I'm doing a small bath with white subway, too. I haven't decided on grout, yet. I'm torn between white and a light grey, but will be using 1/16" grout lines either way. I'll be buying tile on the cheap, either Daltile from HD or InterCeramic from Lowes. I'm leaning towards the stuff at Lowes, since they have more coordinating pieces (bullnose, cove, etc) in the store.

I also love the look of marble hex on the floor, but don't think I'd go that route with kids who are apt to spill things and not clean up properly. Maybe a ceramic hex?

Errant, what are the measurements of your bathroom? Mine is about 5X6. Like I said, it's small! Tub along one side and sink/toilet on other side with a small isle down the middle and a pocket door to spare swing space. I've decided to go with a rustic style porcelain tile for the flooring that looks like reclaimed wood flooring. I hope it will hold up to the kids and look really pretty. I think it will look nice with the white subway too. I plan to get as much as I can from Lowes and throw it all on the card with 0% financing. What bathtub have you selected? I'd like a deep soaking tub that is also easy to step into for showering so I found thisKohler soaking tub I plan to get, unless others here suggest otherwise. I like the squared apron front and it gets good reviews.

Have you thought about hardware yet? Demo for us starts in two weeks so I need to start buying ordering asap to get things delivered in time. I'd like ORB but I'm reading that the finish costs a premium and winds up with calcium spots and that it does not stay new looking for long.

I like these

kohler tubs

they come in plain, whirlpool , bubblers, vibracoustic , and heated rests.

why not cast iron?

kohler tub

Toto tub

I've had a Delta venetian bronze kitchen faucet for 13 years and it looks as good as the day I bought it. Delta has a lifetime warranty on parts and finish. No reason not to get what you want. But, I don't have 3 kids or hard water :) I like your choice of floor!

I have an UltraBain (or BainUltra, I never remember the order). This is a jet tub. I'm not sure it would be a great tub to STAND in under a shower head, but it's superior to the old jacuzzi whirlpool tubs where the piping can grow mold. A jet tub 'blows out' its chambers after you've bathed -- like when the underground sprinkler guys do the winter prep. This is acrylic; I clean it with Bon Ami. It has a heater. For soaking, though, nothing beats a cast iron tub for holding the heat.

Hmmm, I could reconsider cast iron, I was just being weary of cost. I know those can often double in cost. The Toto is over my budget - I was hoping for something between 500-800, preferably closer to 500. Xedos, that tub was a 32 inch width, sadly I can't spare the two inches :)

Ugh, that two inches makes a big differences in the experience .

Too bad.

Thanks, Sloyder! Which did you go with, and are you please with it? Do you use it for both bathing and showering? Are you happy with your choice? I have a 60 X 30 upstairs and I like the sloped back for comfort and it's fine for showering - we even double our kids in there sometimes for showers and it's roomy enough, but it's very shallow. In the winter (I live in Boston and we have cold, long winters) I love nothing more, before bed, than a long hot soak with a good book but it's frustrating when only half my body can be warm. ;)

I have a Duravit Architec (acrylic) in a similar setup as yours. I think it was around $500-600. It's quite deep. Everyone insisted I get a deep tub. I have taken a total of two baths in the 15 months I've had it. It's deeper than I need, but maybe I'm not like everyone else. :)

I also have white subways from Daltile (very budget-friendly) and a shower curtain on a curved rod. Love it!!! It's light and washable and keeps the water inside the tub.

Oh Linelle - sounds like my exact setup that I'm hoping for! Can I see a pic! Please!

Rebecca: I have not selected a tub yet, as I plan to do a remodel in a few months. Took along time for me to find a tub of this size that had a traditional interior shape. If cost were no object it would be the Toto, it will most likely be the Kohler. Both got good reviews here.

We have a Kohler cast iron (Bellwether). It's a 30x60 alcove. Bought it at our local plumbing supply co for $550ish. You can get the Villager in cast iron and 30x60. I like it better because there is a bit wider in the rear section. The only reason we didn't get it is because it was about 3-4" shorter than DH's current tub and he didn't want that. It's also in your price range. A couple hundred more than that Bellwether. When shopping for tubs, be sure and look at the specs and dimension of the BOTTOM of the bathing well....where you sit! Those numbers are entirely different than the length and width at the top of the tub.

