>.wish I could post an inspiration pic, but all mine are from Houzz, and I don't know how to save any images from there onto my own computer.

Not necessary to do that. Click on a photo to get into the single-image view, then down at the bottom right you'll see an Embed link. Click that for code you can just copy and paste into a message here.

I love that top stone in your post.

Thanks Writersblock, here are a couple of inspiration photos from Houzz: I don't like things too busy, and am trying to find photos of onyx backsplash (and then perhaps use for back of niches in shower)

[Contemporary Bathroom[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/contemporary-bathroom-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_712~s_2103) by San Francisco Architect Michael Tauber Architecture

[Contemporary Bathroom[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/contemporary-bathroom-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_712~s_2103) by Bloomfield Hills Architect CBI Design Professionals, Inc.

I love (really love!) the first of your stone options and think that it will best give you the look of your inspiration pictures.

$300 is a fantastic price so I can understand why you'd be saying "start the car!" lol

I love #1 and #4 (minus the pink blotch).

Love the top one as well. What is it? Make sure it is a granite and not a marble, if that is what you want. (do a glass bottle scratch test, etc)

It's funny how pictures sometimes help you isolate what you like. I was like a kid at a candy shop in the granite yard...there were so many I wanted... I found I was being lured into going off on tangents.

Once I downloaded my pictures, found I liked the top one best myself...didn't say anything as I wanted your gut reactions.

Kirkhall, good point! The lady walking me through didn't know the name, the experts were all out of the shop, hope to go back today or tomorrow. Hope it's not marble, I love the look of marble, but don't think I'm a candidate for living with it.

1 and 4, although I tend to navigate away from the creamier ones and towards the whiter ones so I would lean toward 4. As much as I love lagos azul (in your modern bath picture above)--and believe me, it took months to talk myself out of it after being told by nearly every place that I would regret it in wet bathroom locations and countertops, I don't think that's a wise choice longer term. If that first one is dorado limestone, the same may apply to that (or so I was told). The onyx is also nice looking, but allegedly not for wet performance.

Your prices are also a little strange. I get the fabrication (and the fact that it's the same price for anything in the yard), but that doesn't include the material, does it?

Kevin,

Yes, that includes the material (of basically ANYTHING in the yard). In fact, she kept steering me towards the exotics, and when we had toured most of the yard and were heading towards the basics (You know the granite whose samples you see in every box store, cabinet place), she said, oh you don't want those, too boring! LOL!

That's why I really felt like picking something and running... even though I had said I wanted a remnant, she basically was letting me pick any size slab. I am thinking that perhaps what they have there they consider remnants, ie left-0vers from jobs...I'm not complaining... they even have a sister tile store, and she said if I order my tile through them too, she'll make sure we get a good deal!

Will be heading there back this afternoon, (after going to Lighting store blowout)...wish me luck!

#1 for sure. I can't believe they're willing to cut up a large slab and charge you only a few hundred for material and fabrication! Installation too? OK where is this place?!

If what they told you about pricing is true, that's a steal. No one here would do that. Hell, I paid $900 for a 60" x 23" slab of calacatta gold for my kitchen that was from a remnant, and the only reason they gave it to me for that price is because it had a scratch (which they took out while honing it to remove the polished surface) and because I they had accidentally sold the only dark slab of absolute black they had in stock and could get any longer. All the other absolute black slabs were too charcoal in color. So, you're getting a good deal, if they're not yanking your chain. Good luck.

Number 3 or 1.
And when you go back to the candy store - lick it!
It is a joke on kitchens to keep others from wanting the, slab - but do get your name written on the back!

Deposit down, name on slab! (#1) It is some type of marble, not sure which, any ideas? Fellow at yard, said they put some type of sealer on it, so normal bathroom use, toothpaste, etc shouldn't be any problem. Remnant is over double the size of what I need, so there should be lots to cut out shelves for shower niches!

So, bought pendant lights for vanity at blowout sale, granite guy also sells tile, he gave me tons of samples for backsplash, I think I've found a winner, I had originally thought of pebbles, (which look great with the marble), but this broken stone that he threw in my car goes so well with my lights...LOL

Limestone looking porcelain tile, colour I'm going with is the one closest to the stone BS. Marble sample isn't my kind of marble, but the colour tones are the same. Took it home just to play with colours.

So, am thinking Limestone looking tile for floor and shower walls, broken stone for BS and walls of shower niches, marble for countertop and shelves of niches.

Oh yeah, I got a fan/light combo for $29 ~ $100 off regular price, both pendants were also $29, listed @ $157, but lighting is so ridiculously over-priced saw the same light listed at homedepot.ca for $50, still a deal, just not as good as I'd originally thought!

