Another Decorating Thread . . . Tile Help?

[Loves Vintage]

I need to choose tile on-line for a very small bathroom in a small rental in Florida. The tile installer is suggested 18X18 travertine, which may work for the shower and the floor, but because the bathroom is SO small, I don't think it's a good idea to put such large tile up on the wall, right?

I am quite out of my element here. If I were choosing tile for my own house, I am sure I would put subway tile on the walls and perhaps a nice vintagey hexagon pattern on the floors, which won't work in a small condo in the keys. I've actually never picked tile before, and don't have a lot of time to research, so opinions are welcome.

I've attached the only photos I have the existing bathroom. Shady Contractor no. 1 picked and installed this horribly dark tile, which now needs to come out because Shady Contractor was NOT a plumber. Two of the photos were of his work-in-progress. In addition to the plumbing, we want to replace the tile.

Thoughts on the tile combo in the right photo here: http://happy-floors.com/como.htm? The large tile would be in the shower as well, I guess (could I put the smaller tile in the shower???). I have no idea how much this product costs. I think we need about 130 sq ft of tile total, not sure if that includes tiling the wall up to the ceiling. That is another question I have -- should we tile the wall up to the ceiling??

Should I choose ceramic instead?

The tile contractor sells tile as well, but I think we may need to just go with what is available at home depot, since they will likely have product on-hand and we need to get this going asap.

Help????????

 

[Hera]

I think the link you provided is pretty and I wouldn't go higher than 12" tiles. I'm glad you're getting rid of all that dark tile. It must feel like a cave in there right now.

 

[lyra]

Make sure the travertine is easy care. Since this is a rental, you don't want renters ruining that nice tile! I wouldn't put 18 x 18 on the walls either. I would tile the ceiling of the shower only because I have found that that is one area that is prone to pealing paint otherwise. Or mould I suppose. The less upkeep the better.

ETA: Oops, you asked if you should tile to the ceiling, not tile the ceiling. Oh well, that is another question I guess. I think since the shower looks fairly small, I would tile it all if possible otherwise the same issues I mentioned above. Where I live it's normal to tile up to and including the ceiling in a stand alone shower. YMMV.

 

[Loves Vintage]

Hera, Yes, it is IS very cave-like!! The only good thing about the plumbing emergency is that the tile needs to come out too, so we can get something lighter.

Lyra, I think you are right! We need to skip the travertine. I think I'm going to roam around my local home depot on my lunch break today to see if I can find something nice and inexpensive, and then hope they have the same in stock in Fla. The tile guy had suggested tiling ALL of the walls up to the ceiling, but I think we will skip that. I will ask him about tiling the ceiling in the shower. Right now the shower ceiling is kind of yuck, some weird "finish" that isn't popcorn, but similar I guess, and painted white. Since mold is always an issue, tile might be easier to clean.

Thank you, ladies!