We are DIY'ing our kids bath for the most part; with help from a friend who is a licensed contractor. We are putting in 6 x 6 Vallelunga Pietro Romano tiles in Avoria. I want the tiles laid in a brick pattern in the tub/shower combo alcove. There are 2 niches which will have block set tiles in them with a few black marble 2 x 2's inset. Somewhere along the top, I want a border consisting of a black marble pencil liner, 2 rows of black marble 2 x 2's and then a second black marble pencil liner on top.

The contractor, and hubby who believes him, thinks there should be one border of 6 x 6 tiles above the niches and then the border and then the rest of the 6 x 6's up to the ceiling. Problem is, I don't want the border inside the shower doors, I wanted it to sort of outline the top. The clear glass semi-frameless shower doors will go up 62 3/8" off the tub which is 16 3/4" high. I'd like the border above the top of the doors which would be about 65" off the tub but that makes the top of the border about 8 inches off the ceiling. We are also doing a small white crown moulding so it may end up more like one row of 6 x 6's and then the crown on top of the border.

Okay, so whose way is better, up high or lower, below the chrome cap topping off the semi-frameless doors? I could do one single row of 2'x 2 framed by the pencil liner, but I think that's too thin for the border; maybe I am wrong.

The flooring will be the same tile, set on a diagonal with black marble 2 x 2's inset. It's a small 5 x 7 bathroom.

Thanks in advance!

That said, that's the conventional wisdom. That doesn't mean that's what's right for YOU. The right answer is what you and your husband can comprimise on, and feel comfortable with. After all, you are the ones who'll have to live with it! :-)