The best blinds and shutters for bathrooms
PVC shutters, fauxwood venetians and aluminium venetians suit bathrooms best, with roller blinds for windows out of the spray. Privacy, moisture and fit explained.
The best blinds for a bathroom are PVC plantation shutters, fauxwood venetians and aluminium venetians, because all three are waterproof and wipe clean. Roller blinds in Light Filter or Blockout also suit a bathroom window that stays out of the direct spray, although roller fabric is not waterproof. Whatever you choose, a bathroom window needs privacy first and moisture resistance second.
In short
- PVC plantation shutters, fauxwood venetians and aluminium venetians suit windows close to the shower or bath.
- Light Filter and Blockout roller blinds suit windows out of the spray.
- Light Filter obscures the view by day but can show silhouettes at night. Blockout is the safer choice for night privacy.
- Ventilate the room, wipe condensation and never roll a roller blind away damp.
- Order free samples and compare them against your tiles.
What a bathroom window needs
A bathroom window has to give privacy in a small room that is often bright, warm and damp. It usually faces a side path or a neighbour, it is opened for ventilation, and it sits close to water.
Three questions sort the options. How close is the window to the shower or bath? Does it face a neighbour, or is it high and small? Do you want daylight when the room is in use, or full cover? Answer them first, because they decide whether you need a waterproof material or simply a wipeable fabric.
The best blinds and shutters for a bathroom window, compared
| Option | Best for | Privacy | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| PVC plantation shutters | A window near the shower or bath | Tilt the blades closed by day or night, and open the panels for air | Interior use only, not continual direct soaking. Keep hinges and metal parts dry |
| Fauxwood venetians | A timber look in a wet room | Tilt the slats for privacy and light | Wipe water marks off the slats |
| Aluminium venetians | A clean, modern look | Tilt or lift as needed | Choose the colour against the tiles |
| Light Filter roller blind | A window out of the spray | Obscures the view by day. Silhouettes may show at night when lit | Keep it clear of the shower spray |
| Blockout roller blind | A window that faces a neighbour | Stops light through the cloth, so it gives night privacy | Keep it clear of the shower spray |
| Timber plantation shutters | A drier bathroom you want to match the rest of the house | Tilt the blades | Check the care needs for humid rooms |
PVC plantation shutters
PVC plantation shutters are the most robust choice for a bathroom. They are made from aluminium-reinforced polymer with a VOC-free painted finish and a concealed tilt mechanism, and the material is waterproof. Colours are Glacial White, Shell and Antique.
They are for interior use and are not designed to be soaked continually, so keep them out of direct, constant spray and keep the hinges and other metal parts dry. Every panel has a D-mould at no extra charge, an overlap lip that blocks the view between panels, which matters when privacy is the point.
Timber plantation shutters, made from paulownia, have a visible grain that some people prefer, but their care needs in humid rooms should be checked. In a bathroom, PVC is the safer pick. PVC or timber plantation shutters compares them room by room.
Fauxwood and aluminium venetians
Fauxwood venetians give the timber look in a faux wood slat, and aluminium venetians come in Cool White, Brilliant White, Warm Pure Silk, Ebony and Sterling. Both suit a bathroom.
The advantage of any venetian is control. Tilt the slats closed for privacy in the evening, tilt them open for light and air in the morning, or lift the blind completely for a view. A window above a bath is a good candidate, because the slats cope with the moisture and you can leave them slightly open for ventilation.
Roller blinds in a bathroom
A Light Filter roller blind is a good choice for a bright bathroom window that stays out of the spray. It diffuses daylight, obscures the view during the day and keeps the room feeling light. Ranges include Serene LF, Ultra LF, Array LF and Opulence LF.
Keep it out of the direct line of the shower, dust it with a soft cloth or wipe it with a damp sponge and dry it, avoid abrasive and solvent cleaners, and do not roll it away damp.
Privacy in a bathroom: day versus night
Daytime and night-time privacy are different problems, and the fabric decides which one you solve.
- By day, a Light Filter fabric obscures the view while letting daylight in. Shutter blades and venetian slats tilted closed do the same.
- At night, with the bathroom light on and darkness outside, a Light Filter fabric can show silhouettes. A Blockout roller blind, or shutters and venetians tilted fully closed, is more reliable.
- A SunScreen fabric keeps the view and cuts glare but is not a night-privacy fabric, so we would not choose it for a bathroom window that faces a neighbour.
A double roller blind gives both a daylight layer and a blockout layer on one window, but it needs 90 mm of recess depth with both rolled over or 70 mm with both rolled under. Many bathroom windows are shallower than that, so check the depth in our double roller blinds measuring guide first.
