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4. Homeowners Continue to Invest in Bathroom Projects
Homeowners are still putting serious money into bathroom remodels, especially bigger projects. The national median spend dipped slightly to $13,000 in 2024 (down from $15,000 in 2023), but major remodels — those for which at least the shower is upgraded — ticked up to $22,000 from $21,000 the year before. Large bathrooms of 100 square feet or more command the highest budgets, with spending holding steady at $25,000.
Keep in mind, economists like to reference the median, or midpoint, figure rather than the average for this kind of data because the average can be skewed, can be volatile year over year and can be misleadingly high or low because of a single project that costs far more or less than others.
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An equine veterinarian who recently moved to northern Westchester County, New York, found a home with charming details but a dated primary bathroom. She brought in Curated Nest designers Erin Coren and Lina Galvão, who use Houzz Pro software, to reimagine the space. They layered warm textures, natural materials and thoughtful symmetry to create a striking transformation. A rattan light fixture, spacious white oak vanity, freestanding wood armoire with rattan doors and microcement walls add soft, organic texture, while a checkerboard marble floor brings a timeless touch. With a large soaking tub and a spacious low-curb shower, the result is a refreshed, highly functional retreat that feels elevated yet inviting.
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This empty-nest couple in Blacksburg, Virginia, plan to stay in their 1980s hillside home overlooking a golf course for years to come. With those long-term plans, they wanted a primary bathroom that could remain stylish and functional well into the future. But their existing space had a cramped layout with two small vanities on separate walls, cluttered open shelving, a massive step-up tub that ate up floor space and a dark stall shower. A large ceiling beam stretched across the room, further chopping up the space.
One saving grace was a picture window with a beautiful view of the lush landscape. Wanting to preserve that view while creating an airy retreat, the couple turned to Houzz for ideas. They then hired project lead designer Susan Davidson and production manager Logan Lawrence of Blue Ridge Design Build. A new perpendicular beam allowed for a vaulted ceiling that opened up one side of the room. Wood from a yellow birch tree on the family farm inspired the design of rustic details and dual maple vanities with tower storage. An elevated wet-room zone with an open shower and freestanding tub now adds a spa-like touch.
Before Photo
“After” photos by Ian Parrish of Parrish Real Estate Photography
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: An empty-nest couple
Location: Blacksburg, Virginia
Size: 137 square feet (13 square meters)
Design-build pros: Susan Davidson and Logan Lawrence of Blue Ridge Design Build
Before: In the former bathroom, a bulky step-up tub with a tiled deck monopolized the floor space. The tub sat beneath a large picture window framing a beautiful view, while the toilet with an upper cabinet occupied the corner to the left. “Everything was broken up,” Lawrence says.
After: The team stripped the bathroom to the studs and removed the existing beam — a pivotal change. “We found out it was structural and consulted with a structural engineer to come in and redesign the ceiling load, and we added a longer perpendicular beam that could be installed flush into the ceiling,” Lawrence says. “This allowed us to vault the ceiling in one half of the bathroom.”
A new wet room on a slightly elevated, curved platform combines an open shower with a freestanding tub. The elevated design helps support a slope in the floor needed to drain water toward the linear drain below the shower fixtures. “Anytime you do an elevated wet room like this, you have a nontraditional floor slope and have to make sure that the water flows back to the shower drain,” Lawrence says. “The small-format tile we used does that well.” The flooring is chocolate-colored hexagonal mosaics with a limestone look and matte finish.
A curve on the elevated section adds a stylish detail. “I was trying to create enough space for the shower and also incorporate the tub,” Davidson says. “I gave them a couple of choices and they chose this S-curve because they liked how it looked.”
Custom wood elements throughout — shelves, a towel and robe rack, a window ledge and the trim framing the updated picture window — were all crafted from a yellow birch tree from the homeowners’ family farm in Floyd, Virginia. “The vision for the whole bathroom was keeping with the natural tones of that wood,” Lawrence says.
Wet-room floor tile: Relic Umber, Vintage Hex collection, Daltile
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A pony wall topped with a tempered glass panel helps keep shower spray contained within the wet room. The large freestanding tub has a smooth, scratch-resistant acrylic surface. “The tub complements the window and size and complements the curve designed into the wet-room floor,” Lawrence says. A brushed nickel floor-mount tub filler ties in with the shower and sink fixture. An energy-efficient picture window preserves the view the homeowners love.
Outside the shower, a sleek one-piece white toilet includes a washlet bidet seat with five spray settings and a nightlight. Its control panel is mounted on the pony wall, next to switches for the shower lights and exhaust fan.
