In the last 2 days I've changed my mind about using the honey onyx mosaic tile... I fell in love with a fabulous calacatta gold mosaic. I don't have a photo of it, it is a unique sort of random pattern, basically in the 1.5" x 1.5" size range but with a lot of slivers and cut-off corners. Beautiful, and still pulling in some warm golds and greys. So that's going on the shower floor, and probably in the niches. I guess the shower curn will be made of 12x12 calacatta gold tiles cut down and bullmosed. Same with the niche shelves.

The floor is a lovely 12 x 24 porcelaing tile by Iris called Oyster Brushstroke. Off-white (sort of grey/beige) with a lightly varied, matte/textured surface.

The walls in the shower, behind the tub and sink are a very WHITE glass mosaic. It is not blue-ish like my pictures show, more a clean bright white with no color variation but some surface dimpling which I hope will keep it from being too uniform. This material is really pretty non-negotiable, since I found an incredible deal on it ($2.50/sf). I can't afford to use anything else because I need so much of it! I am putting my $$ into other bling materials with less square footage instead, I think.

Vanity and wall cabinet by toilet will be mahogany, on stainless legs with 2 white porcelain sinks like Ronbow (semi-recessed.) Faucets are Kohler Purist. Toilet is Toto Aquia III, tub is Kohler ARcher drop-in.

Here's my dilemma!!!!!
Should the tub deck be tiled with the same floor tile..... or should it be tiled with 12 x 12 calacatta gold marble tiles?

Pics:

Jan at Rosemary Cottage

In that case, would you also tile the shower curb and the front side of the curb with the same floor tile? (Or use the calacatta marble, or use calacatta on the curb's horizontal and the same white mosaic as the adjacent wall on the vertical?)

And may I ask where you found the white glass mosaic? I promise I won't try to buy any. I'd just like to see it in a photo, if it's online.

And I'd say re the tub apron: either the floor tile *or* the marble but NOT in a 12x12, rather cut the marble up into rectangles, even 6x12 is better than a 12x12, which is so common it drags everything else down with it. The marble could stand to be cut because it has rectified edges, so a cut edge wouldn't show as different. If you use the porcelain, would you have the marble anywhere else than in the shower? If not, you might want to use the marble because then it would have a reference elsewhere in the bathroom. Using a material only one place can risk looking spotty rather than integrated.

Offering more thoughts on both sides. Perhaps you can see why it's taking us so long to do our own house :)

I can also get the calacatta in 18x18, by the way, which could cut down as well. But... architect brother is nixing the marble :( ...then again he was against the Carrera in my kitchen and I LOVE that. Hmmm.

I was going to create a wall niche at the foot of the tub that would have the same marble mosaic as the shower floor and niche. Do you think that would be enough to tie it together if I use the floor tile on the tub surround?

Flyleft- email me offline and I will send you the tile link. They only have slightly over the square footage I need in my color, so I don't want ot risk losing it before I order. I promise I will post it after my order is placed though!

So--- now we are down to two options:
the floor tile wrapping up the tub apron and tub deck, as well as the shower curb.

--or--

The whole tub area tiled in white mosaics (apron, deck, and wall surrounds). Architect brother votes for that.. but my dilemma there is what to use on the shower curb. I have heard that glass mosaics are not good under frameless glass since all those little grout lines collect soap gunk and are impossible to clean where they pass under the glass. And if the floor tile is otherwise just on the floor, would it look weird to put it on the curb too?

I hate decisions!

I'll send you an e-mail. Seriously, it's *just* academic interest.

I agree with your thought *not* to use small mosaics under the frameless glass -- I have enough trouble cleaning our large-format porcelain -- I wouldn't want to have all that grout under there. I think it would be fine to use the tile there and then the small stuff in a more accessible place. Seriously. Sometimes the architect gets too far ahead of the housekeeper, iykwim :)

OH, and would like to put in a vote that you learn to *love* these decisions -- I have come to savor them because it's the most delicious, still-ideal part of the process. The actual execution is nothing but sustained chronic panic until you've reached the other side safely, IMO.

I did look at the Hollviken, but these sinks are what appears to be knock-offs of the Ronbow CB3028. I got them on eBay for about $150 each, they have not yet arrived so I hope they aer decent. I actually bought the new Ikea Godmorgon Braviken vanity top, but then we decided we preferred ceramic, so now I have to drive all the way back to Ikea to return it!

We decided to do the white glass mosaic on the tub apron and deck, after all. Hope that's the right choice! I'm probably going to look for an 18 x 18 white marble tile that goes with my calacatta mosaic (but without veins) for the shower curb. It'll have to be sliced up and bullnosed.