Thank you everyone for all of your replies! Sorry for the absence...I have no internet here at the house yet. In response to questions/comments: kudzu9: There are areas of the grout that are missing, and the remainder has turned yellow. I would like to replace the missing grout and whiten the yellowed. We hope to rent out the home, so I don't trust tenants to wipe down painted walls. I'm hoping to find a complementary alternative. benjesbride: Unfortunately, the reason I have little budget now is that most of the original plumbing has to be redone. The drains are all old cast iron, and have degraded...there are lead pipes too. So, since they are replacing them, I figure that now would be the time to relocate. Thank you for your advice on "embracing the retro" and your link! nosoccermom: I cant really remove the shower head, as its the only bath in the home. I LOVE your idea of glass, and will research it. Have to figure out how to seal it from moisture and how to make area where it meets tile waterproof. Fori is not pleased: LOL!!!! I'm not pleased either! Thanks for the laugh and suggestion. I will def head over there once I have internet at the house, and am ready to make all the decorating decisions.polly929: I had considered having a company reglaze the tub & tile white, but the many opinions of keeping the original intact have made me reconsider. I am keeping the home, but am trying to fix it up to rent out for now. bpathome: Thanks for sharing your experience. I was considering adding 4x4 tile above the existing, but someone else said it wouldn't look good and hearing your experience too really gives me pause. I agree that the glass sounds like a cool possibility, but I need to research the installation issues. Would wallpaper hold up in a shower??? Yes, I absolutely need to redo the floor. Its a pier and beam home, so I am avoiding any real tile. However, I have looked at black & white LVT alternatives in both the hex and penny. jesshs: That is amazing! I cannot believe someone on here has actually had this tile! And its funny you mentioned grey....that is exactly the color I was thinking of going with on the walls! As far as paint on the shower walls, as I said above to kudzu9, we are planning to rent the home out and I worry about tenants taking the time to do that sort of maintenance. I want to go with something I don't have to worry about them taking care of. cpartist: Another retro vote! I'm coming around :) The grout is yellowed, and missing in a few areas. I'm hoping there is a way to bring it back to white. I agree with you, and everyone else, about the grab bars, as well as the shower head. And so glad to get another grey vote! I am absolutely redoing the floor. Just haven't decided what would go best. Again, THANK YOU everyone for your opinions and suggestions. Please, keep the ideas coming!

[When I've posted before, I've been able to select more than one forum, but not this or previous time, so am posting in three forums.] Is waterproofing always needed around a tub with shower and Swanstone surround? No vapor barrier was used, so I asked the contractor if he would be using Redguard or something similar. He said he will use it if I want, but it isn't necessary. He pointed out that the insulation (this is on an exterior wall) is labeled as moisture or water retardant, but obviously that's not the same as waterproof. He also said that the high quality silicone he will use where the back and side walls of the Swanstone meet will last 25 years with no moisture penetration. Is there something I'm missing? Is waterproofing not needed? Seems I've read a lot about problems when it was omitted. The alcove is framed (went smaller than original tub), the insulation is in place, and they've been working on tub installation prep. What should the next steps be? I will appreciate advice!!

May the gods of unneeded renovations divert the fleas of a thousand camel to infest your armpits. Give the bathroom a really good cleaning, reseal all the grout, and otherwise leave the d**n thing alone. It's just fine the way it is. Take the large amount of money I just saved you and divide into two equal piles. Send one pile to me.

Smaller windows above the water line,and a big shower. I have a 4 1/2 x 10 shower and I thought it was ridiculous (and to some it is) but I really like having my own area. .We have shower heads on each end with a rain head in the middle. If anything were to happen, it easily would accomodate a shower chair or an extra person if need be. We are in Florida so temperature and being chilly isnt a concern. I wouldnt dissuade you from building a big shower. You have to weigh whats important to you. I had the same size shower as you have in my last home, the larger shower is a game changer.