The National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA | KBIS) has released its 2026 Bath Trends Report. Based on a survey of nearly 700 industry experts, the report provides a comprehensive look at current and upcoming trends in residential bathrooms that will have the most significant impact in 2026 and beyond.

According to the report, the bathroom design landscape is currently in a state of flux – the evolution of bathroom technology marks an upcoming shift emerging in the home. As residential tech continues to present more opportunities and innovation, three areas of growth in the bath are standing out: 

• Technology in Design Inspiration: Younger homeowners are turning to AI for design inspiration that integrates smart features, sustainability, and style.
• Technology in Fixtures: Smart home integration is expanding rapidly through intelligent showers, lighting, and energy systems.
• Technology for Wellness: Health-oriented features, stress-reduction tools, and ageing-in-place innovations are becoming mainstream.

Beyond technology, personalised tastes and lifestyles continue to be the driving force behind colour, style, and material selection, as well as storage configurations and bath layout.

“Bath design is becoming deeply personal,” said Bill Darcy, Global President & CEO of NKBA | KBIS. “Beyond considerations like resale value, designers are focusing on how spaces support a homeowner’s individual rituals, preferences, and self-care routines. This perspective encourages creativity, niche trends, and designs that truly reflect how people live today.”

The full report is available at NKBA.org with free access for NKBA members. Key findings include:

Colours & Materials: What’s In, What’s Out

• Light Neutrals Win: In near total agreement, 96% of respondents identified neutrals as the most popular bath colours, with off-white (58%), light brown/tan (54%), and white (40%) earning the dominant response ahead of dark brown (30%), black (18%), and dark gray/slate (18%). 
• Shades of Green: Brown-based greens – sage (64%) and olive (43%) – are expected to be popular choices, while bolder hues – teal/turquoise (19%) and emerald/juniper (16%) – received far less attention. 
• Timeless Design: Transitional/timeless design tops the list, with 70% of respondents naming it as a popular style in the next three years.
• Removing Fine Lines: Homeowners are looking for smaller or no grout lines on the floor, according to 89% of those surveyed. Additionally, 91% agree that durability and practicality to minimise upkeep are the top considerations for choosing a flooring material, supporting 80% who believe large-format flooring will be the most popular over the next three years.
• Natural Materials: Wood-faced vanities (62%) have overtaken painted (53%) in popularity as biophilic design continues to be prioritised in the bath.
• Polished Is Out: For taps, matte (54%), brushed (51%), and satin (46%) finishes were more popular than polished (39%), playing into organic, natural design cues.

A Growing Footprint

The overall bathroom footprint will increase to accommodate wellness-centred spaces, universal design considerations, and efficient storage solutions, according to 72% of respondents.

Hospitality Inspiration for Wellness

Tying bath design to a homeowner’s hotel or resort experience is expected to be a popular practice, according to 77% of respondents, supporting the unification of wellness, technology, and sustainability into a singular, cohesive design philosophy. This isn’t about one individual feature like a smart toilet (though 51% agree smart toilets will rise in popularity over the next three years) or a new tile colour (patterned and textured tiles are gaining prominence, according to 66%). Instead, it’s a fundamental shift in how we perceive and use the primary bathroom. It’s moving from a purely utilitarian space to a sanctuary dedicated to physical and mental well-being, while also being smart and environmentally conscious.

Seeing the Light

Lighting quality is a top consideration in bathroom design, according to 91% of respondents. In practice, this means prioritising layers and levels of lighting: 

• Task Lighting: 92% agree that task lighting should always be included in the primary bath
• Mood Lighting: 51% predict that mood lighting in the shower will gain prominence
• Time-of-Day Lighting: 80% include nighttime-specific lighting, and 88% list natural lighting as a top priority
• Aesthetic Lighting: 47% favour integrated lighting in mirrors over the next three years 

Custom Bathroom Solutions

On a larger scale, smart technology is being integrated to achieve a more personalised daily ritual and as a tool to improve overall well-being. On a simpler level, custom storage solutions with configurable modules to simplify life are being thoughtfully integrated into bath vanity and cabinetry design. Item-specific storage includes built-in storage for hair tools, makeup, and medications, electrical integration, custom dividers and organisers to maximise drawer efficiency, and charging stations for electronic devices within vanity cabinetry.

