The downside of many natural tiles is the upkeep, sealing them every so often and keeping the limescale off. Porcelain and in some cases ceramic tiles can offer beautiful marble patterns at a fraction of the cost. The main issue is the difference in pattern from tile to tile, if you go for a high quality manufacturer such as Villeroy & Boch, you will get the most convincing "fake" marble effects. For more info from our designers visit our site www.damans.co.uk

Thanks that was helpful and your Denver project looks great! We were thinking of using a herringbone 2x5" or 2"hexagon calacatta mosaic on the bathroom floor with larger format (18x30ish) porcelain marble effect tiles on the wall. Great pointer about tile depth! I actually have a question about your Denver project as we're considering to use a freestanding bath vs. inset bath in a similar layout (bath and shower sharing a wall). Not sure if I have enough space for a freestanding bath and wondered how close the freestanding bath should be offset from the walls? I might only have a couple spare inches on each short side and a bit more behind the bath for taps. Don't want it to look squeezed in!

Can you attach a photo? I'm not sure why walnut effect porcelain tiles would be harder to clean than any other porcelain tile - perhaps they mean the texture of the tile might be more difficult? Are they textured for wood effect? Or maybe the darker colour? Or do they have a polished/reflective finish? I'd have said it depends what your priorities for the floor are. These tiles will prove an incredibly practical floor, dust can be controlled very easily with a quick swipe around of a microfibre cloth mop without any water. Or you can vacuum. Dirt will require a wet mop and more stubborn mess will need a spot clean with a brush. I think the advantage is that you CAN clean them to spotless, and quite easily too. Its not like having carpet in your hall, which does hide the dust and you can vacuum, but when they get dirty its a real problem. Tiles are harder wearing and, I think, easier to clean than a wood plank floor (although engineered wood is great). The downsides are breakages and the cold surface if you don't have underfloor heating. Having said that, if you do have a reflective polished finish in a dark colour this will definitely show up dust and dirt if you are not a regular cleaner. I have sand coloured (lighter) polished porcelain in my bathroom and that lasts about 4 days before it is desperate for a vacuum. But the same is true of wood floors, there are no fibres to catch all the dust and hair and stop it from floating around - I still wouldn't want carpets though. Hope that helps a bit :)

ED re the screen forming the water barrier at the front, I'm trusting the builder. I didnt ask specifically for a flat tray so I presume he's fitted a lot like it and is happy with how they work. Any issues he'd have to sort it out so it's not in his interest to choose something that doesn't work. He's done a lot of work for me already and is quick to argue with me if I suggest anything unworkable. I've noticed the drain hole is huge compared to a bath, I guess to prevent water build up underfoot. I'll update once the plumbing has been done and the screen is done but it'll be a while as I'm saving for the next phase!