I think the tile is beautiful! Why would that be hard to clean? Very clean white with nice interest.

Did you have a tile in mind for the floor to go with the tile you have selected? I think the tile you like could look great as a feature wall around the vanity with a flat tile in the same colour/finish for the other walls. I feel that dust and soap scum in shower would probably gather on the textured surface tile, perhaps that us what he was referring to?

Thanks for the replies. I am trying to find a floor tile to go with it. Maybe a charcoal grey laid on the diagonal to match the diagonal wall tile? Suggestions?

I worry that whatever I choose might date quickly or I might tire of it, then I remind myself I have lived my entire life in 60s bathrooms of one form or another. If I can kive with pink and maroon, pink and blue and blue and I gorget what other colour, I can live with shades of black and white.

The other idea the renovater had was to use matt black tapware to create some interest against the white tiles. I think this would work with the plain white, but not so much with the patterned white tiles. I do like the thought of the black tapware though, i'm also not sure how black would go with a chrome shower head. I have my heart set on this

http://www.reece.com.au/bathrooms/inspiration/blog/methven-aio-aurajet-the-future-of-showers

The renovater also tried to talk me out of a niche, but I'm sticking to my guns on that one.

I agree with perhaps using it as a feature tile for the vanity, then big plain white tiles on all the other walls. I think dark grey floor tiles would look great. We chose dark brown mosaic tiles which look clean and contemporary.

Ps: love the idea of a niche and wish we had done that. Black tape ware would look amazing too, I think.

Tiles look great. White never dates. I think the pattern is quite a classic design and shouldn't date. It's like a pressed metal ceiling pattern. Dark grey/charcoal for floor also will look great for years. The black taps do look great but I wonder if we'll all go back to the design classic of chrome in the not to distant future? The vanity looks awesome too.

I agree with scottevie, the tile you like is very nice but may be best in moderation. I personally think it looks more balanced when the floor and wall tiles are very different sizes.

I have hexagonal white floor tiles, they make the room so large and bright, I love their classic style but they do require regular cleaning.

Be careful when selecting floor tiles. A friend has recently laid matt dark brown tiles and they are an absolute nightmare to keep clean and scuff-free, particularly in the shower area.

You speak of the fear of installing a dated bathroom... my interior designer colleague says the bathroom niche will be the stand out feature to date a bathroom in a few years. They are very handy to have though!

Good luck with the reno's.

I really love your tiles but maybe not so much in this bathroom. I always try to match my floor tiles to the outside floor. I'm guessing yours is timber by the style of your bathroom. Tile expo has a great timber range or colour match.
I agree with the 600x300 White tiles on all the other walls, but the wall behind the bath in subway tiles, possibly in a colour called Dove (tile expo) I think because your bathroom is so compact, less is more. Regarding storage, Maybe also add a cabinet mirror.

Thanks everyone for the replies. I saw a larger version of the white tile yesterday and wasn't so enamoured with it in the larger size. I agree that using it as a feature would be the way to go.

There was something about the idea of white walls that while a classic wasn't sitting well with me. Maybe because most of the men I know ( no offence to any guys reading) gobstraight to white and don't think outside the square, or rectangle in this case.

After spending a lot of time looking at tiles yesterday, I found a stunning trio of tiles, floor, wall and feature in what could probably be described as an ash grey. Unfortunately I only got the shops code, not the name so I can't post a photo. Ultimately though, I think in my space and with a black vanity, this colour will open the space up a lot more than the white walls, dark floor combo and look less clinical. I loved it at first sight, same as the vanity, which I think is a good sign.

Some have suggested mirrored cabinets for storage. I have one that I will reuse as it's only 12 months old. I store spare towels in another room and will have a towel for the towels that are in use.

