I think what you were "talked into" looks very nice. It will be fine with beadboard. It won't look as vintage, but it will still be very pretty.

I like the tile, but I would do a chair rail rather than a bead board - they'll be hard on the beadboard, too.

I would not recommend beadboard. I think you could do a wider panel for waincoting but the bead board would be mixing a vintage or cottage look with a more contemporary look. I think the tile is fine, but it is not going to look vintage, sorry.

Did the tilesetter or the salesman talk you out of it? If it was the tile setter I suspect he didnt want to do the subway and hex because it is not as easy as what he did. Don't let contractors talk you out of something, they usually have an ulterior motive. If you have the opportunity, its best to get someone who will do what you want, if it is reasonable.

I don't mean that I dislike the tile. I didnt mean the opportunity to Change it I meant Next time you do a project if someone talks you out of something look for someone else.

Thanks for your comments! I do have to do something on the wall if we don't want to have to start replacing sheetrock. DH, pulled the paper holder off the wall (can't see in pic) and there are a few more ugly holes caused by contruction that shouldn't be patched (or so I'm told)..as it was thought that the bottom of the wall would be covered. It was actually the tile salesman that talked me out of it and honestly I don't know why b/c the tile that he was recommened and I bought was actually cheaper! He just thought that it was way too much grout to have in a well-used bath. This is the only bath on 1st floor. I know the vintage thing is out the window but it would be defintely traditional with the vanity being furniture style? I don't think I have never seen wide panel wainscot in a bath? Ugh.. I don't know what I am going to do!

Maybe you could create a panel that went with the vanity, with the style of construction or the door.

That would be nice, but unfortunately I don't think that they person that is doing the bath (my husand's friend is really capable).. The long and short of it.. we are doing a big kitchen remodel right now as well and we are really at the top (and beyond) of our budget with that.. There is not much left in the budget for the bathroom..all the fixtures, etc were purchased months ago. I already have the bead board from another project and was thinking all the while that it would be something that we didn't need to purchase..Our friend is just helping us put it all together as a favor not really a finish carpenter by any means.