What We Know About Your Bathroom Renovation Choices in 2023
The Houzz 2023 Bathroom Trends Study is out – read on to discover what's hot
We’ve trawled through the results of our 2023 Houzz UK Bathroom Trends Study and can now reveal the features and design choices taking place in your homes, as well as the professionals helping you to implement them.
“Bathrooms have always been a top room to renovate and we’re seeing that homeowners, driven both by aesthetic desires and functional necessities, are doubling down on their investment in these private sanctuaries,” Houzz staff economist Marine Sargsyan says.
Supersized showers are certainly in, but are baths on the way out? How is technology shaping your choice of toilet, which colour is your favourite, and which decorative, calming item have three in five of you added to your washrooms? All will be revealed…
* The 2023 Houzz UK 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 Houzz UK users in November to December 2022 and includes responses from more than 400 respondents.
“Bathrooms have always been a top room to renovate and we’re seeing that homeowners, driven both by aesthetic desires and functional necessities, are doubling down on their investment in these private sanctuaries,” Houzz staff economist Marine Sargsyan says.
Supersized showers are certainly in, but are baths on the way out? How is technology shaping your choice of toilet, which colour is your favourite, and which decorative, calming item have three in five of you added to your washrooms? All will be revealed…
* The 2023 Houzz UK 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 Houzz UK users in November to December 2022 and includes responses from more than 400 respondents.
Bigger is better
Not only are you focusing on the shower when renovating your bathrooms, you’re upsizing it, too.
More than two-thirds of you increased the size of your shower during renovations (68%) – and significantly, too: almost a third opted to enlarge their shower by more than half its original size (32%), and often at the cost of the bath.
Whether or not to remove the bath is a big renovation decision, but there may be a growing trend afoot, since 20% of the renovating homeowners we surveyed chose to do just that. Of those, more than four in five opted to use that space for a larger shower (82%).
More: How to Plan for a Bathroom Renovation
Not only are you focusing on the shower when renovating your bathrooms, you’re upsizing it, too.
More than two-thirds of you increased the size of your shower during renovations (68%) – and significantly, too: almost a third opted to enlarge their shower by more than half its original size (32%), and often at the cost of the bath.
Whether or not to remove the bath is a big renovation decision, but there may be a growing trend afoot, since 20% of the renovating homeowners we surveyed chose to do just that. Of those, more than four in five opted to use that space for a larger shower (82%).
More: How to Plan for a Bathroom Renovation
Light and bright is still a firm favourite
While we’ve been seeing more and more colourful tiles, paintwork and even sanitaryware popping up in the Houzz photo stream and in our tours, the majority of you are keeping things classic.
As such, white continues to be the top choice in bathrooms, with more than half of renovating homeowners choosing white worktops (57%) and more than a third opting for white walls, both outside and inside the shower (38% and 34%, respectively).
That said, one in 10 of you are turning to green and blue as accent colours in your bathrooms (10% each).
Check out kitchen and bathroom suppliers in the Houzz Professionals Directory.
While we’ve been seeing more and more colourful tiles, paintwork and even sanitaryware popping up in the Houzz photo stream and in our tours, the majority of you are keeping things classic.
As such, white continues to be the top choice in bathrooms, with more than half of renovating homeowners choosing white worktops (57%) and more than a third opting for white walls, both outside and inside the shower (38% and 34%, respectively).
That said, one in 10 of you are turning to green and blue as accent colours in your bathrooms (10% each).
Check out kitchen and bathroom suppliers in the Houzz Professionals Directory.
It’s all change for vanity units
Almost three in five of you (59%) chose to upgrade a vanity unit when renovating the bathroom.
Which styles are you favouring? The majority (60%) are opting for pre-manufactured and pre-assembled stock vanity units. Of these, floating designs are the most popular, with 45% of you keeping your floors clear.
Next up are built-in and freestanding units (32% and 21%, respectively) and in terms of how these are looking, more than half of you are choosing flat panel door styles (57%), followed by Shaker (20%). Units with glazed doors command a small yet important share (4%).
Almost three in five of you (59%) chose to upgrade a vanity unit when renovating the bathroom.
Which styles are you favouring? The majority (60%) are opting for pre-manufactured and pre-assembled stock vanity units. Of these, floating designs are the most popular, with 45% of you keeping your floors clear.
Next up are built-in and freestanding units (32% and 21%, respectively) and in terms of how these are looking, more than half of you are choosing flat panel door styles (57%), followed by Shaker (20%). Units with glazed doors command a small yet important share (4%).
You’re going big on plant power
Greenery is becoming a major design feature in your bathrooms and more than three in five of you (62%) have included plants in your updated spaces.
For the majority (91%), it’s simply because they look great, while 60% of you also feel that plants contribute to a calm environment.
Practical benefits are also noted, including air purification, antibacterial attributes and odour-fighting abilities (38%, 8% and 5%, respectively).
Greenery is becoming a major design feature in your bathrooms and more than three in five of you (62%) have included plants in your updated spaces.