My idea of any bathroom is a place of relaxation and pampering. If this is your feeling and you have ideas that 'gel' with your feelings then stick to it. True that plumber and tilers are not decorators and designers, just tradies and resellers...plumbers install the plumbing which their establishments probably sell and the same with tilers...don't let them put their interests before your ideas! The last fellow I employed to do some carpentry for me...according to my designs lost his job because he 'dissed' my ideas and wishes and even argued with me.....and it was not anything out of the ordinary! I ended up building the cabinet myself!
The first thing I would suggest, if this were within your possibilities, is remove the toilet cramping up the floor space and put it in a room of its own. I believe that there's so much discussion going on about toilets in bathrooms today that the preence of a toilet in a bathroom will be the sure thing to date any bathroom, even the swankiets, in a few years...forget the niche..it will be anice touch. If you could remove the loo you would then see what possibilities exist in this otherwise cosy, nice bathroom. I like the pedestal basin and the current tiles but you are obviously up for a change. Is it the white ones that your tradie-tiler says would be difficult to keep clean? Rubbish! Be interesting to ask him "why" they'd be difficult to clean!!! Bet he has never cleaned a bathroom in all his days! I think that's just a ruse! For me, I would not choose a black and white colour scheme...that will date too. A "retro" style bathroom will never date if you upgrade it and spruce it up. Some of the modern bathrooms today will be outdated in five years. A classical bathroom will never date.
Something I really dislike in up-dated bathrooms is a vanity cupboard jammed up against a bath. (Seethe example photo in cloudpants' post.) Worse...a toilet jammed up against the bath in old bathrooms.
You seem to have some really clear ideas on what you like so stick to your guns and make your tradies do your bidding no nonsense!
The idea of a cabinet with the morror is a good one for storage of your personal bits and pieces.
Just one caution about tapware. Most tradies suggest the blck matt tapware because it is metal and lasts as opposed to the shiny chrome-like tapware and even shower heads that are really cheap white plastic material silvered to appear to be chrome.
I wish you all the best...and am glad that I'm not doing it...can be a real pain when tradies give you the run around. Could not believe the elaborate nonsense that one plumber told me would be necessary to install a replacement rose rain shower over my bath,,,because I was not buying the new plastic assemblage from his establishment! Eventually I had a genuine chrome plated brass shower head shipped from China...beautiful craftsmanship and cost only $79AUS all up!
Keep on keeping on!

Thanks for the ideas. Unfortunately being a strata unit, I can't move the toilet to another room. My vanity has just arrived, pics below. It even has a little bin for the inside of the door.

Pity about the toilet...but that is a really nice vanity unit....simple, sleek...and love the placing for the plumbing!

To move the toilet to somewhere else would cost just as much as the bathroom reno and that's in a house, not a unit! Bathroom isn't huge but really en-suit size if in a house. Should still work ok. Cool vanity!

As for trades, remember they do their jobs day in, day out and probably deal with tight wad clients, day in day out. They will almost always prefer the easy simple cheap way as so many clients they come across don't want to spend any money so they would push the easy way to actually make money or just even get the job. I come across it all the time when I get jobs done, they must think that if they quote to actually do the job you've asked for, they'll be too dear and you won't actually ever do the job!

I have done lots of pondering and lots of wandering. Wearing out shoe leather looking at tiles, hopping in baths, sitting on toilets. I think I have found my tiles. It's funny to think I started off wanting carrara (or a version/copy thereof), then went to black and white, and now these.

The colour really does vary depending on the angle and light. These photos were taken with my ipad, so not true to colour. They are an ash tone and throw grey, off white or a bone colour depending on lighting and the angle. I think they say "classic and elegant like a little black dress, a string of pearls and diamond studs." I hope they don't actually say, "i've turned into my mother and I'm playing it safe." I figure I can go wild with towels.

Question is should I lay them horizontally or vertically? The feature tile will go up the side of my wall on top of the bath and be directly opposite as you walk in the door. I wonder if i should use the floor tile or the festure tile on the side of the bath?

I am thinking a black tap on the vanity (not necessarily this tap), but chrome elsewhere? The U.K. Has a version of the showerhead with a black rim, if I could be guaranteed it would fit and work the same here I would be tempted to buy it.

Black or chrome accessories (towel rails, soap holder etc)? All suggestions, viewpoints etc welcome.

From what I've read you should have horizontal lines if you want to make the room look wider, and vertical lines if you want to make the room look taller. So I think it depends on how high the ceiling is! If it's a nice high one maybe go horizontal waves. Good luck, photos please when you've completed the reno. That showerhead is Funky with a capital F!

Hi Anne, glad there's so much investigation - cheaper to replace shoes than a bathroom. One thing I was was caught by some years ago with a shower mixer is to make sure the water pressure will allow it to work properly - instantaneous hws don't always work well. The tenants in the unit have adapted however - by running hot water into the basin while in the shower.

Love the shower head. Making your niche a feature removes it from the date line. Finally, just to add another possibility, there are some fantastic pressed metal panels available.

Cheers and good luck.

Thanks for the ideas, but for now I think I will stick with the tiles. I am debating my tapware and accessories.
I think the vanity demands black and I have narrowed it down to 3 as shown in the photos

There are two ranges in Methven that I quite like, heading more toward the Waipori as I think it works better with the shape of other items I have chosen. It's also more readily available and easier on the pocket. I do love the Aio shower though.
If I choose black for the shower etc, I will need to have a look at what's available.

My toss up is -

just black on the vanity and chrome for shower, mixer, bath head and accessories?

All black?

All chrome?

Chrome in the shower and black outside the shower. Therefore chrome mixer for shower, chrome showerhead, bath spout and soap dish and black basin mixer, towel rail and toilet holder?

Photos that I forgot to upload

More photos, ( the basin taps)

Basin taps

I imagine it's far too late to comment now, but I hope you went with one colour tapware throughout. :)

I hope you swing by sometime with some updated photos so we can see how it panned out. I loved the most recent selection of tiles!