatments
If you install expansive windows, then cover them up with heavy curtains or dark blinds, it gets harder to enjoy the natural lighting you have invested in. To ensure your bathroom still feels private, look for sheer shades or light-filtering blinds that allow in sun and obscure what can be seen from outside.
Put in Glass Shower Walls
A final tip is to take steps to make your shower brighter. A great way to do so is to replace old, thick stall walls and bulky shower curtains with a glass enclosure or an open, walk-in shower. This allows light to bounce around the entire room, and if privacy is still a concern, frosted glass provides a good compromise.
Redesign Your Bathroom and Enjoy a Bright, Spa-Like Space for Relaxation
Upgrading the windows in your bathroom both brings in wonderful natural lighting and increases ventilation—and there is no need to sacrifice privacy. Achieving the spa-like feel you desire is within your reach when every detail, including windows, is carefully planned.
See how bathroom remodeling is made simple with the help of our experienced team at Beissel Renovation (a part of Beissel Window & Siding, a family owned and operated company that has been renovating Twin Cities homes since 1950). We are here to serve you!
