How bout using tile paint and u can do any colour u want

Yellow looks great with grays and black it can be very elegant if you choose the right size tiles for the walls,but I would wait until I have funds for a full reno that would be exactly what I like. Good luck.

Ladyrob1 Could we keep it short and sweet please?

Why?

Dear @rachelen,

You have received plenty of advice here and I am sure you will make the right decision for you. Here is my own two-cents...

If you are renovating this bathroom with the purpose of selling the house, you have to step into a buyer's shoes. You might like the existing mustardy tiles, but, they do look very 70s. There is nothing wrong as such with that, but if the rest of your house is fully renovated (in a non 70's style) , these particular tiles will really stand out for the wrong reasons and might take your house down a bit. The very first things buyers look at are kitchen and bathrooms, because they are expensive (and messy!) areas to renovated, and most buyers will be put off by the prospect of having to redo the bathroom tiles (which might lead to further complications with other aspects of the bathroom that wouldn't need any fixing if done at the same time as the floor...) If you are going to the trouble of renovating most of the room, why not doing up the floor too? Depending on the tiles you chose, and given it's a bathroom floor (so not likely to be a huge surface), the extra expense will not necessarily be huge and will be well recoup when it comes to sell the house.

You also mentioned changing your downlights so you get better lighting. Great move! Since your bathroom seems small and fairly dark, I would also recommend to fit a very large mirror above your Godmorgen vanity (if not done yet). It will reflect more light and will also make the space look larger. Your vanity seems to be 60cm wide (or maybe 80?). I can't see how your bathroom looks like in its entirety and what is next to the vanity, but, your could have a mirror that is the same width of your vanity and a good 90cm high. That will really contribute to creating the sense of a larger space...

And finally, painting tiles... Please do not do it! While it looks reasonably ok for a while on wall tiles (it starts to peel after a couple of years though...) it is always tragic on floor tiles (even when done properly). It looks very cheap, and, for a 'for sale' property, it gives the feeling that sellers are trying to hide something, that they rush their renovations and that, ultimately, there will be some bad discoveries later on... I know it might sound like a bit of a stretch, but for having worked in similar situations, I can only share my experience...

I apologise if the length of that comment is not to everyone's liking... I hope it doesn't bother you, @rachelen, since YOU are the person this comment is addressed to, and I wish you all the very best with your renovations and the future sale.

PS: See here an example of a large mirror and what it does to a small and dark bathroom (this is the AFTER photo...)

@ Twinkle and Whistle...I love mirrors. Don't know hat the fascinatuon is but I think its from chiuldhood stories where mirrors were portals to magical worlds..."Alice through The Looking Glass comes to mind". The above most certainly does make a difference! Personally I do not understand why the trend suggests black in bathrooms...which are not always very large places except in new architect designed homes...and even then we find the vanity crammed up against the end side of the bathtub...or that there's a toilet pedestal in the bathroom when, with a little more creative thought, it could be in a separate room...anyway..back to morrors. There's absolutely nothing like a big mirror over the vanity...and I love mirrored cabinets to hide all the products. Mirrors make any bathroom look luxurious and I think that one in rachelen's bathroom would be just the thing to unify it all.When I started on my very old bathroom in a 1924 cottage, after I managed to afford a hot water system for the whole house and then later, a 'seconds' vanity cabinet at a recycle shop ( it had a tiny imperfection in the manufacture of the cabinetry), I was stuck for a mirror, everything available was all too "modern-looking". I was "just looking" again in the recycle shop and there was an old dressing table with the most enormous oval bevel edged mirror with bevel edged wings! That mirror had a few imperfections but they added to the 'authentic look'. I've never regretted installing that enormous mirror although it would be nice to get the imperfections fixed. My bathroom is not really small, nothing is crammed against anything else because I had an empty impoverished slate to bgin with and the loo is in its own room, so big 1930's dressing table mirror... good choice! rachelen might find something that sort of 'marries' the old with the new to lift the negatives of her bathroom and I think your suggestion of a big mirror might provide the illusion that will achieve that.Oh, and whilst I have returned to this thread... @ debanger 3...if He/she doesn't appreciate the things I share on Houzz following the polls and responding to people's Houzz decoration difficulties, and if I am rather verbacious and loquatious...and if you, Twinkle and Whistle feel intimidated by this person because you contributed from your expertise and expressed yourself eloquently, don't be. He/she does not seem to have contributed much to Houzz, nobody has the monopoly on writing space or individual opinions, the forum is monitored and edited by administrators and it is stimulating for creative people to express and share their ideas and so exchange with others to the benefit and enjoyment of all....then that is what it is all about. I've even had a bit of fun and indulged my penchant for banter! This is not a mid Victorian polite social congratulatory and ego-stroking forum but somewhere for creative people to express themselves. Mirrors are a wonderful additive! (I still dislike subway tiles and think they look cheap and nasty despite their history..lol!)..Now, I wonder how many words I've used here?!

