Home Style Trends for Spring 2026: What Your Customers Are Planning

Bathroom Upgrades: The Spa Aesthetic Goes Mainstream

The bathroom has undergone a permanent shift in how homeowners think about it. What was once a functional utility space is now among the top three home improvement priorities in the UK, and the brief has changed completely. Industry data from KBSA (the Kitchen, Bedroom and Bathroom Specialists Association) indicates that average spend on a full bathroom renovation has risen to over £7,000, with premium finishes - warm metallics, textured tiles, wet room layouts - driving that figure higher in properties where customers are investing for the long term. The Houzz UK 2025 Bathroom Trends Report found that 46% of homeowners renovating bathrooms are going beyond like-for-like replacement, actively upgrading the specification to achieve a different aesthetic entirely.

The dominant aesthetic for spring 2026 is what interior commentators have termed the ‘spa bathroom’: warm tones, ribbed or textured wall surfaces, brushed brass or matte black brassware, and layouts that prioritise a sense of calm and considered design. Cold white suites with chrome fittings - the default of the past two decades - are being actively replaced in a significant proportion of renovation enquiries. For bathroom fitters and plumbers, this shift represents both a wider project scope and stronger margins: customers committing to a full aesthetic transformation are less price-sensitive than those doing a like-for-like suite swap.

Ribbed and fluted tile formats are among the fastest-growing specifications in 2026 bathroom projects, alongside large-format porcelain in warm stone effects and zellige-inspired handmade-look ceramics. Freestanding baths are being specified in mid-range bathrooms where previously they would only appear in premium installs. And wall panelling - shiplap, tongue and groove, and flat-panel formats - has moved firmly into the bathroom as a high-impact, achievable alternative to full retiling.

Wet rooms, discussed in more detail below, are also a growing share of bathroom renovation enquiries, particularly in larger bathrooms and accessible housing. For plumbers and tilers working in the bathroom space, understanding the full scope of a customer’s aesthetic brief - rather than focusing solely on the technical specification - is increasingly what differentiates a well-priced, trusted installer from one who is simply quoting on units.

The Wickes Bespoke Bathroom service pairs customers with a dedicated design consultant to build a full specification around their brief. For trade professionals, recommending a supported, guaranteed product range protects your own reputation as well as your customer’s investment. Suite packages start from £375. Explore the full range at wickes.co.uk/bathroom, including bathroom suites, baths, basin and vanity units, and bathroom taps in warm metallic finishes.

Wet Room Installations: Demand Across All Property Types

Wet rooms have moved firmly out of the premium property category and into the mainstream renovation market. The combination of an ageing population seeking step-free access, younger homeowners drawn to the spa-bathroom aesthetic, and the structural flexibility that wet rooms offer in awkward or smaller bathroom layouts has created consistent demand across all property types and price points. The NHS Long Term Plan’s focus on supported independent living has further accelerated wet room installation in adapted housing and properties with accessibility requirements - a growing segment of the residential market with dedicated funding streams and grant-eligible works.

For tradespeople, the wet room opportunity spans multiple disciplines. A standard installation typically involves a plumber for waste and supply reconfiguration, a tiler for waterproofing and finished surfaces, and an electrician for any underfloor heating, extractor fans, or lighting upgrades within the zone. For sole traders with strong referral networks or multi-trade professionals working as a team, wet rooms are a natural anchor project: well-defined in scope, clear on materials, and carrying premium day rates relative to standard bathroom work. The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) reports consistent difficulty recruiting tilers and plumbers with wet room experience, which means trade professionals who can demonstrate completed wet room work command strong pricing and short waiting lists.

Waterproofing is the critical technical element in any wet room installation and the area most likely to generate callbacks if specified or installed incorrectly. The choice of substrate primer directly affects the adhesion and long-term performance of both the waterproofing membrane and the tiling system applied over it. Recommending and specifying the right preparation products at the quoting stage - rather than defaulting to the cheapest available on site - is one of the clearest markers of professional competence and is worth discussing explicitly with customers as part of your installation guarantee.

Uniprimer is a universal primer and sealer designed for use across plaster, render, concrete, timber, and masonry - making it a genuinely versatile preparation product for the mixed-substrate surfaces common in bathroom and wet room installations. Used consistently as part of a structured preparation sequence before tiling, waterproofing or decoration, it removes a significant variable from the adhesion risk equation and provides a documented preparation step that supports any installer guarantee. If Uniprimer is not already part of your standard preparation specification, wet room and bathroom season is the right time to evaluate it.

Browse bathroom tiles including large-format porcelain, wall tiles, and floor tiles suitable for wet room applications. The tile adhesives and grouts range covers flex adhesives rated for wet room and shower area use. Uniprimer is available in store and online as part of the undercoats and primers range. For extractor fans and underfloor heating to complete the install, browse bathroom extractor fans and towel radiators.

Flooring and Tiling: Warm Tones Replace the Grey Era

The single most consistent flooring brief coming through trade enquiries in spring 2026 is the replacement of cool-toned grey laminate - the dominant specification choice of UK renovation projects between approximately 2012 and 2020. Properties refurbished during that era are now approaching their first significant flooring refresh cycle, and the direction homeowners are taking is clear: warm oak tones, natural wood-effect finishes, and the growing popularity of parquet and herringbone formats are all replacing the grey laminate aesthetic with something warmer, more natural, and more durable in perception.

Luxury vinyl tile (LVT) in warm wood-effect finishes continues to grow as a professional installation specification, particularly in kitchens and bathrooms where the combination of warmth, durability and water-resistance suits customer priorities. Underfloor heating installation paired with hard flooring replacement is an increasingly common combined project scope, with strong appeal to customers who are already committing to a full room overhaul. For plumbers and builders with UFH installation capability, this pairing significantly increases both project value and customer satisfaction.

In tiling, spring 2026 is characterised by the same move toward warmth and texture that defines the broader interior palette. Large-format porcelain in warm stone effects, zellige-inspired ceramic tiles with a handmade, organic quality, terrazzo patterned formats, and Victorian-revival geometric floor tiles for period properties are all generating strong customer interest. The practical implication for tilers is straightforward: these are higher-specification, higher-margin installations requiring greater precision in adhesive selection, grout choice and laying pattern execution. The ability to advise confidently on these technical details - and to source materials reliably - is the professional differentiator that justifies premium rates.

Browse the laminate flooring range at Wickes including warm oak, brown and beige colourways suited to the spring 2026 palette, alongside luxury vinyl flooring and parquet and herringbone formats. For tiling, the full bathroom tiles range and kitchen tiles range include large-format porcelain, patterned and boutique tile options. Flooring accessories including underlay, skirting boards and adhesives are stocked alongside. Where underfloor heating is part of the brief, browse heating controls and smart heating for compatible system controls.