bathroom: the design

So after the fun and dreamy stage of bathroom design I eventually had to face reality and actually CHOOSE my products.

Tiles:
A trip to the tile showrooms was somewhat disappointing - large format tiles are all the rage here right now and that is one thing I knew I did not want. So as far as subway tiles go I have had four options - 100x200 mm in while, ivory or black, or very VERY expensive "options" in imperial sizes and colours (think fireplace tiles) or in glass which (though I never had quoted) were also a smaller format and size - I could never quite commit to the glass tile option - though I spent hours pouring over the "Bricks" range from Southern Cross Ceramics, their sizes were 50x100 or 50x150 mm - not quite right.

I still really think that the subway tile is the way to go in order to bridge the vintage/modern divide. My house was built in the 30s, so deco is go. I have therefore chosen glossy black subway/butcher/brick tiles in 100x200 mm size for the walls. Below is a quick and dirty iPhone photo taken in a showroom. I am tiling to 2 m high - it's going to look amazing in my small bathroom.

For the floor I could not get anyone excited about black and white check so I have abandoned it, though I know I will lust over it again later. The main issue was that it would have been 200x200 mm tiles (I think 150x150 would be sweet but they don't really make that size) and in order not to be slippery they would need to be somewhat matt. As most floor tiles also have a slight bevel at the edge it was just going to look CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP and that is not what I wanted. Also for 200x200 tiles on the floor they like to use 3mm grout lines - so they wouldn't match up with the wall tiles either at 200 mm long but with 1 mm grout lines.

For the floor I have therefore gone with 400x400 mm black wood-look tiles, to tie in with the jarrah floors that will be polished to perfection throughout the rest of the house. The tiles have grip but also a slight sparkle where some gloss makes it through the woodgrain. Unfortunately I could not get a good snap of the sample in the bathroom reno showroom.

Vanity:
I am in _love_ with this white-flecked black stone I have chosen for the vanity counter top. The 'vanity' is fully customised built along one wall and will have bench, the basin and then cut back to a narrower depth to run along behind the concealed cistern toilet.

The cupboard doors and wall behind the loo will be the dark wood laminate shown with the stone in the pic below. Matching to the jarrah was too likely to look fake as I'm not sure how the colour will turn out exactly. This instead is a nice contrast to the shiny walls and fixtures and compliments the wood grain floor tile and the wood in the rest of the house.

Drawer pulls and door handle will be thin rectangular shiny chrome.

Basin:
The semi-above-semi-below bench Caroma 'cube' basin will give enough hint of white without being too high (I dislike feeling like I'm reaching up and over into a basin). I was close to getting an underbench but eye liner pencils have a tendency to roll into underbench basins (it's a serious concern - they get wet AND broken!) and also the white showing above bench will help to balance the heavy black.

Caroma cube 320 inset vanity basin [http://www.caroma.com.au/product-ranges/basins/cube/cube-320-inset-vanity-basin[

Toilet:
Going with the Caroma cube loo too - divine!

Caroma Wall Faced Invisi Series II Suite [http://www.caroma.com.au/product-ranges/toilet-suites/invisi--series-ii/cube-wall-faced-invisi--series-ii-suite]

Taps:
Shiny modern chrome! With a touch of medical in the design. Sticking with the cube/square/rectangular angle. They are also called cube - well, 'Cuba'. Bath set for over the basin (coming out of the wall, not from the bench - less cleaning issues yay). The shower set are identical. Taps are required because I have instant hot water (flick mixers don't put hot on full which decreases life of your instant hot water system) and also I don't really care for flick mixers! I don't have a pic of the shower head but it's a rail type system (as my Nana called it a 'telephone' shower).

The taps have arrived and I'm getting excited..

Rails:
The fabulous designer at my bathroom reno company selected these fantastic towel rails etc. Pretty happy with them, the base matches the taps and the curve matches the basin. Looking them up they are by Milli and the product line is 'Flow'.

Lighting:
And of course last but not least - the lighting! Above the vanity I will have a mirror (of course) and delightfully my bathroom people have found me some HOLLYWOOD LIGHTS! Five raw globes along a silver base. Similar to below. I had these in my childhood bathroom and they were fantastic and so cute! The downlights in the roof will be square, metal frame, recessed halogens.