I'm not sure how much you could really expect to save. A lot of 2x2 Porcelain is $7-15 per foot. Many of the hexagon tiles We've been drawn to are in the $45 a sq ft range. Yeah, my reaction was the same!!

If that's the tile you like I'd find some place else to cut costs.

We have a tiny bathroom but I fell in love with New Ravenna tile. The price was crazy high. But I knew I'd be unhappy if we didn't go for it. I'd like to say I saved in other places -- but I'd be lying!

cece-

I am not a big fan of marble floors in bathrooms, and prefer porcelain for practicality of cleaning and for durability. I also have had a bathroom with 2" tiles and came to hate all maintenance with the grout lines and the staining, which is why we just retiled with 2'X2' tiles.

Sometimes people subconsciously get convinced they want something partly because it seems just out of reach financially; it may not be true for you, but it has been for me at times. However, I've also learned after many decades of remodeling, that there are plenty of good, affordable choices out there and that I don't need a $400 towel hook to make me happy. So, I am encouraging you to let go of the thought that nothing you've seen "seems nearly as pretty" as the marble you're concerned about splurging on. There are less costly choices in porcelain that may serve you better, and you might be surprised at what you can find if you give yourself the freedom to reconsider.

$9 a square foot is not expensive for marble. I'd be surprised if you could find it for less. Most tiles nowadays are upwards of $10-$12 a square foot with many going in the $50+ range.

cpartist-

I agree that $9/sqft for marble hexagon tiles is probably about the lowest you can go. As for more expensive tiles, I think this is one of those areas where people can spend a lot, but it doesn't mean the value is necessarilt higher. And if I were going to spend $50/sqft, I'd get a Persian carpet instead! I understand that there are a lot of specialty tiles that require extra effort to produce, and are expensive, but they aren't necessarily higher quality than a carefully selected tile that goes for $5/sqft, and the pricier one may even be more fragile in actual use. It's like wine: Is the $50 bottle 5 times as good as a $10 bottle? When they are side-by-side, can you even tell which one is supposed to be best? In my opinion, the same is true for tiles.

I know at least one person on GW does not like Floor & Decor. However, I had great success with one of their tiles. Best prices I saw, and the tile I used from them actually had less installation problems (actually none), than the "first-quality," more expensive tile I got from the "real" tile store.

I went to our local Floor and Decor and I was very pleasantly surprised by their stock. I will be back to them when I'm ready to purchase tile for my build.