Let’s all stop for a second and take a moment to appreciate one of the many unsung heroes of the home: the bathroom.
The bathroom is a space that serves a vital purpose in our day-to-day lives. Without it, most people would be lost. Although primarily it is there for function, for many its form is also just as important.
For some, the bathroom represents a Zen-like temple in which to unwind from life’s stresses. To others, the bathroom may be a purely-practical space, which is used efficiently and only when needed. Whether you prefer it spacious or small, simple or elegant, every bathroom design is unique to its users. In the same sense, although everyone uses the bathroom (we hope), the way people think about it and utilise the space may be different.
It was these thoughts that inspired UK bathroom furniture distributors Utopia Bathroom Group to undertake an extensive UK-wide survey on bathroom usage in Britain. Approximately 2000 homeowners participated, and the data they collected was fascinating and at the time unexpected. From their findings they extracted some eye-opening facts and figures about bathroom trends and usage across the United Kingdom. These results gave everybody a previously unseen insight into how bathrooms are used by a large number of individuals and families in the UK.
Bathroom Usage
Think about your home. Do you share one bathroom with your entire family? If so you’ll be happy to know that you’re not alone, as nearly 60% of the UK has
only one bathroom in their home. Even within the lucky 40% of people who have separate bathrooms, only 9% split their bathrooms between the children and the adults.
You’d think this would lead to more families arguing about the time everyone spends within the bathroom. Although it may be considered quite a common occurrence for some, an average of only 2.5% of men and women admitted to arguing with fellow family members over bathroom time. Sharing a bathroom may be taking its toll on some though; because 7% of people wished they had more bathroom space and nearly 5% say the mess in their bathroom is driving them crazy.
Bathroom Improvement
Did you know that 1 in 20 Brits feel they are stuck in their current house, unable to move due to the current high cost of living? It’s no surprise that people want to focus on improving and renovating their own home. 66% of people asked said they would rather improve their bathroom than move to a new house.
The survey revealed that nearly 14% of Britons understand that a new bathroom is a good investment. Knowing this, how much would you be willing to spend on a bathroom? Would you spend a few thousand pounds updating your bathroom into a more presentable space? How about £10,000 or over? 17% of the people who were asked to participate in the survey said that they would splash out £10,000 and more just to get their bathroom looking exactly the way they want it.
The people most likely to be investing money into a new bathroom? Britain’s beloved baby-booming generation. 62% of people that are 55 (years young) and over, commented that they were looking to update their bathroom.
Bathroom Trends
When buying a new bathroom, the survey uncovered that men concern themselves much more over the functionality of the space than women. However, when it comes to bathroom trends, more women than men want to keep abreast of the latest interior design styles.
Nearly a quarter of the people asked wanted their bathroom to be a relaxing, luxury retreat, whilst almost a third said they simply wanted to update their bathroom to keep up with the latest trends.
For all those who are obsessed with how their bathroom looks London is definitely the place to be. 50% of Londoners revealed that they spent more time perfecting their interior design of their bathroom than any other space in the house.
So there we have it, some positively enlightening insights into how a portion of the UK uses and feels about their bathrooms. We’re interested to find out how you feel though. What do you want from your bathroom? How much would you be willing to spend on updating the space? Do the latest styles and design trends really matter all that much to you? Let us know in the comments below.
