First off, let’s tackle the myth that blinds are for the office and curtains are for the home. This is strictly an old wives tale. Many homes these days have blinds in every room in the house. The only reason that I can think of as to why somebody would ever say that is that the corporate, office lifestyle is not one that should take on the pleasures and comforts of home. They want you there for a reason, to work. They don’t want you totally uncomfortable and for other various reasons, like safety and privacy, so they put blinds up. If they started putting up nice window curtains all around the office and you started slacking off and getting comfortable, then that just wouldn’t be good for the bottom line now would it. On the other hand, there are offices that do employ the use of curtains. Now these aren’t going to be of the same vernacular that you would install in your home, in fact, most of the ones that I’ve seen are plain and boring. But they do hold for the same purpose.

Just the opposite of an office setting, take for instance a home setting like one in your bathroom, you are going to want that peace and comfort that you can get from a nice bathroom window curtain. You can really get into the whole design scheme and color coordination of the bathroom when you select the perfect curtains. Plus they afford you the same type of privacy and security that one would take in a bathroom blind installation provided on the type of curtain you employ. All the same, I’ve seen plenty of homes that have just window blinds installed as well in the bathroom.

Now, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with this, having just a blind or a bathroom curtain installed in your bathroom. Either one is very well suitable as long as it pertains to the overall theme you are trying to accomplish. In fact, I see no issue in having both if it fits the decorum of the place as it tends to lend a hand to adding an additional level of privacy to the bathroom, especially if your bathroom window is on a wall that has a bit more of a public or roadside view where innocent passer-by’s can catch a glimpse instead of one that’s a bit more secluded from the public view like in a backyard behind a fence.

Blinds will look very good, provided you select the right ones, as they do in most peoples homes. If you do decide to go with just blinds, make sure you choose some vinyl or faux wood blinds. Because most bathrooms are inherently humid from time to time, you want something that can take that humidity. These will do just fine. In fact, these days you can get them custom fit to your window and most good ones are adjustable to where you can makes the slats line up perfectly to the bottom of your window without any overhang. You will still be able to let in some light when you’d like to and close out in privacy when the time is right. One thing to note about blinds in a bathroom is that since they are in an environment that’s rather humid, all the dust and dirt that’s floating around in the air can tend to settle on them making for a bit more difficult cleaning. Also, if you are trying to create a more luxurious feel in your bathroom, sometimes having just blinds won’t pull off that dramatic effect you are searching to gain. Instead, it can almost leave the room looking a bit unfinished.

Curtains also look just fab in peoples homes again provided you get the ones that match. If you decide to go with just bathroom window curtains, again make sure that they can stand up to the humidity and are easily maintained with simple washings and cleanings. Because of that humidity the bathroom curtains can also catch all the dust and dirt in the air so make sure to clean them regularly.

To get the best of both worlds, why not use both blinds and bathroom curtains in combination with one another. You can really let your inner designer go wild when you do combine blinds with bathroom window curtains. You can play with colors and shades to mix and match and give a little contrast between the curtain and the blind. You may even decide to use a curtain that just covers the top half of the window where the blind will mysteriously slide out of the bottom half of the curtain to cover the window for privacy. There may be times where you want more sunlight in the bathroom than a blind would allow and still maintain an act of privacy. Pulling the blind open and closing a lighter curtain over the top would allow for more light to enter the bathroom and maintain your privacy.

I apologize if I didn’t quite clear up the whole bathroom curtain versus blinds debate, but there really is no right or wrong answer when it comes to your personal taste and design. I just wanted to give some more ideas as to what is possible with a bathroom window and let you know that it really just depends on what you like. Either of them could be used quite comfortably and when used in conjunction could really add some pop and maintain the privacy needed in a bathroom setting.

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1. Making Your Own Bathroom Window Curtains

First you’ve got to keep in mind that they are an accessory and will help or hinder the overall look and feel of your bathroom window. If you are replacing old curtains with new ones, you might want to think about the overall presentation of the window and also replace those rods at the sametime. You can easily go from a window looking like a box to looking like something straight out of a magazine with a few simple adjustments and adding the right curtain rods for the situation from the start.

Let’s talk about the easy way out first, the cheap curtain rods. These are the ones that hide entirely, well just about, inside the curtain. They are those cheap little slide curtain rods made out of metal. As you can tell, not a big fan here. They are adjustable and can fit basically any window by sliding them either closer together or further apart. I don’t particularly like them as they really don’t add any benefit to the window other than holding the curtain in place.