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Large 12-by-24-inch beige porcelain tiles with a marble look and matte finish line the wet-room shower walls and the wall behind the tub. “They were going for light and airy,” Davidson says.
The open shower features a 10-inch rain shower head, a handheld shower on a slide bar and a pressure-balanced valve, all in brushed nickel. A matching grab bar adds safety. “The slide bar is also a grab bar here,” Davidson says. “And when needed, they can incorporate a freestanding stool.”
Wall tile: Timeless line in 12×24 Essence Beige, Qualis Ceramica
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A wraparound corner shower niche is lined with elegant marble and limestone mosaics that blend seamlessly with the wall tile. “It’s not commonly done because it requires some unique framing in the wall,” Lawrence says. “They chose it because they wanted something unique but also something that was hidden out of sight when you walk into the bathroom.”
The pressure-balanced valve and shower diverter is partially visible here on the back of the pony wall. “They wanted to have access to them before they step into the shower,” Davidson says.
Niche tiles: Panaro Blend, Daltile
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Before Photo
Before: The former bathroom had beige tile floors, a combination of white painted and wallpapered walls and two small traditional-style wood vanities placed on different walls. A makeup station without a sink sat along the middle left wall. Open shelving beside one vanity added to the cluttered feel. “Storage was a huge issue for them,” Davidson says.
A stall shower with a curtain was located behind the wall with the open shelves, and a ceiling beam stretched across the width of the room. A mirrored door at the back led to the primary bedroom. A small window on the back left wall offered an opportunity to close it in and create more wall space for an extended vanity.
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After: Removing the small window, the shelving and shower stall allowed for dual maple vanities with tower storage to span the side walls, creating streamlined symmetry. “We were able to get all of their necessities behind closed doors,” Davidson says. The vanities have a wheat-colored finish, modified Shaker-style doors and flat drawer fronts. “They were really trying to match the wood from their family farm,” Davidson says. Each vanity includes a tower with rollouts for added storage. Matte porcelain floor tiles in gray and earth tones bring rich texture and variation.
To offset the removed window, a new skylight trimmed with wood from the farm brings in natural light. “They were really concerned about having enough light,” Davidson says. A space-saving paneled pocket door now connects to the primary bedroom.
Floor tile: Clean Slate in Gray Matte, B&F Ceramics Design Showroom; skylight: Velux; vanities: maple in Shakertown IV in Wheat finish, Great Northern Cabinetry; wall paint: Bone White, Benjamin Moore
The vanities feature faux drawer fronts that flip down to reveal storage trays for easy access to small grooming items and medications. Durable quartz counters and backsplash have an ivory background with warm veining. “We were able to give them a very functional two-person primary bathroom,” Lawrence says.
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A Cary, North Carolina, couple who love to travel wanted their en suite primary bathroom to feel like a luxury hotel with spa-style amenities. Their existing space — with a dark traditional double vanity, separate tub and enclosed shower — was generously sized but lacked the wellness retreat atmosphere they envisioned. To help elevate the design and add modern comforts, they turned to design-build pros Steve Minor and Raul Bautista Perez of Noble Renovation.
The team reworked the old layout and created a modern wet room that combines a state-of-the-art steam shower and an inviting soaking tub, streamlining the footprint and providing a go-to spot for rest and rejuvenation. A larger custom white oak double vanity with a seated makeup station boosts storage while adding warmth and clean lines. A marble accent wall, backlit mirrors and soothing color palette enhance the calm, contemporary feel, giving the couple the next-level retreat they were after.
Before Photo
“After” photos by Bob Fortner Photography
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple
Location: Cary, North Carolina
Size: 248 square feet (23 square meters)
Design-build team: Steve Minor and Raul Bautista Perez of Noble Renovation
Before: The former traditional-style bathroom, with its coffered ceiling and chandelier, felt heavy and disjointed. “There were high and uneven ceilings,” Minor says. “We wanted to create clean lines.”
One wall held a dark double vanity with a granite counter. Another had a drop-in tub with a bulky tiled deck that was difficult to use. To the right of the tub, an enclosed shower had a narrow entrance. A window over the tub covered with film attempted to bring light into the space. “That tub was really too tall for the wife to get in and out of and dominated the bathroom,” Minor says. “The wife wanted a tub that was easy to get in and out of and he wanted a steam shower, so that’s how the design developed.”
Across from the vanity, just out of view on the right, a water closet and a linen closet offered privacy and storage the homeowners wanted to keep but refresh.
