Is there any way to run plumbing to the separate vanity area to make it into a sink? We are doing a gut remodel of our bathroom and we were able to cram in the shower, 5'6" claw foot tub, toilet and two sinks (on adjacent walls though, not next to each other) in a slightly less than 10'x11' space including sloped ceilings and a couple of windows. Here is an older version of our plan for the bathroom but shows the two sinks. The one next to the tub is a console sink (on chrome legs) so very open and the tub is now a double ended tub with plumbing in the middle. Here is a newer plan showing a tile layout I was messing with and the right tub. It also shows a bump out for a knee wall where the new drain is going to run - it turns out there was steel angle along that wall and we could not run the drain line under it so had to go through. It's more of a challenge to get the water there but wasn't impossible.

When I was looking for 3 toilets to replace in house we were remodeling, the first toilet we bought from local HD would not fit together (two piece Cadet 3 I think)...the contractor took it back twice and couldn't get a good fit either time. I went to plumbing supply place cause I needed a specific part for Roman tub not available at Lowes or HD and talked to guy there... He said that what often happens is that big box stores sell "seconds" basically--products like a two piece toilet which came separately are much more difficult to find good matches/fits than the ones sold through his company where the two pieces came in one box...I ordered 3 of same toilets from him and cntractor didn't have any issues with installation at all... He said that plumbers would not waste the time homeowners would taking stuff back that didn't work right... I know that often times, faucets sold at HD and Lowes come sans handles so you have to buy those and often times both prices are more $ than when ordered as one unit from a plumbing supply place... I ordered almost every bathroom and kitchen fixture on line from company I can't remember now--cheaper, no sales tax, and better quality... I wonder if the tile like DalTile sold at the Big Boxes are maybe border line seconds as well--where the color isn't quite fired right or the edges are not quite as even/smooth...

No way would joining Direct Buy be a sensible decision for you. You are only planning to spend $6- $10,000.00 in total, so you'd be spending close to $6K just to get in the door. Besides the contract fee there are yearly fees. I did join Direct Buy- we are doing a total house reno from top to bottom (literally), replacing all windows and doors, gutting, rewiring, jackhammering concrete to put in drains, new roof- well you get the idea... I was enthralled by all the possibilities when I went for my visit. Luckily for me, I did go without my husband- signed the contract by myself- and after researching that night at home, I was heartsick that I had made such a stupid decision. WE played good cop/bad cop when we went back in- I composed a letter asking for a refund, and they very graciously DID give us our money back. So kudos to that particular DirectBuy outlet. However, I did a fair amount of research (albeit a day too late), and did discover that there are many many issues with DB. The least of which is, shipping and handling fees which can be 25%, and that they are not refunded if you decide you do not want the product you ordered. And, if I'm not mistaken, the item is delivered to the warehouse, not your home address, so there's that whole issue... I'm not going to go into a litany of all the problems, but suggest you google direct buy consumer concerns for yourself. Again, I reiterate- I do NOT think you should consider joining. You will NOT save any money, particularly just on ONE bathroom reno.

Buffy, thats a cast iron tub. they don't make 'em like that anymore! if you want some ideas on how to do a retro type of decor, go to Retro Renovation and browse their blog of before and afters. they reuse everything from that era. but yes, you can have a white toilet and keep the blue tub. you could always do a frame in cover for the front portion of the tub. that way you would only see the blue, top portion. (if you do the spray epoxy enamel coating, it only lasts a few years before it will chip) They tiled it in this one, but you could do a vinyl wood-look panel or beadboard, or a painted and sealed mdf. but these 4x4's are cool. along w/tiling the front portion, you could have a solid cut out fit around the top of the tub, like shown in this picture, further disguising the blue this could be a really cool bathroom. instead of the 1" hex, do a 1950's style, 3" hex like they did here w/the green Retiling around the surround too? The colors are reversed here, but you get the idea. you could do black or white and run the tiles like they've done here. bring in a cool sink, tile wainscot, and a custom painted linen cabinet. Retro Renovation even sells the exact color of your tub, in tiles intermingle the blue/white