How to Make a Windowless Bathroom Feel Light and Airy

Be it your apartment's sole bathroom or a spare pocket-sized powder bath, a space without a window can easily feel like a claustrophobic cave. Elizabeth Burch of Elizabeth Burch Interiors has an adept skill for making any space feel bright and breezy, and she's got a few pointers on how to intentionally open up space and reflect light in these common problem spaces.

Meet the Expert

Elizabeth Burch is a Nashville-based interior designer and owner of Elizabeth Burch Interiors.

Choose a Wallpaper With a Large Pattern and Neutral Background

Darker colors absorb light, and lighter colors reflect it. One way to take advantage of all the light available to you is to opt for a light-colored wall treatment. However, this doesn't mean you're just limited to white or off-white paint.

According to Burch, wallpaper can add intrigue to a windowless bathroom without making it feel busy, dark, or enclosed. She notes that the key is to select wallpaper with a large pattern and a white or neutral cream background. "You would think you would want a smaller pattern, but I find that using a larger pattern works to expand the space," she says.

Install Your Shower Curtain and Backsplash All the Way to the Ceiling

"I like to install shower curtains all the way to the ceiling rather than just stopping at where you would typically place a rod because it gives your ceiling the effect of being taller," Burch says. Her current go-to source for long, flowy shower curtains is Pepper Home since they offer customizable sizes. And if you have a shower door instead of a shower curtain, she says you can achieve a similar effect by installing your backsplash all the way to the ceiling. 

The same rule for your wall treatments also applies to these features. Choosing a light-colored backsplash or shower curtain will help you harness more light into a windowless bathroom.

Use Clear Acrylic Hardware for Towels Instead of Metal

One of Burch's favorite ways to evoke a sense of airiness in a bathroom is to use stylish, clear acrylic hangers for bath and hand towels. Since towel bars typically hang around or right below eye level, she says acrylic will provide less of a hard visual stop than metal. As a little bonus, it also won't break up any design in your wallpaper.

Remove a Bulky Vanity to Eliminate Visual Weight

If changing out your vanity is an option for you, Burch says it might be worth it since it can positively affect how open the space feels. If you have a dark, oversized vanity that is taking up quite a bit of space, she recommends going with a less-bulky option like a pedestal sink or a small floating vanity.

Opt For a Tall Bathroom Mirror to Reflect Light and Space

A mirror is certainly no replacement for a window. However, swapping out a small mirror for a larger one can do wonders for expanding the space. You can also reap even more benefits out of a large mirror with some strategic light placement.

"I really like using tall, rectangular mirrors to draw the eye up,"  Burch says. "I also like to add a sconce on top of the mirror and install it as high as possible while still keeping it looking cohesive with the mirror height." She notes that this also gives off the appearance of a taller ceiling height.

Store Your Toiletries Out of Sight

Bright-colored bottles of lotions and potions can add unwanted clutter to a small bathroom that's already struggling. If you make the switch from a vanity to a pedestal sink, you'll need to come up with a new storage solution for all of your toiletries. Instead of adding another piece of furniture to your bathroom, you can either store the majority of your products on a shelf immediately right outside your bathroom in a hallway or opt for a medicine cabinet.

"Medicine cabinets are more tricky to install, but they provide you hidden space for extra things," Burch says. "There are a lot more aesthetically pleasing medicine cabinets on the market now, so you could still achieve that tall rectangular look with the mirror."

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