Great ideas all. From a military spouse of 40 yrs (hub now retired) I've come up with lots of ways to get comfy in lots of places and spaces. Seven years ago we did a huge down size to semi-retire in a house with a canal just outside our back door. It is on the intercoastal waterway along the TX coast. Our master bath is almost exactly yours! Your mini-bath has lots of potential! Keep that in mind. I'd live with the tile, shower, sink, and toilet for now. All are nuetral and a great jump off point. I'm guessing you like colors in the burgundy, purple range. Whatever your favorite, shades of it (think paint chip cards) can be your accents. I'd build from colors and shades in "Tha Bath" lady picture, if she is an indication of what you like. It really does work to start with a photo, print or painting or even fabric or something you happen to spot in magazine! Personally, I'd put the tension shower rod right between the two shower sides. More room that way. Getting just a shower liner works, 'cause they are translucent and all I have seen/used are softer than the pastic "exterior curtains". Good to get the little reinforcement stick on circles the hooks don't tear the curtain in use. No need to paint the rod. Covers for them are available in about any color. They are made of thin plastic and slip right onto the rod,via a horizontal slit the length of the rod. You can cover the old metal towel rod brackets with the Command brand removable plastic hooks. They have chunky ones. Then you'd have two hooks on your wall for spa-like towel storage and close against the wall to give max space. I think the crystal glass drawer pulls mentioned are an even better idea though. Pretty. On that note, don't be reluctant to repurpose, reuse, reprint, all recycling! It's always a good feeling and if you let your mind get out of that box, it can really be fun. The shelf above toilet can be replaced with any sort of open shelves or even closed cabinet with narrow depth. DIY.com or any hardware folks will be of good help in figuring how best to mount it if it will be on the tile. Above sink I'd cover the towel brackets by just mounting a shelf of your choice with the underside of the shelf like it was sitting on the top edge of the metal brackets. That way your shelf makes the old bracket mounts "disappear". I agree, center mirror above sink. If it would work better for you, turn it hoizontally (why not, if there's room). Tilting it a bit at the top will give you a better view. That is done for those in wheelchairs. The frame can be made to appear sort of antique if you want a small "project". Just paint the frame with a shade of your accent color and before it is completely dry grab a small wad of paper towel and lightly rub off some of the new paint in areas. Nice antique effect, if you like that sort of thing. Craft paint (in little sqeeze tubes) is water soluble, so you can wash hands and toss the brush or rinse and reuse. They come in packs of several for pennies a piece. Also can leave frame gold and then using a brush that has any paint at all on it, an accent the gold. I'd get rid of the shelf above toilet, replace with one or two shelves that coordinate with your sink shelf. Need a new t.seat. Not for the toilet seat!! Always remember the thrift shops, dollar stores, things you may find someone else has put at the curb, dumpster,etc. Think outside the box and you'll find all sorts of ways to have a place you love. Cork and stick on tiles are great for floor. Check mold damage first. If minor, don a mask, make absolute sure you have good ventilation and kill all mold with bleach/water fifty solution. Wear gloves; let dry thoroughly. Then proceed with redo. Lipped rubber shower floor basin is a possiblity. Think maybe the shape of the shower floor may be a problem. Remember, once you have mold under control you may be able to seal off leaks you are unaware of with caulk. Comes in a handy squeeze tube now. Even available in clear, colors, and "paintable". Your baseboard heater. Works? You can wash off vents with cloth and soapy water. White vinegar cuts grime. We absolutely need a GFCI wall socket near any water source for protection against shock. Under sink area can be camophlaged with one side of a strip of wide Velcro glued, probably with more than the adhesive on the velcro itself, under sink where it doesn't show. then you get tablecloth, curtain panel, piece of fabric, towel whatever you choose and use fabric glue, available at sewing depts, fabric store,craft depts to fasten the other strip to the sink skirt you just created to the underside of the sink. On second thought, With the heating there, if working, I'd opt to keep flammable items far away. Maybe a two sided panel screen, made from reclaimed wood, or even metal to make sure there's no hazard. Sorry I have made this so lengthy. I do tend to ramble!!! Hope to see what ideas you have put to use from all your suggestions. Have fun making all your spaces just right for you. If you want to ask any specific questions, contact me tkahlers@me.com

