@Kendrah: I’m not tied to that hex floor at all. In fact, I had already decided we’re sending it back. The more I look at it, the more I hate it. That’s odd, because just a couple of weeks ago the more I looked at it, the more I liked it. This is my problem. I HAVE NO CLUE WHAT I’M DOING. One day I like something and the next it’s trash. I do agree that the Taj has to go. Just last night my husband and I decided that we’d keep it and work around it. Now, this morning I am of the total opposite opinion.

@janmoyer: I do like that marble look tile you posted. However, I need to find some company that offers a floor tile I like in multiple formats, so I can use on the biggest part of the floor, then inside the shower on that floor- and have them all match up. I’m so over trying to piecemeal and cobble all of these finishes together one-by-one. And my build is getting held up every day I am not reaching a decision.

With the exception of the person who hates zero entry showers (it must be nice to have no physical limitations), you've received some good suggestions. I'll add mine, although I'm not a "pro". Take a look at Crossville Tile online. https://www.crossvilleinc.com/Products/Tile?size=1%2F2%20x%201%2F2%20%28in%29,1%2F2%20x%201%201%2F2%20%28in%29,1%20x%201%20%28in%29,1%20x%202%20%28in%29,2%20x%202%20%28in%29&color=Beige 

Hopefully the link will take you to a search for small format shower floor tile in shades of beige where you can also see all of the sizes offered in each style. That could make it easier for you to select floor and wall tiles that are meant to go together.

While not suggesting it's right for you, I used their Portugal tile in Velho White. It comes in a wide variety of sizes and shapes, from small mosaic to 24X48 field tile. I was able to quickly get a sample in order to confirm my choice.

AC, the last mood board of yours is gorgeous… so are Jan’s.
I love natural stone, but maybe, if you can find one for the floor, it will have as much or more impact than on the countertop.
Agree plain white counter - so classic! Especially with I think the polished nickel faucets! I absolutely love that finish, nothing compares imho.

"However, I need to find some company that offers a floor tile I like in multiple formats, so I can use on the biggest part of the floor, then inside the shower on that floor- and have them all match up."

And you WILL find it in abundance in marble.

Ninety nine % of all porcelain tile tends to come from Italy. Do they not consider making a mosaic for the shower? Seems so. That is what I meant by fighting the market. I'd add that it will be difficult to nearly impossible to put the marble up against the porcelain and be thrilled...

Then? You will need the tops, right?

If you think these adjustments don't happen to designers and their clients, you would be wrong. I could walk you right into my LOADED tile venue , dedicated to nothing but tile, and you'd walk in circles and realize the market is what it is.: ) or remain stuck. Multiple formats for YOUR wish list is marble, and the sizes will be in enough disparity that you will "see" a difference, regardless, from bath floor to shower drainage..

A linear drain, the lowered hopefully transition from bath floor to shower floor -, discuss how large you can go on the shower floor, and look at honed marble for both.

Not to add to the confusion, but I don't see that gorgeous slab of Taj as busy...all Taj looks to me quite plain and neutral (but in a good, elegant way!) You have both loved this slab and I'm not quite getting why it is so hard to work with for wanting a serene, neutral bath. You don't want black, grey, or white and I totally get that; are you against finding a plain tile in a color from the slab...warm beige, grey beige? Your mood boards do show grey and beige and tan together and the world is full of plain tile in those colors. It would involve more shopping and bringing samples to the slab to be sure the color doesn't clash, but you'd be likely to find plain tile in larger size for the floor and smaller size (or mosaic or herringbone pattern) for the shower. It seems that would be a serene, neutral base for your lovely plumbing fixtures and then you can layer a rug, fabric and towels.

Here is another photo we took at the slab warehouse with the floor tile sitting horizontally. I know when the counter is installed it won’t be viewed head-on like this, so I just have to imagine how it would look laying flat. That’s the hard part.

These other 2 photos show how the floor looks installed, (pics from Home Depot site).

The 2nd photo (not great lighting) even shows the same wall tile I ordered for the shower, which I am now on the fence about as well.

Another idea I had was to order MORE of the hex and pick out the busiest/loudest tiles and ask the installer to skip those and only use the modestly patterned ones. But is that a bad idea as well? I have zero confidence in every idea I come up with.

They will hate you for that (been there done that). Unless you just remove them.
I love the wall tile! Does the color go? Can you use it on the floor?
Did you look for a plainer floor tile?

@worthyvess:

The wall and the hex floor tile do actually match well. The wall tile cannot be used for floors. I did look at another floor tile today as a possibility. It's 12x24 and comes with the smaller matching hexagons we could put on the shower floor. Now if it will just match up with that wall tile…

What do you all think about this to put with the Taj Mahal?

https://www.emser.com/products/visconde

I will be beaten senseless - don’t care.