There does come a time for everything though and one look that does kind of jazz up these cheap versions is the double curtain rods. You can take these and create some great layered looks for your bathroom window. Basically all it is are two of these cheap models staggered and of varying depths which enable you to hang both a curtain and sheers to the let the light in, or a bathroom window valance and curtain. These can create some pretty dramatic effects if used appropriately. You can do this with either two of these cheap models or they actually sell a double rod so you only need to install one set of brackets.

The types of window treatments you can use on double curtain rods are really up to you and your situation. Let’s say you’re bathroom window faces the sun most of the day. You could easily employ these double rods to use both a thermal lined and non-thermal lined curtain to help save on those energy costs from loss due to the windows. Fact: 30% of your homes energy loss occurs thru the windows. So when that sun comes barring down on your bathroom window, draw the thermal lined curtains to help block it out. Later in the evening when the sun is not so rough, pull them back to expose the great curtains you have underneath.

Tension curtain rods are another ho-hum treatment that could be used. Basically these fit inside your window and hold the curtain in place without the need to drill or install brackets into your wall. Personally, these are another type of window treatment that I’m not very keen on. It doesn’t take much imagination or effort to use a tension rod. Don’t get me wrong as they definitely have a place in the element of style, just not so much if you are using them solely within a bathroom window frame. They can expose the sides of a window. They will allow for the outline of the window to show thru. Plus the style of curtain used would need to fit inside the window. Doesn’t do much for the design appeal. However, if used in combination to hang a cafe type curtain midway underneath another bathroom window treatment, could lead to some visual appeal.

If you really want to step your game up in the bathroom, think about using some wooden curtain rods. This is where it starts to get fun and interesting. These rods will be visible and protrude out from the curtains. There is so much that you can do with them from the different finials that could be used on the ends to the different style of curtain hardware that can be used to hang the rods from. These are a design changer! This is where you’re bathroom can start making a statement. Although typically out of sight, there are some really nice ornamental brackets that can be used with wooden rods to really give them the stature you are looking for in your bathroom. Extended out a little further from the windows edge and closer to the ends of the rods can produce some visual appeal that leaves the room feeling luxurious.

Here’s another helpful hint for small bathroom windows, using this type of display with a longer curtain (or one that’s a bit longer than the window) can make the window look bigger than it really is.

Curtain Rods with Bird Cage Finials

But let’s just say for all intensive purposes here, that woods really not your thing. These days there are literally tons of decorative curtain rods on the market from wrought iron, silver, glass, gold and plastic that come in so many color and style choices there’s bound to be one that’s perfect for your bathroom. One of my favorite styles right now is the twisted decorative wrought iron curtain rod with the birdcage finials on the end. They are more predominately made in a black finish but also come in both brass and nickel. To me, these add a huge element of style and artistic expression to a plain window anyday.

What about those bathrooms that are a little odd-shaped? Like the ones where bathtubs sit under a window and inside walls at each end of the tub? I ran across one not too long ago that had a pretty ingenious idea, they had used a swing arm curtain rod to hang their curtains from. It was really neat as the window wasn’t extremely large and was closer to one side of the wall than the other, so when they wanted to let some light in, they would just swing the curtain rod open. It was nice because the curtain rod didn’t stick out past the end of the wall so it was just perfect for their situation.

If you are lucky enough to have a bay window in your bathroom with an elegant view, there’s even perfect rods for that as well. Bay window curtain rods are rods that are specifically designed to fit bay windows. Now dependent on what you do with those rods will determine how great that view stays and how much privacy you can afford! Just keep in mind that all bay windows are not necessarily the same size as a lot of them are custom built. So you have to be very careful in your measurements for getting the proper size. But with a properly sized bay window rod, you can really extend the look of your window treatment and not have to settle for a standard curtain rod that will essentially cut out the window in its entirety when closed. You paid good money for that window so why not get something that will show the beautiful dimensions.

All in all, curtains rods and curtain rod hardware are often the forgotten element in window treatments as everyone tends to focus so much time and energy on the curtains themselves. Hopefully this little rant will open some eyes to the various uses for the different curtain rods on the market today.

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1. Rods for Bathroom Window Curtains

You should position your bathroom curtain mounting brackets at a 45-degree line off the corner of the existing trim. Most trim is mitred, so by extending the line of the joint and placing the brackets on that line you will get the correct placement. Just go by what looks and feels right to your eye. Copy the bracket position on the other side of the window and drill and mount them in place.

There are literally dozens of methods and configurations for mounting bracket hardware. It’s always wise to read the manufacturer’s instructions then to follow you gut in actually following it. For example if the instructions say to use a level to position the brackets, think about how rational that advice is. Most walls are not completely flat and most windows are not completely level. So by using a level to position them, you will likely end up making your window trim look crooked when it didn’t before. So you have to align the brackets with the trim so it all looks even and level.

