Bathroom remodels are on the rise, according to the 2022 U.S. Houzz Bathroom Trends Study. The national median spend for primary bathroom projects increased nearly 13 percent to $9,000, while higher budget projects (with the top 10 percent of project spend) saw a 17 percent jump to $35,000 or more among homeowners.

Those doing “major” bathroom renovations, which include shower upgrades, spent three times more on their renovations than those undergoing minor renovations ($15,000 versus $5,000, respectively). Major remodels to bathrooms of 100 square feet or more cost double that of smaller bathrooms measuring less than 100 square feet ($20,000 and $10,000, respectively). More than one in five homeowners increase the size of their bathroom during renovations (21 percent) and three in five bathrooms are 100 square feet or more following renovations (60 percent). 

“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,” said Marine Sargsyan, Houzz staff economist. “While the cost of products and materials has increased due to inflation and supply chain disruptions, renovation activity remains strong, propped up by high home equity and homeowners’ desire to stay put given limited housing supply.”

Trends in Floors

The majority of homeowners choose tile as the primary material for upgraded shower flooring and walls (87% and 91%, respectively). Nearly three in 10 renovators choose a material that is waterproof (29%) or nonslip (27%) for the bathroom floor. 

Trends in Showers & Walls

Walls outside and inside the shower continue to feature white, up by 3 percentage points each; gray is the second-most-popular choice for both. Ceramic or porcelain tiles dominate in the shower, with 60% of homeowners choosing it for flooring and 82% using it for walls. Marble tiles came in a distant second, with 15% selecting it for shower floors and 12% using it on shower walls. A much smaller share of homeowners select laminate (2%) or concrete (1%) for shower flooring. And when upgrading shower walls, a small share simply paint (6%) or use wood (1%). 

Trends in Vanities

The majority of renovating homeowners (42%) choose bathroom vanities with a matte wood-veneer finish. Additionally, the majority (60%) choose built-in vanities. Engineered quartz is the top choice (40%) for vanity countertop material, followed by natural stone, including quartzite (19%), marble (18%) and granite (16%). Freestanding vanities are declining in popularity, chosen by only 26% or renovators.

For upgraded vanities, wood (chosen by 30% of renovators) has come in a close second behind white (32%) as the color of choice. Blue also is fairly common, chosen by 7% of renovators. For countertops, homeowners are gravitating toward solid colors. Multicolored options are down by 4  percentage points, while beige is up by 2 percentage points.

Transitional Style Takes the Lead

Considering that outdated style is the top trigger for bathroom renovations, it’s not surprising that nearly 9 in 10 homeowners (87%) change their bath style.Transitional style has taken the lead from modern to  become the style of choice among renovators. Modern and contemporary are the next two most popular styles (16% each), followed by traditional (11%) and farmhouse (5%).