After: This photo was taken from about the same angle as the previous one. The team knocked the bathroom back to the studs and updated the electrical and plumbing to accommodate the planned upgrades. It lowered the ceiling from 13 feet to about 11 feet, reducing visual clutter and unifying the space.
The modern wet room features a custom black-tinted tempered glass enclosure with matte black hardware. The lower section is clad in matte wood-look fluted porcelain tiles, creating a soothing atmosphere. Inside the wet room, a black oversize shower panel is mounted on the ceiling. Just outside the entrance, a ceiling-mounted, humidity-sensing exhaust fan helps keep the bathroom comfortable and dry.
The back wall on the left is covered in ivory-toned marble panels with a textured, split-faced surface and interlocking design. A large backlit mirror illuminates the wall, highlighting the texture. “We were trying to add a statement when you walk in,” Minor says. “It also makes the room feel bigger. They love it. It adds a lot of drama.”
The flooring is 12-by-24-inch matte white onyx-look porcelain tiles with Wi-Fi-enabled radiant heat. The paneled door at the back opens to the updated primary closet, packed with storage solutions. “We continued the floor tile in there and it has a heated floor and LED lights,” Minor says. “It has a big window and an island in there as well.”
Accent wall: Splitface collection in Impero Reale, Anatolia
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Slabs of Taj Mahal quartzite create the wet room’s bench top, low-curb entry and tub deck. The same stone is also used for the vanity countertop and backsplash.Wood-look tile: Kenridge Ribbon in Maple Brown, TileBar
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In addition to the rain shower panel, the wet room includes a wall-mounted shower head, handheld sprayer and steam function. The black square with orange circles is the digital touch pad for the steam shower, letting the homeowners set time and temperature. “Our clients didn’t want to have anything lacking as far as luxury goes,” Minor says. “The husband enjoys the rain experience. The wand is nice for bathing or cleaning the glass. This shower has all the push-button features so you can set the temperature and you’re ready to go.”
The ceiling and sides of the bench and tub deck feature the same wood-look fluted tile used on the exterior of the wet room. The flooring and backs of the niches are tumbled mosaic marble stones. “In this bathroom, even the wet-room floor is heated,” Minor says. “The bench area is heated as well.” The walls are clad in the same porcelain tile used for the main bathroom flooring. “We made sure to waterproof every inch of that shower,” Minor adds.
The oval white 6-foot drop-in bathtub has built-in back support and armrests for comfort. A sleek 8-inch matte black tub spout coordinates with a matte black multifunction hand shower with push-button rinsing (not shown). “This tub was dropped 5 inches from the height of the previous tub so it’s very comfortable getting in and out,” Minor says.
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Removing the tub and deck opened up wall space for a longer custom double vanity, finished in white oak veneer with a satin sheen and topped with Taj Mahal quartzite. European-style frameless boxes with thin Shaker drawer fronts have oversize flat black bar pulls in two sizes.
All drawers are fully functional — no false fronts here. The drawers beneath the sinks have U-shaped cutouts to accommodate plumbing, while two others include integrated power outlets for grooming tools. Twin white oval undermount sinks are paired with modern single-lever matte black faucets with graceful curved spouts.
A pair of custom backlit mirrors illuminates the wall and can shift between different colors. The lower-height makeup station offers two drawers, an open cubby and a round upholstered stool the couple already owned. A black iron-and-glass pendant light casts a warm, inviting glow over the space.
Mirrors: Grand Mirrors Eclipse, Evervue; faucets: Vivenis in matte black, Hansgrohe; vanity pulls: Princetonian in flat black, Top Knobs
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Before Photo
Before: In the original bathroom, a dark double vanity with a granite countertop and traditional-style lighting dated the look and feel. A plain mirror that had previously hung above the vanity had already been removed when this photo was taken. The water closet is visible on the left, with the linen closet door partially seen behind the open door leading to the primary bedroom hallway.
After: Undercabinet LED lighting beneath the double vanity, controlled by a motion sensor, adds a contemporary touch while doubling as a convenient nightlight for late-night trips. A wall niche offers easy access to grooming products and everyday essentials.
New to home remodeling? Learn the basics
A matte black towel warmer with 20 classic straight horizontal bars hangs on the exterior wall of the updated water closet, across from the wet room. “We’re most proud that we really listened to the clients and helped them discover what their vision was,” Minor says. “They had a lot of ideas and blended both of their needs and wants into a high-end space.”
