This is such a great thread!! I really like the idea of vertical subways and then accent glass tiles running vertically in the shower to simulate the waterfall (I saw metalic ones this way in a video on the HGTV site). I have a small city bathroom so not much room to play with. My mind in dancing around this idea but if I did that then the only 'wow' would be that one vertical stripe within the shower. (All four walls will be tiled since the moisture situation makes this the only real choice so that leaves painting the walls outside the shower not an option.) If I go the traditional horizontal subway tile route with an accent strip all around the whole bathroom then the 'wow' is everywhere but the overall looks isn't as modern as I'd like. I really like the modernness of the vertical layout but how can I incorporate the glass tiles elsewhere besides the one vertical stripe in the shower? Anyone have any creative ideas?

Hi Kbacci14. In this case, your first instincts were right: 48 inches it is. Sometimes, improved aesthetics beat out a minor loss of function, but you can't get much more functional than a powder room, so in there, common sense rules. Remember the words of the architect Louis Sullivan: Form Follows Function. Now some people might think that, with a sink rim below 36 inches, that height should be plenty high, but let's face it: in real life, wet hands & drippy elbows grabbing for towels still hover above that line. And, in a narrow room like yours, that soapy water will hit the walls long before it ever gets to the floor, so 48 inches beats 36 inches any day. In that 12-inch high band around sink level, do you want to wipe down the tile with a towel, or have to worry about repainting the whole wall? Magnaverde Rule No. 40: Decorate for the life you really have, not the life you wish you had.

Yes has been done. And is a way to show off someone's design skills. However, one thing to consider is that if the porcelain tile is not color body thru porcelain you most likely will see an unattractive unfinished edge. That is one of the purposes of why Schluter products exist, to hide ugly edges of porcelain. And it does not cover that imperfection unfortunately in that installation format. Plus, the tile can chip when being cut. Also small when on a floor but when at eye level and going for a clean look definitely noticeable. Best bet if you really want this look is using stone (limestone or marble). But in my opinion, less is more. But still not ideal for cleaning over time in a kitchen. And if you want your investment to not date itself in 5 years then go for classic and clean. No Schluter. Scandinavian style, I would continue the quartz up the backsplash or pick a nice simple subway tile.

Ok, well if it is already a dark little room, are you sure you want to put that dark wallpaper in there? I'd be worried it will feel like a cave. Maybe you need to consider upgrading your lighting in that room. Of the vanity choices you show, my first choice would be the first one. Looks like Dark Oak and a Craftsman type style. That reads the most "farmhouse" to me...the other two are much more modern and the middle one reads very mid century modern to me. The little I've seen of the decor in the washroom doesn't make me think MCM would match. Would it be a LOT of work to get rid of the wallpaper? I think if you are going with the darker coloured vanity and light floors, I'd find a paint colour that works with the flooring colour a bit more than the blue does. Maybe something like BM Seapearl (below). Or maybe you put the colour below the trim piece and white walls above if you are going to have white toilet and sink. I do like the artwork you've got on the walls - very farm like and lovely. A very nice touch.