Home renovation and design platform Houzz has shared the findings from its 2024 UK Houzz Bathroom Trends Study – we bring you the highlights and key takeaways.
The survey found that nearly two-thirds of homeowners upgraded their vanity cabinets during primary bathroom renovations (63%). Homeowners are turning vanities into a focal point as one of the few areas of the bathroom to offer a splash of colour, with 1 in 5 homeowners choosing wood, followed by grey, blue, green and brown (20%, 14%, 8%, 6% and 3%, respectively). People are investing in personalised vanity units with nearly 1 in 5 choosing semi-custom or custom vanity unit options (19%).
The median spend for primary bathroom projects increased 33% to £7,000 from £5,250 in 2023. Major features upgraded during renovations include wall finishes (96%), basins (94%), flooring (92%), plumbing fixtures (89%), toilets (84%) and lighting (76%). One in 5 homeowners increase the size of their bathroom during renovations (20%) and nearly half of bathrooms are 50 square feet or more following renovations (47%).
"Homeowners are making bold design choices, particularly with vanity units, and focusing on contemporary styles to transform their bathrooms into functional yet stylish spaces," said Marine Sargsyan, Houzz staff economist. "These projects often require the expertise of professionals to ensure both practicality and aesthetic appeal."
Home systems are the most frequent enhancement in the bathroom (74%). Top projects include ventilation fan upgrades (85%) and heating installations such as radiant heating and tankless water heaters (26% and 6%, respectively). These projects often require the assistance of a professional, so it may be unsurprising that more than 4 in 5 homeowners hired industry professionals for their renovations (92%), with tradespeople being the most popular (60%), followed by bathroom fitters and builders (47% and 31%, respectively). On the design side, more than a quarter of homeowners hired bathroom designers (27%).
Additional trends from the study include:
Variety in Vanity Unit Design: Among those upgrading their vanity units, homeowners opt for feature enhancements, including soft-closing drawers and doors (62% and 52%, respectively) and built-in organisers and plug sockets (30% and 18%, respectively). Flat panel dominates in door style (50 percent), followed by shaker (23%). Drop-in basins are the most popular for upgraded vanity units (25%), followed by wall-mount and console (22% and 18%).
Contemporary Style Continues to Lead: Considering that outdated style is a top trigger for bathroom renovations (44%), it is not surprising that style and beauty is an important design aspect for more than three-quarters of renovating homeowners (78%). Contemporary style has continued to lead (36%), followed by modern (31%).
Solid Colours Abound: White continues its dominance in primary bathrooms across vanity units, worktops and walls, though grey walls are popular among homeowners both inside and outside the shower (25% and 20%, respectively). Nearly one in ten homeowners choose green walls inside the shower (9%).
Shower Updates Gain Steam: Consistently popular, shower upgrades are becoming increasingly common during bathroom renovations, up two percentage points over last year (76%). When removing a bath, more than 9 in 10 homeowners enlarge the shower (92% percent), often making it more than 50% larger (30%). Homeowners have relocated their showers following a bath removal (22%).
*The "2024 UK Houzz Bathroom Trends Study" is a report of homeowners who are in the midst of, are planning or recently completed a bathroom renovation. The online survey was fielded to UK Houzz users from November to December 2023. n=228.