OK, just got off the phone with the tile/granite guy, and the noce BS is regularly $17 each 4 X 12" piece, he wants to clear it out, so he'll sell it to me for 60% off, so $6.80 a piece, now I just need to figure out how much I want....MMMMmmmm

{{gwi:1415919}}

{{gwi:1415921}}

Oh, and while in town, saw my favourite ladies dress shop had a clearance sale, nice $115 top for $5, and a pair of $80 khaki walking shorts for $5...am I on a roll or what? LOL

It may be crema marfil, but it's hard to tell. That's a steal for marble, in any event. What they told you about the sealer is BS; that'll only help with staining. It will still etch from everyday bathroom items, but you just have to live with it and enjoy it for what it is: beautiful marble.

The only thing you may want to make sure of is that the thickness of the stone is appropriate for uses other than a countertop. a 3 cm niche shelf/ledge is a bit clunky vs. a 2 cm one. I cannot tell from the photo which you have.

Kevin,

You're right... I've read enough here on GW for the past 5-6 years to know that marble etches...guess I just wanted to believe the guy. sigh! Took a small sample (of a different, but similar coloured marble) home and a blob of toothpaste (which will definitely happen at some point in my BR) left a faint mark. I don't think I'll be happy with a build up of marks on my counter, I feel like such a wuss, but I have waited over 15 years for this reno, and I want it to be as near perfect (for me) as it can be. Guess I'm a granite girl, though I love the look of marble!

Will head back to yard today, and hopefully can change my slab. Sigh...

Oh, that's disappointing! I recall finding out that my first love, Paradiso marble, would need more babying than I was prepared for and reluctantly searching for a granite that I could love as much. I sometimes wonder what my masterbath would have looked like in Paradiso but I really do love my Moxura granite. I hope you have a similar experience. Your other materials look fabulous and I'm looking forward to seeing your room come together.

Congrats on the awesome shopping finds. I can relate... I get as much pleasure from a great deal as I do from the whatever it is I'm buying.

Good luck on your quest!

This post was edited by treasuretheday on Tue, Mar 19, 13 at 13:15

Treasuretheday, At first I was sort of disappointed, but once I went to the granite yard, and told them I didn't want the marble anymore, I felt a weight off my shoulders, so I know it was the right decision! Now I'm down to two choices, there were more, but I'll be happy with either of these. Only problem is these are both 3cm slabs (great for the counter, will look even more substantial than the 2cm marble). But as Kevin so wisely pointed out, not so suitable for shelving in the shower, so will have to rethink what to do in niches...

Okay two choices:
Aran Cream
Doesn't show up in pics, but there are definite metallic silvery flecks which the magpie in me likes! Introduces a rust element, which I also like (my floors upstairs are Tigerwood, so you know I am partial to those colours)

Ice Brown or Alaska White (various names for this granite)

This is a counter pic off the internet

Both of these open up the choices for vanity wood/colour. I had been leaning towards teak, but now could do dark brown (which is the colour of my bedroom furniture, and tigerwood has both the teak colour and the dark brown in it). Dark brown would be far more reasonable in price for carpenter to make...

That's a great slab and will work well with your counters.

Another option, if you can find it, look for la dolce vita. It's beautiful (and pricey). Just didn't work in my spaces. Maybe you can find a remnant.

Counter is a picture of which one?
I'm usually partial to grays rather than browns, but i really like that first one. Looks like you could go in either direction with the Aran Creme and metallic flecks sounds really cool. I have a lot of teak in my house and I can easily see that fitting in!

Now about those tigerwood floors..... I've only seen little samples in the showrooms and would love to get an idea of what they look like installed. Can you please drop a photo in here? Thanks!

Oops, it was clear in my mind, that the last two were Ice Brown, or AKA Alaska White. Cuz the slabs are tightly arranged in the granite yard, it's hard to get a pic of a large piece, so this counter gives an idea of the larger pic--It is Alaska White.

DH is coming with me on Friday to make final decisions. Found out they also carry sinks, so hope to buy that there too (they're giving me about 25% off sink). Drew up plan for vanity today (StaceyNeil was very generous with her plans, so it helped me get started!)

Towel warmer was delivered...progress is being made...whooeee!

Aran Cream slab pic off internet (note, not mine)
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My plans for vanity (DH will do plumbing, so should be very little wasted space)

Flooring in Master (also gives you idea of colours leading into BR)

Nuther photo of Tigerwood! (which I love...feel free to ask me any questions)