Bathroom windows with privacy and style

Expert advice on bathroom window furnishings from Jenny Brown, wholesale manager for Luxaflex Window Fashions.

What should people consider when choosing window furnishings for their bathroom?

The steam and moisture in a bathroom can cause wood to warp and fabric to mould, so it's important to select a product that's specifically designed for those conditions. Generally we recommend an advanced polymer composite material called 'Beyond Woods'. It's a type of polystyrene plastic, but looks just like a natural timber venetian. It comes in a variety of colours and is completely unaffected by moisture.

What's the biggest mistake people make when choosing window furnishings for the bathroom?

Choosing coverings for your bathroom windows that look nice, without considering whether they will provide appropriate privacy, heat control or suit the environment you're putting them in. Rather than choosing something that you may have to swap later, it pays to get good advice from a specialist, who will find out exactly what your needs are and recommend a product to suit them.

How often should window furnishings be updated?

For most people, bathroom blinds will outlast their decorating style. We've got products that have been in homes for 30 to 40 years and they're still fine, but people generally redecorate every seven years to incorporate the latest trends and colours. window furnishings these days are very much about style, comfort and being able to put a little bit of flair into your home.

Do bathroom window coverings need to match the rest of the house?

It's a personal choice, but we generally suggest that people consider the aspect of the window first. From the outside of the home you would want the windows on one aspect to show some consistency in appearance, but you wouldn't necessarily need to use the same coverings on a different face of your house.

Are neutral tones still the most popular choice in the bathroom?

The neutral tones are still very popular but we've certainly seen a shift, particularly in the last three or four years, with consumers becoming more adventurous with the use of colour and patterns. I think Australians are a lot more confident using colour and putting their own style into their rooms and they're willing to try different things.

What's the most important consideration with bathroom window coverings?

The first consideration for most people in the bathroom is privacy. Frosted glass bathroom windows don't always provide adequate privacy because you can still get the silhouette effect when the light is on, so a bathroom blind of some description is usually required in any bathroom with a window, whether it's frosted glass or clear glass.

Find a range of furnishings and blinds for bathroom windows online: