Laura, white doesn't get any dirtier than any other colour, it is just you see it, just like dark colours show dust and fluff. If you get a good steam mop, it is easy to keep them clean. I always enjoy going into a home with white floors and surfaces because you can instantly see how clean it is. It is also the same reason carpets get a build up of muck in them, because people don't always see the dirt and dust so don't bother vacuuming. My carpets are very well vacuumed regularly and my old carpet of 45 years had nothing underneath it at all when it was replaced.

Hi Kirsty, could you please advise the colour of your vanity and whether it is a custom made one and if not, could you let me know its name and where you bought it. Also, what is the colour of your floors tiles and where did you get them from. (I have come to the conclusion that charcoal/dark grey tile plus a much lighter grey tile plus white on some walls plus a timber vanity or timber accessories in bathroom , plus white (or close to it) below sink counter top is the way to go for a beautiful bathroom. The trick is figuring out exactly what proportion of each colour to use and where to put them for each particular layout.

I will be the loan naysayer and go: Vinyl Plank timber pattern tiles. I did these in my kitchen and they helped make the room. Used Karndean, but any European brand should be fine (avoid American and assume they are using American or worse if they don't say the country of origin). http://www.karndean.com/en-au/floors/landing-pages/new-looselay-longboard?gclid=CjwKCAjwspHaBRBFEiwA0eM3kQ7eEFPH5FlK2IwV3o7ZsbbmJ19srG0OM_tWK5dhPMNyDdwxGPUr4BoCoYcQAvD_BwE Caveats: Ground must be FLAT. 100% flat, ruler FLAT. If not you will have to level. If flat, you can lay them yourself. Our floor had to be levelled and it was tough. still got a few high patches and gaps because of that. However I have done it on a concrete surface myself since and it's beautiful. Benefits: Nice and soft on the foot. (less ankle pain) single tile replacement. Looks fantastic. No PVC glue fume issues and fairly resilient. Do be wary though of metal chair legs scraping the floor. Waterproof! when installed right with no gaps! (why I would choose them in a kitchen over timber or Eeek carpet!.... Yes previous owner installed shagpile carpet in the kitchen).

There is a good reason why tradesmen prefer to quote with reputable brands. A large component of your cost will be the painter's labour. If you use a cheap, low quality paint, that has poor coverage , inconsistant colour from tin to tin, starts to bubble, starts to peel, etc, are you going to seek compensation from the cheap paint company (who probably don't have an office in Australia, and don't back their product), or go back to your painter, who will only blame the crappy paint you specified? Cheap materials usually lead to a more expensive job as they often need to be reworked or redone, and it is the labour cost. If I was your painter and you insisted on using crappy paint I would charge a premium to cover my costs to get the job right. Same goes with tiles, tiles are relatively cheap, but it is the skilled labour that costs. A good tiler can't do a great job working with tiles that are inconsistant in flatness, size, thickness and brittleness. You get what you pay for, but the labour still costs. Best of luck Stingy Steve Dr Retro of Dr Retro House Calls.