4 min readWhen you’re taking a shower, the last thing you want is a peek-a-boo moment. Including a window inside a shower may seem like an odd choice, but it can happen—especially if you live in an older home. Residences built during the 19th to mid-20th century—Victorian, Craftsman, Arts & Crafts, and row houses—often had this quirky touch.
In Victorian and Edwardian times, bathrooms were often retrofitted into existing bedrooms and closets. “People tended to have baths, and a window beside a bathtub wasn’t inherently problematic. Showers only appeared later, when the bath became a bath/shower combination or a full shower,” says designer Sara Bonometti. “Nobody necessarily designed the room around a modern shower.”
At the time, a window within a shower could be considered a technological marvel. “It was actually a very practical solution,” says interior designer Laurie Blumenfeld. Not only did the window provide an outlet for humidity and unpleasant odors, but it also helped bring in light before electricity was de rigueur.
Now that we’re all caught up with light switches and ventilation systems, a window inside a shower can be a bit of a novelty. Charming as it may be, you don’t want any sight lines from the outside. In a pinch, Bonometti recommends café curtains. “Fitted only to the bottom part of the window, these are another lovely option to provide privacy while keeping the room feeling light, luxurious and full of personality.” Or you can apply privacy film, which is available in everything from ribbed to stained glass designs. Here are eight more ideas to help you scrub-a-dub-dub without the unwelcome exposure.
Smart Film Technology
When you want privacy on your own terms, look into smart film. This techy take on frosted glass uses PDLC (polymer dispersed liquid crystal) to go from clear to frosted in seconds with a touch of a button. Natalie Beach, lead designer at Kitchen Envy, used this in a 1990s builder-grade bathroom transformation. “The west-facing large window provides incredible natural light, but because it faces the street, privacy was essential,” Beach says. “We chose smart film instead of permanently frosted glass because we wanted our client to enjoy a clear, unobstructed window whenever privacy wasn’t needed. Traditional shades would have interrupted the clean design and collected moisture in the wet room, so that wasn't even an option.”
Fluted Glass
Ribbed glass is returning with gusto. And while it’s not uncommon to see it in cabinetry, the shower is the ideal spot for it. When designer Gianpiero Gaglione had to rework a compact powder bathroom, he found a white window frame inside a shower. To keep it from clashing with the Cole & Son wallpaper and burgundy tile, he painted the frame a matching hue. As the window opens up to an alley, ribbed glass not only prevents any sightlines, but also adds a vintage moment.
Window Treatments and Roman Blinds
Heavy curtains are an odd choice for a shower window, but shades are another story. “If the window is not directly facing the shower head, a Roman blind can work very well,” says Bonometti. Designer Vanessa Rome opts for sheer outdoor fabric that is suitable to withstand damp areas and humidity. “It not only adds privacy but it softens the harsh light and adds texture,” she explains. Look for shades made with Sunbrella fabrics.
Frosted Glass
When faced with a 1840s townhome window facing a street of rowhomes, principal architect Marilyn W. Moedinger of Runcible Studios opted for frosted glass. “We couldn't move the window because of historic district requirements, and we had no other viable location for the bathroom, so we had to make this window location work,” she says. The result? An elegant solution that is less visible than window film from the exterior.
Waterproof Shutters
When the only window in the bathroom is inside the shower, removing it is not a welcome option. In doing a gut renovation of a 1927 Tudor, interior designer Lindsey Crowley gravitated toward a shutter, her “go-to for privacy without sacrificing design goals and natural light.” She worked with a custom drapery workroom to make the shutters waterproof and match the tone of the tiles. “It swings open on one side—held closed with a magnet—for easy cleaning,” she adds.
Cordless Privacy Shade
To bring in ample light to a new-construction home, Misty Gray, founder of Grayscale Design, paid special attention to window placement. But to keep it from competing with the actual bath design, she selected a Hunter Douglas light-filtering privacy shade in a soft linen texture. “We wanted the window treatment to feel simple and understated, allowing the Ming Green stone to remain the focal point of the bath,” she explains. “It has a cordless lift keeping it simple and functional.”
Turn the Window Into a Door
Sometimes dealing with a bathroom window requires a bit of ingenuity. When a small circular shower window had a view over Laurel Canyon in the Hollywood Hills, Gaglione took the redesign a step further and transformed it into a glass door that led to an outdoor shower on the balcony. “Whilst that kind of 'lack of privacy' isn't for everyone, others might thrive with that kind of exposure to nature and the elements,” he adds.
Privacy Film
For high-end projects, Lauren Morgan, owner and design principal at Morgan Studio, uses professionally installed privacy film, called LLumar. “Installation is flawless and looks like a matte frosted piece of glass but with the flexibility of being able to remove (peel off) at any time,” she says. “It can be applied to a portion of the window as shown here to address privacy concerns without concealing the view out, which is particularly important in coastal settings.” The setup is ideal for a shower window that looks out to a beautiful landscape.
