Originally Posted by Rob

In the many houses I've inspected, I've never seen painted tiles that look good. Unless yours are really horrible, you might want to reconsider this bit.

If you bought your paint from one of the major DIY chains, they'll probably take it back or allow a swap if you have the receipt. Most do a 28 day exchange. That way you can change for the stuff you really need.

Ordinary emulsion is OK, just not as hard (durable) so it won't tolerate the regular washing down you might want to do in a bathroom. If your bathroom is prone to condensation then you can get paints that are antifungicidal which can help to reduce the black marks you get (no substitute for preventing the condensation by opening windows etc.

Paint is designed to stick on stuff. Don't splash it around and you won't have cleaning problems. Always protect surfaces and clean with a cloth immediately there are any spillages.

Regarding the floor, easiest is vinyl sheet. Numerous patterns. I've always thought carpet in bathrooms is horrible. The upmarket look would be wood laminate (make sure it's moisture resitant), and then tiling. Avoid tiling on timber floors if your don't know what your doing. Too much flexing of the floor and your tiles fail too quickly.