Homeowners renovating their bathrooms in 2026 want their spaces to serve as oases of self-care, with half saying they spend more time in their bathrooms after an upgrade, mostly for beauty and pampering routines but also for rest and relaxation, according to Houzz.
In August, the construction and design platform surveyed 1,619 United States homeowners who undertook a bathroom renovation within the past year and found that they largely wanted their renovations to make their bathrooms more spacious, custom and organized, all contributing to a more accommodating and engaging bathroom experience.
“Homeowners want their bathrooms to work harder for them to support both daily routines and self-care,” said Marine Sargsyan, head of economic research for Houzz. “That’s showing up in the numbers, with median spend rebounding to $15,000, and nearly half of homeowners making their showers bigger.”
Additional popular bathroom upgrades in 2026 include bolder accents, specialized water features and structural changes. Here’s a look at some of the top trends homeowners are loving this year.
Patterned accent walls — particularly blue and white ones — increased in popularity by 13% year over year. (Image credit: Signature Designs Kitchens & Baths via Houzz)
Patterned accent walls
Accent walls were a part of 34% of bathroom renovations, and patterns edged out color as the top preference. Homeowners also utilized unique surfaces and textures to make their accent walls stand out.
Blue and white remained the most popular accent wall color palette.
The importance of accessibility
Wet rooms are increasingly popular — up 13% from a year ago — as renovators turn their entire bathroom space into one level surface with no barrier between the shower and the rest of the room. This accessible choice is modern while allowing for homeowners to age in place as maneuvering into a tub or shower becomes more difficult with age.
Overall, 71% of bathroom renovators took future needs into account when updating their space. More than half of those homeowners were considering aging household members.
Other accessibility upgrades included renovating for a more efficient use of space and universal design, which increased in popularity by 14%. Another 29% of renovators prioritized ease of cleaning.
Wide vanities
More than one in five bathroom renovators opted for a custom vanities larger than 72-inches, which is the widest option typically available.
Custom vanity features are also on the rise, with 83% choosing soft-close drawers and 76% choosing soft-close doors. Specialized storage features like built-in electrical outlets (32%) and hair tool organizers (19%) each increased in popularity by 7%.
Wood was the color of choice for vanities, with 31% going for the natural look.
Wide vanities with extra sinks are among the top bathroom upgrade this year. (Design: Blythe Interiors; Photographer: Natalia Robert via Houzz)
Two sinks are better than one
A prominent feature of those extra-wide vanities? Multiple sinks. Double sinks increased 17 percentage points year over year to 64%.
Most renovators favored undermount basins at 68%, which increased 11% year over year.
Among countertops, white was the color of choice at 43%, although off-white increased eight points year over year to 28%, emerging as a shade on the rise.
Bidets, water pressure and warmth
Custom water features are a major bathroom trend in 2026. Waterfall faucets and rainfall showerheads each increased by six percentage points to 19%, and nearly half of all renovators upgraded their toilet, with bidets and heated toilet seats all increasing in popularity by 10% year over year.
Meanwhile, convenience upgrades like self-cleaning features and automatic nightlights increased 6% each, while air dryers and adjustable water pressure increased 10%.
Renovators want bigger, more accessible showers in 2026. (Interior Designer: Urbane Design; Custom Cabinetry: Bentwood of Austin; Photographer: Avery Nicole Photography via Houzz)
More space and structural changes
While most bathrooms maintained the same footprint after a renovation, most renovators that made their spaces larger did so through an addition at 32%. Twenty-seven percent removed a closet for expanded bathroom space, while 22% absorbed part of a bedroom.
Among structural changes, enlarged showers were the most popular upgrade: Nearly half (49%) of bathroom renovations included a shower enlargement, up 10% year over year. Furthermore, 79% of homeowners who removed their bathtub did so to make more room for a larger shower.
Additional popular structural changes included a reworked layout (40%) and modified walls (38%).
Expanded budgets
After falling to $13,000 in 2024, the median spending for a bathroom renovation jumped back to $15,000 the following year. The top 10% of bathroom renovations cost up to $75,000.
Help from pros
Nearly nine in 10 bathroom renovators called in help from professionals, up 5% year over year. General contractors were the most popular choice at 52%, followed by specialized bathroom remodelers and cabinet makers at 23% each.