I like the second choice better. It's warmer, and more dramatic, with more contrast. Plus it looks more like your inspiration picture.

I hope you'll post photos for us when it's finished, and maybe some of the rest of the house? Your inspiration picture is fabulous!

I much prefer the first choice. I would rather not have a tile 'rug' set in place, which might limit what I would choose to do with the decor. I think the first flooring choice is very simple but elegant, and just different enough with the tiles in the grout lines to fit the distinctive feel of the bath.

The other thing that perhaps bothers me a bit about the second choice is a matter of focus. Having too many different focal points in a single space can end up with nothing really feeling important. You already have great architectural details, you will have a variety of wall textures with the brick and textured or Venetian plaster walls.

May we please see the room when it is all done? Whatever you decide, it will be wonderful, I'm sure.

The architecture is screaming for dramatic. Black remains one of my favorite colors. I'm with Oceanna. #2 is it! I just love the sconce.

I like them both, but if I had to pick, I'd go with #1. With the brick going all the way down the wall, I think the brick and grey limestone go better together, and having the wall brick behind the faucet (not just the brick arch) will make the room a little more casual to me vs. your inspiration photo where the stucco and scrolled border tile make it more elegant looking and so in the inspiration photo the black tile looks best.

Can't wait to see photos of this bath - it is going to be beautiful.

I like the black tile -- very dramatic -- but I don't care for the "rug". It would draw the eye down to the floor, and in such a small room, you want the focus higher up -- on the mirror, and on the sink. And of course on that beautiful arch.

Are you sure you want the floor tiles on the diagonal?

Thank you all so much for your responses. Wow...it's almost 50/50 and you each have made such good points in regard to why one may work over the other. As far as the "rug" goes, I also felt like this was another focal point in a room that already had many. I guess I just loved it because it reminds me of those Terra Viva medallions (in fact the one in the inspiration pic is Terra Viva) that I have always wanted to use somewhere...sigh... The other issue with that design is that there seems to me nothing going on in the back half of the room near the toilet. I was thinking that the other design would distribute the tile accents more uniformly. I also was thinking that the blue/grey limestone would coordinate with the sink and brick nicely and show some continuity through the house because I have used a similar blue limestone in my slab selection for the kitchen. But I sure love the drama that the black brings!! I wanted to ask Mclark what you were thinking about the orientation of the tile. Do you think it would make more sense to lay it straight? I can do that but I was thinking if I went with option 1 then the diag would be more interesting. What do you think?
thanks again...I was so happy to sign on and see your responses!!!

I must have missed it, but what is the color swatch under the sinks? Is that the proposed wall color? Someone please clue me in. Where is the brown being used in the room? Is it the vanity color? Wall color? Hmmm...... :O)

If I had to choose from your two options, I'd go with #2 because of the drama of the black, and I like the golden "rug". I like that they ran their tile straight, but did the "rug" on 45 degree angle.

Truthfully, if it were me, I'd just copy the inspiration room... LOL! It's gorgeous, and seems perfect to me. Of course, I have no imagination, and when I see something lovely I just go with it. I'm so impressed that you are tweaking it to your own design. Sign of a true designer. :O) I'm in awe!!

Your room will be gorgeous! Both of your choices are really nice! Hope you'll share photos when finished. :o)

I like the tile "rug" in the inspiration photo, because it pulls in all the other colors in the room. Yours doesn't really do that... it uses that mustard color which I don't see anywhere else.

The "rug" in the inspiration photo also uses black grout, which helps tie it into the floor. Yours seems to sit on top of the floor, which is not necessarily bad, but I would be looking at my feet to make sure I didn't trip over it, LOL.

You are right about the colors in the inspiration room rug pulling in all the colors of the room. Somehow I either overlooked it or didn't want to admit it. How does the saying go..."sometimes you don't see the forest because the trees are in the way"...haha...
Anyway, I just fell in love with the stone medallion rug and was offered it for a great price because it was a return to a local place that makes them. It isn't the colors that I would have chosen, but I was trying to force it to work. It has no grout because it is made with a compouter controled water jet and all the pieces fit tightly together to form one big solid piece. It's really lovely, but you are right, the colors aren't the best for the design.
I have changed original design a bit because I felt it was too Tuscan/Mediterranean for the house. I am using more rustic wood instead of so much cast concrete..though I am using the cast corbles that flank the radius ceiling. I wanted it to feel casual and rustic French, but with an elegant touch of "jewelry" that the crystal and possibly some glass tile accents would bring. The color swatch under the sink is such a bad representation of the vanity color! I attached a photo of a premade cabinet in a similar color and style to what I am having made. The wall color has not been determined yet. Any suggestions?!
Thanks again! Your advice is really helping me see this from a different prespective. Did I mention I am a bit over my head with this project? This monster spec house has 10 bathrooms and not enough budget! I'll post some pictures as the project progresses.

Well, I'm glad to see the brown is not the wall color. :o)

I like the mustard rug (well, on my monitor it looks more golden than mustard). If you want to use the mustard, how about making your wall colors similar to the inspiration photo?

In looking at your brick, I'm not sure a mustard would go with them. Well, shoot. Because I really like that "rug".

10 bathrooms.... wow. Are you doing some of the others as well? We have several baths in our new build, and I am finding some so easy to "choose" finishes for, and a few that are completely stumping me. I feel your pain. :O)

Laying floor tiles diagonally makes a space look larger. In your inspiration pic the diagonal lines appear in the "rug."

Can you build a "rug" that will tie in all the colors?

I think with the grey you lose the drama that the black gives. Grey is so bleah and if you're doing the background behind and above your sink in the same color as your inspiration pic, the black will go much better.

I love your inspiration pic and hope to see more pics of this house you're doing.

Wow its really a beautiful inspiration pic! I agree with oceanna and jerseygirl on option #2. Please do post pictures when your done!

Yes..I could actually come up with another design for a rug. I put together a couple of options on my computer and I will post them, but nothing really "knocked me over". I'm have had some trouble coming up with what type of materials/colors to select. The brick color is pretty soft and muted, the vanity will be a darker walnut color, and the sink is a honed Carrera Marble (soft grey color). I was thinking about metal accents to coordinate with the fixtures, but I think it would not stand out very well against the black field tile. Do you guys have any suggestions? I have had more trouble with this little bathroom than any other bathroom in the house. I guess I just want it to be perfect.
Thanks again for all of your wonderful advice.

Please share the rug options. You might surprise yourself by knocking us over with the "perfectness" of one of them. Sometimes it helps to get a fresh perspective on what you are focused on. I know for me these boards have been a huge help!! :o)

You're doing great. You've chosen a gorgeous inspiration photo. You obviously have good taste! It's going to be beautiful when you fit the last few elements into that space.

Waiting for rug options........ !! :o)

Here is a more rustic "Frenchy" version of this look. My back wall and radius is bricked like this, but not the side walls. The grout I used was similar to this pic as well. There is also the grey marble sink and bronzy/weathered brass lav fixture. I guess I am looking for someting between the two looks.
Thank you for the complement and the encouragement! This has been such a tough project to work on. I am going to pull up some of my rug options and see what you guys think about them.

Wow Delaney~ I like this 2nd inspiration photo a lot too. You have some great photos up your sleeve!!

Yes, please do show us your rug options. I am very intrigued by this powder room you are working on!! :o)

Good Morning!
I looked at some of my examples yesterday morning and was too embarrassed to post them! They weren't too great. I am going to do a little research after Christmas shopping today and see if I can come up with something that will really complement what I have going on in there. This room has really challenged me and I really wanted it to stand out. I'm not sure if I should be looking at glass metal, or stone accents to put into a rug design or switch to the black tile and do a "grout joint" accent. What do you think?
Thanks again,
Delaney

I don't have an opinion, but just wanted to say I like your taste. The inspirational photos are to die for!