You have a small compact bathroom, with lots of fittings. A feature wall works well in larger bathrooms when you can have an uninterrupted wall. For your bathroom I would not have a feature wall, but use the same non-feature tile, laid in a simple pattern on all four walls, which will visually maximise the space. In your photo the rectangular horizontal tiles and grout lines appear to make the bathroom look longer and wider. For small bathrooms less is more.

Best of luck,

Dr Retro of Dr Retro House Calls and Dr Retro Virtual Visits

Hi Galina, What was your plan for the other walls. Bathroom friendly paint? panelling? different tiles? and how do the walls combine with the floor? I understand Dr Retro’s comment but also, in an otherwise plain room, I’ve seen bright, patterned wallpaper in a toilet with handbasin (do we call them powder rooms?, anyway tiny room) with great effect. In that case, I’d choose the wall opposite the bath. It may be trickier to lay and not the expanse you may have wished for, only you can decide, but it seems the logical alternative. As for cleaning, with rectified tiles, and the new grouts and treatments, the two walls just inside the shower might be worth considering as access would be easier. Again though it would depend on the adjoining choices. And please remember, unless you’re planning to sell within a few years, decorative choices are for your enjoyment and stuff what anyone else, myself included, would do 😉

Feature wall should be where you look the most. So either vanity or window. If window I would pretty up the window to make most of wall

I'am not suggesting these tiles but use a wall/floor friendly tile to continue up the wall behind the bath and shower, if you are doing a built in bath, tile it as well. Keep the other walls simple

Hi all! Thanks so much for for the comments. Things look much clearer now :)

The other walls will be plain white matt tiles 60x30 cm and the floor very pale matt gray , ceiling white, so very similar look like the photo. Bath tub white free standing, all fitings stainless steel and quite minimal.

The vanity might be in light timber but I might keep it white.

The mirror will be large (not massive) and will reflect the wall nicely, at the same time will make the room look bigger .

I don't renovate the unit for sale, but even if we do down the track the colors/pattenrs are not too striking so I'm sure they will be appealing.

The builder had said the same thing about the new types of grouting , so I won't worry too much about it anymore.

I've decided to go with the wall behind the tub/shower. With some plants on the window as I have now, I can see it looking qute nice and warm.

I personally dislike bathrooms in cream or gray tones that look like hotel bathrooms without character that are there only to serve a purpose.

Cheers!