Thanks for all the positive words. It means so much to me. thuesen - Our Kohler Archer tub is 5 feet long. When we looked at the tub just out of the box in our basement we were afraid it was too narrow for showering but it turned out to be fine. It is a great soaking tub too. It does have the toe tap drain which was new to us and has taken some getting used to. The only DIY we did was choose and pick up all the products, wall prep, ceiling painting, and some demo. We hired a contractor to do most of the demo, all of the sheet rock, tile, vanity installation and electrical work. We hired a plumber for sink, tub, toilet installation and a wallpaper guy to hang the wallpaper. We did the shelves, mirror, towel racks, pictures, and other accessories. Given that we live in New England where everything is expensive and that we chose rectified porcelain Italian floor and wall tiles, and Toto toilet, we ended up spending almost $11K but that includes absolutely everything down to the new cup and toothbrush holder. Labor costs were $3500 for the contractor (our neighbor who does wonderful work), $1400 for plumbing, and $350 for the wallpaper labor. I was hesitant to throw out those numbers but I will be interested to get some feedback given that I am starting on the downstairs bathroom (also small) as we speak.

I had the same problem with my Hansgrohe polished nickle shower fittings. After forgetting to wipe the water dry after one use, the stubborn stains would not go away. I called the manufacturer several times and everytimes I had a different advise. First I tried blue original windex. Apprently Hansgrohe approves that product. it did not work. I also tried diluted vinegar, WD-40, as well as CLR (in diffent concentrations) none of them worked. I finally got a hold of Flitz multi purpose metal polish (in a tooth paste form) and it worked like a magic! Eventhough polished nickle was not one of the metals listed, but I decided to give it a try, since I was running out of options. Flitz is hard to find unless you buy it on line. I found mine in a kitchen and bath fixture shop. To prevent from happening the company recomands NuFinish (orange bottle only) . here is what hansgrohe sent me: To prolong the lifespan of your unit and keep it looking new we recommend the following care tips: 1. Regularly massage/rub the nodules on your hand shower/overhead shower/hand sprayer to keep water debris from accumulating on your water spouts. 2. Periodically soaking your unit in a 50/50 solution of warm water and CLR (Calcium, Lime, & Rust remover) for no longer than 10 minutes and then rinsing with fresh water. (this didnt work, But Flitz did) 3. Polish your unit with Flitz or NuFinish (only orange bottle). 4. Clean your unit with mild soap and water. Refrain from cleaning your products with any of the following: 1. Vinegar 2. Anything acidic (even organic products that have acidic ingredients) 3. Anything "no rinse"

Thank you so much nannymac! We did use a KD to design the kitchen (layout, cab/drawer locations, island/tabletop leg design), and he worked very closely with us to incorporate our "vision" for the space, which we (DH and I and our KD) tweaked along the way as needed or desired. The details were all chosen by us; e.g. the appliances, fixtures, granite, backsplash, cab hardware (even the cherry wood switchplates, which we ordered and then gave him to have the cab manuf stain to match the cabs). Those items (among others) we researched/found on our own. The bathrooms were "all us!" LOL. Of course, we were (and still are) extremely fortunate to have a great tile guy, and tile place(s), and plumber, to help and advise us when necessary, since we were our own GC's for the bathrooms (as well as the kitchen). Our bath/kitchen/hardware showroom salesperson was invaluable (literally) in helping us pick and choose fixtures, for function, price, quality, and style. He knew the look we were trying to create (and the price ranges of the different lines, and our budgetary constraints), and we bounced a lot of ideas off each other.

You're right Pepper -- it's such a minor flaw. The faucet is sort of centered on the center of the sink (the divider) and it could be moved over some to the right. But seriously, no big deal at all. Worst case is I end up buying a new faucet eventually. But I love the faucet so I'm just altering slightly how I do some dishes. Gosh, considering all the many larger things that could have gone wrong, this is just a blip on my radar. AND, I didn't know about the cutting board -- didn't have one listed when I purchased the sink ages ago. Off to search it out! I may end up buying it! Thanks.