I am directionless on tile and paint. I have purchased this vanity which has a carrera top . Help me design around this vanity. Keep in mind that this is an old house, and the design should reflect the house’s bones.

Maybe something like these for the floor.

I love your vanity and the idea of a mosaic or similar look tile. That would be in keeping with the age of the home, My home that was built in the 1920s had a black and white hex pattern that was original and black gloss tile half way up the wall, broken by the tub/shower combo, a linen cabinet, door and window so it wasn't a lot other than a backdrop behind the sink and toilet. The kitchen of the same house had cobalt 4x4 tiles done similarly, showing mainly on one wall between the utility door and breakfast room door and peaking out a bit behind the range. - both either original or done by the PO, but I loved and kept them. That would be something I would consider - using one of the colors of the floor time for the wall and the other being the main color for your shower. I'd work with frameless glass to keep the small space feeling open, but a pony wall might give you a place to set things in the shower as well as a cabinet for some storage on the other side, though I'm a little confused about the shower placement being like the phot, but with a dormer window and opposite the toilet and vanity (so the toilet, sink and vanity are like yours but the tub/shower placement is rotated 90 degrees?). If you are going to use the faucet shown with the vanity, you have a style to work with for your shower and size is going to keep things pretty simple.

We have an old house, circa 1900.

This is the tile I chose for powder room. (In progress photo.)

And in main bath.

(Curtain/rod was temporary — we were waiting for glass shower door to be made.)

These are some pictures of our actual bath to help clarify the layout.

@jck910 thanks for those suggestions

@lascatx playing with the colors in the tiles for the floor and wall is exactly what I am trying to accomplish, to find a good balance and mix

@Sueb20 thanks for sharing your bathrooms.

Nicole

brass framed mirror over the sink and brass faucet....

I would definitely copy the shelves in your inspo pick!

I am going to come out against glass shower enclosures. I know the logic, but I do not care for them anymore, esp .in older homes. I think they were a pretty new concept when I put them in our first house in the late 90s. I put them in all the bathrooms (we had five full bath and 2 PR). It was a circa 1902 home. Even though everything else was in keeping, I always regretted that much cold, hard glass.

When we did Maine 10 years ago, I said "no glass doors". I am so glad of that. Do you know what kind of fabulous custom fabric shower curtains you can get for the price of that glass? With WT to match. And I don't know what atmospheric micro-climate I live it, but it never billows or wraps around me.

I would go with a linoleum type floor! They are warmer and softer. I have shared my floral vinyl floor from the UK several times. I am using the same product (checkerboard) in my new, new mudroom. Very pleased with how it has held up.

9" if memory serves

Well pick me up off the floor and dust me off! Mtn how did I not know you had a vinyl floor? Floral? Share again pls for those of us who missed it.

I love the floor tiles suggested and really any one of them would work. In our old house we did a b/w marble basket weave mosaic similar to the last one jck showed - it fit well with the 1930s era of the house. I love tile and there are so many wonderful tiles out there but there is no question vinyl/linoleum in kinder on the feet, warmer and *can* be stunning. It can also be less than stunning with the wrong pattern but then so can tile. Absolutely do the shelves in your inspo - fun!

Ah, I love a vintage bathroom. Yes, a glass shower is going to make it look more contemporary, as is your new vanity, but you can punch up the historic factor with the right finishes and styling.

I'd be simple and subtle. No need to hit anyone over the head with a retro hammer. Let your vanity and window be the focal points. They are both beautiful.

Are you intending to make the whole shower enclosure a slanted glass wall or would you have a slanted wall with a glass door in it as in these photos? VV

I am a forever fan of historic ivory subway tiles with pencil thin grout lines. I'd do your shower walls in ivory subway tile and use the same tile for the bathroom walls up to the shelf line - see the black line I drew in.

Paint above the tile line in a nice linen white color - ivory but ever so slightly creamier than your tile.

I'd tile the floor in a simple ivory hex that matches the subway tile color. Again, subtle grout lines. No need for retro patterns here.

If you need the storage, add shelves to the triangle as in your inspiration pic. I'd make them glass if you are up to keeping them clean. If you don't need the storage, just put a nice big plant in the triangle.

Get a recessed medicine cabinet and add sconces if there is room.

Are you replacing all the tile including the wall tile in the shower alcove? What is the actual age of the house?

I’ll try to address all the questions/comments

I am replacing all the existing tile.

The house was built in 1904. It was renovated by the prior owners. They made some modern design choices in a few areas that dont feel right in the house(to me) and as we move along, I take them out.

Probably cannot do a recessed medicine cabinet there is a chimney behind that wall, but we’ll peek, could end up partially recessed..

Wall is 30” I think a mirror and side sconces will look crowded.

Yes, I am putting shelves in our triangle.

Current tile floor is heated.

I dont like glass showers so it will be a curtain.

I will close in a portion of the shower opening. Additional wall space to hang towels is needed.

For the floor, I am leaning toward herringbone tile layout. What size tile would you use for a herringbone floor in this space?

So walk in shower with a curtain? Have you had that before? I do and really don't like it. How high of a curb will there be?

Agreed not enough space for mirror and sconces.

Herringbone tile floor might look nice, but won't necessarily look vintage or historic if that is what you are going for.

In a small bathroom I like the shower floor and the room floor to be the same tile.

Seeing the photos. whatever you do on your walls, do the same on the dog ears and the ceiling same or a slightly different shade. I have low dog ears in my sewing room that had been painted as part of the white ceiling and even though the wall color was light, it brough the ceiling down. Went a shade or two lighter and painted it all the same -- much better.

