What’s In for Bathrooms Right Now — and What Might Be Hot Next

More than a decade of collecting data from homeowners renovating their baths has given the Houzz research department lots of insight into design, style and product trends over time. Here we share not just what’s hot right now, but what’s emerging as contenders for the spotlight and what’s fading from it. The most current data has been taken from the 2024 U.S. Houzz Bathroom Trends Study,* while information about trends over time reflects data from past reports.

“Consistent with past Houzz research, homeowners are renovating for the long term, making significant investments in functional spaces like primary bathrooms,” Houzz staff economist Marine Sargsyan says. “While changes to layouts, shower area, flooring and plumbing may be unsurprising, what stands out is the growing trend toward future-proofing homes for personal use and the needs of loved ones. This shift has pushed resale value considerations further down the priority list, as homeowners focus on comfort and long-term living.”

Enduring Bathroom Trends

More than 10 years of survey responses point to four long-running trends.

1. Every year, despite changing national economic outlooks, more than a quarter of homeowners renovate their bathroom.
2. More than 3 in 5 homeowners upgrade home systems as part of bathroom remodel. This includes projects such as adding a ventilation fan, radiant heating or a tankless water heater.
3. Transitional style has been the top style choice for renovated baths for every one of those 10 years.
4. White has consistently been the No. 1 color choice for bath vanities.

Power Players: White and Off-White

While changes in the survey questions over time mean we can’t provide exact data on colors for every bathroom element during every year since our surveys began, we can tell you that white and off-white are going strong. White was the most popular color for most bathroom features, followed by off-white, during 2023-24 projects. In fact, white surpasses gray in all categories except vanities, where gray leads by only 1 percentage point.

Breaking it down, white (50%) and off-white (20%) dominate countertop color preferences, far ahead of gray (9%). White and off-white also lead for both shower walls (41% and 17%, respectively) and nonshower walls (27% and 21%, respectively), significantly outpacing gray (11% for shower walls and 13% for nonshower walls). Surprisingly, white is the dominant choice even for accent walls (22%), although blue and green aren’t greatly behind (17% and 11%, respectively).

What’s Faded From Favor (for Now)

Modern style. In 2019, modern was the most popular style for renovated baths. Since then, it’s taken a steady downturn; it’s now in third place behind transitional (No. 1) and contemporary (No. 2).

Gray bathroom walls. In 2016, 32% of renovating homeowners chose gray for either shower or nonshower walls. One year later, that figure had risen to 38%. But in 2023, it was down to 20%. For all those years, white has been the top color choice for bathroom walls.

Trends to Watch For

Future-proofing solutions. Nearly two-thirds of homeowners (64%) addressed special needs in their 2023-24 bathroom renovations. Solutions for aging in place were the top priority, and among those incorporating them, 46% did so with the future in mind and 37% did so for current needs. 

Eclectic style. Although transitional (23%), contemporary (16%), and modern (15%) styles have been the top three primary bathroom styles for a decade now, eclectic style is on the upswing. It has increased by 2 percentage points between 2023 and 2024 to land at 5%, and is now tied with farmhouse style, which has remained steady at 5% since 2019.

Sustainability. A whopping 84% of homeowners opted for sustainable features in their bath renovation during 2023-24. Among those, more than half (55%) went for LED lightbulbs — the most popular sustainable choice — followed by water-efficient fixtures (41%) and timeless design elements (35%). And 6% hired an eco-focused pro for their bathroom remodel.

Products With Specialty Features

Homeowners seem to be more interested in getting bells and whistles for the bath these days, particularly in four product categories. 

1. Toilets. More than 2 in 5 renovating homeowners (41%) installed a toilet with one or more specialty features in their 2023-24 projects; 35% of those features are built in. Bidet toilet seats (23%) and bidet toilet seats with water pressure (21%) top the popularity list, but self-cleaning functionality (19%), an air dryer (17%) and a heated seat (17%) aren’t far behind.
2. Bathtubs. More than half of renovating homeowners (54%) opted for a bathtub with one or more specialty features, including nonslip flooring (24%), grab bars (20%) and space for two (16%).
3. Faucets. Almost a third of renovating homeowners (30%) chose faucets with a special feature. Water efficiency is the most sought, at 23% — indicating an interest in earth friendliness and/or cost consciousness.
4. Showers. Although only 10% of renovating homeowners are going for specialty shower features right now, anecdotally these appear to be on the rise. Keep an eye on integrated lighting, remote temperature control and remote on-off control (currently 4%, 3% and 2%, respectively).

Wood vanities. In the 2024 report, wood took the top spot from white for vanity color. At 22%, white doesn’t appear to be disappearing anytime soon, but at 26%, wood tones (light, medium and dark) are more favored.

Wet rooms. During their 2023-24 projects, 13% of homeowners chose a wet room design for their renovated bathroom. The leading factor: better use of space, cited by 66% of respondents. Universal design (39%) and aesthetics (33%) also are notable factors.

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Read more about current bathroom trends

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*The 110-question survey was fielded between June 27 and July 30, 2024, and gathered information from a total of 1,247 users, who reported they were 18 or older; were homeowners; and had completed a kitchen remodel or addition in the past 12 months, were currently working on one or planned to start one in the next six months.