Currently he has a cheap laminate in it and he wants to have it look a little nicer. I told him not to do the cabinet but he’s pretty set on having it in there.

here’s another option :

would you suggest a less busy countertop? He has The same countertop in the kitchen and he was trying to tie the two areas together. I suggested he do either a white Carrara or black granite instead so it wouldn’t be so overwhelming?

There's no need to "tie" together the kitchen and the powder room. If he has the extra material from the kitchen installation, then it makes sense to use it in the powder room. If not, then he should get whatever he likes and works in the room.

To answer your original question, the only pairing that would work for me is image #12, with the Fantasy Brown on the counter top and the plain 3x6 tile on the floor. Even so, I'd select an even more plain tile with the FB counter top.

None of the others work, as there is too much pattern in both, especially for such a small space. Also, the marble tiles are very formal looking and the FB is more casual, to my eye.

Thank you Diana! The other ones are so pretty but yes I agree they are busy with the fantasy.

Well, first Id ask him to make an idea book so I could see examples of how he wants the final space to feel.
Maximalism is a design choice. Second, although I do like making small baths a jewel box, Id suggest looking into a wallpaper with texture first to accomplish that. It is hard without YOUR slab to find what works and doesn't do variance. Also, he is in a position where he could wallpaper the whole room and do a mirror that takes up an entire wall so he could have extra slab to run up for a fun twist etc. How dark is dark? It looks like leaning to geometric tile but none of that seems darker to me. Dark wood cabinet then? Im going tk go photo diving for a little bit of everything and maybe with pictures in front he can point out what his ideam is and it woumd be easier to find tile in the big picture?

Hey seregiel, I think he wants a dark floor and a light wall behind the counter. I guess his style is a little more coastal transitional. I suggested a wallpaper but he doesn’t seem in tuned to that idea

Woof. You are a good friend Robin to help find this needle in a haystack. Your ah ha moment is going to feel so sweet! Of what you posted I think 5 and 13 are workable dependent on cabinet and the last one you posted in comments is most flexible but maybe the most lacking. This first one is busy but color wise seems to match your cabinet tops most and is in the geometric train. If he wants a geometric Id try to steer towards a solid color vs a variation because the grout will make it busy enough with the counters but it is doable.

That’s a good idea! And maybe do a grout that blends in so it’s more subtle but still cool!

Okay reread original post, added on with comments.

1. He has white cabinets (would still remove the one behind toilet in such a small space).
2. The darker tile is wanted for the floor, and he wants a lighter accent wall tile, and he has fantasy brown left over from kitchen if I am getting this right... I think he's looking at wood look or large format tiles for the floor on that and a solid color tile for the wall. He's also adding a vessel sink, (a mirror?), and any (lighting?) finishes... that feels like a lot of different finishes in a very small space. If he has enough fantasy brown left over, I'd run it up enough to let the wall faucets be taken care of and fill the rest of the space with a horizontal mirror.
3. His unspoken taste seem to be geometric. He is focused on wanting all tile with the addendum of wanting to tie into kitchen and not have it be the same as other bathrooms. That is how he wants it to relate to house but still doesn't address his taste or what he wants it to feel like. I'm back to sitting him down and having him make an ideabook. You are a good friend, not a mind reader and it will be easier to help him pick if there is a goal to work towards rather than just parameters of how to reach the unknown. Hang in there! Hopefully Beth will see this post and find your winning ticket. She IS the resident tile fairy.

thanks! I’m talking to him about the cabinet now. He had one there before that he never used but I think the cabinet guy talked him into it

IMO the smaller the space the fewer the finishes. Idea books are wonderful to understand what is in someones mind. Fantasy brown is a wow in a space and needs everything else to be simple I think so a nice white wall hung cabinet with large format plain porcelain tile on the floor . No over the toilet cabinet for sure . The vanity should have all the storage needed in a 1/2 bath. If this is a guest bathroom I like disposable hand towels instead of cloth. BTW no wood look tile in there unless it is also in the space outside the bathroom. He could actually if he has wood outside run it into the bathroom too.

He has hardwood outside the bathroom. the bathroom is on a slab so hardwood would have to be glued down and I don’t think he wants that. I’ll run it by him and see

I have fantasy brown in my master bath. It is beautiful and if he as some left I’d use it. It wants to be the star though . I would stay away from busy tile patterns . I found this pick on Houzz. Just look up fantasy brown granite

Do not mix two different stones.

I'd qualify that to "do not mix two different stones with different patterns." White Thassos marble would work with Fantasy Brown. Absolute Black could work with another patterned stone.

Run the hardwoo in the bath. Then decide WHiCH shall star? The tiny counter top? Or a tile wall behind the vanity and top? Pick ONE

Please DO get rid of the old lady cabinet over the toilet! Use art!!!

He is dead set on that cabinet haha

maybe if I say you called it that he will change

He’s entertaining the possibility of switching to this counter top. It’s a lot less going on with it. Do you guys think he would be able to do a mosaic with this one?

he wants to get this mirror to work in there somehow as well

Here it is

I think he’s trying to throw in to many elements BUT at the end of the day it is his forever house

keep it light and simple, no busy patterns. if the cabinet is needed for storage it can be camouflaged by painting it the same as the wall. Or change it to open shelves with baskets to be decorative. I would prefer a closed cabinet over a toilet.

I agree with no busy patters. If you do want pattern only have it on one wall or floor and then simplify the rest.

Thanks guys I think we got it!! You save us from a busy ugly bathroom!!