There are a couple of things to consider. I would forego the side splash only if the countertop is a perfect fit against the wall and if the sink is never used for face-washing, where the water ends up on the counter.

The other issue is the drywall repair with a textured wall. Are you having professional drywallers texture that wall so it's seamless between the new and old wall? It's virtually impossible for a homeowner to recreate the old texture using spray texture in a can.

So that would mean tiling the entire back wall to the ceiling if you don't plant to hire professional drywallers. But this is a modest bathroom with a toilet sharing the vanity wall. A toilet is not a fixture I'd chose to highlight with fancy tile. It works when there is a high-end toilet to go with it, and you could update the toilet with something more modern to go with the vanity style. Toto Entrada gives you a more modern look and they aren't very expensive. The tank has a slimmer profile than your toilet and would provide a less-crowded feeling on that short wall.

This sink looks like yours. You could do an interesting paint color or wallpaper.

Modern Rustic Home · More Info

That looks like the Entrada in tq's photo.

Hi Erin, I am the owner of a tile store called TileEstate. If you'd like, we can create a rendering of your space with the tile that you are thinking of using - you will see exactly what it will look like in your powder room. There is no pressure to buy any of our products - we do this to help customers envision the space that they are creating. You can email me directly: elina@tileestate.com, or you can also chat with us through the website: tileestate.com. Good Luck!

I just recently did this tile to the ceiling.

Haha, "high-end" toilet... well I haven't really thought about tile being able to highlight a toilet. It's just a toilet and it performs a necessary function in my "modest" powder room.

And even though you are assuming my skillset concerning being able to texture the drywall -- yes, I do have a drywall pro. I also have a pro tile installer so I was trying to decide which route to take -- Tile the wall vs finish the drywall. Tiling is definitely more expensive, but is it worth it in my powder room? I dunno.

Soft Contemporary in Bouldin Creek · More Info

I love the look of this bathroom.

My current idea is using 3'' or 4'' white triangle tiles for the backsplash and painting the walls white (no wallpaper). Clean and simple. I'm also considering asking the company who did my countertops to do one of those 4'' backsplashes with the same quartz because then I wouldn't have to worry about tile at all.

Since it's a powder room, I wouldn't add any tile. Pick out a cool wallpaper and do the whole room.

We just went through the process of texturing our wall where the tile backsplash was removed and damaged the drywall. We had a very small area to repair and didn't think it was worth the expense of a professional. DH was meticulous in the touch-up work but the reality is the spray from a can isn't the same as the spray from professional equipment. Sorry if you thought I was making assumptions about your skill. If you have spray can texturing tips, do share them.

As for tiling one wall, usually it's an accent wall. The tile goes countertop to ceiling in an alcove to highlight a vanity or behind a tub. It's a bit unusual to highlight a wall with a toilet even if it does share the wall with a vanity. And believe it or not, some people here have paid well over $1000 for a toilet so I consider that high-end, maybe even a status symbol!

I guess it depends on how much of a perfectionist you are and what your expectations are for making it "seamless". I just know that even with a professional, it is VERY difficult to match texture on walls. A while back, I hired a pro to fill in a big TV nook/alcove in my family room, so there was a big area where he had to blend in new drywall and texture with the rest of the existing wall. It was ok, but not as seamless as I expected. But... I'm a perfectionist. Thankfully it is the wall my TV and entertainment center covers a lot of, so I let it go. Honestly, you saved money texturing yourself and probably got a similar result to a pro for such a small area. I don't really have any tips for texturing walls -- I've only done small patch jobs around my house and I thought they looked really good. I did it by hand and not with a can of spray texture because the areas were so small.

As for the toilet, I just can't imagine paying a bunch for something that we all use for... that purpose. That toilet has had a few problems over the years, so I have been thinking of replacing it at some point. Though I don't think I'd go for a high-end one, haha

We just bought the Toto Entrada for around $250. Really, I'm not into the trend to make the bathroom into a shrine, a spa, or a resort. I don't vacation in there.

Here are some nice ideas for powder rooms. Note the tiling or wallpaper.

Powder Baths · More Info

Powder Baths · More Info

Denver Renovation (Mid-century): Bathroom 1 · More Info

if I had to choose from those options I would say definitely option 2. But... I would say honestly to just do the wall area behind the sink and vanity. that whole part. but not the part behind the toilet.