Accessibility is Elegant

Ageing-in-place design elements have become so mainstream that, in addition to functionality, these universal design fixtures also prioritise beauty. Grab bars, curbless showers, shower benches, barrier-free shower entries, and wider doors are subtle yet crucial safety features that make a primary bath feel more luxurious and elevated. Of those surveyed, 32% agree that ageing-in-place is now a mainstream trend; 48% agree that it’s on its way to becoming one.

Construction and design platform Houzz today introduced Contracts, a tool within Houzz Pro that empowers pros to create, send, and finalise contracts for clients and subcontractors directly from the platform they already use to run their business, eliminating the need for separate third-party tools.

The Houzz Pro Contracts tool, Built-in Smart Text, and eSignatures help create contract templates and centralised document storage, assisting pros in saving time, reducing complexity, and keeping projects moving forward without delays. 

“Contracts are the foundation of every project, yet managing them has traditionally been a complex process,” said Alon Cohen, Houzz co-founder and CEO. “With the new Houzz Pro Contracts tool, building and design professionals can finalise agreements quickly, stay organised and deliver an end-to-end client experience that inspires confidence and builds lasting trust.”

With Contracts directly integrated into Houzz Pro, professionals can eliminate third-party contract tools and benefit from streamlined workflows and reduced friction. Contracts sent through Houzz Pro are signed on average in just over 2 days, versus the one week pros tell us it takes using other methods.

User‑friendly features of the Houzz Pro Contracts tool include:

• Smart Text that makes it easy to fill in project, client and subcontractor details in one click, helping pros work faster and avoid repetitive manual data entry.
• Built‑in eSignatures for fast, secure digital signing from any device.
• Contract templates so pros don’t have to source contracts externally.
• Customizable branding and letterhead with logo.
• Centralised cloud access to signed contracts and activity history.
• Commenting and edit tracking to make it easy to follow progress.
• Notifications and reminders with real-time updates when contracts are opened, viewed, or signed, plus automated follow-ups to keep projects on track.

The Houzz Pro Contracts tool is available to all “Custom” package subscribers in the UK It is fully integrated into Houzz Pro and complements the robust set of features that help pros manage projects from first contact to final payment, including Estimates, Invoicing, Takeoffs, Selections, 3D Floor Plans and more.

Pros can learn more about the new Contracts tool and get started at houzz.co.uk/pro. Click here for images of the tool, and watch a video to see it in action here.

Bristan Group CEO, Jen Cassidy, has been named as the new chair of the Construction Inclusion Coalition (CIC), as the coalition continues its advocacy for greater inclusivity and diversity across the construction sector.

The CIC was established in 2023 by leading organisations across the construction industry, collaborating to enhance the positive impact of their individual equity, diversity and inclusion initiatives and to work together to create a more inclusive industry for all.

Jen takes over the role from coalition founder and first chair, Angela Rushforth, who is retiring. Jen has been the CEO of taps, showers and bathroom plumbing manufacturer Bristan Group since January 2025, having joined the group in 2021 as Chief Marketing Officer, following senior roles at Wolseley, Kohler Mira and Linn Products during her career.

Bristan Group is one of the 13 founding partners of the coalition committed to nurturing talent through positive change and help turn the industry’s skills shortage around.

Jen Cassidy, construction inclusion coalition chair, said: “I’m enormously proud to be taking on the role of Chair of the CIC. The progress the CIC and its members have made in the past two years is inspiring, and whilst there is still much to do, I am genuinely optimistic that together we can continue to drive real change for the industry. Inclusion starts with every one of us already in the industry, and I am passionate about making the construction sector a place where everyone feels they belong.

“I would also like to recognise and thank Angela for her time, energy and vision in creating the CIC. Her passion and determination to, as she says, ‘put the ladder down for those who come next’ has made the coalition what it is today, and it is an honour to carry on her work.”

The coalition now boasts 39 companies and trade organisations across building materials manufacturers, merchants and supply chain services to the construction sector. During 2025 companies including Norcros Group, Etex, Volution Group, Mira Showers, Selco and Specialist Driver Resourcing have joined the CIC.

CIC plans for 2025 into 2026 includes a continued focus on gender inclusion and creating inclusive workplaces, the promotion of more family-friendly policies and initiatives and enlisting more male colleagues as Inclusion Champions.