Here's my reveal:

Linelle's guest bath reveal

My tub has a rather plain skirt, so it might not be the look you want.

Good luck, and keep us posted on what you decide.

Thanks for the link, Linelle! It's so fun to see a smaller space have such a huge transformation. I love the subway! How did you decide where to end the tile above the shower? Is there a magic number or ratio that is most commonly used?

The one I'm doing is about 5x7, Rebecca. I went with vinyl planks, because we are also using them in the adjoining rooms. I have a thread, here, where I've been trying to figure it all out. It sounds like we are going for a similar look. Take a look at Linelle and crl_'s bathrooms. Both are lovely :)

Oh, I'm keeping my existing tub. It's a Kohler Villager cast iron.

rebecca, I ended my tile above the shower pretty much where the previous tile ended. I have 9 ft. ceilings and I never considered going all the way to the ceiling with the tile. There's also the window above the alcove to consider. It might have looked better, but I knew I could live with the way it turned out.

And mine is just an 8" ceiling, so I'm going all the way up with my tile.

Linelle, what color grout did you use?

I love the look of the hexagon marble!! I want to do something interesting in the niche of our shower & would love to do it on the floor as well, but will probably go with a porcelain tile instead. This was one of samples I got from Wayfair.

IMO, tub choice depends a lot on whether you're bathing adults or kids
in it. We have small children and a Kohler Villager (inexpensive cast
iron tub) and it's great, and the low threshold is nice for showering.
But an adult would not want to bathe in it-- too shallow. Home Depot has nice Dal Tile white subways at an amazing price- like $2/sq ft. I'd tile all the way up to the ceiling, it's more material but you save yourself the cost of bullnose you'd need to finish the top of an installation that ends part way up.

Just picked out tile! So exciting! I was totally tempted by the porcelain look-alike to Carrera marble, in the end, decided to go with my gut, and stick with timeless white subway. I am doing a neat feature, which cost extra for the chair rail, but I think it adds a pretty, monotone accent. A 3X5 section of the same tile, applied in a herringbone.

Here is a link to my bathroom remodel that I did several years ago. I have the 30x60Bellwether, which is ok for bathing. It is not a glorious soaking tub, but great for bathing kids and dogs. That is what I needed. I bathed in it for a year while remodeling my second bathroom without problem.

Bathroom reveal thread with Bellwether 30x60

I don't have a tub recommendation other than to beware that Jacuzzi type tubs sometimes have electric controls where they cannot be used with showers. Some use pneumatic switches to be safe around water. I will say that I think your contractor's gout suggestion is one I would not use. I have always use epoxy grout around water. Near sinks and in the washroom. It costs a lot more to begin with but it is impervious to water. Not my experience with any other grout. It is also impervious to mold and grime. Comes in any color. They used to carry it at Lowes (probably still do).

Thanks, nerdydhopper. I will be sure he uses epoxy then. That is why I love this site! S

Stay away from American Standard Americast. The finish wears off in a few years and you are left with a rusting mess. The lifetime guarantee is worthless.

My bathroom is a bit bigger, 7x8. I bought the tub, shower etc. from Porcelanosa, and love it all. I use the tub, which fitted in the standard alcove where the old tub was, either to soak, or to stand and shower. I also have a curtain, and put up the curved curtain rail, which really does enlarge the space. And the curtain adds a pop of color to my white/grey porcelain tiles with a bit of green glass tiles.

ebeccamomof123 what brand are you faucets?

dancingcook can you tell me what tub that is?

30Chickens,

All the items in Dancingcook bathroom appear to be from Porcelanosa.

Yes, the tub, shower, faucets etc. in my bathroom come from Porcelanosa. The green glass tiles come from the Tile Shop, and the white/gray wall and floor tiles are from Architectural Ceramics.

dancing cook. Is the tub a drop in one as you have tiled the apron? I am thinking of looking at Porcelanosa tubs too. Do you remember the height of it too? Thanks. I love the serene look of your bathroom.

@mahnrut, the tub is a drop in one. It's about 16" deep, though the apron is about 18" from the floor. Thanks for your comment about "the serene look", which is exactly what I was aiming for.