Drywall Anchors

When you are selecting a drill bit prior to drilling a hole for the bracket anchor, test the anchor in the empty hole of the drill index. This will let you be sure the hole is a snug fit for the anchor. You are putting in the anchor to ensure that your curtains do not pull the brackets down. So it would be a shame to end up with a hole that’s slightly too big and tears through the drywall anyway. Finally, when you’re mounting your brackets, you need to be picky, exact and concentrated. While you may have disregarded some of the manufacturer instructions earlier, there is use for being precise. This will ensure that your have curtain brackets that will support your bathroom curtains for years to come.

Now that the brackets are in place, all you need to do is place the curtains. This is definitely the easy part. If you don’t already have a curtain rod, now is the time to get one. Usually you want it to be an inch or two longer than the length of the brackets. Yes, this part will show through the curtains, but there are many decorative ends you can buy to accent the end of the rod. This will ensure that your bathroom window curtains do not slide off the end and have to be adjusted every day or so.

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You can really create some dramatic and unique looks using a tab top curtain simply by what you use to hang them. Since they hang from poles, you have a lot of choices to choose from. From wooden poles to metal, just pick the style that suits you. Personally I like the designs better of the wooden poles than the metal ones although they are nice as well. Tab top curtains actually let the pole elements come thru. Whether you are using a solid, or twisted and grooved pole, these will show. Just imagine a quality hand crafted solid wood curtain pole that adds that touch of class. Add on the extra addtion of the decorative finials to the end and you can create a dramatic presence protruding from your bathroom window.

Tab Top Curtains

One of the things that I really like about tab top curtains is that they can allow you to really tie in the shower curtain as well to the overall bathroom design. There are a ton of options to choose from when you go looking at shower curtains to match your decor. But what happens if you can’t find that just right look? Being able to use tab top curtains as a shower curtain really helps and solidifies the overall look of your bathroom and you can ensure that it all ties in by being able to use the exact same curtains on your window and your shower, not to mention a little bit more of a formal look depending on what curtains you choose.

This is really easy to do actually. First, you are going to want to hang two shower rods across the top of the shower. Make sure that the second one is a little offset from the first one, on the outside of the first one and a little bit higher. Use your judgement here. For the inside shower curtain rod, hang a very plain, white shower liner. This will keep the tab top curtain from getting wet on the outside. On the outside shower rod, hang a stunning blue tab top curtain. I like the blues, especially in the case of bathrooms. Of course this one will likely be longer than the one hanging on the window, but would be of the exact same material and design. That’s what ties it all in.

Because of their versatility and uniqueness, you can really create a stunning picture in your bathroom using tab top curtains.

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1. Customizing Your Bathroom Window Curtains
2. Bathroom Curtains Or Blinds – Too Hard To Decide?
3. Rods for Bathroom Window Curtains

First, think about your bathroom window for a few minutes.  You can’t just drill a hole and place a curtain rod, calling it installation anymore than you can put a piece of plywood on wheels and call it a car.  The person who built your room did not simply put a hole in the wall, fill it with glass and that makes it a window.  It need support, so they have a very sturdy, small beam that runs along the top of the window.  This is called a header and it supports the window from the weight of the building.  You are supposed to drill your curtain rod directly into the header to give the bathroom window curtains proper support, but this is not always practical since you’re screwing into wood.  If you can mount the curtains in the header you certainly should.  It will be the easiest way and the preferred way of installing the curtains.  But there can be a few setbacks to this plan.

Installing Bathroom Curtains

If your window has a wide trim, the header may actually be shorter than that trim.  But you can’t really destroy the look or your trim to get to the header.  But you also can’t drill into the drywall and hope it can support your curtains.  So this presents a dilemma in your bathroom window curtains experience.  If you can find a stud in the proper place, you can use that to mount your curtains.  But often there will not be one in the place you’re hoping for.  In this case you absolutely have to use hollow-wall anchors.  These will keep the screws from tearing out the drywall.

Positioning of your curtains is important.  Normally your window height will be about the same as your door height.  In that case, mount the curtains even with top of the window.  If your window is much lower than the door, the curtain will have a very heavy and depressing look.  In that case you will get the best look by raising the height of the curtains to provide more balance to the room.  Another bonus to this is that the higher you set the bathroom curtains the farther you can extend the width past the trim without it looking awkward.

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3. Tab Top Curtains To Complete Your Bathroom