I have a 70-yr-old house with a bathtub that i have just refinished. But I have always wondered why the ceiling is so low above the bathtub. It looks like the builder lowered the ceiling about 18 inches below the rest of the bathroom ceiling, and it makes me curious why they would do this? That said, I think the construction is fantastic. The tile is 1/2 inch thick with a concrete/steel mesh behind it. The walls are solid as a rock and will never buckle or go soft if a little water makes its way past the grout. I wish they were still built this way (maybe minus the low celing).

We love our existing toilet and like our existing tub, but both are in ugly brown '70's. I'd like to brighten the bathroom up- can the toilet and tub be painted white? If so, what preparation needs to be done and what kind of paint is necessary. I'm not sure what material they are- just that they were installed in 70's. Thanks in advance!