Your tefusal to asjust to the limit of time , market direction, budget will have you in twist until you never close on the house.

As above ? The pic in the warehouse?

Big fat no

Not with Taj Mahal , please.

I think you making that harder for yourself. Just decide first about 1 element. Taj stays or goes? If stays pick the floor. Something without the veins, you will have this on the countertop and all the tiles from above clash. Floor could be in the color slightly darker towards browns for example or lighter than Taj something calm just to create a background for the rest. The shower walls you could do really many things even glass tiles which colorwise wouldn't clash with Taj.

Its not just a TAj decision!!!

Thats what you cant get a head around!

You do not need three stars in the bath. You need one,!

if that is the floor? That drives the rest.

Taj- same thing!

It needs a plain floor! You hate all suggested.

The star is shower wall repeated smaller in shower bade AND bath floor?

Thats marble and no taj and no veining on tops at all.

Thats not anything but marketplace of what will be possible AND look good

https://www.houzz.com/photos/jt-ranch-transitional-bathroom-denver-phvw-vp~127213526

Agree with @JAN MOYER. When I did my bathroom and picked veiny tile, I knew everything else to be calm, not only for esthetic reasons but for me not to feel dizzy from all the patterns around.

I'm going to go off piste here. What would be the worst thing that could happen if you go with all the original choices and later really do hate the floor? It would seem to not be the end of the world financially to change out just the floor. OR...the new Emser tile looks very promising. It's a less busy, calmer pattern and (bonus) is also rated for shower. If the veins are the right color to go with the Taj, what about doing both floor and shower in that? I know I talked about looking for solid tile previously, but that was in response to you saying you hated the floor tile and a couple of opinions that it would be bad with Taj. Here's the thing: I've seen a lot of Taj slabs and installed in various rooms; it invariably "reads" as a relatively plain, neutral counter and not a busy pattern. I really don't see a big issue with having a pattern on the floor and shower, especially one that looks subtle like the Emser. I understand where you are; have built three houses and get being stuck in a dilemma and beyond frustrated and having brain freeze. But (choice 1) what's the worst that can happen if you go with your first choices? You waste some money on a tile floor, fix it and move on. Or (choice 2) take a good look at that new Emser tile for both floor and shower...it looks pretty calm and the vein color has the potential to look very good with Taj. You originally wanted marble anyway and both choices go with your mood boards. JMO of course, but when I am in the middle of brain freeze or a worry melt down, I personally find it useful to step back and think "what's the worst that can happen if I make a choice and try it?"

The link worthyvess posted shows what may well be Taj (if it is, it's a busy slab of it) and a floor that looks similar to a very plain marble with soft veining and (shock!) it's a pretty bathroom, no clashing or wild pattern to be seen. I don't want to be like some regular posters who are extremely opinionated and seem to get frustrated and almost angry if they can't browbeat others into following their style preferences....but I took another look at the new Emser tile you posted. It's very plain, with only very subtle veining and as cpartist said, Taj tends to read like a very plain beige counter once installed. I don't see any way the Emser could clash, and if it doesn't go with the shower wall tile you've had concerns about anyway, the Emser for floor, shower floor *and* walls could be stunning and overall a pretty subtle choice.

Emser solves your problem .Keep the top simple white, add your rug, sconces, mirror, lovely hardware,. and enjoy a beautiful bath.......in this lifetime. You don't need the Taj,

@debrak6: "Here's the thing: I've seen a lot of Taj slabs and installed in various rooms; it invariably "reads" as a relatively plain, neutral counter and not a busy pattern. I really don't see a big issue with having a pattern on the floor and shower, especially one that looks subtle like the Emser."

I was just thinking the same thing. I am looking at this slab directly..... head-on, in a vertical position. It will never be viewed that way when it is installed as a countertop. The view of it will always be from some angle. Because of that, I think it does tend to "read" as a not-quite-solid beige color, which is the look I'm after. My vanity cabinets will be white, and there are a lot of them, going up to the ceiling on both ends of these vanities. Plus, wide white baseboards and white crown moulding. Plenty of white going on there.

I feel like I need to hold the Emser tile up to the Taj slab before I can commit to releasing the Taj back to the warehouse stock. If the two don't look good together, then I will just choose a different countertop. I would hate to put in a plain white counter with the white vanities, though. I know there are calmer patterns and solid colors in quartz, but neither of us like the look of quartz.

