Modern rustic: 12x24" porcelain tile made to resemble a wide piece of distressed wood. Not an overtly obvious wood grain, more of an implied grain that you only see after studying it for a minute. Rectified and small grout joint. (Form follows function in design- easy to live with is always first!) option B: a vein cut travertine patterned 12x24 in brown or gray tones. Set in a soldier corse, straight stack pattern, so it's not about the grout joints, it's more about the linear pattern of the tile.

remove the cupboard doors and remove or re glue loose peeling laminex, sand and paint the counter, edges and inside the cupboard in same very dark black/blue? to match the tiles and pile in rolled up towels..if the edges of the cabinet is really ragged glue on a straight edge all around and fill in any obvious holes before you paint and, hard to see, but is the edge of the mirror damaged? if so, paint a faux border all around the mirror straight over the glass to match the tiles or shower screen...anything more complex with the vanity involves a plumber, tiler and or custom cabinetry but, if the grout is in poor condition DIY re-grouting and new wall/ceiling paint can refresh the whole room quite cheaply

Is that a photoshopped pic of your place , or just a similar place ? There are too many styles trying to happen there IMO , not only the windows , and like oklouise says , somethings don't quite look right . I'd do bars ( frames ) about 200mm from the top of the two upstairs sets of windows , to match the downstairs style . Unlike ok lou , I don't like louvres -- they are drafty and don't really achieve much IMO -- a kid can put their hand and/or toys and/or your valuables out there , my personal preference is top-hinged with a folding stay at the sides , so they open 150-200mm but no further -- no-one can climb or fall in or out , can stay open overnight if warm , etc . I don't particularly like the upstairs balcony and gable , but I'm not keen on the entrance door treatment either , and without knowing what it looks like now , I may be tempted to replicate the 'double square' look of upstairs , downstairs too -- make it all the same theme . I'd keep the garage in the off-white , because if you look at the right side , both downstairs and upstairs look a bit boring IMO , with that flat dark finish -- the garage door done the same would add to the slab look . And while I'm being picky -- I personally think the black or extremely dark grey is too dark -- toned back just a bit would be better IMO -- you don't want it to look obviously grey , but a nice charcoal IMO . And finally -- the column bases look 'dirty' -- imagine how they would look in a gloss black tile on the top and also the 'skirtings' ( or a gloss black paint at a pinch ) ; with white gloss tiles where you have a light grey ( or , again , maybe the same paint as your other trim , but $5k of tiling would really add to those ) -- I think that would work with your black , or even a charcoal , 'main' colour . Anyway , just suggestions , and purely my viewpoint -- it's quite a nice but still simple design , just a couple of small things that would bug me if it was my place .

quite possibly, that was going to be my next solution! heading back there in a moment to check it out. the existing tiles have been layed quite nicely/flat so i dont think tiling over would be an issue