Generally a floor would be split evenly. A shower however is more subjective. The larger size at the bottom will be more visually appealing as it makes more sense from a spacial make (think small things are typically stacked on larger things). If you really are unsure, just have your time guy split in the two separate ways you are considering and mock the two options side by side on the floor.

Thanks for your comments. I think my contractor wanted the larger piece on the bottom for the reason you gave. Problem is that there are very few places where the floor and wall meet that will be noticable. My shower is enclosed on all sides with at least a pony wall, and the door opens to the side that will not be in the line of sight. So you would only see the floor/wall intersection when you are in the shower. But the wall/ ceiling intersection will be visible in many places, especially over the vanity.

And I now realize the shower floor will be higher than the bathroom floor, so the bottom row will be thinner on the inside of the shower than outside. Wondering if there is a way to modify the tile layout inside the shower on the lower section to avoid the thinner strip at the bottom?

Adjust the pattern to work with a structure you can't alter? Of course but with endless possibilites. Lay a wall out and get creative. Add a liner, change an orientation or pattern but you have to be open to taking the time to figure that out, and make it looked planned.

Thanks Jane. I wish I had options to add a liner or accent row, but the tile only comes in one size and it's a contemporary space so I dont want to add a different accent material that will not look planned. And of course, the tile guy is ready to start the walls Monday. Not much time to get creative. I just have to pick my poison.

Understood. But you have 12.5 "? Something we don't understand perhaps (online forums). Seems almost full. 1/2" to make up? Send us a private message if you like this weekend so we can better understand and maybe we can help you. dragonflytile@wi.rr.com.

To really get the full effect of modern tile, full tiles would be very much better than a short top and bottom row. I dont know if it is practical but f you lowered the ceiling with an additional piece of 5/8 drywall, you would only be an eighth inch off, to split between top and bottom. Are the walls and ceiling absolutely level, plumb, flat and square?

If you really want the knockout details to make the space fantastic, move past the ordinary answer and figure out how to make the layout work

Lyndee, I understand what you're saying and think Jane was thinking along the same lines. Adding another layer of drywall is worth considering. I assume the recessed cans and fan box would need to be dropped as well?

It would sure mess with the schedule and add cost, but might be worth it in the long run. I'm pretty sure the ceiling isn't flat or level, so that could be an issue if we're trying to work with such precision. I will do my best tomorrow to determine if it could work. Thanks.

I measured the floor tiles (which are grouted) and 8 tiles spanned exactly 94". I measured the ceiling to floor distance around the room and there were some spots that were 95.25; most were 95. That would require furring to lower the ceiling by 1.25".

I saw some Shluter trims that might be an option. One allows for 2" of tile to be inset between 2 sections of 1/2" of metal. I don't know how I would feel about adding that as a design element.

Then I thought about adding a strip of wood that matches our cabinetry around under the top row of tile. I like that idea better from a design standpoint and it might be the least costly and schedule busting option other than just having thin rows of tile somewhere. The wood is IPE, used for decking and so very moisture resistant. We were just going to oil it. The wood is dark brown/red. Looks a lot like mahogany.

To give every one some idea of the design elements, here is a picture of the tile which has been laid on the floor. To the left of the shower will be a 48" wide bench seat with a tall thin cabinet on sitting on the top of the left side of the bench and running to the ceiling. There will be 2 IPE shelves above the open bench area. The vanity is to the left and spans 7'3". It is a floating vanity - very linear with recessed pulls. I have also posted a picture of the vanity mockup. A freestanding tub sits across from the vanity, in front of the shower. The alcove you see on the left near the back will contain a wall mounted toilet.

The one thing that gives me pause about a wood strip would affect the design is that the wall behind the tub (only up to the bottom of the window) will be tiled in a marble mosaic - Also shown below. Some marble pieces contain brown, so this may help tie into the wood. Thoughts on this solution?

The floor has an interesting layout. Did you spec this?

I asked for 1/3 offset on the floor, but planning to use stacked on the walls.

Ok, it seems all you would need is an L shaped header at the ceiling lining up with the half wall and the curb of the shower. Could be brief, such as 4 - 6 inches. This would separate the shower ceiling from the bath ceiling allowing you to adjust the height in the shower to any height you desire but leaving the bath ceiling as is. We do this all the time. I realize your configuration is different from this photo, but you can see the header idea. Does that make sense?

Dragonfly. Did you provide an exhaust fan in the shower area?

fixer, yes there is exhaust in the ceiling over the shower. Plan is to have it controlled by a sensor switch just inside the toilet alcove (not visible from the pic I posted).

Dragonfly, I guess I didn't specify that the tile will not just be in the shower area. The entire room will be tiled, so unfortunately, lowering the ceiling over the shower area as you suggested will not solve our dilemma.

There are just so many things to take into account when making this decision, like where the seam will be relative to the vanity top and the top of the tiled area of the pony wall. I did a sketchup model to help me see all of the critical points. Based on that, it looks like the best option would be to do an 8" tile at the ceiling and 5.5" at the floor. I will show the model to my contractor and tile man on Monday. The good thing here is that the tile joints will not be very visible, at least based on what the floor looks like. Having a full tile at the ceiling would be nice, but creates problems elsewhere!

Ahh, so put a crown molding in the bathroom. It can be nothing more than a simple, small molding in keeping with your clean lines. (The challenges of designing and engineering in absentia). These challenges should be easily addressed on site by a quality contractor and/or designer. Good luck with your project. I'm sure you will find a resolution.

Thanks dragonfly for all your suggestions! Crown would be a simple solution, but I'm not sure I've ever seen it used in a contemporary space. I will check out the Houzz photos to see if there are examples. Really appreciate your help on this. By the way, I checked your website and you have some real eye candy there!

You will find plenty of crown (with clean lines) used in contemporary spaces. Sorry we can't help you onsite!