I'll stick up for laminate. Not sure what exactly to say other than for me its the practicality and low maintenance that make it my first choice regardless of the fact that its also inexpensive. In my experience: Resists stains I fairly regularly splatter tomato sauce or spill orange juice, vinegar and no I don't wipe it up right away, (sometimes not for a couple of days!) and no etching! Put all the wet glasses you want on it and leave it. No rings. Resists scratches (I cut on mine, somewhat carefully, rather regularly) Low heat resistant - never put a burn mark on one yet just stick a heating pad under really hot things. What's a trivet? (just kidding) Easier on your dishes and glasses (I put things down pretty hard and know I would break things on granite) Warm to the touch (compared to stone and metals which just freeze me out) Chipping - I've never had a problem though others have. I assume it has to do with quality level of the laminate and possibly the underlayment and installation (and user of course) I think stone products probably chip as much if not more. If you get the prefab'd type that has the bullnose thing going up the wall there isn't even a grout line to maintain between the counter and wall - which while it looks cheap - I love! I hate any kind of grout line. I seem to flood my counters regularly with something and I love that curved laminate. You don't have to clean it right away, You don't have to remember exactly what products you can or can't clean it with as long as you don't use anything really extreme or harsh. You don't have to seal it, oil it, or bleach it (wood) So its easy easy easy and inexpensive. Tired of it? cheap to replace or cover. And it comes in more colors, textures, finishes and edging styles than ever before. My mother has her original fake marble shiny laminate from 1969 and it still looks great, no kidding (well other than the fake marble is a little uh... out of style:)

Thanks for the feedback everyone! OK, we've had the plumber, electrician, and carpenter in, and we've talked ourselves into more surgery. New plan, really interested in any opinions, good or bad, on these choices....particluarly struggling on decision for the neo-angle base--CM, acrylic jacuzzi, tiled UGS, or tiled Kerdi?: 1. Lose the entire wall separating the 2 rooms of the master, including the existing shower wet wall! move the shower plumbing wall to same as toilet supply. Move drain. Going large neo angle to have a more open room, roomier shower, and it creates a perfect spot for a built in linen storage system (Time to bust out the kreg-jig!...or order furniture). Slight narrowing of door, and now I'm back to barn slider, but this may be a gametime decision. 2. ~48" neo angle shower base ---need help! Stuck between a. Kerdi/UGS system, with biltmore honed 2X2 tile floor (is the neo angle version of these systems too crazy for a homeowner to do? can't afford to pay a tile guy to laydown a muddeck and do the whole deal). Love the feel of tile underfoot. b. stay safe, but less fancy with a a jacuzzi 48" acrylic, or usmarble/solid surface neo angle base? we were happy enough w/ a Jacuzzi 42"neo in our old, smaller bathroom 3. Wife talked me out of pony walls/linear drain which is good, because i would have had to build them! Shower walls will be ceramic large subway with some cool biltmore/glass mosaic accent on the wall, probably as 2 vertical 12" stripe where the shower hardware is mounted, and on the other wall....or a horizontal stripe. Tiling to ceiling. We like the clean look of the kohler shower locker in lieu of messy tile niches, do these look ok, or cheap? Thought on this plan/size of shower, pan choice? 4 Moen Kingsley Regular constant pressure valve with diverter, rain shower head, and a handheld on a bar...standard but nice, and I've had nothing but good luck w/ Moen. Chrome, because we like it best, AND it's cheapest! 5. Decided to lose the towel warmer...too many variables/questions/$$$ 6. Sticking with the schluter tile warmer system...plenty of floor thickness to work with, and why not for $600 bucks. We really like the 1 ft square biltmore honed floor from Tile Shop. Price not bad. need to research how this works over heated and wear. If not, does anyone recommend a good, classic looking tile for the floor? Would 5" carrara hex (sealed) work? Expensive, but we had this look in our old bath, loved the look and feel. The natural stone is a bit thicker than ceramic, and I'm worried about the heating being effective, or damaging the stone. (admittedly, i need to do some more research here) Here's the pic, of the layout, shower wall tile area/outline in green, wainscoated walls in blue. Thanks again for advice!

Hi, sorry you haven't gotten feedback until now. Hope you've had good luck planning your remodel. Thanks for posting these, very nice ideas. Found a possible source in your second link to the gorgeous slate. http://www.vermontstructuralslate.com/stones/slate/unfading-green The fourth one is perhaps a trick of the light, it looks like a sandy gray travertine to me. Pretty, though. I would do a white or cream counter and white in shower. Tub surround could continue the green tile, have seen that with soapstone, which was nice looking, too. Medium to dark wood vanity is a nice balance. HTH

that subway tile is too creamy yellow. Taj is a cooler toned stone. more grays and cooler whites. I wouldn't use anything yellow based. These do not really go together. for sure the yellow/peach tile doesn't I personally think the "travertine-look" larger tile is too busy, will compete w/both flooring and the Taj, and quite frankly has had it's day. I'd do something like this,, any of these look great w/taj. the mosaics would work on the shower floor and the niche or accent. or, look at these for larger tiles for either your bathroom floor, or even the shower walls. 16x16 Terrazzo kashmir,, next one is Tilebar, 24x24 porcelain, matte limestone-look. (I love that tile) Tilebar Cavatina is also nice. these come in a 12x24 size too. I'd use this or the one above, over that other tile you picked. (ignore the decorative tile) Do a 3x12 or 4x12 subway tile set in a stacked pattern. Or this tile in a white or soft gray, also in this same layout. are you dead set on the wood look tile in the bathroom? is this a rustic house? is this the look you want w/your tile in the shower and the wood look tile? I would use a solid porcelain tile for the bathroom floor, maybe in a herringbone. a darker, warmer gray would look nice. (or a soft white) Or, this herringbone below would look killer on the floor, or even in the shower. Finland White wood tile at Floor and Decor. that wood look tile looks nice in a bathroom that has more of a country feel. is your bathroom country style? I'd say no based on the style of that traditional vanity. the two styles clash. as do the different larger tiles you've chosen. A Zellige tile would look amazing w/the Taj. it's here on the floor. and doing a busy mosaic pattern inside of a busy larger tile, just looks busy. especially with all of the other busy tile (floors and countertop) you have. Look at Cloe tile. they have a soft gray or a white that would be perfect w/Taj. Diff sizes and shapes too what if you got Taj Majal tiles? You don't have to go to this extent, but they'd look nice on the floor or in the shower taj countertop, lighter, creamier/gray flooring