Designer advice: What to consider when designing a bathroom with no windows
Designing a new bathroom means considering all the practical elements, including lighting. When natural light is taken from the equation it requires careful planning to recreate the desired effect. To help you determine how to work around a lack of windows, we asked Dena, Senior Designer from Ripples Harpenden, to share her top tips and advice.
As many of us try to maximise space in our homes, we are seeing more and more bathroom renovations in unusual spaces and a lack of windows is a common side-effect of this. The inclusion of natural light in any room brings a sense of serenity and openness that most people crave in such intimate spaces, however, when this is not possible, we love the challenge of coming up with the best creative solution.
Positive factors
Quite often when I’m presented with a room with no windows, it makes the design job a bit easier as there is more usable wall space. In normal situations, when a window is present in a room, it has to be factored within the design; some designs are even created around a window as it may provide a lovely view or vista. When this is the case, the placement of the bath often has to be more carefully thought about, as well as the basin, shower and WC. For example, it’s important to ensure that the shower isn’t too close to a window or the basin isn’t underneath one to allow space for a mirror. However, that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t come with its difficulties.
What to consider
Whilst having no windows does give you a bit more freedom in designing the bathroom, you do have the added task of thinking about how to ensure that the bathroom feels bright and open and not gloomy and claustrophobic. Most of the time, clients will request a lighter colour scheme, to keep the room bright and airy, however, this is not the most effective way to solve the issue; the main area to consider is the amount of lighting available in the room. I usually incorporate a number of different light sources in a bathroom with no windows, including practical lighting (spot lights, mirror cabinet), mood lighting (under vanity unit, alcove lighting) as well as decorative lighting (wall lights, pendants) to make the room as practical as possible but to also add atmosphere. Well thought through lighting can elevate the room and if you get the lighting right then you can even opt for very dark tiles to really make a statement.
Ventilation
With the absence of windows, ventilation is one of the main areas of concern. However, with the installation of a good effective humid air extraction, this problem can be resolved. There are multiple options available for every application, from simple wall-mounted fans which can be operated on timers or sensors to extractor fans that operate at a slow speed which establishes a constant airflow, with very low power consumption. Larger and more powerful extractor fans can be mounted into a loft space, to draw air from the bathroom and expel it through an external vent. The faceplates can be simple so that they blend into the background or even colour-match your choice of bathroom fittings.
Air control in bathrooms isn't limited to just extractor fans. It is possible to specify, WC cistern frames which have charcoal air filters built into the flush plates. Unpleasant odours can be drawn in around the flush plate. with a small fan and passed through the charcoal filter.
A lack of natural light doesn’t need to mean a dingy room. There are many ways in which we can celebrate the characteristics of a room through the use of smart lighting, colour choices and product placement. I find these rooms an exciting challenge and something I can be really creative with. Trust us with what we can offer you and your space and you will be presently surprised by the outcome.
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