A new year usually brings a desire for change, and for many homeowners that feeling of starting new begins in one of the most used spaces in the house: the bathroom. Bathroom remodels have become less about simple fixes and more about creating a space that combines comfort, modern design and accessibility.

House & Home spoke with a couple of industry experts to gain insight about the modern amenities being featured in new bathroom remodels and how they’ve been evolving over the years.

Personalized spaces
One of the most noticeable trends in recent years are spa-inspired features, making bathrooms feel more personalized for homeowners. Large, walk-in showers have replaced the traditional tubs in homes, creating a more open and modern feel.

Rainfall and handheld showerheads are alternatives that turn daily routines into something more relaxing and accessible. “Bathrooms really have taken on more personalized visions that don’t necessarily have to relate to other traditional elements within a home,” David Cerami, president of HomeTech Renovations, says. “We see a lot of bathrooms that are taking on much more European and spa-like elements within the space.”

“When it comes to master suites, people are looking for more room in the bathroom and willing to take less room in the bedroom. Homeowners want to make the bathroom more of a place to relax and get some quiet and peace of mind,” says Micahel DiBattista, of Under Construction Builders LLC.

Other personalized features being installed are ones that are built for accessibility to ensure easy access for homeowners of all mobility and ages. 

“Bidet seats are coming on strong, and you see far more showers than tubs, especially in the master primary bathroom,” says Dennis Gehman, co-founder and president of Gehman Design Remodeling. “If there’s enough space maybe there’s a tub, but larger showers with the seat [are the most popular]. I don’t think most people are thinking necessarily about sitting, but for women shaving their legs or us men washing our feet, handheld showerheads with a long enough hose that it can comfortably reach the seat [are preferred]. Not to mention that if somebody’s back is bothering them they can still shower. The handheld is much easier for cleaning your shower, too.”

Added features
Modern amenities are also altering convenience in bathroom remodels, with storage being one of the top priorities for homeowners. “Probably the request we hear the most is storage. Whether that’s cabinets, linen cabinetry, even floating shelves are pretty popular these days. We are also hearing a request for more drawers than doors in the cabinets,” says Gehman.

Heated floors, once considered a luxury, are now a common upgrade, especially for the colder weather. “We are installing more heated bathroom floors due to the ease of the install factored with costs coming down. This was a pure luxury item prior and now fits in most budgets,” says Steven Matteo, co-owner, of Matteo Family Kitchens & Flooring.

Smart mirrors with built-in lighting and even touch-screen displays help improve both function and ambiance in new bathroom remodels. 

“We are using lighted medicine cabinets more often as more storage is always a necessity. The look of the modern medicine cabinets is superior to the look of the matching cabinet style ones offered that can date the project before it starts.” Matteo continues.

New advancements
Just like everyday routines, technology continues to play an important role in bathroom renovations as well. Smart toilets with features such as heated seats, automatic lids and high-tech systems are becoming more known. Some remodels even include voice-activated controls for lighting or temperature.

These upgrades often come with efficiency, as modern fixtures are designed to reduce water and energy use without delaying its high-quality performance. For example, Matteo says, “Exhaust fans that automatically turn on when humidity levels rise and stay on until levels lower. Moen and Kohler also offer smart showers, where you turn the shower on before you enter the bathroom and have the water temperature set at the most perfect setting.”

Storage and organization are other focuses of new bathroom designs. Custom cabinetry and towel bars help reduce mess while increasing space in a homeowners bathroom. 

“You put towel bar warmers in, they can be towel bars, they could be warming drawers,” says Cerami. “When you get out of the shower and you wrap yourself in a warm towel or warm robe—what a nice thing that is. Sometimes TV and computers can be integrated within medicine cabinets, believe it or not.”

Modern color options
Materials and finishes in modern remodels present a mix of style and stability. Frameless glass, porcelain tiles and earth tones are some of the choices homeowners gravitate towards that don’t overwhelm their bathrooms. These choices create a modern look, making the renovation a long-term investment for homeowners. 

“Vanities in bathrooms should always be made of all wood. Plywood boxes with real wood fronts; this will help hold up in most steamy rooms,” Matteo says. 

“For vanities we have seen a lot of live edge tops with sconce or pendant lights at eye level for better lighting,” says DiBattista. “Black and gold are also coming back, with folks incorporating them into the color scheme and fixture finish.”

The size of tiles also matters when selecting the color palette. “Flavors of white are still strong. We are also hearing more and more people are tired of granites, so if it is tile, it’s bigger tile with smaller grout,” says Gehman.

DiBattista has seen similar requests with clients looking for big, impressive curbless showers that display large porcelain or marble slabs for the shower walls and minimal grout lines. “We do advise homeowners that marble will need to be resealed on a yearly basis to prevent water infiltration and possible staining,” he adds. 

A new bathroom remodel isn’t just about updating what’s already outdated. It’s about changing the space to better fit the current modern styles by adding comfort, technology and accessibility. As the new year inspires change, the bathroom should also change, allowing one of the most used rooms in a house to feel new again.

RESOURCES
Matteo Family Kitchens & Flooring
Woodstown, N.J.
(856) 769-2490
MatteoKitchens.com

HomeTech Renovations
Ambler, Pa.
(215) 646-7477
HometechRenovations.com

Gehman Design Remodeling
Harleysville, Pa.
(215) 513-0300
GehmanRemodeling.com

Under Construction Builders LLC
Voorhees, N.J.
(856) 240-4448
UCBuildersNJ.com

Published (and copyrighted) in House & Home, Volume 25, Issue 10 (Spring 2026)
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