Then I worry the Emser tile won't be the right shade of white against my already painted baseboards, and the two surfaces will be touching. I would hate for the baseboards to look yellow or dingy right up against that Emser tile floor, or vice versa. I know I could always repaint the vanities and baseboards to match it, but I really don't want to have to do that in a brand new house. Ugh.

I'm taking some days off of work so I can completely devote my time to visiting different tile shops and the slab yard too. And hopefully put it behind me once and for all. Thanks to everyone who has spent time answering questions and offering advice to me. It is most appreciated.

But she WANTS the Taj. They both love it and keep coming back to trying to find a way for the Taj to work. It is the driving force behind this bathroom and nothing she has posted or any of her mood boards have a white counter anywhere as something they would like. It's not helpful or respectful to the OP's dilemma to keep insisting the Taj should go and that they should do a plain white counter. Other posters have linked photos of bathrooms with Taj counters and patterned or veined floors, and they look nice...no decorating crimes in sight.

Then................after three months of indecision., the op does what she wants and stops asking, twisting, agonizing. Return at finish with the mistake, should there be one in her eyes.

What she really wants is marble, and for that marble to be just fine with a conflicting natural stone. That the marble is on all the bath floor, shower floor, shower walls...and then add Taj Mahal? That will equal competitively busy and two stars clamoring for the roses tossed on the stage.

What she truly wants can't be had minus a lot of dollars and TIME,,,,,,,as nobody in their right mind does this or any marble without a sample of the marble along with a RESERVE and verification that the sample is representative of all the quantity needed for the space.

So......... that's yet another issue aside from resources. It isn't helpful to agree and go along and have..............busy, no matter the materials. Which is what she asked way way way up above.

Good plan and good luck, A C. You can slay this dragon!

Looked up the Emser tile on Instagram to see it installed, in a real bathroom and holy moly…. I just can’t. Yes it’s on a wall here and not a floor, but this is NOT what I expected it to look like at all. I’m really glad I could find this actual photo instead of just relying on the Emser website ‘visualizer’ tool. On there, it looked like a very calm, subtle pattern. That is definitely not what I would call calm.

Next course of action is to seek out a SOLID color tile (or nearly solid) that is relatively light in color, and then hold it up to potential slab choices.

This absolute hell just never ends. I’m ready to pull all of my hair out.

I’m doing taj in my bathroom counters with white tile in the shower, walnut vanity and the floor tile is a grey hex. I know you said no grey, but there are some warmer greys out there. I’d recommend looking at Arizona tile if you haven’t already. Check out Reside it comes in a brown that is pretty light and earthy looking but not busy. I think it would compliment the taj.

https://www.arizonatile.com/products/tile/r11-anti-slip-finish/reside-usa

Just a suggestion - I was *thisclose* to selecting this for our primary bath. It's a creamy white (I also dislike the dreaded travertine, but this ain't it, yo) - it's soft underfoot, and you can use it for the whole floor. With a close-in-color matching grout, it won't feel busy. May not work. But just a suggestion. I'm kind of heartbroken it didn't end up working out for our space.

@bmanning: Something like that is what I’m now thinking of, too. I wish now that my vanities were natural wood instead of white. That would make this easier, I believe. Sadly it’s too late for that.

@JP L: That’s a great suggestion as well. My husband wants something like that and I’m totally open to it. Tomorrow we’re going to make the 3+ hour drive to the nearest large city with some more well-known tile stores. Hoping among these visits we will come to a conclusion.

How is this busy? It's faux marble , the real thing? Just as "busy"

(I think the herringbone floor was making it appear busy)

This ISN'T busy below?

You are completely lost. Get off the computer, get to a local dedicated tile store.

Accept that IF you want/must have Taj Mahal? You select a white, or a pale warm gray porcelain to go with it , or make yourself the busy bath.

Or ? Adjust your budget, your closing time, do the MARBLE thing, and give up the Taj there as well, because it is very unwise to marry two different natural stones with veining.

And if not that? Remain in "nowhere land".

It's time to get off the computer, cease whining, and move on. After a point, it is reinvention of a wheel.

Or it could be a very nice bath.....go in person.

I hope your trip today is fruitful and helps things come together. I think it will be useful to continue to google images of particular tiles while you are in the store looking at them so you get an idea for how it looks repeated in a floor or on a wall.

I always find it iseful to call ahead and ask a few questions, make an over the phone connection, and let them know when you are coming so you can get one on one help in the store.

^^^she will figure it out. Now she know she doesn't like busy and I understand her because this is how I felt about marble porcelain tile with all those veining, too. It's not for everybody and that's OK. Sometimes it better to choose something more boring or plain and later just add decorating pieces than have so much pattern all over. My marble look wall tile was bigger format and less busy and I was already nervous but from the beginning I had plain floor tile to calm down everything.