For the majority (91%), it’s simply because they look great, while 60% of you also feel that plants contribute to a calm environment.
Practical benefits are also noted, including air purification, antibacterial attributes and odour-fighting abilities (38%, 8% and 5%, respectively).
Modern mirrors are popular
It seems a mirror upgrade was high on many of your lists when updating your bathrooms, because three-quarters of you have chosen to replace what was there with a new design. Whether down to practicality or just the lovely light-boosting properties of reflective glass, 14% of you have added two or more mirrors as part of a redo.
What do your mirrors look like? Well, with so many modern choices out there, lots of you are no longer content with a simple mirrored cabinet or standalone design. Instead, you want the benefits of technology.
As such, 77% of you have picked mirrors that feature LED lighting. Also popular are anti-fog systems and hidden plug sockets (at 72% and 32%, respectively).
More: 28 Design Ideas for Bathroom Mirrors
It seems a mirror upgrade was high on many of your lists when updating your bathrooms, because three-quarters of you have chosen to replace what was there with a new design. Whether down to practicality or just the lovely light-boosting properties of reflective glass, 14% of you have added two or more mirrors as part of a redo.
What do your mirrors look like? Well, with so many modern choices out there, lots of you are no longer content with a simple mirrored cabinet or standalone design. Instead, you want the benefits of technology.
As such, 77% of you have picked mirrors that feature LED lighting. Also popular are anti-fog systems and hidden plug sockets (at 72% and 32%, respectively).
More: 28 Design Ideas for Bathroom Mirrors
You want more from your loos
When upgrading the bathroom, more than four in five of you (84%) also switched to a new loo. And it seems that, on this front, the long-touted takeover by all-singing, all-dancing Japanese lavatories may finally be closer to becoming a reality, with tech-powered toilets growing in popularity.
Your favourite features include bidet functionality and automatic or hands-free flushing (28% and 27%, respectively).
A quarter of you have also opted for motion-activated seats, overflow protection anti-clog systems, and built-in night lights (25% each).
When upgrading the bathroom, more than four in five of you (84%) also switched to a new loo. And it seems that, on this front, the long-touted takeover by all-singing, all-dancing Japanese lavatories may finally be closer to becoming a reality, with tech-powered toilets growing in popularity.
Your favourite features include bidet functionality and automatic or hands-free flushing (28% and 27%, respectively).
A quarter of you have also opted for motion-activated seats, overflow protection anti-clog systems, and built-in night lights (25% each).
You’re spending more
Lots of you are making significant – and expensive – changes and the median spend for bathroom projects increased by 31% in 2022 to £5,250.*
What are you spending on? Major upgrades included replacing plumbing, electrical or heating systems (73%), changing the layout of the bathroom (62%), reframing or moving walls (33%), and increasing the size of the bathroom (21%).
* Spend data from the Houzz & Home Survey, sent to registered users of Houzz UK and fielded December 2022 to March 2023. n=2,549.
Lots of you are making significant – and expensive – changes and the median spend for bathroom projects increased by 31% in 2022 to £5,250.*
What are you spending on? Major upgrades included replacing plumbing, electrical or heating systems (73%), changing the layout of the bathroom (62%), reframing or moving walls (33%), and increasing the size of the bathroom (21%).
* Spend data from the Houzz & Home Survey, sent to registered users of Houzz UK and fielded December 2022 to March 2023. n=2,549.
Works are in the hands of professionals
Given the sorts of substantial updates you’re embracing at the moment, it’s no surprise to learn that more than four in five of you hired a professional to help with a bathroom project (88%).
Top of your list for providing help are all-rounders – and 66% of you hired a generalist tradesperson for the job.
This was closely followed by those of you hiring specialist bathroom fitters and designers (46% and 28%, respectively).
Tell us…
Are you planning to change your bathroom in the near future? Let us know the upgrades you’re considering in the Comments.
Given the sorts of substantial updates you’re embracing at the moment, it’s no surprise to learn that more than four in five of you hired a professional to help with a bathroom project (88%).
Top of your list for providing help are all-rounders – and 66% of you hired a generalist tradesperson for the job.
This was closely followed by those of you hiring specialist bathroom fitters and designers (46% and 28%, respectively).
Tell us…
Are you planning to change your bathroom in the near future? Let us know the upgrades you’re considering in the Comments.
Wondering what the number one most popular focus is when renovating our bathrooms? Our showers. The survey found that almost three-quarters of renovating homeowners upgraded their shower (74%).
There are plenty of options here, too, and the most common types of shower configurations include shower/bath combinations (29%), followed closely by low kerb and corner designs (28% and 24%, respectively).
When it comes to shower features, rain/waterfall showerheads are the most popular (78%), with handheld showerheads and thermostatic mixers following (71% and 59%, respectively).
Some homeowners are also adding features with a view to the future, such as seats and grab bars (9% and 8%, respectively), while others opt for digital shower controls (6%).