How To Decorate a Bathroom With No Windows

Giovanni Valle is a licensed architect and LEED-accredited professional and is certified by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB). He is the author and managing editor of various digital publications, including BuilderSpace, Your Own Architect, and Interiors Place.

A bathroom with no windows can feel quite dingy and cramped. There is something about not having any natural light flowing into a room that can make you feel as if you’re trapped or cooped up. You can do simple tweaks, so your bathroom feels airier and roomier than it actually is.

Decorate your windowless bathroom by using bright lights and vibrant colors to create an illusion of space. Make use of mirrors, reflective surfaces, and clear glass fixtures to create an airier, more spacious flow. Plants and artwork are great tools for breathing life into any dull space.

This article will talk about different ways to make your windowless bathroom look more inviting. We will discuss how factors such as lighting, ventilation, choice of colors, fixtures, and furnishings can affect a room’s vibe and what you can do to create the kind of atmosphere you want.

1. Lighting Is Everything

Natural light streaming into a room significantly changes aesthetics and vibe. If your bathroom is windowless and the sole source of light is artificial, the room may seem gloomy and smaller than it actually is, especially if the lighting isn’t top-notch.

If your bathroom has no windows, invest in good lighting to give the room a more spacious and airy feel.

Choose an attractive ceiling light fixture capable of lighting up the whole room. Go all out on an attractive piece that reflects your personality and taste.

You can also install smaller, wall-mounted lights in strategic locations around your bathroom. A pair installed on either side of your vanity mirror is both functional and appealing. An interesting light fixture on an empty wall will be a great accent piece.

Here are more tips:

Avoid Frosted Glass

They may seem eye-catching, but remember that these opaque light fixtures are meant to diffuse light and make the lighting in a room softer.

If you really can’t resist the charm of a particular frosted light fixture, make sure you use it merely as an accent piece and not as the primary source of light in the room.

Steer Clear of Colored Glass

Lighting fixtures with colored glass are mainly used for decorative purposes rather than proper lighting. They can make your windowless bathroom seem darker and more cramped.

If you find yourself simply incapable of turning a blind eye to a particularly attractive colored glass light fixture, install it in such a way that it functions more as a bathroom ornament than a source of light.

Go for Brighter Light

A regular bulb in a typical room inside a house usually emits around 800 lumens (a standard 60-watt incandescent bulb).

Go for a higher wattage for your windowless bathroom to make the space more appealing and functional.

Aim for at least 2,000 lumens for your total overhead light fixtures. Make sure that the light flows evenly across the room and that there are no poorly lit corners.

Consider installing light fixtures intended for focused lighting as well. Use these in the vanity area, particularly to shine more light around the mirror, to make bathroom affairs such as shaving, putting on makeup, or washing your face easier.

Choose LED

There are 3 types of light bulbs to consider for typical home use:

Compact fluorescent lights (CFLs). These are usually not recommended for bathrooms because frequent on and off switching significantly shortens a CFL bulb’s lifespan.

Halogen incandescent lights. They work well, especially since they are proven reliable and relatively inexpensive.

Light-emitting diodes (LEDs). This is the best option for a windowless bathroom since LEDs are more energy efficient. LEDs typically last about 25% longer than incandescents and are thus ideal for frequently used common areas in the home.

Look Into Light Color and Quality

Providing adequate lighting for your windowless bathroom isn’t simply about furnishing it with the brightest light possible.

There are other factors to consider, such as color and quality. Experts refer to these factors as color temperature.

Color temperature refers to the tone emitted by a light bulb, measured in Kelvins (K). Lower ratings mean warmer light tones, usually from bulbs emitting soft white or yellow light.

Higher ratings suggest cooler, brighter light, usually from bulbs emitting white light, sometimes with blue undertones. For your windowless bathroom, it would be best not to go lower than 3,000K.

Consider Installing a Dimmer Switch

Bright light isn’t always a great thing when it comes to bathrooms. It comes in handy when you’re doing your makeup, shaving, or cleaning.

But what if you would like to unwind at the end of a long day and spend hours soaking in a warm, relaxing tub? Suddenly the bright lights become a nuisance.

This is where a handy dimmer switch can come to your rescue. A dimmer allows you to have control over the overhead lighting so you can adjust the intensity to suit your mood and your objective for going inside the bathroom.

2. Invest in Proper Ventilation

A bathroom without any windows is a breeding ground for mold and mildew.

If there is no air to help dry out the room after each time you take a bath, you can look forward to dealing with moisture-related problems sooner than you expect.

Excess and constant dampness in the bathroom can ruin paint, furniture, and fixtures. Mold and mildew can also cause health problems.

Installing an extractor fan is a great way to combat humidity-related concerns in a bathroom with no windows.

It’s best to have your extractor fan connected to your main bathroom light switch so that it is automatically activated every time someone enters the room.

You can have a separate switch for it installed so you can turn your lights off while keeping your extractor fan running when you need it to work double time drying out the room.

Here are some tips on proper usage of your extractor fan:

Turn it on before you start your bath. This ensures the room has good ventilation as moisture starts building up while you shower.

Keep it turned on for at least 15 minutes after your bath. This helps dry out the room faster. Make a mental note to leave your shower doors open after your bath. This lets moisture escape quickly from the inside.

3. Go Big on Reflective Surfaces

Invest in a large mirror (or more, if your space allows it) to create an illusion of space in your bathroom. These days, there are so many designs to choose from that will complement your bathroom’s design style.

