Bathroom Roman Shades: Top Tips to Marry Functionality with Aesthetic

Image by Chango & Co

For a utility-oriented, often-small space like a bathroom where the scope for aesthetic appeasement is minimal, window treatments don’t only fulfil the functional role of providing privacy but also offer a fantastic aesthetic opportunity. But this excellent possibility is not without its challenges. 

The windows and/or bathrooms are often small. Long curtains, in such settings, can easily overwhelm the space and look out of proportion. They also cannot thrive amid wet floors and humid air. Industrially produced, plastic-y blinds, on the other hand, look proportionate for small bathroom windows but lack personality. So, we love the intermediary choice - roman shades! Providing a combination of the functional efficiency of modern mass-produced blinds and the creative potential of drapery, bathroom roman shades are ideal because they are -

• SHORT & SLEEK: Unlike sweeping, floor-length curtains that get exposed to water and moisture, roman shades stop at the sill, neatly evading the risks of getting wet and moldy. Besides, for petite windows, and/or small-sized bathrooms, such a tight-fitting attire looks more rightly proportioned than a long flowing robe. 
• EASY TO OPERATE: Pull the cord and they go up or down as you direct. Roman shades are not heavy or clumsy and their operation is not complicated at all, so you are not wasting precious time on this ritual when you are running short of time prepping for the day.
• CUSTOMIZABLE: Roman shades are customizable on various levels. From palette and pattern to level of opacity and type of fold style, they offer a variety of options to choose from at all stages of their fabrication. So, you can bring in your favorite color or a punchy pattern in your bathroom without sacrificing functional ease. 

The wide scope for customization implies that you are the decision-maker concerning every detail of the roman shade.  While it enables you to chase your desired aesthetic, you might want to have more information on hand and some tricks up your sleeve. This blog comes to serve you just that. 

Top Tips for the Most Awesome Bathroom Roman Shades

Image by Salveson Graham

What constitutes an ‘awesome’ bathroom shade will differ from person to person. If you believe that bathrooms must also be elegant spaces where you can spend quality me-time, you may want a roman shade that adds color, pattern and oomph. If your bathroom faces a busy street, you might want flawless privacy. Or, you might prioritize functionality and desire a shade that withstands humid environments and operates smoothly. At The White Window, we say that the ideal bathroom roman shade is one that does all of the above. But, only the right design choices can land you in that perfect world, and this styling advice from our in-house window shades experts will serve as a roadmap:

Make a Practically Wise Choice of Fabric

Image by Meghan Eisenberg

The fabric is the make-or-break factor of any bathroom roman shade. It does not only impact the functionality and aesthetic appeal of the roman shade, but also the hygiene levels of the bathroom. On that note, here are some of the top considerations to be made when selecting the fabric:

• AIRINESS: Light and air are the natural sanitizers of a bathroom and window treatments must not block them. A semi-transparent or lightweight fabric that does not hinder the inflow of light and air is a strong candidate for bathroom roman shades. 
• PRIVACY: While airiness is non-negotiable, so is privacy. If your bathroom faces a busy street, the fabric should be opaque enough to guard your privacy. A transparent sheer roman shade becomes a candidate in the bathroom only if you have some other arrangement for privacy such as another layer of non-sheer shades, frosted glass, or smart-tinting glass window panes. If not, consider lightweight non-sheers for your bathroom roman shades.  
• FAST DRYING & MILDEW RESISTANT: A perennial issue in bathrooms is its moisture-ridden air that provides a conducive environment for mold infestation. So, fabrics that dry quickly and inherently resist mildew are ideal for bathrooms. 

Keeping these three parameters in consideration, our strongest recommendations are lightweight linen, cotton and their blends. They are light and airy, dry quickly and, therefore, evasive of mildew and odors. Polyblends are a practical combination of the light and airy weave of cotton/linen and the quick dry benefits of polyester, making them an excellent choice for extremely humid conditions.

Avoid cheap, synthetic polyesters as they trap odors and can make your bathroom feel stuffy due to poor air circulation. And, although silk is natural and light, we do not recommend it in bathrooms as water stains will soon tarnish its decadent sheen. Also, avoid velvet and other thick fabrics that are slow to dry and quick to attract mold in a humid environment. 

However, in a very luxurious and large bathroom where the windows enjoy sufficient distance from the wet areas, these parameters can be softened or sometimes even ignored. Do take the proximity of your window to the splash zones into account when you decide on the fabric.

Select the Fold Style with Careful Forethought

Image by Studio Duggan

The functional efficiency of a roman shade depends partly on the fabric and partly on its fold style. So, after tackling the first part, we move to the second - choosing the apt fold style for your bathroom shades. At The White Window, you can choose between three fold styles that each have a unique aesthetic appeal. However, when discerning their suitability, account for how they function, not only how they look.

The back-slatted flat fold shades and the front-slatted plain fold shades have clean-lined folds and straight-edged bottoms. They function very smoothly, making straight-edged even folds as they stack up and fold down. If you anticipate frequent operation of the shade, both are ideal. However, the back-slatted style cannot be constructed without lining the shade, so avoid this style if you want to keep the shade very light.

