Asked on Sep 01, 2014

Closing in a bathroom window (that faces into the house).

My house is very strange. At some point, our family room was a porch of some kind and it was closed in during the 60s. The original owners decided to keep the bathroom window facing into our family room.
We've covered it up with a large canvas for some time, but now we are ready to take out the window and close it off for good. The window is in the shower.
What is the best material to use? Anyone else have a window in their house to another room? Or is my house the only strange one.
These are closing day photos.
As if the window wasn't bad enough, they used a stained glass sticker to make it look prettier ;)
  18 answers
  • I would frame it out using tile backer board, tile it and install some marble or granite shelves and use it to hold shampoos and other shower accessories. Seeing windows in baths that have sense been sealed off because of an addition is very common. Not a big deal to do. The big trick is to properly water proof the cavity using proper materials so no water can get behind the tile and backer board. There are paintable products that create a rubber like seal over the tile board that the tile can be easily set upon. This will prevent leaks into the wall cavity should the grout crack or leak. And of course be sure to seal the tile and grout once the project is dry.
    • See 1 previous
    • Chris Chris on Sep 03, 2014
      @Woodbridge Environmental Tiptophouse.com - this is a great idea. Often in makeover shows I see cavities used this way in shower areas... very sensible
  • AvonelleRed AvonelleRed on Sep 01, 2014
    Woodbridge Environmental Tiptophouse.com gave you the best idea you'll probably get for this opening. It's very smart, and accomplishes not only closing off the window area, but giving you extra storage in the shower. I also want to say thank you to Woodbridge Environmental Tiptophouse.com because I've see how generous they have been on this site with their time and knowledge.
  • Jeanette S Jeanette S on Sep 02, 2014
    Woodbridge has the perfect solution. If you can't match either of those tiles, you can always use white in this accent area!
  • Shirley Kalinosky Shirley Kalinosky on Sep 03, 2014
    Yes, thanks to Woodbridge. They always have up-to-date and affordable solutions to our problems.
  • Darla Darla on Sep 03, 2014
    I think Woodbridge has the best solution. You might also think of using opaque glass blocks if they will fit.
  • Sharon Reynolds Sharon Reynolds on Sep 03, 2014
    im totally digging the glass block idea, I love it...and use the glass block as accent, u know in some kind of cool pattern u like and then tile off the rest...it brings in much needed light in a small weird space....
    • See 2 previous
    • Liz Feeser-Regan Liz Feeser-Regan on Dec 10, 2014
      @Sharon Reynolds They were not frosted but had the ripple effect and were the thick glass block. Any way I am sure I flashed more than one neighbor before I found out they were see through not like a window but enough where you could see a naked person.
  • MicKat Ken MicKat Ken on Sep 03, 2014
    Maintaining the bonus of the light coming in from the window, but using glass in some sort of way that adds privacy (framed in glass block, textured, leaded...) AND the addition of water friendly shelves would be a beautiful thing. And then, there is no issue matching tile.
  • Liliana Wells Liliana Wells on Sep 03, 2014
    Woodbridge has a nice solution for you. I also like the idea of glass blocks to let light in and for privacy. If at some point you are going to retile the whole bathroom and take the existing tiles down, then you can decide on a more uniform look. I hope you post pictures of what you decide to do.
  • Liz Feeser-Regan Liz Feeser-Regan on Sep 03, 2014
    That is not an attractive window but they do have nicer looking windows, I for one like having a window in my bathroom.
    • See 1 previous
    • Liz Feeser-Regan Liz Feeser-Regan on Sep 04, 2014
      @AvonelleRed You are right I would close it off as well.
  • Thanks, everyone. We are definitely going to close it off completely. This bathroom will eventually be remodeled so we might leave the shelves out and just leave the nook as is.
  • Kareng Kareng on Sep 03, 2014
    We flipped a house a few years ago with a window above the tub. We replaced the glass with plastic 'glass' blocks and trimmed it out in white plastic 'wood' trim so we could add a shower. It worked beautifully. Everything was waterproof, we had light coming in to the room, and the neighbors did not get a show--we tried it out at different times of day and varying light! Good luck with your project--
  • Nancy Jenkins Nancy Jenkins on Sep 03, 2014
    My window is facing neighbours, would love to take it away but then no venting, so pull shower curtain around and blind down is only way to have shower. Ceiling to high to put vent.
  • Louise Fulton Louise Fulton on Sep 03, 2014
    The glass block is a good idea or you could turn it into a nice cubby hole to hold shampoo's and body washes, even maybe a hook for hubby's soap.
  • Susie Susie on Sep 03, 2014
    I, too, have a window from the bathroom into another room. In our case from the bathroom into the office. Originally I put a piece of water glass (looks like rippling water) that was cut to size. But when we re-did our office and gave it a complete upgrade and re-did the bathroom tile I replaced the water glass with glass block. The block were a bit smaller than the window opening so when I did the bathroom tile I angled the side and top tiles in towards the glass block.From the office side we framed the new surface to fit. Looks great and allows additional light into the bathroom and into the office (skylight in the bath). Win, win!
  • Grace Gleason Grace Gleason on Sep 03, 2014
    In Seattle, I actually lived in an apartment building that had been a hotel built in the 1920s I think. It had a stained glass window in the bathroom wall that faced the hall. Couldn't see through it, but it always made me laugh. Find something besides glass block so you won't be on display every time you shower. :D
  • Marlin Kittrell Marlin Kittrell on Sep 04, 2014
    we also have a window from bathroom to dining room or family room really cause that is where the family congregates,,, and i need to close off the window.
  • Nancy Jenkins Nancy Jenkins on Sep 05, 2014
    It is older window and it has crack on outer window. Either get new window that is one way see out only, or replace broken pane. Still both expensive.I do have a blind. Window looks over to vacant house.
  • Kimberly Lovitt Kimberly Lovitt on Sep 07, 2014
    We have the same issue with the same thing in our new house but my husband's putting in block windows with the vent. Just an idea.