If you want timeless, then do white for your fixtures and tile and forgo the blue and brown except in the paint and accessories. Maybe do the vanity in the chocolate, but with a white vanity top and sink. 4K isn't a lot to spend on a bath, even if you are DIY on the labor. The vanities will cost you around $1500-$2500 if you do the more custom double vanity with the drawer base in the middle, and that imprisons you to a more expensive custom counter as well. You just went over budget, and you've only got as far as the vanities. Despite the expense of redoing the plumbing, I think you can stretch the budget further by having 24" individual vanities that you can find as stock at one of the box stores and individual mirrors above them. You can probably do that for $1000, including the tops. FOr the tub, to be able to use it as a shower, it needs to have an integral tile flange on it to seal out moisture infiltration from behind your walls. You'll need to tear out the current tile to ascertain if it has that. If it doesn't then replacing it with a nice, slightly deeper soaking tub can be done for around $400. If you want a jetted tub, American Standard sells a $699 one at HD with a lifetime warranty and the new system that angles the internal jets downward so that all the water drains out when you empty the tub. That keeps it from sitting there getting yucky. It's a great buy, and can be used as a shower too. The real necessary expense is updating the tub faucet with a tub/shower valve that contains the new anti scald technology. A thermostatic valve is the better but more expensive choice here. Classic subway tile mixed with some classic 4x4 and 6x6 for the shower walls would let you do an interesting tone on tone pattern but not break the bank. White tile for the floor may seem "boring" but it lets you use any color accessories that you want to liven it up. And, using the layout to add pizazz just like the shower will work to add interest also. Paint the walls a pretty silvery blue and put in chocolate and blue towels and your vision is complete--and on budget!

It is a little overwhelming to start. You have the functionality aspect of planning the bathroom and then the fixtures/look aspect. I definitely find it less exciting to research the functionality options but that usually ends up being where I wished I spent more time. For the functional - some of the things I think I remember is making a decision - do you want your vanity standard at I think 30 inches (this is our hall bath) our taller at 34 1/2 (our masterbath), or even taller at 36". The 34 1/2 is definitely more comfortable for me than when I use the 30" tall vanity in the hall. Someone else made the point of working around the pipes with the drawer so you can gain more storage. I wasn't able to get that in the cabinet line and every time I see the false drawers I think of what can't be stored there. You may also want to think, where else can you get more storage. In one case - had a niche build in the wall and added a glass shelf - this it the side wall that is next to the vanity. With the fan - someone mentioned making sure it vents properly thru the roof. In addition to that, you may want to see if a skylight is possible and how much it would cost. I wasn't a big skylight person (worried it would leak), but now I love having the extra light in the bathroom and extra ventilation. Not sure if you decided on a grab bar for the shower. Also if you are going with a shower niche (they have the plastic molds that can be tiled into the shower - I think that is easier for contractors to work with, but it is defined sizes) For the fixtures - I used faucetdirect with no problem and did a lot of online shopping. Where I had problems was with the valves and drains and I am not sure if that was because I didn't utilize the sales people enough or that you had to be familiar with my setup specifically to know which product. In one case, the drain wasn't quite right even though it was recommended to go with the tub. The contractor made it work. In another, luckily my contractor told me to order the pop-up drain for the sink. That's another one that doesn't necessarily match for me online. Since my faucet controls were in the wall, I needed the popup drain in the sink. With the valves, in a custom shower, I didn't do my homework on the 1/2 inch versus 3/4 inch and that I needed a transfer valve to switch between the handheld and the main shower. Last thing - I think the tile from HD or Lowes is fine. Tile can get pricey and that is where I wish I had found something that looked nice but was less expensive. If you do want to splurge on something - maybe look into the Benjamin Moore Bath and Spa line paint. It is made for bathrooms and has a matte finish.

