Balancing privacy and light with shower window
We have a rear facing window looking out from the shower/tub in our 2nd floor bathroom. The building facing our backyard is a former warehouse converted to apartments that comes up to the rear property line, with, of course, lot line windows. We are looking for a good solution for the bathroom window that will…
We have a rear facing window looking out from the shower/tub in our 2nd floor bathroom. The building facing our backyard is a former warehouse converted to apartments that comes up to the rear property line, with, of course, lot line windows. We are looking for a good solution for the bathroom window that will let us get the right balance of light and privacy. We tried vinyl mini-blinds, but those have not held up well. We also tried frosting the window glass, but it looks so industrial. Any other ideas for how we might deal with the window?
When you say frosting the glass, did you mean you chemically etched it?
I was going to suggest window film. I just googled “window film” and found this site:
http://www.decorativefilm.com/
It’s not the best website, but it seems to offer a wide variety of looks.
I particularly like the rice paper looking one. It’s subtle and not industrial looking.
Good luck!
Actually, if the window really is in your shower, unless it is completely tiled in and well sealed and caulked, and with aluminum (or non-wood) window framing, you are best to put up a clear but opaque-due-to-the-raised-pattern shower curtain over it.
I did this in an apartment I lived in once. The wood window & window frame was in the middle of the long wall of the tub (the shower head was at the end) and it was clear to me that there was no way that taking a shower wouldn’t send water into the wall by the window to rot it out. So I installed a second shower curtain rod, and a second clear-with-raised-bubbles shower curtain, on that side of the shower. It let in light, but wasn’t see-through. And I could pull it all the way aside when not taking a shower. You can actually cut the curtain so it doesn’t hang all the way down into the bath so it isn’t in the way when you take a bath, if you take baths. I didn’t cut mine, but I don’t remember it being in the way – perhaps I hung it higher on that side to cover the top of the window – it has been a few years.
My neighbors in the apartment upstairs did not do this, which resulted in me seeing water cascading out the open window when they showered, and my bathroom ceiling rotting as a result. (People don’t think about where water goes.)
Even if it is the case that the window is at the far end of the shower and you aren’t afraid of water damage, then you could still fashion a window curtain out of a translucent but not see-through but opaque portion of a vinyl shower curtain (they come in many nice patterns and colors), and hang it from a curtain rod with those shower curtain hooks for ease of opening and closing. No shades to clean up (a shower curtain is made for a wet environment), and your window frame and interior walls are protected from water. If your shades didn’t hold up well, something tells me your window is in the path of the shower, and this would be a good solution.
If you don’t care about them being totally water tight (depending on how much water goes there, and how sealed the window is), you could use those nylon or poly shower curtains instead of vinyl ones for the window. I’m using one for my shower curtain now. It is supposed to be waterproof, but it isn’t – the water beads up and runs down the outside of the shower curtain into to tub (and sometimes on the floor – I have to wipe up some water off the tile floor after every shower.) But the shower curtains in fabric do look a lot more like curtain material, and they have the added benefit of not attracting mildew like vinyl ones do – which is why I just mop up and haven’t been able to bring myself to get a vinyl liner here yet. (Luckily, the window is nowhere near the shower – my plastic mini blinds are fine here, and predated me here probably by years.)
The poly curtain is not likely to let in as much light as a clear vinyl curtain with a raised pattern, but in white or off white, it might be close. And it would look more like a curtain than a shower curtain in poly. Check out those poly curtains – I think I got mine at Bed, Bath & Beyond.
Would you consider putting in a stained-glass window? The salvage places have tons of stained glass.
Google Priva-lite. It sure ain’t cheap but, damn, it’s cool. I found the following post on http://www.inhabitat.com/2006/02/19/super-smart-privacy-glass/
that tells you where to get it it an idea of the cost.
“Paul Says:
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June 25th, 2007 at 10:25 pm
I am a distributor in North America, but can ship this product anywhere in the world. Custom sizes and glass thickness are available, and cost ranges between 700-960 USD per square meter (FOB Vancouver) depending on your quantity. A remote control is included. This product is suitable for a wide variety of residential and commercial applications.Please email me your exact dimensions and qty, and I will send you a quote and technical specs. paul@intergate.ca”