Ooohhh, it's exciting to see all the action here. I had a tile guy come out today and we discussed the logistics of a wet room, including the effect it will have on the tub plumbing (out of the wall instead of up through the floor to minimize leaks). But here are some details: The room is long and narrow, 7 feet wide by almost eleven feet long. Single door at the narrow end, no windows, and it must also house the stackable washer and dryer. I will try to get a plan posted if there is any interest, but it is a pretty basic rectangle. Because the room is small I like the visual of a free standing tub, with placement planned across the far end of the room. Sink and toilet will be on opposite walls in the next section, and the washer and dryer snug in the corner next to the door. Cloudbase, the real reason for the tub is that there is no tub in the master or anywhere on the main floor, and I want a tub I can soak in. Its use as a shower will be limited to house guests. So they will still have a bit of a struggle getting in and out...or I can share my shower, if the guests are old enough or decrepit enough :) Writersblock, I have seen a similar arrangement to that and agree, it is a nice way to combine the two. Unfortunately there just isn't room in this room. If I have to, I can bite the bullet and put a more shower-friendly arrangement across that end of the bathroom. But I have no reason (no real time pressure, and other than the counter top that impales every person who walks in the room there are no immediate structural issues) to not think about all the possible ways to solve the problems of the tiny bathroom. So while the wet room may ultimately not be the way we go I thought I would toss it out there to see what people had done/not done.

What thickness is your subfloor? Do you have a flooring elevation in another room that you'd like to match, example, the bathroom floor to the hallway or bedroom floor at the bathroom door threshold? I do recommend waterproofing the floor with a free standing tub. If you did use cement board, you need to bed the cement board to the subfloor with thinset and then fasten it with screws of nails. The purpose of the thinset is not to bond the cement board to the floor. It's to fill the gap between the two so there is no up and down movement that can lead to grout and tile failure down the road. The thinset is not optional, it's required. If your current subfloor is adequate, I'd recommend you go a step beyond cement board and use something like Ditra membrane. Ditra is only 1/8" thick and it has a waffle structure. The structure is designed to isolate the tile bond from any subfloor movement, so you'll get a better performing floor. Ditra comes in 39" wide rolls, it's available at the box stores. If you cover the seam between adjacent sheets of Ditra with Kerdi-Band or even strips of regular Kerdi, you'll have a waterproof floor. If your tile is a small mosaic, Ditra has restrictions regarding tile less than two inches, so you could use another membrane like Nobel. If your current subfloor is inadequate, I'd recommend adding 3/8" or 1/2" ply underlayment over the subfloor, then Ditra. Half-inch ply will provide added strength to the floor to reduce deflection. Half-inch cement board offers no additional strength whatsoever, cement board is simply a transitional material to get from wood to tile. The Ditra (or another thin membrane) is thin enough at 1/8" to not add excess height to the floor, but it's also an excellent intermediary between plywood and tile. And it'll give you better performance than cement board and a waterproof floor as well. Yes, I'd tile the entire floor and place the tub on the tile.

"...School me on Freestanding tubs!..." Well...OK. Freestanding tubs aren't attached to any walls. It's why they are called "freestanding". The best installations have hot and cold water supply, and a connected, workable drain. As one gets older (or has a disability), they get harder and harder to enter safely. And they become impossible to leave without assistance. They often look great in HGTV photos. Hope this helps. PS: It's a joke, it's a joke, it's a joke. Don't anyone get upset...

Here are some ideas to think about. You want storage for items like towels, candles, TP, etc. What about a free standing cabinet? Part (or all) can be glass fronted where towels, candles, bath bombs, even TP and less attractive things can be stored in baskets. By putting the shower door opening toward the vanity, this would free up the area at the tub end of the shower. An attractive cabinet against the wall next to the closet door would be a good location (see my edits). Then, a nice bench can be placed next to the tub to hold a burning candle, a fresh towel, a book, and a glass of wine to enjoy your bath with. What mystifies me is when people comment that the toilet is being seen as something terrifying or revolting. Nobody here said that about this toilet. There was just a desire to minimize it's view while using the tub to improve the tub area aesthetic. No need for such hyperbole.