Steam, ventilation and mould
Moisture leaves the air at the coldest surface, which is often the glass. Run the exhaust fan or open the window after showering, wipe condensation from the glass and sill, and give shutters and venetians a quick wipe when you clean the room. If you use a roller blind, let it dry before you raise it fully.
Mould can appear on any window covering in a damp room. If you spot it, how to remove mould from blinds and curtains explains safe steps by product. If you are concerned about a health effect, seek advice from a professional.
Bathroom blinds ideas by window position
- Window above the bath. Shutters or venetians are the safe choice. Choose a control you can reach without leaning over the bath.
- Window beside the shower. Use PVC shutters or venetians. If you use a roller blind, keep it clear of the spray.
- High, small ensuite window. A Light Filter roller blind recess fitted inside the frame keeps things neat. For a window you cannot reach, a battery motor with a remote avoids stretching for a chain.
- Wide vanity window. PVC shutters can be made in multiple panels. A single panel is about 900 mm wide at most, so a wide opening needs several, and T-posts can be placed in custom positions.
- Tiled reveals. Tiles make the recess uneven. Follow the tile advice in the roller blind measuring guide and check the guide before you order shutters, because an uneven opening can rule out some frame types.
Colour matters too. Bathroom tiles are often cool and reflective, so a fabric or shutter colour can look different against them than against a paint chip. Order free samples and hold them against the tiles in daylight and under the bathroom lights.
Tip: Keep colours simple in a bathroom. White or pale grey blends into tiles and makes a small room feel larger, while a darker slat such as Ebony aluminium gives a crisp line against white tiles.
Fitting shutters and blinds in a shallow or tiled window
Bathroom windows are often shallow, tiled and slightly out of square, so check the fit before you fall for a product.
- Depth. A single roller blind needs 70 mm of recess depth with the roll over, or 45 mm with the roll under. Shutter blades need 60 mm of clear depth in an inside Z-frame or 70 mm in an inside L-frame. If the window is too shallow, a face-fit outside L-frame projects about 65 mm from the wall.
- Uneven openings. Our measuring limits rule out an inside L-frame where widths or drops vary by more than 6 mm, and a Z-frame where they vary by more than 12 mm. See our guide to out-of-square windows before you choose a frame.
- Measuring. Use the plantation shutter measuring guide for shutters and the guide for your blind type for blinds.
- Review. Shutter orders go through a quote and Expert Review, where our team checks your window photos and measurements for fit, clearances and panel layout before production.
If the measurements look tight, ask before you order. It is much easier to change a plan than to change a shutter.
What about the laundry?
A laundry faces similar problems, with steam from the dryer, detergent splashes and often a neighbour's fence. The shortlist is Light Filter or Blockout roller blinds, or PVC plantation shutters near a trough. See laundry blinds for options.
For your own bathroom, browse our bathroom blinds page. If you are choosing for the kitchen as well, read the best blinds for kitchens, which shares the same waterproof shortlist.
Questions
What are the best blinds for a bathroom window?
PVC plantation shutters, fauxwood venetians and aluminium venetians are the best choices, because all three are waterproof and wipe clean. Roller blinds suit a bathroom window that stays out of the direct spray.
Can you use roller blinds in a bathroom?
Yes, in Light Filter or Blockout, as long as the fabric stays out of the direct line of the shower. Ventilate the room and never roll the fabric away damp.
Are plantation shutters good in a bathroom?
PVC plantation shutters are, because the material is waterproof and wipes clean. They are for interior use and are not designed for continual direct soaking, so keep the hinges and metal parts dry.
How do I get privacy in a bathroom without losing light?
Tilt shutter blades or venetian slats to block the line of sight while some daylight still enters, or use a Light Filter roller blind that obscures the view by day. Add Blockout if the window faces neighbours and the light is on at night.
How do I stop mould on bathroom blinds?
Ventilate after showering, wipe condensation from glass and sills, and do not roll a roller blind away damp. Any window covering can gather mould in a room that stays damp, so airflow matters as much as the product.
Choose your bathroom blind or shutter
See the options that suit a bathroom window and price them for your exact measurements.
Keep reading
Room ideasWhat are the best blinds for a kitchen?PVC shutters, fauxwood and aluminium venetians suit kitchens best, with roller blinds for windows out of the splash zone. Here is how to choose, fit and clean them.
Care & cleaningHow to remove mould from blinds and curtainsMould on blinds and curtains usually starts with condensation. Here is how to clean it safely, when to replace instead, and how to stop it returning.
Plantation shuttersPVC or timber plantation shutters: which suits your room?PVC suits wet rooms and painted finishes, while timber suits dry rooms where you want grain or a stain. Compare the two room by room.