Thanks guys! This is the clawfoot tub I am considering: http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/atq/5280827575.html. It is pretty - look at those legs! I would paint the outside a different color though. And if I went drop in, it would probably look a lot like the one in JLC's last picture -- in fact, that picture basically encompasses the whole look I am going for - wainscoting, the closed in shower, the little mosaic tile on the floor. So thanks for that picture! I'm still torn on the tub issue - JLC's post had convinced me that I want drop in (especially the part about it being easier to get in as you age) but amberm is swaying me back again with the prettiness factor. When I look at my inspiration pics, there's a pretty even split between drop-in and clawfoot. One other factor that I didn't mention is that we currently have a laundry chute built into the side of the tub deck -- in my original picture, you can see the hinges where it opens near the floor -- the front of the tub deck pulls open and I can toss laundry down into the laundry room. This is an awesome feature. If I go with a drop in, I will keep the chute where it is (well, it will move back a few inches with the rest of the deck but that will actually make it fall in a better spot in the laundry room so that is fine). But if I go with a clawfoot, I am either going to have to put a trap door in the floor or build some kind of cabinet...and since it would look odd to have either of those right in the middle of the room, I will have to move the whole laundry chute back under the center of the window, which drops the laundry in a less convenient but still workable spot in the laundry room. But then I have to figure out if I want a trap door in the floor or to build some kind of little cabinet or flip out wall thing to serve as the door to the laundry chute -- I'm a little nervous about just making a trap door because it seems dangerous if someone accidentally left it open. So if I went with a clawfoot, I would probably build some kind of cabinet that ran from the edge of the window back to the corner -- the full top of it could server as a ledge for plants and holding stuff you'd want while in the tub while the part that is exposed (not behind the tub) could open for the laundry chute. But this is seeming very complicated and hard to visualize vs. just replicating what we basically have now....and have I mentioned that I'm bad at visualizing?!? I guess it would look something like the way the ledge runs in JLC's Charleston Beach Cottage picture....but looking at that pic, I can't imagine how they are going to get back there to clean the floor under there and I'm worried about having the same problem. To address the counter space concerns, the vanity width is just shy of 80". The current plan is to have a neighbor custom-build my cabinets (that's what he does for a living), so I was going to go with 2 29" sink base cabinets and a 20" drawer unit in the middle. I am also planning a recessed shaker-style built-in medicine cabinet unit that should give me a ton of storage for the stuff that is currently sitting on the counter. So hopefully I wouldn't need a bunch of counter space. I envision it looking something like this: I want it to run the full width of the vanity area. I think I worked out the math and it should be doable and line up with the sinks if I use 20" doors and 4" spacers in between (6" on each end)....but here's where my issue with proportion comes in -- is that too much space? Who knows! Hopefully the cabinet guy has some kind of visualization software where he can dummy it up and I can see what it will look like. There is another window over the back of the tub that isn't visible in this picture so I'm not sure I could make a vanity over there....but I do think I should keep the tub. It is not our only tub but the other one is a regular small tub/shower combo in the kids' bathroom and it would be nice to have one that is a little nicer/bigger. Please keep the feedback coming...you all are bringing up things I haven't thought about before and I really appreciate it!

First, I do agree with @emilyam819 that it’s important to budget for the things you don’t see. The materials needed to properly build and waterproof the shower are not cheap and shouldn’t be skimped on. Also, shower and tub fixtures require parts that go behind the walls. Be sure any plumbing fixtures you buy include all that parts necessary for assembling them. For example, check to see if sink faucets include hoses and a drain. Often they don’t and you have to buy those items a la carte. Also, to help with suggestions, it would be helpful to know if you prefer wall mount, four hole, three hole, or single hole. Also don’t forget to budget for your sinks and countertops. I definitely would stick to tile only in the shower and on floor from a budget perspective. More tile looks gorgeous but adds up in terms of both labor and materials. Also, make sure you talk to your contractor about exactly how he installs and finishes tile (including the prep steps he does before he ever puts the first piece down). Read up on Houzz on proper tile installation - you won’t become an expert but you’ll learn enough to spit red flags. Just search the advice forums for tile questions - you’ll be horrified at what you see and it will help you be cautious and ask good questions. Love everything you’ve picked out and I agree that vanity is a steal. Personally I would choose all gold. Mixed metals can look great but I’d be uncomfortable attempting it without a pro advising me. As for the floor, I think it’s important to consider the other flooring in the house, especially in the area where the bathroom is. I wouldn’t do the wood look tile if you have hardwoods elsewhere. And if there are bathroom floors elsewhere that you plan to keep, I’d choose something relatively similar for this room. Or if you plan to rip up other bath floors later, consider something you’d be willing to use on those floors as well. The idea is to not have the floors in all the rooms of the house feel like a quilt - all different, with no relationship to each other.