More than a third (36%) of UK homeowners renovating their bathrooms are adding or updating an accent wall, with colour being the most popular way to create a focal point, according to the recent 2026 UK Houzz Bathroom Trends Study*.
The study found that accent walls are more likely to occur within the shower area (21%) than elsewhere in the bathroom (15%). Among homeowners adding an accent wall, colour is the most common way to create a focal point (59%), ahead of pattern (43%), surface material (35%) and texture (34%).
The findings also highlight a contrast between colours chosen for main walls and accent walls. Neutral colours dominate main walls, led by white (23%), followed by off-white (17%) and beige (16%), up 7 percentage points year on year. The accent wall is where colour takes over, with green (15%) and blue (12%) as the top choices, while white fell sharply there (11%), down from 20% the previous year.
“Homeowners are using colour to help their bathroom design stand out” said Marine Sargsyan, Houzz head of economic research. “Even as many keep the rest of the room calm and neutral, professionals are helping them commit to a bolder colour on a single wall, turning the bathroom into more of a personal retreat.”
Wall finishes are getting attention beyond the accent wall, tying with basins as the most commonly upgraded feature in bathroom renovations (82% each). Tile remains the leading finish for shower walls, selected by 88% of renovating homeowners. Among those installing tile, rectangular designs are the most popular choice (65%), increasing 11 percentage points year on year. By comparison, the share choosing metro tiles fell 12 percentage points to 7%. Grid and vertically stacked arrangements are the leading layouts for shower-wall tiles (32% and 20%, respectively).
Professional expertise remains an important part of bathroom renovations, with 88% of homeowners hiring a trade professional. General tradespeople were the most commonly employed (47%), followed by dedicated bathroom fitters (45%) and builders (35%). A quarter of homeowners brought in a bathroom designer (25%).
Visualising the finished space remains a key challenge for homeowners, cited by 25% of respondents. Digital planning tools, including 3D visualisation, product selections and mood boards, can help professionals communicate design proposals and demonstrate how aesthetics and functionality will work together.
Standard baths regain popularity
Standard baths are gaining ground among homeowners renovating their bathrooms, accounting for 66% of bath upgrades, up 10 percentage points year on year. By contrast, the share opting for soaking baths fell by nine percentage points to 23%.
Freestanding flat-bottom and alcove baths are the most popular styles, each selected by 31% of respondents. Freestanding claw-foot baths follow at 14%, ahead of deck-mounted (11%) and corner baths (8%).
Where homeowners removed a bath, 85% used the space to enlarge an existing shower. Other changes included enlarging a vanity (15%) or relocating either the shower (19%) or vanity (16%
Additional trends from the study include:
- Bathrooms Get Bigger: Nearly 1 in 4 homeowners (23%) increased the size of their bathroom during a renovation, most often by extending the home (28%) or taking space from a bedroom (20%).
- Deterioration Loses Ground as a Renovation Trigger: Bathroom deterioration remains the leading reason homeowners renovate, though the share citing it fell 7 percentage points to 44%. Style-driven motivations held steady (34% disliked their old look; 28% personalised a recently purchased home).
- Contemporary Style Holds the Top Spot: Contemporary remains the most popular bathroom style overall (38%), followed by modern (23%), with traditional and eclectic styles tied for third (7% each). Mediterranean remains a niche choice but recorded the largest year-on-year increase, rising from 1% to 3%.
- Handleless Designs Top Vanity Choices: Four in 10 homeowners upgrading their vanity choose a handleless design (40%), ahead of knobs (20%) and bar or finger pulls (18% each).
You can download the full 2026 UK Houzz Bathroom Trends Study here.
*The “2026 UK Houzz Bathroom Trends Study” is a report of homeowners who have completed, are currently working on or are planning a bathroom renovation. The online survey was fielded to Houzz UK users in June 2026. n=569.