Here's my 1930's bathroom mirror.

@Twinkle and Whistle. Thank you very much for your advice, I appreciate the time you took to write your post and the fact you are a professional. I do intend to install a big mirrored medicine cabinet thingy the same width as the vanity (80cm).
I probably won't take the option of painting the tiles as I am yet to find any product that would work on floor tiles - plus, as my husband points out, they will just 'look' painted.
My options at the moment are a complete gut and renovate (which we would have to do in order to replace the floor tiles); not do anything at all and sell with a visibly aging bathroom; or do something in between. I guess all three approaches have their own risks - even a full renovation may not be to every buyer's taste. Although we have updated the rest of our house, especially the kitchen, we did not choose a super-modern style and hopefully that will work in the bathroom's favour.
Again, thanks so much for your thoughts and ideas, they are very much appreciated and are helping me with my decision.

Look on YouTube at White knight tile pain. It's a bit of work but an affordable compromise for a new look.

Laminated wood can be laid directly over tiles and would update the bathroom for sale.

@ artrato3....Yes, I've seen that done and it does work well...actually I think there was a feature bathroom reno on Houzz that had wood laminate on the bathroom floor...looked very smart..... but then rachelen would be left with the issue of the yellow tiles around the bath to resolve
Must say I commiserate. I'm still lookinmg for something to cover some timber VJ wall boards above a bath surround of old pressed metal that get wet when I use my new 8inch diameter rain shower over the bath. Have considered everything but have not been able to settle on anything that suits the rest of the bathroom...so am in sort of the same situation of many options and not being able to decide on a material. I want to make a mosaic but don't have the time for now. Perhaps I will just re-stain and waterproof the VJs...been told that people would kill to have original unpainted VJs...so maybe I'm more fortunate than I think.
The pic I uploaded is not very indicative of my problem...and I don't know how to delete it...ooops.
Good :Luch to rachelen!

Maybe white or light colour to match the tiles

Many people would kill for original unpainted VJs but just as many would paint it in a flash.I have been there. My last house had them in the lounge stained and they made the room very dark but I kept them for 10yrs because it was "real" wood.I bet the people who bought the house painted them straight away.LOL!

@cearl11 that is not tiles but light pink painted 1920s pressed metal...nothing goes with it except more pressed metal and the new version of this product is inferior and the pattern does not exist...dilemma! I do not want to paint it...Oh the guilt!

@ artrato3..yes I know what some would gve for original unpainted, not even varnished VJs...but a whole house full? I'v been braver than you and have endiured for 30 years...and I am not selling until I absolutely need to because I am decrepid! BUT...I'd like a bit of a change at least in the bathroom for now. Tried a sample of the modern pressed metal...it is really crap and flimsy and looks it (my opinion) and the patterns are too large and there's absolutely none that match. Thanks for commiserating! I still would not paint any of these walls...stubborn huh?

I remember tiles like those in a house we lived in growing up, the colour is a challenge. What about working with the tiles for now, reno what you can and leave those tiles until later. Cause it's a small room keep with whites & ivory, with touches of gold mustard & black or charcoal. You could colour the exiisting grout to match the grout in a any new tiling.

