Houzz Inc., a platform for home remodeling and design for industry professionals and homeowners, has released their 2022 U.S. Houzz Bathroom Trends Study. They surveyed more than 2,500 homeowners on the platform who are planning, undergoing or finishing a bathroom remodel.
Spending Habits
The national median spend increased nearly 13 percent for primary bathroom projects (around $9,000), and higher-budget projects jumped 17 percent (around $35,000).
Major remodels to bathrooms of 100 square feet or more cost double that of ones measuring less than 100 square feet ($20,000 and $10,000, respectively). More than one in five homeowners increase their bathroom size during renovations (21 percent) and three in five bathrooms are 100 square feet or more after the 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.”
Increased prices are often related to projects that require major changes, such as upgrades to home systems (62 percent), the most frequent bathroom upgrade. The top home system changes include ventilation upgrades (59 percent) and heating installations like radiant heating and tankless water heaters (14 and nine percent).
Vanities
More than three-quarters of the homeowners surveyed upgraded their vanity cabinets during primary bathroom renovations (76 percent). People are investing in these spots, with three in five choosing custom or semi-custom options (61 percent).
Vanities have become a focal point and are one of the few areas of the bathroom to offer a splash of color. Three in 10 homeowners choose wood, followed by gray, blue, black and green (30, 14, seven, five and two percent, respectively). Engineered quartz was the top countertop material choice (40 percent), followed by quartzite, marble and granite (19, 18 and 16 percent).
Shaker doors are the most popular option (51 percent, up seven percentage points from last year), with flat- and raised-panel doors coming in second and third (27 and 16 percent). Bar pulls lead the vanity door handle group (61 percent) with knobs and finger pulls following (32 and nine percent).
Transitional Style
Outdated style is the main reason homeowners undergo bathroom renovations (48 percent), which makes it unsurprising that nine in ten of them choose to change their bathroom’s style (87 percent).
Transitional style has taken the lead (25 percent), followed by modern and contemporary (both 16 percent).
Solid Colors
White is the dominant color choice for primary bathroom vanities, countertops and walls (25 percent) but gray walls are becoming popular inside and outside the shower (15 percent).
Homeowners are leaning towards solid colored upgraded bathroom elements, meaning multi-colored countertops and shower walls are decreasing in popularity (down four and two percentage points).
Shower Updates
Upgrading the shower is gaining more popularity during bathroom renovations (84 percent, up two percentage points from last year).
After removing a bathtub from the bathroom, nearly four in five homeowners will enlarge the shower (78 percent) and 40 percent of them often make the shower at least 25 percent larger. In the past year, more homeowners relocated their showers after a bathtub removal (23 percent, up six percentage points).
Adding Greenery
Homeowners are adding greenery while renovating their bathrooms (35 percent, up three percentage points). Aesthetic purposes is the main reason (88 percent) but a smaller majority claims it creates a calm environment (64 percent).
Other practical reasons for the increase in greenery include air purification (34 percent), odor-fighting ability (seven percent) and antibacterial qualities (seven percent).
Toilet Features
Toilet upgrades are on the rise, with nearly two in five homeowners adding high-tech features to their structure. Notable attributes include bidets (24 percent), self-cleaning elements (17 percent), heated seats (15 percent) and built-in night lights (13 percent).