Towel warmer: Jeeves Model D in matte black, Amba Products
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These Austin, Texas, homeowners dreamed of a chic, contemporary en suite with natural warmth, but their existing bathroom was anything but. The dated traditional-style space felt cramped and awkward, with a dark vanity, bulky corner shower, decked tub and a confusing maze of doors leading to closets and the bedroom.
To untangle the dysfunction, they hired designer Samantha Bailey, who reimagined the bath as a bright, streamlined retreat. A new wet room with freestanding tub and open shower anchors the space, while a longer white oak double vanity with tower storage lightens the look. Brass and bronze accents, layered neutral tiles and a striking Calacatta Viola marble countertop add texture and richness. Smart reworking of the floor plan improved flow and connection, transforming the primary suite into a stylish, highly functional escape.
Before Photo
“After” photos by Square Foot Photography
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple with two kids and another on the way
Location: Austin, Texas
Size: 100 square feet (9.3 square meters)
Design: Samantha Bailey of Samantha Kate Design
Before: The bathroom leaned traditional, with cream-colored walls, beige tile floors and a dark brown double vanity topped in black granite. A bulky corner shower crowded the vanity, making the whole area feel tight and uninviting. “The shower was a funny shape,” Bailey says.
Across the room, a built-in tub with matching dark finishes sat under a window the homeowners hoped to keep. An awkward step-up led to the primary bedroom door. “When we got into construction, the general contractor said we could remove it,” Bailey says.
After: Bailey stripped the bathroom to the studs, removed the awkward step-up and shifted the bedroom door for better flow. (See before-and-after floor plans below.) The built-in tub gave way to a new wet room, where a 67-inch freestanding tub and open shower share a sleek glass enclosure with champagne bronze hardware. “Wet rooms are so space-efficient and give you that wow factor,” Bailey says. Creamy white ceramic tiles cover the walls and arched entry. “I loved their handmade look and the variety of color,” Bailey says.
The tub’s high-gloss acrylic design and wall-mounted bronze filler bring comfort and style. A Calacatta Viola marble shelf and low curb complement the vanity countertop and, paired with a limestone mosaic floor, add texture. The existing window brings in natural light from the wooded lot outside. When the bedroom door is open, more natural light spills into the room, enhancing the bright, airy feel of this rejuvenated retreat.
Wall tile: Cloe in Creme, Bedrosians Tile and Stone; tub: Zoey, Vintage Tub & Bath; tub filler: Broderick, Delta
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Removing the corner shower made room for a longer stained white oak double vanity to the right of the bedroom door, with a tower cabinet taking the shower’s former spot. “We wanted that whole vanity wall to be unique with lots of texture and pattern,” Bailey says. “We added a fluted detail to the toekick that adds another unexpected touch.”
Is a Wet Room Right for You?
This view looks toward the bedroom door from the updated closet entrance. The door on the left leads to the water closet. The wet room is on the left. The homeowners were initially concerned the bathroom would feel smaller because of how much the wet room would extend into the floor space. “But because the wet room has that entire glass wall, it didn’t turn out feeling as small as they were concerned it would,” Bailey says.
The floor now consists of sand-colored, large-format (24-by-48-inch) porcelain tiles with almond-colored grout, a matte finish and a limestone look. “We wanted the floor to be the supporting player in the space,” Bailey says.
5 Common Bathroom Design Mistakes to Avoid
The vanity top and short backsplash are polished Calacatta Viola marble with bold burgundy veining. “I presented it early in the design, because it would be such a striking look here,” Bailey says. “It was almost like the price didn’t matter, because she had to have it.”
Wall-mounted champagne bronze faucets were also a client must-have, Bailey says. Brass cabinet pulls in two sizes add texture, while bronze and hand-rubbed antique brass sconces flank dark-framed mirrors. The wall behind the mirrors features the same creamy white ceramic tile used in the wet room. “There’s nothing basic about this bathroom,” Bailey says. “All of the details in here are organic-looking, and we wanted to keep the mirrors organic-looking too.”
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The wet room’s shower has two champagne bronze multifunction heads with pressure-balanced valves, plus a niche lined in matching ceramic tile for easy access to products.
A new pocket door opens to the expanded walk-in primary closet, while a slim paneled door behind the shower leads to the water closet. Rotating the toilet footprint 90 degrees made room for the larger closet. “We needed to keep the toilet in place for plumbing purposes but rotated it so we could keep a larger primary closet footprint as well,” Bailey says.
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Before Photo
Before: This floor plan shows the former bathroom layout at the top right. The built-in tub sat in the upper right corner, with the angled shower below it. The bedroom door swung out between the two, while the double vanity was positioned to the left of the shower. The water closet sat to the left of the tub, and two doors on the left opened to separate closets the homeowners wanted to consolidate.
