BATHROOMS AND SHOWERS
CLEAN AND SMART: WHAT’S MAKING MODERN BATHROOM SELL
Homeowners are increasingly looking for bathroom products that easy-clean surfaces and smarter storage as BMJ finds out.
T
he next generation of UK bathrooms will feature better storage systems, contemporary looks and be easier than ever to keep clean. That’s according to the 2026 UK Houzz Bathroom Trends Study, which looks at what homeowners are spending on, the styles they want the product trends merchants need to be aware of. The survey asked 569 UK homeowners who were either undertaking or planning to undertake a bathroom renovation, what their priorities were. It found that aesthetics and practicality are increasingly intertwined. Contemporary bathrooms are proving the most popular choice, chosen by 38%, followed by modern – which is a different aesthetic from strictly contemporary - at 23%. Traditional and eclectic designs each account for 7%.
This doesn’t necessarily mean stark white minimalism. Neutral colours are holding firm, with white the most popular non-shower wall colour at 23%, followed by off-white at 17%. But beige is gaining popularity, at 16%. Homeowners are becoming more confident about adding colour. One-third (36%) are adding or updating an accent wall, and using colour to create a focal point. Greens and blues are leading the way in accent-wall colours, at 15% and 13% respectively.
Easy-clean
An easy-to-clean and disinfect bathroom is the number-one functional priority, cited by 74% of homeowners. Storage that makes things easy to find comes next at 49%, while 41% prioritise good lighting. On the design side, 69% want their bathroom to be both stylish and beautiful.
Vanity units are becoming increasingly popular, with pre-manufactured stock units the most popular choice at 47%, while 21% opt for ready-to-assemble models. Floating vanities lead the market at 47%. Soft-close drawers are the most popular vanity feature at 53%, followed by soft-close doors at 46% and built-in drawer organisers at 30%. Handleless designs are preferred by 40% of respondents. In terms of showering, corner showers, at 29%, are the best-sellers, followed by shower- over-bath setups at 27% and low-threshold showers at 25%. Frameless designs are chosen
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Artemis cubicle suits compact spaces
Kinedo’s Artemis integrated shower cubicle is sleek and contemporary, and includes a choice of black or white profile, durable 70mm white shower tray, mechanical shower valve, pivot door, a 90mm vertical outlet waste with polished stainless-steel cover. Internal white Kinewall panels are supplied as standard, and these are pre- drilled for rapid installation.
by half of homeowners, with hinged doors the leading opening style at 22%, followed by sliding at 20%.
Consumers are also looking for a more luxurious experience, choosing rainfall or waterfall shower heads (78%), handheld shower heads (73%) and thermostatic mixers (50%). Baths are still proving popular, with more than half of renovating homeowners – 58% – adding or replacing a bath, with just 17% removing one altogether. Standard baths account for 66% of upgraded baths. Where baths are being removed, however, the space is overwhelmingly being used to enlarge the shower: 85% of homeowners removing a bath do so to create a bigger shower. For upgraded baths, non-slip surfaces are the most popular feature at 16%, followed by space for two at 14% and grab bars at 12%. Tiles are still a big part of the bathroom wall look, with 88% of homeowners choosing them. Rectangular tiles dominate at 65%, while grid or horizontally stacked layouts have overtaken vertical patterns, accounting for 32%.
The most popular look is one that feels clean and contemporary rather than overly ornate, with accent walls provide scope for more adventurous finishes, colours and patterns. The Houzz findings point to homeowners wanting bathrooms that are less about a single fashionable look and more about combining several consistent consumer demands. They want contemporary styling, as well as warmth and personality. Premium-looking showers need to be easy to use, while beautiful furniture needs to operate as storage that works. Plus, products that look good need to make cleaning, safety and everyday maintenance easier. BMJ
It’s available in a choice of sizes from 800mm x 800mm to 1200mm x 800mm and heights from 1980 to 2070mm.
Saniflo Saniboost Smart
The new Saniboost Smart booster pump has solved problems in a six-bathroom Dublin house, where, when multiple showers and taps were running at once, the water flow was just a trickle, despite the present of a fixed constant speed cold water booster pump. The Saniboost Smart has one inlet and one outlet. The cold water from a tank feeds the pump on the inlet whilst the discharge pipe splits into two – one continuing as a cold-water feed to the cold water taps and WC – and the other fitted directly into a combi boiler. This heats the water via the element and the pressurised hot water is then directed to the taps and showers. Setting it to 3.5 constant pressure has completely solved the issue.
www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net October 2026
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