Furnishing a windowless bathroom: what to do?

Windowless bathrooms are quite common, particularly in flats.

How to plan and furnish them to eliminate problems of bad light or damp?

See the suggestions in our post!

The problem is rather common: in flats one of the bathrooms is often situated on the side of the dwelling with no windows. In such cases there are expedients that can be used to achieve a healthy, well-lit and dry room (trendy and attractive to boot!).

Illuminating a windowless bathroom: which lamps?

The first aspect to consider is light, essential for both aesthetic and functional reasons. You can’t put make up on or shave in a bathroom with no light, can you? That’s why it’s important to ask an expert for a lighting project, so he or she can study the lighting needs of the room according to how (and by whom) the bathroom will be used.

There are several solutions for illuminating a bathroom that has no natural light, even lamps that simulate (almost perfectly) the presence of a window. However, using more accessible products, to plan a lighting system well it would suffice to read the technical information about the light fittings to find out temperature and power. In general a central point of light is installed, and one on or near the mirror, to turn on when needed.

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Besides the two essential points of light, it is possible to focus on some of the areas in the bathroom (large shower niches, bathtub area, etc.) with LEDs and small light sources that create an atmosphere.

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A practical solution is to choose an illuminated mirror, that is to say, bathroom mirrors that integrate the lighting system, either with LED bars or spotlights mounted on the mirror frame. The frame can be coordinated with the metal finishes on the rest of the bathroom decor to achieve a total match that will make the room elegant and exclusive.

Choosing a bathroom mirror? Some suggestions!

Avoiding problems of damp in a windowless bathroom

The absence of a window inevitably generates air circulation problems, which can be solved by a mechanical ventilation and extraction system. This can be avoided only if there is no shower or washing machine/dryer (e.g. a small guest bathroom). Otherwise, over time small signs of damp will begin to appear, which can be more or less successfully eliminated by renovation and dehumidifying operations.

Forced extraction in the bathroom makes continuous air circulation possible, eliminating bad odours and dampness: it’s important to contact an expert fitter to understand what type of system is the most suitable for the room involved.

Wall coverings for windowless bathrooms: what to choose?

With the right precautions (see the question of bathroom extractors) there are no particular indications for bathroom wall coverings. Tiles are certainly the best and most suitable solution to avoid problems of rising damp, but nowadays there are many bathroom paints formulated to make surfaces moisture and mould resistant.

From the aesthetics point of view, where there is no natural light avoid dark colours and use reflecting surfaces with a sheen that increase the sensation of luminosity in a room. For example, shiny metal finishes could give a touch of light and style (we talked about this here!)

The ideal shower for a windowless bathroom

If the bathroom has no window, but has a good forced air system, a shower enclosure can be fitted without creating problems. A general rule of thumb is not to spend too long in the shower and to air the enclosure by keeping the doors open immediately after. A walk-in shower is a great decor idea, as well as being extremely attractive: as walk-ins do not have doors, there is no accumulation of steam to invade the bathroom after taking a shower.

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Furnishing a windowless bathroom: style tips

When furnishing a windowless bathroom a good general tip is to balance your choice of textures so that the result is luminous and airy and does not emphasise the lack of natural light.

Light colours, natural materials, iridescent finishes and glossy, luminous lacquers: these are the things to focus on when furnishing a small, windowless bathroom with style.

An extra idea? An outsize mirror, even bigger than the cabinet below it, can help to double the light and make the room seem bigger (a great idea also for small bathrooms).

Read about other decor inspirations in our blog, and find out more by calling on one of our dealers: they will help you to choose and plan your bathroom.