Window Treatments for Kitchens and Bathrooms

Kitchens and bathrooms are where window treatments work hardest. Steam, splashes, cooking and the need for privacy all come together, often on a window that’s hard to reach over a sink or tub. The right choice keeps these rooms bright, private and easy to keep clean. The wrong one warps, stains or never gets opened at all.

Here’s what we recommend most, and why.

What to look for

• Moisture resistance. Materials that won’t warp, swell or stain in humid air.
• Easy cleaning. Surfaces you can wipe down without worry.
• Privacy without darkness. Especially in bathrooms, you want daylight without being seen.
• Easy operation. A window behind a faucet or above a tub needs a lift you can reach, or motorization.
• A look that fits. Kitchens and baths are often the most designed rooms in the house, so the window should match the finishes.

Bathrooms

Top-Down/Bottom-Up shades

This is our favorite bathroom solution, and the one we suggest most often. Lower the shade from the top to let daylight in over your head while the bottom of the window stays covered. It’s available on many cellular shades and other styles. Read more in our Top-Down/Bottom-Up guide.

Shutters

Shutters made for humidity, like Palm Beach™ Polysatin™ shutters and NewStyle® hybrid shutters, give bathrooms a crisp, built-in look and wipe clean easily. Tilt the louvers up and you get daylight and privacy at the same time. See all shutter options.

Faux wood blinds

EverWood® Alternative Wood Blinds give the warmth of wood while handling moisture far better than real wood, a practical choice for a busy family bathroom or a kids’ bath.

Soft shades for powder rooms

A powder room without a shower doesn’t face much humidity, so it’s a great place for something softer: a Roman shade in a pretty fabric or a simple roller shade.

Designer tip: In a primary bath, think about where the tub and shower sit relative to the neighbors’ windows, not just the street. That tells you how far down the top of the shade can go.

Kitchens

Roller and screen shades

Designer Roller Shades and Designer Screen Shades keep a clean, simple line over counters and sinks. Screen fabrics cut glare and heat while keeping your view of the backyard, which many people want while doing dishes.

Soft shadings

In this modern kitchen, Pirouette® Window Shadings soften the light over the sink and black-framed windows. Soft fabric vanes add warmth to a kitchen full of hard surfaces.

Roman and woven shades

For a softer, warmer kitchen, Roman shades and woven wood shades add texture and pattern. They’re best on windows a little away from the sink and stove, like a breakfast nook or a window over a bench.

Motorization over the sink

Leaning across a counter to reach a shade gets old fast, and it’s the reason so many kitchen shades stay in one position for years. Motorized shades solve it with a remote, keypad, the app or a schedule.

A few things to avoid

• Real wood near a steamy shower, where it can warp over time.
• Delicate fabrics right behind a sink or stove, where splashes and grease are a fact of life.
• Long cords in any room where they might hang into a sink or tub.
• Drapery that puddles on the floor in a bathroom, where it can soak up water.

Keeping them clean

Kitchens and baths need a little more care than other rooms. Our guide to cleaning blinds and shades covers what’s safe for each material.

See what works in your space

Every kitchen and bathroom is different, and finishes like tile, stone and cabinet color all play a part. Our designers bring samples to your home so you can see each option against your own finishes. Book a free consultation, or see shutters, blinds and shades side by side at our showrooms.