Bathroom remodeling, Greater Seattle Area
Top Bathroom Remodeling Trends for Seattle Area Homes
The top bathroom remodeling trends for 2026 are bigger walk-in showers in place of tubs, low-curb and curbless showers, light neutral colors with wood vanities, large format floor tile, double vanities with built-in storage and layered lighting. 49% of renovating homeowners enlarged the shower in the 2026 U.S. Houzz Bathroom Trends Study (2026). We build them around Seattle.
Each trend below names its 2025 or 2026 source and shows where it appears in our own finished bathrooms in Seattle, Redmond and Kirkland. To plan yours, Book a Consultation.
What are the latest bathroom remodeling trends in Seattle?
Two current studies agree on the direction. The NKBA 2026 Bath Trends Report (November 2025) surveyed 688 designers, remodelers and other trade members. The 2026 U.S. Houzz Bathroom Trends Study (September 2026) surveyed 1,619 U.S. homeowners. Neither breaks out Seattle. The table pairs each trend with its figure and with a bathroom we built.
| Trend | What the source found | Source | In our work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bigger showers in place of tubs | 49% enlarged the shower; 55% of pros rank a larger shower above a tub | Houzz, September 2026; NKBA, November 2025 | Walk-in shower with a bench and body sprays, Redmond, 2023 to 2024 |
| Low-curb, curbless and wet rooms | Low-curb 47% and curbless 24% of upgraded showers; wet rooms 18% of bathrooms | Houzz, 2026 | Open shower with no curb at the glass, Redmond, 2023; skylit wet room, Seattle, 2022 |
| Light neutrals and wood vanities | Neutrals 96%; wood-faced vanities 62% against painted 53% | NKBA, November 2025 | Wood shaker vanities with white tops, Redmond, 2023 |
| Large format floor tile | 89% want smaller or no grout lines; 80% expect large format flooring to lead | NKBA, November 2025 | Gray large tile floor, Kirkland, 2024 |
| Double vanities and built-in storage | Double sinks 64%, up from 47%; built-in outlets 32% | Houzz, September 2026 | Gray double vanity and tall linen cabinet, Kirkland, 2024 |
| Layered and natural light | Lighting quality a top factor for 91%; natural light for 88% | NKBA, November 2025 | Skylight and window over the shower, Redmond, 2023 |
Sources: NKBA 2026 Bath Trends Report (2025), 2026 U.S. Houzz Bathroom Trends Study (2026) and Houzz, The Bathroom Features Homeowners Want Most in 2026 (2026). All read October 2026.
Why are bigger walk-in showers replacing bathtubs?
Homeowners use the tub space to get a shower they can move in. 49% of renovating homeowners enlarged the shower, up 10 points in a year, per the 2026 U.S. Houzz Bathroom Trends Study (2026). 26% removed a bathtub, and 79% of them used the space for a bigger shower, per the same 2026 U.S. Houzz Bathroom Trends Study (2026). In the NKBA 2026 Bath Trends Report (2025), 55% of respondents said a larger shower matters more than a tub.
Our Redmond master bathroom got both. The owners wanted a better shower and a tub, so we rebuilt the shower as a walk-in with a bench, a rain head, a handheld and body sprays behind a frameless glass door, and set a freestanding soaking tub beside it. It cost about $65,000. In Kirkland, the owner asked about taking out the tub, and work began in January 2024 on a large walk-in shower in charcoal tile with two shower heads.
Shower layouts, benches, niches and glass are covered in 5 Creative Shower Remodel Ideas to Elevate Your Bathroom Design.
Are curbless showers and wet rooms a lasting bathroom trend?
The figures say yes. Low-curb showers were the most common choice at 47% of upgraded showers, and curbless designs reached 24%, per Houzz (October 2026). Wet rooms made up 18% of renovated bathrooms, up from 13% two years earlier, in the 2026 U.S. Houzz Bathroom Trends Study (2026). Accessibility or universal design was a motive for 40% of wet rooms, up 14 points, per the same 2026 U.S. Houzz Bathroom Trends Study (2026). In the NKBA 2026 Bath Trends Report (2025), 32% of respondents called aging in place a mainstream trend and 48% said it is becoming one.
We built both forms. Our Redmond open shower, designed with us and then built in about 18 weeks from August 8 to December 14, 2023, has no curb at the glass. A linear drain runs along the wall, so the wood-look floor tile carries straight into the shower. It cost about $75,000. In a Seattle house in 2022, the primary bathroom became a skylit wet room; that two-bathroom project ran under electrical and plumbing permits.
Which bathroom colors, vanities and finishes are trending?
Light neutrals lead, and sage and olive are the leading greens. In the NKBA 2026 Bath Trends Report (2025), 96% of respondents named neutrals the most popular bath colors, led by off-white (58%), light brown or tan (54%) and white (40%). Sage (64%) and olive (43%) were the greens respondents expect to be popular, per the same NKBA 2026 Bath Trends Report (2025). Transitional or timeless design topped the styles at 70% in the NKBA 2026 Bath Trends Report (2025).
