Houzz Study Examines Bathroom Trends

Master baths top most homeowners’ lists and four in ten will be skipping the tub (43 percent), according to the Winter Houzz Bathroom Remodeling Survey of more than 7,500 Houzz users who are in the midst of, or are planning, a bathroom remodel. Houzz (www.houzz.com), the world’s leading platform for home remodeling and design, also found that more than half of homeowners are leaving their new master toilet exposed (52 percent), with those 35 and older more likely to provide privacy for the throne with a separate room or partition.

The vast majority of new master baths are en suite (82 percent), and most homeowners are retaining the room’s footprint (75 percent). Older homeowners are more likely to have en suite master baths than younger homeowners, while homeowners 35 and younger are more likely to enlarge the room’s size. Additional findings include:

- New light sources are key: Nearly half of respondents are adding a window (48 percent), four in ten are adding a lighted vanity (41 percent) and one in ten are adding a skylight (12 percent). Seven percent are even spicing up the shower with LED lights in their showerhead.

- High-efficiency toilets dominate: Overwhelmingly, new toilets will be high efficiency (91 percent). Two-piece toilets remain most popular (47 percent), but more than one quarter of younger homeowners stray from this traditional look, choosing tankless and wall mounted options (29 percent).

- Double sinks on the rise: More than half of homeowners will have double sinks in their master bathroom post-remodel (55 percent) up from just 35 percent pre-remodel. Homeowners 45 years and older are more likely to install two sinks versus younger homeowners.

- Showers stay glassy: Glass shower enclosures are the clear choice, appearing in eight in ten bathrooms, with frameless glass topping the list for master baths (54 percent). Shower curtains are banned from most masters, only appearing in 10 percent of new master baths, but remain popular for other full baths (33 percent).

- Rain showers skew younger: When it comes to showerheads, homeowners under 45 are more likely to choose rain (45 percent) and multiple showerheads (24 percent) in the master bath while those 55 and older prefer hand showers (50 percent) and sliding bars (20 percent).

- It’s all about the upgrades: Upgrading fixtures and features is key to bathroom remodels with nearly half of respondents citing this as a motivator for their remodel. Other reasons include making the space more functional (37 percent), increasing home value (31 percent), addressing changing lifestyle or family needs (22 percent) and improving organization and storage (19 percent).

- Unique features adorn powder rooms: While wallpaper is out in most bathrooms, homeowners are eight times more likely to use it in their powder room. Hardwood is four times more likely in the powder room, often extending from an entry or great room. Other features more common in this bathroom are pedestal sinks and furniture-like cabinets.

“Bathroom remodels consistently top homeowners’ renovation plans, so we’re pleased to provide our community with a peek into this otherwise private room of the house,” said Liza Hausman, VP of Community for Houzz. “Sharing data from our community back to our community helps us to bring greater transparency to the home remodeling process, making it more fun and productive for both homeowners and home professionals.” PR