Having large mirrors on your bathroom walls allows light to be reflected across and around the room, creating an impression of depth.

You can also use metallic accents and finishes to help brighten the space. Use shiny silver or gold knobs for your cabinets. Choose faucets with reflective surfaces.

Scatter little gold or silver trays, figurines, or vases around your bathroom. You can also use metallic paint to line the edges of some of your bathroom walls, fittings, and fixtures.

Using reflective surfaces inside your windowless bathroom will help absorb more light and make the room appear larger and roomier than it really is.

The concept is similar to how mirrors reflect light across the room. An optical illusion will occur wherein the eye is tricked into perceiving more space inside the room.

4. Paint With White

Most people might think that bright colors will instantly perk a room up and make it seem more spacious than it really is.

This may work with other spaces in your home, but when it comes to a bathroom with no windows, bright colors may sometimes make the room seem smaller. The lack of natural light contributes to the dark, dingy vibe.

Apply a lot of white paint instead. Using the color white in your windowless bathroom is another great way to create an illusion of space.

It also makes the room airy and bright. Go for glossy shades of white because the added sheen will reflect light, thus creating a roomier feel.

5. Go for Earth Tones

Opt for earth colors if you prefer creating a snug, homey vibe in your bathroom. These hues will make your windowless bathroom seem like a relaxing oasis. They may even lend a sense of warmth, relaxation, and comfort to the space.

Earth tones include shades of:

Beige
Brown
Green
Red

Play around with these colors, but make sure that most of the bathroom walls are significantly lighter than the color of the floor.

Opt for white or cream for the ceiling to maximize the limited light inside the room. A light-colored ceiling will also help prevent the room from feeling too heavy or dark.

You can even create an accent wall for your bathroom to showcase your creativity more. Remember the 60-30-10 rule when choosing your wall colors.

The dominant color should take up 60% of the available space while allotting 30% for the secondary color. 10% goes to the accent wall.

6. Pay Attention to Your Walls

Wall decor can significantly affect how a space looks and feels. Opt for artwork in light, bright hues in a bathroom with no windows. Make sure their frames are lightly-colored, too, so the whole room feels light and vibrant.

You can also go for a wall mirror to lend more space to the room. Light will bounce off the mirror and make your bathroom brighter.

Images reflected in the mirror will also give the illusion that the room is larger than it really is. Make sure the mirror frame is sleek and in light color, too.

7. Revamp Your Shower Area

Consider giving your shower area a sleeker, more modern look, especially if it’s the boxy type that seems to take up so much space in the room.

Simply installing clear glass shower doors will make a huge difference in how your bathroom looks and feels. Glass doors will allow light to reach into the shower area, making the room seem bigger.

Think about changing your tiles as well. Opt for light-colored tiles like white, pale yellow, or cream. These colors let light bounce off them, making the room feel more spacious and bright.

Also, check your bathroom fixtures and ensure they’re clean, shiny, and stain-free.

8. Decorate With Plants

What better way to breathe life into a space than with plants? A bathroom with no windows can benefit significantly from adding lush foliage here and there.

Plants are terrific accent pieces, and they can double as air purifiers as well.

Make sure you choose plants that can survive in low to medium light. Make a mental note to take them outdoors at least once a week for rejuvenation and a dose of much-needed sunshine.

You can also have batches of plants that you rotate every week. This way, one set spends a week indoors prettifying your bathroom, while another set gets to enjoy the sunshine and fresh air outdoors.

Avoid being generous when watering plants that are inside your windowless bathroom. Considering the lack of ventilation and proper light in their living quarters, water will evaporate and dry up slower than usual.

To avoid root rot, water your bathroom plants only when the soil is halfway dry. Watering can best be done when they get their turn basking outdoors.

Here are some plants that can survive in the low-light and humid environment of a windowless bathroom:

Peace Lily. These fast-growing plants are among those with top-notch air purifying abilities. They are hardy plants that produce beautiful flowers even with minimal care.

Aglaonemas. Their colorful foliage will undoubtedly add more life to any space.

Lucky Bamboo. This plant can thrive in a vase filled with water. What a quirky way to display its attractive foliage!

Aloe Vera. Known to have excellent skincare and haircare properties, having a pot or 2 within reach inside your bathroom is such a great idea!

Pothos. These plants can be hung from the ceiling or on pegs high up in the wall. They trail beautifully and can be great accent pieces in your bathroom.

Spider Plant. Known as an excellent air purifier and is particularly adept at eliminating formaldehyde (a substance used for cleaning, disinfecting, and preserving laboratory specimens) from the air.

Snake Plant. This plant is recognized by no other than NASA for its reliable air purifying abilities.

ZZ Plant. These are one of the hardest to kill plants because they need so little for survival. ZZ plants will do well despite daily low-light conditions and require minimal watering, thanks to their succulent-like leaves.

Calathea. These plants come in different colors and sizes, making them among the more popular species well-loved by gardeners. They thrive in high humidity, so they will certainly enjoy the moist air in a windowless bathroom.

Key Takeaways

Proper lighting, ventilation, and creative color schemes make your windowless bathroom look and feel more appealing. Depending on the type of mood you want to create, you can go for both light or Earth tones.

Simple things like clear glass doors, white-framed artwork, and plants with vibrant foliage can make the space seem more spacious and airier than it really is.

It’s also smart to invest in a good-quality extractor fan to help with humidity concerns that typically come with maintaining a bathroom with no windows.