Well, dang on the Emser not being to your liking once you saw more. Best of luck on your shopping trip...hope you find something that works.

While this doesn’t match up exactly with my vision board, it looks very nice and has the serene look I want. It does appear to have a mostly white countertop with the white cabinets and doesn’t look too sterile.

My wall color will be very similar to this. Sconces and fixtures similar too.

Problem is, no one on Houzz will explain what products are used in most of these photos. Why do they omit this important information? If the floor is indeed a marble, maybe I can locate something in ceramic that is close. Same with the counters.

https://www.houzz.com/photos/monterosa-transitional-bathroom-phoenix-phvw-vp~53689800

Onyx look like porcelain tile might be more calm. Just ask in the store.

Yes, I really like that tone-on-tone onyx look! 👍 Not plain, but also not busy.

The explanation is right here:

You ask..........you get the answer as was informed in 2016. As other folks asked.

Marble.!

and it is both a floor and wall tile

Your look will NOT exist in any ceramic tile.

^^^ yes there were questions asked under that picture but no answers, just bunch of people guessing what was used.

The question was answered at the site, it is posted just above,

The tile is marble, has a name. again.........

Why not just do marble?

@worthyvess: I would love to do that. I had my mind set on marble many months ago but it was going to be $6k for just the floor in this room. Not counting labor. I would’ve had to add even more for shower wall tile as well. We’ve gone over budget on several other areas, so we couldn’t justify the expense, despite all of the misery this decision is causing. :-/

What has the lag time cost in loan fees, closing time? Stress?

Will you be in the house 10 years? Will you have the bath for those ten years? Will you be happy with the image you posted above that IS marble? It's an extra 600.00 - 900.00 per year to "justify and satisfy" with a lot less expensive white top than the Taj Mahal you have been clinging to. The top that complicates, doesn't belong with another veined stone and keeps you stalled in the exact same place.

Which is currently no particular place at all. .At 900.00, ....2.52 or a cup of drive through Dunkin "joe" every single day, to be in the bath and love the bath for the next ten years

It's so easy to spend other people's money!

Time has a way of being money. It's either your own, which may or may not have a "cost" or it's someone else's time which almost always has a cost, and time from a bank........show me when it doesn't have a cost .

Depending where you live,? If you cut and color your hair every month via a pro? A mid sized city? Vicinity = 1800.00 a year. Hardly any women blink if they come out gorgeous every month.

And many people just don't bother having their hair colored and still feel gorgeous, even tho someone else might try to harangue them into coloring their hair.

A C, even though marble is beautiful, I would never put it in a shower. Too many products harm it, cleaning is problematic because of that. Search the forums for people who regret marble in their showers.

There are many stone look porcelain hex tiles, if that's what you want. This is on a wall, not floor, but I think it's beautiful and would be so much easier to keep clean than marble.

Hex

@olychick: that is a lovely bathroom! I have a F&D fairly closeby. I will definitely check this out!

Olychick is right, no marble in the shower. … I was thinking on the floor.
The floor tile in the picture looks calm enough for Taj Mahal. Doesn’t look like marble either. Just the wrong color.
Floor and Decor has a pretty big selection, surprised you haven’t been there yet!

Worthyvess, I think since she has a curbless shower, having a marble floor meet up with a porcelain tile shower floor wouldn't work, so she'd have to go porcelain both places (or marble).

Olychick you’re right, no marble in the shower. … therefore not on the floor either.
The floor tile in the picture looks calm enough for Taj Mahal. Doesn’t look like marble either. Just the color is wrong.
With no marble on the floor, with a white counter, she has no natural stone in her bathroom.
Nothing like natural stone imo.
Floor and Decor has a pretty big selection - saying a prayer you find something AC, to go with the Taj - or maybe a marble counter! Bathroom is as good a place as any to get it! Might be cheaper than the Taj!

I'm so glad you are keeping the counter and I think it will all look stunning with your light cabinets. That does look really nice together and the matching grout will make it all pretty seamless looking. Be sure to post your 'after'!

Good luck and we will be waiting for the pictures! Pictures found on internet: they are more contemporary style but have similar tile to give the idea.

Thank you for updating and good job! I'm so glad you got to keep your beloved Taj slab, and I think that tile looks great with it. It will be beautiful and calm.

Yay AC!!! That tile looks perfect from what I can see. And it won’t be right adjacent to the Taj anyway, I think.
I’m glad you’ll match the grout to the tile.
Can’t wait to see the finals!!!