OK, I've gone ahead with a link to a great bathroom.

Geez, who knew this experience could be so nervewracking? Like many others here, I'm sure, we've waited years to do our "dream" renovation. It is just so totally frustrating, given the time and money involved, when things go just so totally wrong. We selected a whole assortment of pieces from Home Design Expo: basketweave, border for same, 12" x 12" field tile, pencil liners (for shower). They have the whole thing featured in the store: soft grey marble, the basket-weave looks as though it were cut from the field tile. Such a soft, elegant, cohesive look. Pretty expensive, but we were feeling like, well, we'll be in this house forever, we'll only do this once, blah, blah, blah. What we received was instead jarring: basketweave is altogether different from the field tile. Our GC's comment, having inspected the basketweave, was that it looked "sloppy." Nice. Not exactly the look we were going for. Expo says they'd like to call "marble systems", put some pressure on the vendor, and so on. Totally not the remedy we're interested in. This tiling needs to be completed this weekend - in order for the interior carpentry, plumbing finish, electric finish, wainscoting, and all the rest to be installed.

Our local tile place has the AO Chloe in stock; it would be a simple remedy:not only is it considerably less expensive, but it will work well with the previously selected subways (also AO). OK, thanks for listening.

I'm trying not to lose perspective here - as my grandma would often say: "This,too, shall pass." Good luck, everybody.

Here is a link that might be useful: tussymussy's classic bath

Obsessing much? Here you'll find a link to an installation of the Chloe. I think it has a very crisp, clean, classic look to it...still worried about that carrara top on the vanity...

Here is a link that might be useful: Chloe installed

I am sorry that you are not happy :-( The link the the Chloe installed did not work for me though (Browser timed out??). But the 1st one seems like a classic. I think the marble top with it would be great.

The Chloe will be LOVELY. Go to it!

Sorry, but I'm unable to determine what the problem might be. Is the marble that you got substantially darker or lighter than you were expecting? Is there too much or not enough veining? What's the problem? What were you expecting and what are you perceiving that you got? From your posting, it's impossible to tell.

The photos make it look as though you got a beautiful installation. Is there something I'm missing?

I think the chloe would look awesome with the carreara top.

Another option would be to do the tumbled 2x2 on the whole floor which I think would look good too.

We were originally going with mosaic marble for the floor but our order came in wrong (ordered calcutta, got crema marfil) so we went with ceramic. I am so glad we didn't get the marble floor because I know we would have been obsessing over keeping it pristine. Already I had some dark mahogany stain I was using on the new door seep through the drop cloth and while it wiped right off the ceramic, I'm sure it would have been a differnt story with the marble - not to mention what potty training would have done to it.

I would definately go with the chloe. You are presumeably choosing the slab of the carrera last, so you can choose something with a colour that would go with your floor. Our carrera is very bright with no dark veining but you may want to go with something darker for your slab. Just make sure you pick out the countertop yourself.

I am in the middle of having Chloe installed in my daughter's bath. Love it. I had the whole bath flooor done in it, shower stall and all.
I also used Daltile Rittenhouse Square subway in Arctic White in the shower, which I think is what you are referring to. It looks great together. And, the Chloe looks a little grey against the Arctic White, which you may like, (as I do) if you like Carrera. I had the whole thing grouted in white, and the subway is laid in a brick pattern up to about 48", then it changes to a herringbone pattern. I separated the 2 patterns with the $1.25 each American Olean Rope in white from Lowes. By my standards,no difference in that and the Rittenhouse Arctic White once installed. I also got the corner shelves and soap dish and towel bars in the American Olean and they are all in there with the Daltile Arctic White and look fine. Both my baths are done this way. The Chloe floor is in one bath, and the master bath floor is a similar pattern you may want to check out. It is Daltile, the black and white daisy pattern hex. It also comes in grey and white. Good luck, you are going to end up with a beautiful bath no matter what because black and white look so classic.