@ladyrob1 Just a quick question: why wouldn't you paint the VJs (apart from the fact that some people like them)?

@rachelen: would you have any pic of your updated kitchen by any chance? I'll gladly give you some recommendations for your bathroom (keeping the existing floor tiles) but it would be best to have a visual of some other rooms, in order to stay cohesive with your design. You can email me at nelly@twinkleandwhistle.com if you don't want to put the photos here or if you want to contact me direct. :)

@TwinkleandWhistle thanks for the offer to help. I've attached some photos (I think) of my very messy kitchen, taken with my ipad so not the best quality.

Thanks @rachelden. Will get back to you ASAP. Is your bathroom vanity staying or is that to be changed?

Vanity is staying

Hello again, @rachelen :)

I've attached a quick moodboard of what your bathroom could look like.

I have used the subway tiles you mentioned, although I recommend you opt for a size a little larger than the traditional one (300x100 are ideal and can be found at Bunnings). grout for these is to be a light grey, quite close to the grout of your floor tiles (which seems to be concrete grey on the photo, but I might be wrong. Please confirm if not).

I have covered the side of the bath tub with a large marble-looking ceramic tile. The larger the better. Having one that is the size of the bathtub will be absolutely ideal, but if that proves to be impossible, get the larger one you can (rectified tile though) so you can have as little grout as possible. The idea is to create uniformity. There is already a lot of pattern happening for such a small bathroom (the grid created by the floor tiles + th lines created by the subway ones). Having a "clean" bath side softens up the room and make it feel a little larger and less cluttered. The key to make the marble look work is to find a grey that is not too cool. It shouldn't have any hint of blue or silver in it, but some brown undertones instead (a bit of a taupe kind of colour).

I have replaced the vanity with another one from Ikea. The high-gloss of the Godmorgon you have is very contemporary and I don't think it is ideal for your home, even more so now that I've seen the pics of your kitchen, which is modern but with a little "cottage" feel.

I have fitted oil rubbed bronze (or black) tapware and accessories. By adding a touch of contrast, the black/dark bronze adds rhythm to the room and prevents it from looking too "flat", but it remains very subtle. It is also in line with a modern rustic style.

And finally, I have opted for a large round mirror. There are so many sharp lines and square shapes to this room that it was screaming for some roundness :) The knobs on the vanity brings a little touch, but the mirror finishes it off, making the room a little softer to the eye, and keeping things in balance.

The walls that are not tiled can be painted with Dulux "Antique White USA". It is a real white (not a beige) but it is warm and with slightly yellow undertones (not pink undertones), so it will work well with your mustard tiles.

I hope you find this helpful and doable.

Let me know what you think!

Thank you :)

Nelly @ Twinkle and Whistle

Oops, sorry I got your answer about the vanity after I sent my recommendations (for some weird reasons?). The current one could stay though, it's not a deal breaker.

@ Twinkle and Whistle...(clever, humourous title)...Re: Painting VJs...I would not paint any that are in excellent condition and were well seasoned when they were used to build a 1900s wooden house! That is what I have everywhere and although after 30 years of appreciating all that they are and am tired of the brown, brown, brown, I suppose I'd feel it was sacrilige! Who, today, would not love a totally natural timber house? For no reason to do with paint or anything else. There were some in the kitchen that had been painted with a yucky green lead paint and were stickily covered in soot from the original wood burning stove all burt out (otherwise I'd have had it restored and kept it)...I scrubbed and painted over these and created a colour scheme in keeping with the 1900s...only because they were irredeemable as far as stripping them back..Having said that, I suppose it is because I love genuine things. To illustrate...had I been able to replace them with other unpainted ones from a demolished house of the same era I would have done that...or claded (SP?) them with old original panelling....but no other option than to re paint at that stage.
May I ask why do you ask?

