Well, the bathroom won't be total shades of white, but it will be very different than I'd originally envisioned! We already have light walnut/noce travertine floor tiles for the room (purchased a few years ago when we got the same tiles for an entryway). Had planned on a dark (black or brown) wood vanity, and possibly a bone toilet--using a black, taupe and cream color scheme for the room. Found a vanity that worked in our space (small, narrow), but it was pricey, so found someone to make one for a lot less. Liked the look of the white porcelain/fireclay sink top that the original vanity required (shallow sink, narrow F to B depth), and that started to drive some of the other choices--the white toilet, for example. Chose dark espresso stained walnut for the vanity (John liked it better than the black), which introduced dark brown rather than black as one of the colors. Then, the decision to go with the much cheaper than tile (to purchase, and install) white shower pan, introduced another white object, so now the cream color idea went out the window entirely! Others convinced us to tie in the colors of the different elements when choosing wall tile(s) for the shower. I had planned on using travertine to match our floor tile (same color, not necessarily the same shape), without any insets or borders, but kept my mind open. Somehow moved away from using travertine in the shower (maybe because of cost, though I don't think we even priced it out--I really don't even know why! Maybe the white shower pan?). We happened to see a sample board in the tile store, utilizing white field tile with a decorative border that had similar colors to our other objects and then chose something that would give an oh-so-slightly similar look (but less expensive!). I think what we chose will look really sharp, but I do feel a slight pang when I see bathrooms like the one I'd mentioned above. You know; should I have stuck with my original vision for the shower walls? Would using just travertine be cheaper in the long run, vs. using ceramic tile plus a border (a border that is made cheaper aka "doable" for us, by cutting it into 3" "strips," but is still not inexpensive)? Of course, then I picture what we are planning and I know it'll look really great, just different from the original idea! Heck, we didn't do too bad a job choosing a great backsplash tile...! LOL As for towels, funny you should mention those! Restoration Hardware is having their summer sale right now (thru 8/2 BTW). We noticed their Espresso colored towels on a trip to the mall the other day, and they seemed darker than any of the towels in BB&B. Ended up getting those, as well as their white ones. Went back and forth on which secondary color to get (taupe to go with the travertine flooring? Introduce another color, like one of the silvery greens?). The salesperson convinced us that white was the way to go. I was hesitant about that only because I prefer to wash all my white with bleach (a no-no for their towels according to RH) and I also know my mom often leaves make-up stains on the towels when she stays here (guess she'll have to use the dark towels for face-washing!). As for other accessories, I'll have to see what's out there once they start to install the main components. Faucets and hardware (most likely) will be satin nickel, so we'll use that fot the towel bars, things like that, but don't know yet about wastebasket, soap dish or dispenser, etc. Ether satin nickel, dark brown, or some combination of the two, perhaps. Paint color will be the tough choice for us but we've got a little time before we need to worry about that! Other bathrooms color ideas are percolating. Have had some in mind, but as with this bathroom, could change as we see what's out there and start choosing things (can you say, process of elimination? LOL!). Oh gosh--didn't realize this was so long, but too tired of typing to edit (or proofread!), so my apologies!

Thank you Bill. The Laticrete grout color our tile contractor is wanting to use is the "Marble Beige". That color is close to the darkest color in the tile. But there's not that much of that color so I'm afraid it would really stand out. I'm leaning toward blending with the "Sauterne". Everything else is either too brown or gray. Good to know we won't have discoloration or mold issues. Any recommendation on a cleaning product for our travertine? The travertine will be in our shower, knee walls and bathroom floor. He wants to wrap the knee walls completely with the tile instead of it just being in the shower and top of the knee wall. The knee walls are 41" high on each end of the vanity. Do you think this will look good? My plan is for possibly a very light quartz countertop on the espresso vanity. It's hard for me to envision.

Our kitchen is certainly not traditional and we do not have any white in it, but we do have very dark wood floors and chocolate stained cabinets. They are very similar stains and the difference is only noticeable in bright natural light. It's not a look I see very often, almost never actually, but it was the only floor color we liked for the whole house and the stain for the cabinets was also the only one we liked of our options. We did not exactly have a vision in mind when we began (we're young, first-timers), and maybe we would make different decisions now, but we like our kitchen... except for still being unable to decide on granite a year later. It sounds like you have a vision and a very nice one, so I am all for the espresso/white combination on espresso floors. I think a lot of people immediately shake their heads at dark floors with dark cabinets, especially when the stains are very similar, because it's not that commonplace, so it's hard to find an instance of it done right, and fear that the kitchen will on the whole be too dark. Without a layout it is of course hard to comment on where the white cabinets should be placed, but what I might suggest is placing the white cabinets in the area(s) that don't get as much natural light from windows and such. This will keep your espresso cabinets nearer the pools of natural light and your kitchen looking brighter overall. Good luck; I think it will look beautiful.

Nice to see someone keeping their stained trim. I had natural wood trim in most of my last home. How dark do you want your floors? I often see floors a shade lighter than the trim. I think in your case that would be more flexible. But, that sample does have your wood tone in it as the lighter shade.