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After: The updated layout merges the tub and shower into a wet room in the former tub’s location. Rotating the toilet created space for a larger primary closet. A new double vanity spans the opposite wall, with a storage tower where the corner shower once stood. A single pocket door on the left connects the bathroom to the spacious walk-in closet. “I’m happy I was able to solve the flow and access issues and give them everything they wanted in their bathroom,” Bailey says.
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3. Think About the Details
Even bathrooms with the most expensive fixtures can end up looking disjointed if the details aren’t carefully considered.
One example, successfully avoided in this bathroom, would be a glass shower screen that comes too close to the side of a vanity. This might look fine from one angle, but what do you see of the vanity through the glass? Will dirt get between them and be difficult to remove?
Another pet peeve is tile that stops halfway up a wall, leaving a horizontal ridge that will collect dust. Either tile the whole wall or set the face of the tile flush with the wall above by adding an extra layer of plasterboard above the tile before the skim coat of plaster.
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After working with this couple on several homes over the years, interior designer Jeannine Bogart knew their style and how they liked to live. So when they needed a house that could bring three generations under one roof, she was involved from the start. She even helped during the search, which led them to a 1970s French country-inspired home in Northbrook, Illinois. She was there throughout the design and renovation phases and coordinated the move once the house was ready.
At the top of the renovation list was the primary bathroom. “As a space central to our clients’ daily comfort and quality of life, it needed to reflect the overall aesthetic of their home,” Bogart says. “The budget for this room was intentionally generous, allowing us to explore a range of possibilities.” This included expanding the small shower stall and tricking it out with luxurious bells and whistles. Other highlights are a vanity that maximizes storage, heated floors and lovely custom details that personalize the space.
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A cramped layout, dated finishes and awkward closets left this Oregon primary en suite bathroom feeling smaller than its footprint. To create a space that better suited the single homeowner’s needs, designer Amy Pearson reworked the layout and refined the style to deliver a more open, functional and timelessly modern retreat.
By eliminating two closets — one in the bathroom and one in the bedroom — and shifting the door to the primary suite, Pearson was able to expand the bathroom by 14 square feet and introduce a more efficient floor plan. The new design includes dual floating walnut vanities with storage towers, a spacious low-curb shower that spans the width of the room and improved lighting and ventilation throughout.
A restrained palette of white, black, gray and brown highlights rich materials, including Carrara marble mosaic tile and warm wood cabinetry. Geometric-patterned wall tiles add drama and dimension, while luxe brass accents bring a refined touch. The result is a sophisticated, light-filled bathroom with smart storage and enduring style.
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The designer used Calacatta Gold marble tile to wrap the opening of the shower as well as the other shower walls. Then she continued this same tile around the room as wainscoting. Without looking closely, it’s hard to tell that this is tile and not slab. The veining pattern is laid out so well that it looks uninterrupted. “At first even I was a little nervous about how prominent and bold this veining pattern is, but it turned out so great,” Bagley Catlin says.
The designer nodded to an existing arched opening between the bedroom and bathroom by creating an arched opening to the shower. The soft curve of the arch is a pleasant contrast to the straight edges in the room. “I knew a single door would look odd with the arch, so we used French doors here,” she says.
The bench is shaped like a slice of a hexagon, which suits the angled placement of the shower stall in the corner of the room. Bagley Catlin had it covered in quartz slabs, creating a monolithic look.
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More than a third of homeowners (34%) upgrade their bathtub during a remodel. Among the rest, 9% keep the tub, 26% remove it, and 25% never had one to begin with.
When tubs come out, most homeowners make a splash with the extra space: 82% enlarge their shower and 20% relocate it. Others use the space to expand cabinetry (9%) or move their vanity or cabinets (6% each), while 5% enlarge their vanity or sink.
Styles. Freestanding flat-bottom tubs remain the most popular choice, selected by 45% of homeowners remodeling their bathrooms, with alcove tubs close behind at 40%. Deck-mounted tubs slipped from 10% to 6% this year, while freestanding claw-foot (4%), corner (2%) and other (3%) styles account for only a small share of upgrades.
Specialty features. More than half of homeowners (55%) add specialty features when upgrading their tubs, showing that comfort and safety are top priorities. Nonslip flooring (24%) and grab bars (23%) are the most popular, while space for two and whirlpool or jets each appeal to 12%. Built-in seating and lighting appear in 7% of tubs, with heated backrests (4%) and smart-fill tech (1%) rounding out the list.