I remember years ago being in a similar predicament and someone gave me some mirror tiles - I glued them on the the wall and thought I was very clever. They actually did look much better in my eyes. Try not to spend too much - I think everyone's idea of a shower curtain will all the bathroom colours in it would probably be the best option. You'll laugh about it in years to come and you will love the improvements you make over time. Enjoy the moment, unless you're selling soon your ideas will change after living there, so change when you can afford it - who cares it's YOURS. Good luck, it's so rewarding and so much fun. P.S. now we have a small bathroom, wall to wall tiles, dark grey on the floor and white on all the walls with a large grey tile up each opposing wall, tall mirror over the handbasin which reflects the opposite wall then a full length bath with shower over it. It works perfectly and looks great.

I have only seen one wooden bench top that has managed, over time, to keep the wet out and avoid that black mouldy creepage where the water splashes behind the taps and around tap inserts. It was built by a carpenter and then the owner applied oil to gain the colour desired before applying several coats of marine epoxy (several = at least 5), sanded back before every new layer. It was burn proof and the colour locked in by epoxy coat with no maintenance required (until a visitor put a burning pot on it and left it there while attending to fire on stove, still... only left a black ring. That said, the owner promptly got out the sander and ground back until black ring was no longer charcoal texture, then reapplied oil and layered epoxy until black ring looked like it belonged (can't do that with any other surface I can think of?). After 15 years there is no sight of the insidious black mould from water penetration so I suppose it is the same recipe as with most thing successful projects in life, research, research, preparation, preparation, preparation and don't falter at the finish line.

my suggestion includes a free standing or set in bath up to 1800 x 800 (the "overhang" would be a feature not a restriction) and any gap between the set in bath and the walls can be filled in with an extended tiled ledge, twin 900 x 500 or an 1800 wide double vanity with matching mirrored wall cabinet, a 1200 x 800 shower and the toilet tucked behind the door with a generous window over the bath, subject to view and privacy, a window down as low as the bath with plantation shutters for privacy could work very well in the alcove

I asked what he would do, if he moved in himself. He said he'd move the steel beams, but that it would involve engineering and putting the house back up on stilts. He said he'd do car port out front and build under existing rooms (excluding kitchen). He also said the engineering and putting house back on supports would be an expensive undertaking, which I dont see the point in doing, as one of the reasons I bought the house was that it was already raised to legal height for building in under neath. SO I am hoping to work around the steel posts, there are only three on the inside. I expect to build under the existing upstairs rooms (excluding the kitchen). And i'm wondering if I can have the plan, get devt approval, and do part of the work before we move in in about 18 months. Im a single parent with full time custody, so i started thinking while the kids are small, maybe underneath could just house a nanny/au pair and I could have some live in help. And then when i dont need a nanny, the part that they inhabited could go back to being for my original intention, a teenage/young adult hang out zone. I wondered about bed 4 (of your plan) being the living area and bed 5 (of your plan) being the bedroom for the live in /nanny and then the laundry temporarily doubling as a kitchenette. (happy now Ive resolved to keep the landry upstairs for now :) ) Thanks for the tip re the car port needing approval - such a steep learning curve with so many things to consider :)