New bathroom help.

[MyChildDoesntNeedSleep]

Just that, really! I moved into this house 8 years ago and haven't touched the bathroom at all.

The bath, sink and toilet are that shell suite one (I think I've seen it in B and Q)...you know, the one where there's shell-shaped grooves in it where you can keep the soap!( I don't mind it and as it is still in very good condition I was going to keep it and just retile, do the floor, add shelving etc.

However, I've had someone in quoting for the job and he's kind of convinced me that it's dated and for the price of a new suite I might as well just go the whole hog.

I'd be changing taps and putting in a thermostatic shower, shower screen and towel rail. I wouldn't be going for an expensive suite, and don't think I'd go as far as vanity units etc. There's space for a shower cubicle in one corner, but I've decided against that, thinking I could add shelving and maybe a cupboard so it would look like a nice bathroom with a good amount of space.

Any ideas?

So my questions are:

1. Is the shell suite really naff?
   
2. What is best, fully tiled bathroom, or just tiling around the bath up to the ceiling then just around the sink and behind the toilet then just paint the walls?
   3)If fully tiled, then what type of tiles? When I was thinking of only part-tiling, I was thinking of subway tiles (brick-type with the bevilled edge)
   
3. If I'm going the whole hog, should I be looking at vanity units? (When I say vanity units I'm talking about those units around sinks, not sure if that's what they're actually called!)
   
   I also like the idea of creating a bath panel made of tiles, rather than the panels that come with baths.
   
   Help!

[Pancakeflipper]

Get decent taps. Worth paying abit extra for. Skimp on a plain white bath - but get decent taps.

[MyChildDoesntNeedSleep]

Yes, I agree, pancake.

My house is victorian, and I love that era. I'm doing my kitchen as well and want to have that completely contemporary, but I must admit that I love old fashioned taps in bathrooms. I love this style for example.

But they don't go with the new trendy style of bathroom suite (or do they?)

[Cheddars]

I love the sinks with storage underneath but storage is a big problem in my bathroom. If you can afford it I'd fully tile 2 walls and paint the other two. Not sure what type of tiles though.

[SwedishEdith]

The shell suite is naff
I'm not keen on fully tiled bathrooms but I don't like that whole beige bathroom look really. But lots of people seem to so personal taste. Partially tiled means you can paint walls when you feel like a change.
Definitely don't use the crappy plastic bath panel - customise your own with tiles/tongue & groove/something else?
I don't like those vanity unit things at all but I can see that they're useful if space is tight. But you sound like you have space so...

[MyChildDoesntNeedSleep]

What type of suite would go with those taps, and that kind of shower? I think I'm veering away from the super-modern style bathroom, with the push button toilet flusher!

[MyChildDoesntNeedSleep]

Cross posted.

Cheddar, that's a great idea, fully tiling two walls. That sounds like a good compromise.

Swedish at one time (around 2007ish) I really liked the beige travertine-style fully tiled bathrooms, but now actually hate them. Ties in with Cheddar's idea of only fully tiling two walls so I can change wall colour when I get fed up (which is often!). If I went with this I think the metro style tiles would go with the old fashioned taps that I love. Still don't know what type of suite, though.

[SwedishEdith]

www.bathstore.com/products/bathroom-suites/savoy-edwardian This kind of style would go with metro tiles, I think.

[MyChildDoesntNeedSleep]

Yes, Swedish, exactly!

Do you think it would put buyers off, though, when I come to sell the house? I know you can't cater to everyone's taste, and this is the house I'm living in, but I wouldn't want to put in something that was really niche and would affect a sale if I needed to move after five years.

[SwedishEdith]

I think if it's done well and in keeping with the house it shouldn't put anyone off. I mean, the shell suite didn't put you off . I viewed a house where the only room that was done was the bathroom - with the ubiquitous travertine look. It didn't put me off -but wished he hadn't bothered--

[MyChildDoesntNeedSleep]

. When we bought it, the only room that they had bothered with was the bathroom, and the shell suite had only been in for a year. We knew the whole house needed doing, so it was kind of a bonus that the bathroom was habitable!

[MyChildDoesntNeedSleep]

I like the sink in your link, Swedish, but I don't think I'd go as far as the toilet in the main pic. The ones at the bottom of the page look okay, though.

I think I'm realising I really don't like the super-modern toilets. In five years time I think they'll be out of fashion. Push-button will be replaced with hands-free, or something. I'm thinking an older classic type of toilet, seeing as my house is Victorian. I do like the contemporary sinks, just not the toilets.

I'm keen to hear others' thoughts on this.

[MyChildDoesntNeedSleep]

Kinda liking this style. (Not the modern one at the top of the page).

But which bath?????

Thinking black metallic metro tiles as a bath panel and white ones on two walls of the bathroom. Grey floor tiles. Light grey wall paint.???????

My problem is I really can't visualise what things will look like. I really struggle.

[GnocchiNineDoors]

If you are going contemporary for the kitchen then I would advise going contemporary for the bathroom. I have a very old high ceilinged flat and think it can look good to put contemporary furnishing into an old building. Plus, people who like your kitchen will like your bathroom too as its all the same tastes.

Agree with above in tiling two walls and YES yes yes, get rid of the shell suite.

Could you build in storage into the walls? Little cubby holes at the end of the bath look good and store a lot.

You could have an old suite with contemporary decor, that would work, but would need to go full on old style suite of clawed tub and loo with a high pedastel/flush thing.

I love <a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=contemporary+bathroom&start=297&um=1&hl=en&sa=N&rlz=1T4ACAW_en___GB393&addh=36&tbm=isch&tbnid=iQ-YK1VpX1UaGM:&imgrefurl=www.alldesignideas.net/2011/12/06/contemporary-bathroom-decor/&docid=kH-aiYOEgJoI6M&imgurl=www.alldesignideas.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Contemporary-Bathroom-Decor.jpg&w=600&h=450&ei=es4OUJP_BrSX0QWFloG4AQ&zoom=1&biw=1311&bih=593" rel="nofollow noindex" target="_blank">this and would probably do something similar in my home.

[NatureAbhorsAHoover]

Gnocchi thanks for that link in your post - I came on here looking for inspiring websites/magazines etc and that website is FAB!!

[Iwannamovenow]

We're in the middle of putting a new bathroom in, and we have chosen the savoy edwardian that swedish suggested, including the daft looking loo :o
and a roll top bath.

We're using metro tiles in sage green, tiling 2 walls, 3/4 of the way up around the bath (it's a roll top shower bath)

We've gone for old fashioned taps and a big fat shower.

And i've spent 3 days staining the floorboards black with a satin varnish on top and they look lovely.

I've done the rest of the walls white.

[Iwannamovenow]

Shower link didn't work
www.diy.com/nav/rooms/bathrooms/showering/showers/-brand-Mira/Mira-Realm-with-Diverter-11047695?view-all=brand