Do you dislike the tile, or just the color of it? I, too, was going to point out that it's possible to have it painted, and for less money. As for the acrylic tub surround, my mother put one in, and its outlived its day. It's cracked, and discolored. So, you'll be replacing it several times if you stay in the house for a long time. That's one thing about the tile, and that it will last-as you can see-barring any real abuse. If what you really want is the tub, you should have the repairs done, and it definitely would be wise to let a pro handle that. If you did decide to keep the tile you could just remove the tile from the bottom where you want to install the tub, have the space prepared for the tub, paint the remaining tiles, and then install the tub. If you still want tile, this might save you some money, as it also would take less time-and be a whole lot less messy-than tearing tile out, having to clean it up, and then installing the wallboard and a whole new set of tiles. I assume that you want to move that bar, but if you are painting, you would only be damaging the tiles that the bar is attached to, and you could buy some really inexpensive tile to replace them, since they will be painted anyway. My son, my mom, and I went to Lowes the other day to get a kit to fix some lamps, and while we were there we did some "wish" shopping, and they have some nice vanities, with granite tops, for much less than your estimate. If you looked while you were there, I'm sure you saw that for yourself. Concerning the toilet, my family decided several years ago not to invest in a toilet that was very expensive. Not because the toilet didn't live up to its cost, but toilets-as far as I know-are still very breakable, and we had an accident in the bath where a item hit the toilet and cracked it. So, we couldn't afford to replace the "fancier" toilet-this was when they came out with the "longer" ones. So, I realize that's not a problem for everyone, but we decided that the plain, utilitarian toilet that was good quality-but not very expensive-would be what we bought in the future. Understandably, you and your husband want to make the space as nice as you can, since this is more than likely an investment for the long haul(at least, for somebody, if you do sell it at some point)and that includes a nice toilet. I think I'd ask how sturdy the toilet would be in case of some unforeseen knocks. For the price, if it wasn't made of a stronger material that could take a pretty good whack from something, I'd give it some thought before I bought it.

Did anyone suggest pulling the tiles - looks much like our bathroom 5 years ago in what our son calls a 50s bungalow. Removed every tile in there and then the painter filled all the holes to make the walls smooth enough to wallpaper. Then hung wallpaper with soft background colour and sparse little gold fleur-de-leis. New cream marble countertop, white towels with gold borders. It looks like a spa - luv it.

Actually, I read everything you wrote AFTER I had sent my comment. AND in my defense, I had moved the wall between the closet and your bathroom back 6" to allow for a 2'6" distance between the vanity and the tub. BUT you are right, that is not the greatest design and the best place for the tub is still against the right wall (just offering you another option). However, I would suggest putting the bath and shower fixtures against the right wall or even the opposite end of the tub. I would urge you to Consider using a frameless glass door with an overhead rain shower head (it would help contain any water that splashes onto the platform). At the opposite end of the tub where the shower head use to be located consider a tiled built-in wall unit with shelving for all your soaps, bath oils, shampoos. u could use LED lighting or place a TV screen behind a sealed mirrored glass at the upper end of that wall unit. I also urge you to keep the pocket door but have it slide into the wall on the right. Personally, the pocket door is the one items I truly think works in your design. It makes the now 7'x11'6" bathroom look full sized; adding a regular door that opens into the toilet would make that bathroom look like a 6'x8' bathroom. PS Are you sure you have enough closet space if you decide to still expand into the bathroom? Do really need a separate hamper/cabinet next to the sink? Wouldn't it be nice to have a long vanity with the two sinks spread apart at an ample distance. Don't forget the longer vanity will have cabinet space below; and you can always partition the two sink area with an above counter narrow cabinet. The hamper can always be placed in the walk-in closet/change room...that's probably a more logical place for a hamper