Bathrooms have become a larger focus for homeowners, especially as wellness has crept to the forefront of home renovations. As homeowners make room for stronger wellness routines, a recent report from home remodeling and design platform Houzz finds they're not only adding features like spas, saunas, and wider vanities, they’re also spending more time in their bathrooms.

According to the 2026 U.S. Houzz Bathroom Trends Study, which surveyed 1,619 homeowners, half say they’re spending more time in their bathrooms and increasingly looking for general contractors and remodelers to help them turn their space into a wellness retreat.

"Homeowners want their bathrooms to work harder for them to support both daily routines and self-care," says Marine Sargsyan, Houzz head of economic research. "That's showing up in the numbers, with median spend rebounding to $15,000, and nearly half of homeowners making their showers bigger.”

Space and Comfort as a Top Priority

Renovating homeowners want bathrooms that are easier to clean and organize, and many are making their showers bigger. Of those surveyed by Houzz, 76% say the most relaxing feature of a renovated bathroom is its cleanliness, followed by 71% who say that a more spacious shower is the most relaxing feature. Good storage came next at 67%. 

Good quality lighting is also top of mind for clients seeking a bathroom renovation, with 40% saying natural light helps them relax and 39% saying dimmable lights do. 

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Tub choices are shifting too. When homeowners add or replace a tub, 72% choose a soaking tub, up 10 points from last year. Space and comfort are top of mind for clients in 2026, and many are also choosing wider vanities, double sinks and better storage.

Remodeling for Future Needs

Wet rooms are also becoming more popular, now accounting for 18% of renovated bathrooms compared with just 13% two years ago. The report notes that more homeowners are choosing wet rooms for accessibility, as clients increasingly consider universal design and aging-in-place features when renovating their spaces. 

Aging family members top the list when homeowners plan for special needs. Of those addressing current needs, 43% are focusing on an aging household member, but that share rises to 55% for future needs. The most common aging-in-place features are grab bars, nonslip flooring, low-curb or curbless showers, wider doorways, and lower vanity heights suitable for wheelchairs. 

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Tub choices are shifting too. When homeowners add or replace a tub, 72% choose a soaking tub, up 10 points from last year. Space and comfort are top of mind for clients in 2026, and many are also choosing wider vanities, double sinks and better storage.

Larger Bathrooms Drive More Spending

The focus on bathrooms is good news for builders, remodelers, and designers, with the report finding that pros are hired for nearly every bathroom project. Of those surveyed, 89% say they bring in at least one housing professional for renovation projects, which is up by five percentage points from last year.

General contractors are hired for more than half of projects, while bathroom remodelers and cabinetmakers are each hired for 23% of projects. Meanwhile, bathroom designers are hired for 14% and interior designers get called upon for 12% of projects.

With this focus, spending on bathroom projects has also risen, according to the report. The median bathroom project cost $15,000 in 2025. However, major remodels had a median of $25,000, and the top 10% of them reached upwards of $70,000.

"Larger bathrooms (100 or more square feet) commanded larger budgets, with a higher median spend of $30,000, up 20%, and the top 10% of projects reaching $75,000 or higher," the report states.