I bought 6x6 porcelain (better product than ceramic) for 22 cents apiece recently.

You think it's going to scratch the porcelain finish but it only scrapes off the nasty stains and makes it look great.

New products are out for us tub painters that now cause a MOLECULAR bond, that is, the paint will share an electron with the porcelain itself.

At some point down the road, the inline image won't be up on flickr any more, and this whole thread will look a bit more awkward to somebody reading it for the first time.Some related BP links for your reading - you might get more ideas from people with similar issues:http://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/67/topics/78831-bathroom-window-and-tilehttp://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/67/topics/78694-ponding-on-shower-windowsillhttp://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/84/topics/60299-building-code-window-above-a-bathtubhttp://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/84/topics/66611-tub-surroundhttp://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/67/topics/78806-tiles-debonding--replace-all-or-just-somehttp://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/67/topics/79117-cultured-marble-price-questionhttp://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/67/topics/79001-building-a-bulletproof-bathroom-in-a-duplexhttp://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/52/topics/67384-porcelain-tile-or-fiberglass-for-rentalhttp://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/84/topics/51964-window-or-no-window-that-is-the-question

I know I want to go with porcelain tile in the baths and my partner is pretty sold on cheap carpet for the bedrooms. 

A vapor barrier would inhibit that process.Stone is not waterproof, ceramic and porcelain are.

I will upload a pic to show when I get home but the cupboards and the massive porcelain sink are straight eye soars and its the first thing you walk into the aprtment and see.   

For what its worth, I would personally use a porcelain tile simply for the durability and aesthetics.

But I'm also looking at 12x12" porcelain tiles.

Dark looks really good with real or porcelain slate colored backsplash.