Wood is back on the vanity. Wood-faced vanities (62%) passed painted ones (53%), and matte (54%) and brushed (51%) faucet finishes beat polished (39%), per the same NKBA 2026 Bath Trends Report (2025). Wood tones were the most popular vanity color at 31%, per Houzz (October 2026). Our Redmond open shower bathroom pairs two wood shaker vanities with white tops and brushed nickel trim against light handmade-look tile.
Pattern is the accent of choice. Of homeowners who upgraded an accent wall, 53% used pattern and 48% used color, per the 2026 U.S. Houzz Bathroom Trends Study (2026).
Why is large format floor tile with fewer grout lines trending?
Homeowners want fewer grout lines and less upkeep. 89% of respondents to the NKBA 2026 Bath Trends Report (2025) said homeowners want smaller or no grout lines on the floor, and 91% named durability and low upkeep the top factor in choosing flooring. In the same NKBA 2026 Bath Trends Report (2025), 80% expect large format flooring to be the most popular over the next three years.
With a linear drain along one wall, large floor tiles can slope one way toward it with fewer cuts. Our Kirkland bathroom has gray large tile on the room floor and charcoal large-format tile on the shower walls and floor, sloped to a linear drain.
Are double vanities and built-in storage trending in bathrooms?
Yes. Double sinks went into 64% of renovated bathrooms, up from 47% the year before, in the 2026 U.S. Houzz Bathroom Trends Study (2026). Vanities wider than 72 inches rose to 21%, per the same 2026 U.S. Houzz Bathroom Trends Study (2026). Built-in electrical outlets (32%) and hair tool organizers (19%) each rose 7 points, and 25% added drawer organizers, per the same 2026 U.S. Houzz Bathroom Trends Study (2026). The NKBA 2026 Bath Trends Report (2025) lists storage built for hair tools, makeup and medications, and charging stations inside the vanity.
Our Kirkland bathroom got a gray flat-panel double vanity with black pulls and a dark counter, a tall linen cabinet and a long backlit mirror. It cost about $55,000 in 2024. For storage in a small bathroom, see Small Bathroom Remodel Ideas: Big Impact in Compact Spaces.
How are lighting and smart features changing bathrooms?
Lighting is planned in layers. In the NKBA 2026 Bath Trends Report (2025), 91% of respondents called lighting quality a top consideration, 92% said a primary bath should always have task lighting, 88% list natural light as a top priority and 80% include lighting for nighttime. 47% favor lights built into the mirror, per the same NKBA 2026 Bath Trends Report (2025).
Toilets are gaining specialty features. 47% of renovating homeowners chose a toilet with specialty features, and 31% added a bidet seat, per the 2026 U.S. Houzz Bathroom Trends Study (2026). 51% of NKBA respondents expect smart toilets to grow, per the NKBA 2026 Bath Trends Report (2025).
Our Redmond open shower sits under a skylight and a window. Our Seattle bathroom, rebuilt in about 9 weeks from November 2022 to January 2023, kept its skylight and has a lit mirror cabinet over the reinstalled vanity. It cost about $35,000.
What do these bathroom trends cost in the Seattle area?
Most of these trends sit in our Mid-Range and higher finish levels. Our published starting prices include a standard material allowance; permit fees and damage found at demolition are priced separately in writing, and so is moving a drain in a small or medium bath. The full table is on Cost of a Bathroom Remodel in the Greater Seattle Area.
| Trend | Bathroom and finish level | Starting at, or project price |
|---|---|---|
| Shower niche and bench, large format porcelain tile | Medium bath, Mid-Range | $55,000+ |
| Layered lighting, frameless glass, heated floor option | Small bath, Luxury | $60,000+ |
| Double vanity, glass enclosure, lighting plan | Large bath, Mid-Range | $75,000+ |
| Curbless walk-in shower, custom floating vanity | Small bath, Super-Luxury | $90,000+ |
| Wet room with tub and shower, smart controls | Large bath, Super-Luxury | $175,000+ |
| Walk-in shower with bench and a soaking tub, Redmond, 2023 to 2024 | Our project | About $65,000 |
| Open shower with no curb at the glass, Redmond, 2023 | Our project | About $75,000 |
Starting prices from our bathroom pricing guide, updated October 2026. Project prices are from each project page, in the year the work was done; costs have risen since.
How do you bring bathroom trends into a Seattle remodel?
Settle the layout first. Moving a toilet or shower drain is priced outside our small and medium bath starting prices, per our pricing guide, and moving plumbing needs a plumbing permit. In Seattle, a bathroom's building and electrical permits come from the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections and its plumbing permit from Public Health, Seattle and King County, as our Bathroom Remodeling Across the Greater Seattle Area page explains.
The order of decisions, from budget to schedule, is in How to Plan a Bathroom Remodeling Project in Seattle. For our work in the city, see Home Remodeling Contractors in Seattle, WA.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are bathtubs going out of style?
How long does a bathroom remodel with these trends take?
On site, after design and permits, a small bath usually takes 4 to 8 weeks, a medium bath 6 to 10 weeks, a large bath 8 to 13 weeks and a primary bath 10 to 18 weeks, per our pricing guide. Custom glass and stone add lead time.
Do most homeowners hire a pro for a bathroom remodel?
Yes. 89% of renovating homeowners hired at least one pro, and general contractors were hired on 52% of projects, per the 2026 U.S. Houzz Bathroom Trends Study (2026).
