more of the faucet

the metal knob and shape would be a good choice, as it carries the look of the faucet.

What is the style of the vanity? What color are you thinking of painting it? Will you be using dark plum or purple towels as your accent color, given the purple cast in the walls, or are you planning another color like green?

Personally, I am not a fan of either knob. The first feels too matchy, and the second looks like a breast/nipple.

I would wait to pick hardware until you have all the items in place, have the cabinet painted and installed, and then see what you think the space needs. Color? More curves? A little more fun? Hardware is the jewelry for the room. Wait to see what the room tells you.

The vanity is traditional in style, with inset doors/drawers and the look of built-in cabinetry.

I'll use white towels. I don't have an accent color planned. I don't know what color to paint the vanity.
That would have been my next question - ?

Once the guys leave it will be a big effort to get anything else done -- we are not handy and do not have tools. I need to have them install some kind of knobs, but I can just get placeholders for now.

I think you are already doing a very good job of disciplining your choices!

The faucet looks to be nickel finish...if that's the case, I'd have nickel knobs as well. Chrome can look very cold in contrast with the warmer nickel.

I'd paint the vanity dark charcoal to match the darkest flake in your terazzo, and choose the modern square knobs. Then just for the heck of it, I'd paint the inside of the vanity cabinet brilliant turquoise, rich bright violet, or Chinese red.

Wow, Bronwynsmom, you zeroed right in on the fact that discipline is my challenge.

I love your idea. How could I achieve effect without doing the entire inside?

A decorator friend asks me how I want my space to feel. She cites that Elton John once had a place done by giving the direction that he wanted it to be like a peach. That gives a textural and glowing color direction, I think. I'm getting an abelone shell feeling about this room.

you could do abalone cabinet pulls.....

Here is a link that might be useful: pulls

If I'm choosing between just the two you pictured, I pick the matching knob.

Also, I see bits of yellow in your tile, so I'd bring in some yellow accents to break up the "sea of gray."

Julieckmo, there's a showroom not tooooo far, I can go check those out. They seem amazing.

Sueb, I hoped the cream colored marble would break up the gray... haven't seen anything together yet, and I can't change anything... suboptimal situation, but there it is.

Jamees - I hope all is well with you!

I am not much help with knobs. The two times in my life I have picked knobs I went with the boring safe route. I do like number two of the ones you posted though.

I did want to say I am in LOVE with your tile though. Wow. I have to redo my laundry room/entry from the garage and I think this might be amazing. Thanks so much for sharing it. I never would have thought of it in a million years. Now I just have to figure out if it will work in place of the tile that is there now.

I can't wait to see your finished bathroom.

Shoot - I noticed the typo in your name as I hit submit, my apologies! :)

Boopa, make sure you have plenty of lead time for the tile. They don't make it (Wausau tile in Wausau, Wisconsin) until you order it. Daltile keeps its stock in Wausau, and the only on-hand inventory is what's left over from somebody else's run. I wanted to use 18" tile but there wasn't enough. It was either pay the setup fee and wait for manufacture or use 16" tile. Had the bathroom been any bigger even that would not have been an option.

At least that's how it works here in the Midwest. Maybe Daltile out your way has another supply.

Jamies, I have mercury glass knobs in a bathroom I "refreshed," which means I painted the vanity, changed out the knobs, changed out the faucet (pic shows faucet before), and changed out the light fixture. My knobs appear to be the same as the picture you posted, except mine were from Anthropologie, not Pottery Barn.

I love the mercury glass knobs, but I read the reviews before I bought them. Many people had had trouble with their breaking. Since mine were going into a seldom used guest bathroom, I bought them anyway. However, when I installed them, I bought small black rubber gaskets at the hardware store and "padded" the knobs front and back. If you decide to go with the mercury glass knobs, and if you are interested in "padding" them, let me know and I'll tell you exactly what I did. I also bought 2 extra knobs, just in case.

I've had the knobs on the vanity for several years now with no problems.

Not a great pic, but maybe it will help you visualize what your bathroom will look like. (Yes, that blob is me!)

Why not do the entire inside?

I'm a big believer in finishing the places that seem hidden, but that you actually look at every day, and sometimes many times a day.
LIke the inside of your closet, and your kitchen cabinets, and your linen closet, and your (you guessed it) bath cabinetry!

Gives you a boost every time you open the door.

So isn't that worth a couple of evenings of contorting your back and craning your neck and breathing paint and getting it in your hair...?!

Then just for the heck of it, I'd paint the inside of the vanity cabinet brilliant turquoise, rich bright violet, or Chinese red.

Oh, I hope you will do that, Jamies! I did that with a vintage sideboard which I really wanted to paint a bright color but knew I'd later regret it when I wanted to change my color scheme. So I chose to paint it black but used bright red inside. It's one of the best decorating decisions I've ever made and it makes me smile every time I open a door or drawer. I'm still using red as an accent in that room but even if I change that it will still be special.