Curtains are a perennially popular bathroom window treatment for good reason. They offer privacy and light control, but they also come in a wide range of fabrics and, if you’re a DIYer, are simple to make. There are even adorable no-sew curtains you can make in half a day for just a few dollars.

Unless you have a very formal home, casual window treatments work best in bathrooms. And bathrooms are small, making them perfect candidates for experimenting with colors and styles.

The Privacy Factor

In many cases, privacy is the key factor in choosing bathroom window treatments, and lined curtains not only make curtains sturdier and offer a consistent appearance from the street, they also are the best at blocking prying eyes.

This is a room where floor-to-ceiling drapes probably should be avoided. With wet floors and high traffic, the hems could be damaged or, at a minimum, require more cleaning than with other types of curtains.

Window-length curtains like Priscillas or even cafe curtains make good options, offering coverage where it counts but still letting in light.

Letting in the Light

For bathrooms lucky enough not to need privacy, consider going with a curtain topper, or valence. Shirred, balloon or butterfly shades are pretty without overwhelming the decor. And if you’re still thinking about café curtains, tying them in the middle to create an X-shape is a classic curtain option.

 Fabric Options

Bathrooms tend to be high-humidity spaces, so choose a fabric accordingly. If you go for lined curtains, look for weather-resistant options like Sunbrella, which are made to stand up to extra heat and humidity.

For lighter curtains, sheer fabrics will dry more quickly than heavier, so look for voiles or polyesters that don’t mind the damp.

As for patterns, your imagination is the limit. Try something trendy like Suzani, or classic like dotted Swiss. Steer away from velvet if you’re outfitting a high-traffic bathroom, though in rarely used guest baths, it would work just fine.

Choose a color based on how the curtain complements your decor, either by receding into the background or taking center stage. Bright colors do fade with time, while neutrals don’t show wear and tear as much, so if you’re looking for a curtain that lasts, consider white, cream, gray, tan or pale pink (after all, we all know pink is a neutral).

Choosing bathroom curtains is one of life’s low-stress curtain choices. Find something you love and go with it – after all, a space this small is hard to mess up. And if by chance you don’t like your choice, it’s easy and inexpensive to change.