Tiles running up bathtub

I quite like the way the floor tiles wrap up and clad the side of the bathtub in this bathroom by architect David Mikhail. Like the image, I also intend to only tile the wall behind the tub to full height where I need it for the shower - the rest will just get painted.

Tiling the floor is a difficult option as the floor is sloped and uneven and Id need to lay down quite a thick layer of plywood to prevent any movement in the floor which might cause cracking - which means Id have an annoying step up into the room.