The common theme on the floor discussion is small pattern, and that's where I'd be looking then go with what I like best. I don't have a reason to prefer one material over another, and in a small room like that, even cost is less of an issue.

As far as the shower, I default glass because it is expected here -- especially by my DH. Your shower doesn't look like it would have "that much cold, hard glass," so I wouldn't worry about that. If you like the idea of a curtain, you will have to have a wall where it can hang at an effective height, so that probably means closing up the dog eared portion and deciding whether than remains part of the shower or perhaps becomes a line cabinet or other storage. - which could be a good thing too.

Local, I love your BA door -- do not touch it! And the view.

Well pick me up off the floor and dust me off! Mtn how did I not know you had a vinyl floor? Floral? Share again pls for those of us who missed it.

Cath Kidston flooring for Harvey Maria, Perroquet fabric from Osborne and Little, and Farrow and Ball Polka Square wallpaper (thank you for that suggestion, Pal!). Sorry the only pic I could find of the sink wall features DH holding up a medicine cabinet over the sink to see how it looked.

My other choice would be a painted wood floor. Both of the bathrooms on our third floor have that. Here is the girls' bath. Ten years old, no issues.

Thanks Mtn - love it and don't know how I missed seeing before.

Local FWIW I have a walk in shower with a curtain. We needed to leave our rental before our house was finished and had planned for a door but since it wasn't required for occupancy we put up a curtain on a tension rod. Almost 8 years in I change out the curtain on a whim and love not having a door.

In a small bathroom, if you want to add interest with pattern, the floor is the place to do that (or wallpaper). If you go with tile, I think you can do better than herringbone.

@DLM2000-GW and @mtnrdredux_gw - Do you not have to fiddle with the shower curtain liner each time you take a shower to make sure it stays inside the curb and doesn't leak out on to the floor? I do. It drives me nuts. It is only our guest shower and almost never gets used but I'd not love to have to contend with it in an new primary.

My shower is small, in a 1938 apartment bathroom, maybe that has something to do with it? I'm sure it originally had a great art deco door, which was taken out along the way. I love how inexpensive it was to hang a nice tension rod and make a shower curtain from an Ikea table cloth.

@Kendrah my shower is not tiny (not huge either) but I don't use a liner. I've found that using a curtain alone is fine and have that inside the curb while showering. I have multiple curtains, most are a fabric blend that *somewhat* repels water but also dry faster than 100% cotton. I wash the one I'm using every few weeks, and find even the 100% cotton is ok and dries fast during AC season. I had a liner at first and found it harder to work with.

If you have a wide shower, a curb a couple of inches high, and the shower head spray isn't too strong, the water stays in.

If anyone is looking for a waterproof fabric liner, the Amazer brand from Amaze-on is a good one. I bought a different brand and the water leaked through so I returned it for the Amazer. First time I've ever had that happen in twenty years of using fabric liners.

Do you not have to fiddle with the shower curtain liner each time you take a shower to make sure it stays inside the curb and doesn't leak out on to the floor?

I can definitely recall having that experience in apartments many moons ago. I do not know why, but there are no issues in any of our Maine bathrooms. Some have liners, some do not. I agree you don't need one. In our MBA for example, I really like to use just a white waffle weave unlined curtain. I wash it pretty often, and replace it every year or two. It's HG; not expensive. I personally think it looks very luxe and spa-like as long as it is pristine-white.

Perhaps the narrowness of my shower is why it doesn't stay in. My liner is fabric, a tight weave. I think it is hotel brand. I've been using them for years. They can be used as a liner or alone.

Does your shower curtain have weights on the bottom?

Wanted to come back to this thread, to rethank you all for your assistance. Seeing your rooms and hearing your thoughts helped to set me on a path.

One of my early posts mentioned that I wanted to ensure the updated bathroom reflected the "house's bones' that may have been interpreted as 'historically accurate' which was not my intention. It's an old farmhouse that has been continuously lived in for 120 years, it's been expanded, remodeled, and updated numerous times. I've refined my interpretation of what I want, and it is 'in a style that looks old-fashioned and sweet.'

I am very enamored of Mtn's rosebud vinyl tile. I had actually, originally asked DH how he would feel about a pink masterbath, he said it was not his preference, I'm pretty sure he also does not wanted roses.

I have ordered a sample of these tiles for the floor. If I like one of them, I will work the shower tile layout using this as a kicking off point.

Love those tiles. Sweet indeed!

localeater you've hit the jackpot with either of those tiles - good work refining what you are after. I can't wait to see this come together.

Lovety love love both of these, and tickled pink you were inspired by my tiles. : )

I think for the floor, the second one will feel "softer." Years ago I picked out a wallpaper for a DDs nursery similar to the first. The sample was pretty but when it was up it read more geometric and kind of country/western if that makes sense.

I like #2 better too!

Local, I can’t wait to see how it turns out! It’s charming already, it’s going to look so wonderful.

I hope you do a cafe curtain. :)

Slipping ahead…do you have to replace the original sink? its lovely

Another vote for #2.

I like both of those tiles, and I also like your original sink.

Beautiful!

Looks great!

Love that floor tile!

Very pretty. I like all your choices. Who is the maker of your tile? I was looking at something with a similar feel in a restaurant yesterday and would like to start gathering ideas for our bath refresh.

Really nice - please post photos when finished!!!

Great update. Love the patterned floor tile.

I like that a lot!