I don't have personal experience with these, but what about a Solatube (or some sort of sky light)? I've seen them on hgtv/diy shows and they look really cool. Might be easier/less expensive than adding a window?

Here is a link that might be useful: Solatube

Like OP, I have no window in my bathroom and it feels like a cave, even with all the light colors. When I have the house re-roofed in the next few years, I'm going to install a Solatube. I may not be able to hold DH off that long! He wants one NOW! I've corresponded with some folks on these forums who have them, and they all like them!

If you want one, now is the time to do it. We just put in three and one was in our main bath. The best money we ever spent. It has the light kit and exhaust as well. The tax credit runs out at the end of this year. We found out during the Solatube install that our roof has issues and we have filed a warranty claim with Owens Corning. As long as the roofer is aware of how to deal with these tubes, re-roofing isn't a big issue.

We love the natural light now that fills that bathroom. It used to be a dark cave and now it's amazing!

Take a look at the room now!

Thanks so much for the ideas guys. I hadn't really considered Solatube as an option b/c I'm on the first floor, but after you mentioned it I went on the Solatube website and saw that they can do it:

"Can a Solatube Daylighting System work for the first floor of a two-story house? Yes, if there is a closet, existing chase, or place for the tubes to run through the house from the roof to the first floor. A Solatube 290 DS is recommended due to the long distance from the roof. Usually a chase is built around the unit for added protection."

I just called our local dealer (super nice and helpful, by the way) and talked to him for a few minutes, but I don't think it will work for our house. The tube from our downstairs bathroom is in the middle of a second floor bedroom. He told me that the tube itself would be about $600 but for every foot over 4 feet it would cost me an additional $25/sq. ft. - and if it was 13 additional feet that's $325 plus an additional $200 if they had to go through existing flooring (instead of just walls and stuff). Anyway, all that puts me at around 1,000 for the tube, and someone gave me a rough estimate of $1600 to have a regular window installed. So I don't think it would work out for me even if my first and second floors lined up better :( We're in the middle of some other house projects, so that might be a little high. I wonder if more lighting would make any difference? Well placed mirrors? We're thinking about replacing our shower/tub combination with a shower only (the tub is really small, and my DH--who is built like a football player-- is just not comfy in there). Maybe going to a shower alone would make it feel a little better, especially if there are tiles to distract you from all the walls, walls, walls? Maybe even more lighting would be helpful, something not yellow and from somewhere other than above the vanity mirror? Wishful thinking?

Nothing replaces natural light...there simply is no substitute. I didn't realize you were on the second floor, although as you see there is a possible, yet expensive, resolution to it. I have all the halogen light in that bathroom one could ever need but when they lights go out, the room looked like a cave.

In some bathrooms, I have seen a tilt-out awning style window placed above the shower level that lets in light and provides additional ventilation. That is the only way I would have a window in a shower/tub area, but there have been other threads with solutions on how to incorporate it, but they require a tilesetter equal to mongo or Bill V.

Our basement bathroom does not have a window. It is white and china white. White tiles, vanity and floor. It does not feel like a cave. The room it is off of does have a window. In my pevious home, our hallway bathroom did not have a window and was not near a window. We had light white and french beige tiles. It also felt fine. I think a big part is the lighting and the colors that you use.

susanelewis, I agree with you...there is nothing like real light. The bathroom we are working on is in a downstairs master, so that's what is making that long tube all the way from the roof to the first floor a problem. If we do put a window in, I like the idea of the tilt-out awning style window. I live in a townhouse development, and I do wonder if neighbors on the second floor of their house would be able to see in my first floor bathroom window even if the window was placed really high. Probably not, right?

Ellendi, it is very comforting to me that you have a basement bath without a window that looks and feels great. What kind of lighting do you have in your bath?

Will your HOA allow changes to the exterior of your townhome, like adding a window? I know some don't, to keep the exteriors consistent. Just a thought. If you can add one, you could have it with obscured glass. Lets in all the light and no worries about neighbors seeing in. You could select the opening style of the window to minimize viewing when opened by facing the opening away from upstairs neighbors (if possible).

That's the thing olychick! I'd have to submit the window for approval (which I kind of dread even though I'm not sure they'd have a problem with it). And as I'm looking at the exterior of the house I'm not having the easiest time figuring out if it would look good from the exterior, and consistent with the other units, so figuring out all that would be top priority. I could do a really neat window, simple stained glass kind of thing, etc., but if it didn't look like it was part of the original home/neighborhood it won't be a success. Do you think there is something I could put on the inside of the windows that you could not tell was there from the outside? That way it will match the windows in the neighborhood better.

If you can go to a glass shower that will help as will a big mirror over the vanity. Both my baths here are inside baths and I don't feel claustrophobic. In our master we have a glass enclosed shower with tan tile, tan tile floors, a dark double vanity, tan countertop, white sink and toilet and the mirror runs the full length of the vanity and up to the ceiling. Believe me it helps. Add more lighting over the vanity, etc if you can and paint the walls a soft color.

In our second bath, we have a tub, sink next to it, and toilet next to that. The mirror runs from the vanity to the end of the wall where the toilet is and from vanity height up to the ceiling again. Mirrors are a wonderful thing! Same colors were used in there.

Thanks cpartist! I think we'll definitely go the glass shower route.