bathroom

Bathroom remodeling goes gray in more ways than one.

By Rieva Lesonsky

Happy New Year, everyone!

There’s always a lot of talk at the beginning of a year about what to watch for in the upcoming months. So, all month we’ll be looking at some 2019 predictions and insights.

According to the National Association of Home Builders, bathrooms are the most popular remodeling project. If you’re in the construction, décor or decorating industries, here’s what you need to know, courtesy of the Houzz Bathroom Trends survey.

Aging boomers: The youngest baby boomer turns 55 this year, so the boomers are concerned about modifying their homes so they can continue to comfortably and safely live in them. Anticipating the needs of aging household members is the concern of 56% of those doing master bathroom renovations. These are not minor renovations, either—47% are changing the layout of their bathrooms and 34% are removing their bathtubs. Houzz says other age-in-place upgrades include installing accessibility features such as seats, low curbs, grab bars and nonslip floors in upgraded showers and bathtubs.

Suite dreams: Nearly half (46%) of homeowners renovating their bathrooms add a master bedroom remodel as well. Surprisingly, 11% of the master bathrooms being redone are the same size as—or bigger than—than the master bedrooms.

Upgraded features: Premium features in master bathrooms are in high demand. These include dual showers, one-piece toilets, vessel sinks and built-in vanities.

Gray matters: Gray palettes for bathrooms walls and floors continue to be the most popular choice—and now consumers are increasingly asking for gray cabinets.

Styling: The farmhouse look has more than doubled in popularity, growing from 3% of bathroom remodels in 2016 to 7% in 2018. Matte nickel and polished chrome are the most-requested metal finishes for bathroom fixtures.

 

Remodel stock photo by Dagmara_K/Shutterstock