I can't tell you all how appreciative I am of the very supportive and helpful posts. We went to EXPO today - the mgr there gave us a whole song and dance about what he was going to do in order to make this work. E-mail photos of our field tile to warehouses in Texas and New Jersey with the hopes that a worker at one of those sites would find a closer match? UPS our field tile to another spot altogether so that the vendor would have a better sense as to what the discrepancy was? No thank you.

In the end, he agreed to give a full refund. Very interestingly, this was not a remedy he was willing to consider last night, when we were in the midst of a phone exchange. For whatever reason, it seemed to make a difference that my husband was there this morning.

Sorry for the confusion, jamesk - the link I gave in my post wasn't my installation, but, instead another from GW (Tussymussy, specifically - I think that hers is beautiful.)

The problem with what we received from Expo was simply that the basketweave they sent was altogether different from the field tile (and totally different from what they present in the showroom.) This is problematic (a dealbreaker, actually), because the design we've chosen really calls for stone that is all of a piece, if you know what I mean. In this case, we got the grey tumbled field tile that we'd selected, but basketweave that was white (and not tumbled). Different color, different finish.

Alright, dodged a bullet there. I'll post an update once I have my hands on some actual tile. Sincere thanks, everybody.

While you're here, gabeach, what color did you paint the walls of your baths? And what about you, budge, any progress on that front? I'd love to hear what you did...

Glad to hear things are starting to work out. Let us know what the final decision is.

As for the wall colour... right now it is a BM colour called moonshine. Not bad but a little too grey. I painted the back of the door silver sage/grey wisp and love it but the moonshine doesn't really go that well with it. So I've decided to order a sample pot of RH's pale silver which is the lightest colour in the silver sage collection and see how that looks. What a saga! At least I do the painting myself and don't have to pay someone each time I change it :-)

Have you already gone ahead and selected something different from Home Depot? I would recommend you call around and find a stone warehouse in your area. I am in the San Francisco Bay Area and we have many in the Union City/Hayward area. The one I ultimately purchased my arabesquata slab and tiles from had lots of stuff in the warehouse and I could see then and there what I was getting as opposed to ordering from a sample. I would recommend this if you have the time and inclination. The nice thing is you won't have to wait for anything to come in... just don't know where you are located if this is a possibility. Was also SIGNIFICANTLY cheaper than anything at Home Depot/Lowes in terms of marble/granite tile.

Amy
Fremont, CA

Hey, Amy -

You've made a great point about not choosing based on the sample - this was a BIG mistake on our part. Actually, after the fiasco w/ EXPO, we went a different route altogether. Just installed the Chloe (American Olean.) It's a ceramic tile, which is actually a much better option for a family like ours (three young kids). I LOVE the chloe, and am SO happy that the first thing didn't work out. The room will be finished with white subways/glossy black pencil liner as accent. We painted the room BM's Beacon Gray - which I am thrilled about. I'm notorious for choosing a color, only to have second thoughts once it has gone up - my poor husband. This color is so beautiful - it is a very fresh gray/blue.

Anyway: grout today, second coat of paint tomorrow, crown moulding and windows trimmed on Wednesday, vanity early next week/marble installed, finish complete for plumbing and electrical, and we're in business! What a relief. I will post pictures and details - I've found this stuff on GW to be so invaluable - thanks, everybody!

WOnderful! I'm glad it worked out for you! There are so many options, the stone is beauiful and it is easy to get sucked into that expensive vortex. Ceramic tile can be as gorgeous or better and I love the idea of the white subways above with the black pencil liner. When we re-do our master I'm looking at doing those tiny white tiles on the floor with the black placed every so many- love that look! I think if you do something more 'vintage' it will never go out of style- right? :) Anyhow, glad you found a solution!

Can't wait to see pics! We need more bathroom pics on here- the kitchen side has tons, the bath not so much...

Amy
Fremont, CA