The third fold style has a scalloped bottom and curved folds, earning it an apt name - relaxed/European shades. Their decorative swag bottom could be a great finishing touch for a lavish bathroom. But relaxed shades are best left stationary as they need manual assistance to set their folds. If you have another arrangement for privacy such as frosted glass panes, or you are layering them with curtains, and your goal with roman shades is more aesthetic than functional, relaxed roman shades are the right choice. 

When determining which fold style is apt for your bathroom, consider the level of operation you anticipate and whether you’d prioritise easy operability over visual gratification or the other way. Also, keep your architectural features and decor style in mind while making the choice.

Aestheticize with a Personal Touch

Image by Hector Manuel Sanchez

A made-to-measure bathroom roman shade does not do enough of a job if it meets only the functional requirements of privacy and light diffusion. After all, why would you miss this great opportunity to introduce color, pattern and beauty? In a room so sterile from walls and floors wrapped with stones and tiles, where an item of decor is understandably a rarity, your roman shade is the saving grace. On its clean frontage, any color looks its elegant best and any pattern doubles up like an art piece. Here is a clean canvas where you can start painting like an artist and produce the wow factor of your bathroom.

From a farmhouse-style bathroom that prefers clean white to a bohemian home where a paisley fest looks the best, you can let your bathroom roman shade wear any speck of the rainbow and any pattern under the sun. Making these key considerations will be helpful along the way as you browse our collection to pick the fabric:

• PALETTE: Light colors will welcome light while dark colors will block it. If your window is small, lighter colors will be more favorable to keeping your bathroom feel bright and airy. Besides that, consider whether you want the shade to make a big visual impact with a deep contrast against the walls or offer a visual continuity by embracing the wall’s color. 
• PATTERN: When selecting the pattern, be conscious of the scale’s proportionality to the dimensions of the window. Go for smaller prints for a small window, otherwise the motifs may get cut abruptly. Large bathroom windows have the luxury of choosing between varied scales, but if you wish to make a bold foray, amping up on the scale is ideal.
• DECOR STYLE:  When choosing the palette and pattern, let your decor style play the role of a compass. For example, if your bathroom is designed on the coastal theme, a plain celadon linen roman shade is apt for relaying its seaside hues and casual charm. But, a luxurious Hollywood-style bathroom’s pizzazz is perhaps better expressed with a lustrous golden-accented abstract print shade.
• TRIMS: You can add a truly personalized touch to your roman shades with a trimming that offers additional color, pattern and texture. It is an opportunity to mix solids and patterns for a visually arresting formula besides relaying its bespoke making. When picking a suitable trim, let practical convenience precede the decor style and taste. So, consider flat-edged trims like border ribbons rather than loose-ended trims like tassels and fringes that can attract mildew in small bathrooms or splash-prone zones. However, in a bathroom with enough space between windows and the splishy-splashy affairs, you can let your creative wings flutter and spruce up your bathroom shades with dressy tassels or fringes. 

Special Considerations to be Made for a Small Bathroom and/or Small Window

Image by Studio Duggan Ltd

Over and above all the matters we discussed so far, a small window and/or bathroom warrants considerations specific to its lilliputian dimensions. Since small windows bring in very little light and air, the window treatment must be oriented towards maximizing that precious little. So, here are some tried-and-tested tips from our window shade experts to make the most of your small window/bathroom:

• PALETTE: Camouflage the smallness of your window by choosing a plain fabric of the same color as your bathroom wall. By ensuring visual continuity, the silhouettes of the shade get blurred, resulting in the creation of an illusion of a larger window. A high-contrast fabric, on the other hand, will only emphasize the small scale of the window.
• PATTERN: If you wish to introduce patterns, consider those with vertical alignments such as stripes or climbing vines. These will direct your eye upward, optically elongating your small window. And, if the window is narrow, consider patterns with horizontal alignment to create the illusion of a wider window.
• MOUNTING POSITION: Mount your bathroom shade a few inches above the window - outside the frame - instead of tucking it in its recess. Mount it high enough to accommodate its entire ‘stack’ on the wall. By doing so, you ensure that when the shade is folded up, it does not block any part of your window. In addition, if you make it slightly overlap the window trim, it will also blur the window’s contours and trick the eye into believing that the window is larger than it is.

Order Custom Bathroom Roman Shades - The Most Wholesome Finishing Touch for any Bathroom

Image by Isabel Ladd Interiors 

From ensuring flawless privacy to softening a stony lacklustre space, custom roman shades can do wonders to elevate your bathroom’s visual appeal besides fulfilling its functions - taking the most boring-looking bathroom from awful to awesome in an instant. Now that you know how to nail the balance between functionality and aesthetics, finding the ideal match for your bathroom will be just a cakewalk. So, enjoy exploring The White Window collection of cotton, linen, polyblend and sheer fabrics where you are sure to find the most befitting dress for your bathroom window!