Fixer upper? Why? There are $5M new construction houses here built with barn doors. Some of that hardware is very $$$$. It really depends on how it looks and fits the overall design.
I think the reference was to âFixer Upperâ the show on HGTV ; )
I got the reference. The show indeed was focusing on, well⊠fixer uppers. Just saying that barn doors do not necessarily reek of that show. 
The homes we peeked at (well above our paying abilities!!) were new and gorgeous. It all depends.
Ah, got it @BunsenBurner.
I agree that barn doors seem to be a high end feature in our area too. We considered adding one to our own home but it wouldnât have fit well with the age and style of the home.
@BunsenBurner, we will just have to agree to disagree about barn doors. That and shiplap need to just go away!
If light is a problem, a barn door might not be a good solution no matter how aesthetically great it is.
Shiplap is fine⊠I am not a fan of it because its grooves can collect dust. What I absolutely donât like is the fake âreclaimed woodâ everything.
Too much brown in that tile for my taste, plus I am not a huge mid-century modern fan.
I have an accordion door on a closet that is made from wood, which is interesting. Itâs not clear how to paint it because of all the moving and flexing parts.
Ok folks, I am telling my Mr. that my imaginary friends aka CC approved the tile selection! I think the mirrors will be the pop of color by themselves. We will use some fun tile color scheme in the guest bath that is in desperate need of updating. Thank you all!
@BunsenBurner, I think the new tile pick is âfine,â but not nearly as noticable/nice as the bright blue. It looks like something Iâd pick (kind of boring and âunderstatedâ) - People wonât hate it but they wonât love it either.
Bunsen, I like the idea of it vertical but think itâs a little dark. FWIW, Iâm in the school of not liking pops of color or barn doors.
I prefer my pops of colors in temporary things like paint and fabric. To me, permanent and expensive fixtures like counter tops and tile should be fairly neutral. In a bathroom, I prefer to add a pop of color with towels and rugs.
That being said, my head wants a plain, subway tile back splash, but my heart is drawn to all the beautiful colors! Iâm just afraid Iâll get tired of it or it will be dated before the thinset dries!
Again, thank you all! I think dark is OK. The countertop is the color of the darkest brown in the tile, and the floor is like the lightest natural stone in the tile. The shower is a mix of the two stones. The bathroom is small but has a skylight and a window, so lots of natural light. The tile will go on the wall where there will be two 42"X42" edge-lit mirrors, so only a relatively narrow strip of tile will be shown around the mirrors. I only need about 25 sft of the tile thank goodness.
Sounds great then
Just going to weigh in on the doors:)
Pocket doors are a great solution for tight entries. If the pocket door is getting installed inside a bathroom remodel project it can be done easily because most of the walls should be torn off for waterproofing reasons, etc. You cannot install where the âpocketâ goes into a shower or bath wall that has any plumbing. Also, any electrical in the wall such as switches or outlets have to be moved. Thats the hidden cost that always bites.
I prefer a pocket door to barn door for a bathroom. A barn door does not close tight over the door. There is always a 1 to 2 inch offset for the sliding hardware. So, light, sounds and smell are coming right out. Does not provide privacy in any way.
I use upgraded Johnson pocket door frames that have really good heavy duty sliding hardware. Handles are difficult because you either get the standard square handle at Home Depot or fancy. There is nothing in between. The fancy big handles are expensive and harder to cut the exact holes into the doors
Phew⊠got the tile and the supplies for the job. Watched a ton of YouTube tile install videos. Off we go!
Good luck, BB!
Thanks! I will have to get a Flickr account if the project is successful - for shameless brags. 
Would love to see the results!
Iâd like to update my kitchen. Prefer to utilize my current cabinets (maple) and have them painted white, get new countertops, preferably quartz, maybe a tile backsplash and all new appliances using the same footprint/layout of my kitchen. The big question mark for me is the soffit. I donât think the soffit holds anything big like venting, etc.âjust electric lines that can go up into the attic.
Big Question: Can the soffit be removed and still utilize the existing cabinets? Iâve seen it done in magazines with small cabinets added in place of the soffit, not sure if this is really doable.
âŠAny thoughts/experience related to removing the soffit and still utilizing the old cabinets?
You can just leave it as open space above the cabinets, and use it for a shelf to put decorations on. You can add a piece of crown molding around the front and sides of the cabinet to dress it up. Some people donât like the look of the open space, but IMO squeezing some short cabinets in there will look weird.
You will be opening a can of worms if you take it the soffit. It will mess up the ceiling, there probably wonât be finished wall or ceiling where the soffit was, and you might find a vent stack or something else in there that you donât about until you open it up.
How big is the soffit?