I made a shower curtain and window curtain using panels prints and coordinating fabric for my master bath. I pull it down twice a year to wash it and have been using it since 2004. I did not back it, but I did zigzag over the raw edges, and sew the seams down for strength. I did use darker colors but my thinking is I know where everything is in the shower, so daylight is not really important to me. My bathroom light is on the ceiling just above and outside of the shower so it is not real dark, just slightly shadowy. When I made the curtain, I put a white strip at the top for additional natural light in the bath. The bathroom walls are painted a pale mint, and I love the way it turned out. I hope you like it.