Emerging Bathroom Design Trends From This Past Year
Bathrooms became an even more popular renovation project for homeowners in the past year, with certain trends like aging in place, wet rooms, and eclectic styles growing in popularity, according to a recent study from home remodeling and design platform Houzz.
The 2024 U.S. Houzz Bathroom Trends Study found investments in bathroom renovation projects climbed by 11% year-over-year in 2024. And when prioritizing bathroom renovations, homeowners are more likely to pay attention to their own needs and desires over the resale value of their homes.
Homeowners Care Less About Resale Value
For the study, Houzz surveyed more than 1,200 respondents and found that the share of homeowners who care more about their home’s resale value dropped from 31% in 2023 to 26% in 2024.
At the same time, the share of homeowners renovating to make their space more accommodating and functional increased four percentage points to 27% year-over-year.
"Consistent with past Houzz research, homeowners are renovating for the long term, making significant investments in functional spaces like primary bathrooms," says Marine Sargsyan, Houzz staff economist. "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.”
Aging-in Place is Hot—But Fewer Curbless Showers
While designing with function and lifestyle in mind, homeowners in 2024 increasingly renovated for ease of accessibility.
Out of the 64% of homeowners addressing special needs with their bathroom renovations, 46% cited the future needs of aging household members while 37% of homeowners were more focused on addressing current needs.
Among those renovating with aging-friendly accommodations, 64% incorporated grab bars, compared with 58% last year. Nonslip flooring is also a popular choice for homeowners. However, the share of those who opted for this type of flooring dropped slightly from 58% in 2023 to 57% in 2024.
Additionally, the use of curbless showers has decreased from 43% to 38% year-over-year.
Homeowners Demand Sustainability
Sustainable design features—including LED bulbs, water-efficient fixtures, and light dimmers—have also become more important for homeowners working on bathroom renovations.
Approximately 84% of homeowners say they chose features based on their sustainability. Of the total, 56% of respondents cite environmental friendliness as a reason, and 69% say they wanted sustainable features for their long-term cost-effectiveness.
Wet Rooms Grow in Popularity
When it comes to the type of bathroom homeowners are looking for, wet rooms—or open-concept bathrooms with minimal or no shower enclosure—grew in popularity.
According to Houzz, 13% of renovating homeowners describe their primary bathroom as a wet room.
A majority of remodeling professionals agree a wet room is a better use of space, and another 39% say it allows them to meet universal design standards.
Shifting Design Tastes
While the top three primary bathroom styles are still traditional, contemporary, and modern, more homeowners opted for an eclectic style this year.
Preference for this type of design—which combines a mix of styles, textures, and colors—grew by two percentage points year-over-year to 5%.
Choosing Products With Specialty Features
Homeowners also opt for products with more functionality and pizazz. According to Houzz, toilets are one of the most common bathroom products to be replaced for one with special features, including adjustable bidet water pressure, self-cleaning functions, heated seats, and more. Of those surveyed, 35% say they chose toilets for these features.
Additionally, more than half of renovating homeowners selected specialty tubs and showers, with 24% choosing nonslip flooring, 20% selecting showers with grab bars, and 16% looking for oversized showers and tubs.
Reliance on Home Building and Design Professionals
To achieve these trends, homeowners continue to rely on construction and design professionals to help with their renovation projects.
Approximately 83% of homeowners hire professionals, with 46% hiring general contractors. Additionally, 17% hire cabinetmakers, 11% hire designers, and 9% hire interior designers.