Showers Get Bigger During Renovations, Houzz Study Finds

• Larger bathrooms on the rise as homeowners expand spaces

Houzz Inc., the leading all-in-one software platform for construction and design, today released the 2025 UK Houzz Bathroom Trends Study*. The survey found that nearly 3 in 5 homeowners increase the size of their primary bathroom shower during renovations (58%), with a quarter going significantly larger and expanding by more than 50%. Corner showers remain the most popular choice (32%), while walk-in showers with low thresholds (29%) or none at all (14%) continue to grow in popularity compared with last year (28% and 12%, respectively).

Bathroom footprints are also increasing, with 1 in 5 homeowners enlarging their bathrooms during renovations (21%). Most expansions take space from bedrooms (28%) or are achieved by extending the home (18%). While many renovated bathrooms remain modest in size – 40% fall between 5 and 9.99 square metres, and 39% under 5 square metres – the share of larger bathrooms has grown, with those between 10 and 14.99 square metres and 15+ square metres each rising by 3 percentage points year on year (13% and 7%, respectively). 

Image : Amy Hunt Interior Design (via Houzz)

“We’re seeing a notable shift toward larger bathroom footprints, suggesting that homeowners may be rethinking the role of this room in the home,” said Marine Sargsyan, Houzz staff economist. “Rather than focusing purely on function, many are turning to professionals for help creating spaces that support relaxation and daily comfort, with changes to showers and layouts playing a central role.”

Functional upgrades remain essential, with over half of homeowners renovating due to deterioration or breakdowns (51%). Notably, this share has fallen 8 percentage points from 59% in 2024. Style updates are also a key driver, with 35% seeking a more appealing look and 28% personalising a recent home purchase. Regardless of motivation, more than two-thirds (70%) upgraded bathroom systems, making it the top improvement. Layout changes were also common (61%), and the share relocating the bathroom rose 4 percentage points year on year, with 1 in 10 homeowners moving it entirely (11%).

Reliance on home professionals continues to be high, with nearly 9 in 10 homeowners (89%) hiring professionals to assist with their bathroom renovations. Tradespeople were hired most frequently (51%), followed by bathroom fitters and builders (43% and 36%, respectively). On the design side, more than a quarter of homeowners hired bathroom designers (28%).

Additional trends from the study include:

• Minimalist Styles on the Rise: Contemporary (38%) and modern (26%) remain the dominant bathroom styles; however, Scandinavian and Japandi styles are growing in popularity, each increasing by 3 percentage points to reach 4%, showing a preference for minimal and natural aesthetics.

• Double Basins Are More Popular: The share of homeowners incorporating more than one basin rose 3 percentage points year on year to reach 13%, reflecting how increased bathroom space enables more luxurious layouts.

• Sustainability Is Mainstream: A significant 87% of homeowners added sustainable features, motivated by cost-effectiveness (73%) and environmental impact (65%). LED lights were the most common features incorporated to support sustainability (72%), followed by water-efficient fixtures (42%) and timeless design elements (35%). 

• Freestanding Vanities Gain Momentum: Floating vanity units remain the top choice (53%), though they are down slightly year on year (55% in 2024). Freestanding vanity units gained traction, rising 7 percentage points to reach 28%. More than 1 in 5 homeowners opted for semi-custom or completely custom vanities (22%). 

You can download the full 2025 UK Houzz Bathroom Trends Study here.

Houzz connects homeowners with more than 3 million home renovation and design professionals, and provides pros with Houzz Pro, a cloud-based, AI-powered project management and design software. Houzz Pro tools such as 3D Floor Plans, Mood Boards and Selection Boards help pros communicate layout, finishes and product suggestions, giving homeowners greater confidence in decisions about upgrades like extensions, layout changes and larger vanity units highlighted in this study.

Download the report here

*The "2025 UK Houzz Bathroom Trends Study" is a report of homeowners who are in the midst of, are planning or recently completed a bathroom renovation. The online survey was fielded to UK Houzz users from May to June 2025. n=330.

Source : Houzz

Image : Houzz (main image) and Amy Hunt Interior Design (second image)

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