@ Twinkle and Whistle...love your solutions for rachelen! Not a fan of subways at all but a Pro friend here on Houzz suggested a splashback of grey Carrara marble 'subways' for sombody...these are slightly bevelled at the edges and so the horrible (to me) cheap look of white subways just disappeared. They only come in natural marble off-white grey...you might know the, That solution was good since the rest of the kitchen bench tops were in marble. Just thought it might be a optoin to consider to pass on to rachelen...I know she has had heaps of conflicting advice and it can get confusing.

Many thanks @Sheltertosanctuary and Nelly @Twinkle and Whistle for your gorgeous and inspiring moodboards. I'm currently getting some quotes but will come in with some updates when I've made some progress!

White is stunning and cost effective.

i would paint the tiles around the bath/shower white (i have heard people have done this themselves with good success-might be worth checking out what products are available), a new shower curtain and big bathmat, some gorgeous accessories. when there is more white in the room, the tiles will lose some of their impact. save the $$ until you can do it properly.
see the room above from presentation sells-what a difference with the white wall tiles.

Large scale white tiles will contrast well with the medium mustard mosaics you have. If you introduce a smaller tile again, it will appear very busy in the bathroom. You could even introduce white tap ware and rails, which is very 'in' at the moment and will be for a long time. You will need something to balance the current mustard tile to balance it in the bathroom and I would suggest a mirror with a brass frame or colour similar to this mustard. Towels definitely need to be simple and stick to white. Happy Reno-ing. If I see a picture I'll send it on.

I have just freshened up a bathroom with exactly same tiles on floor. I went white on the walls (lexicon white), and painted the existing grey laminate vanity (following proper prep and post sealing) in a deep chocolate colour called 'abott'. I introduced chunky cane square floor storage baskets, and had to get some plumbing done around the wall bath taps (internal piping repair). Found some small square stone textured tiles at bunnings, that had various shades of the beige and browns in them, and had them tiled over the damaged wall around the bath taps. The new small panel of tiles created a lovely contrast panel in the bathroom and brought the whole story together nicely. I also found a white on white checked shower curtain at Ikea, which coordinated quite well with the checked affect of the existing floor tiles. Some new modern light covers added a final fresh touch. All up,

Think about laying vinyl tiles over them?

Rachelen, can you please give us those updates now? Its been nearly 12 months.

Here's an after photo from a couple of months back. Thanks all for your advice, every bit of it!

AHHHHhhhhhhh! Serene enough to sleep in! Love the towels, lemon and beige perfect cleverly picking up the floor tiles and making them almost disappear... and the great curtain! 10/10 for creative perseverance!

Is that "short and sweet" debanger3?

Looks soooo lovely.

Why dont you paint them?

I don't think you need to paint them or change anthything. The use of yellow is inspirational and becomes the dominent feature. Fantastic - so bright and cheery.

Scroll up to 12/21/2015 post. This is an old post.

These tiles are old and discoloured. A yellow lighter than these would look nice. But whatever the tiles are upstairs make it look uniform in colour or change the grout colour to match the tiles.

This is a 2014 post

That is a hard one with those tiles. I would have to think if you did a white, it would kind of work with the colour of your tiles. At the end of the day, they do need to be replaces, but as you said, due to budgeting reasons, you cannot, I can pass on this photo of a nice bathroom with those tiles for you though for inspiration... : )

VERY OLD POST

It is quite funny that I keep getting advice. Posted quite a few years ago now, sold the home over two years ago. Bathroom after pics posted in the comments. House sold at the first open house!

Yes rachelen, it actually rather irritates me when people post comments without looking at the date of the original post or don't read thru the rest of the comments. I think it's only good manners to read all the comments if you are going to offer an opinion.

Hi, a deep teal colour for the towels looks great with mustard tiles, but keep the walls white to make the room look bigger.

Impress interiors, this post is from 2014. Please at read the 2 comments above yours. In particular the one from rachelen.

whoops!

Personally think all white with a lovely dark walnut vanity

Kerrie Johnson, this post is from 2014. Please read the posts above yours.