First, the tuck tape. Look for "sheathing tape". It's usually sold in the box stores, sometimes it's red colored. You could use Tyvek tape as well. The vapor barrier is a bit tougher to diagnose. Your exterior foam, "expanded polystyrene" is usually quite leaky with regards to moisture transmission and is not a strong vapor retarder. "Extruded polystyrene" is a much tighter product, and it could indeed be a vapor barrier, probably a Class II barrier. If the exterior foam is indeed continuous on the walls and well detailed, then it might be best to omit the interior poly and just use the Roxul. Your walls may take in some vapor over time, but the vapor should also transmiss back into the bathroom during drying cycles. The biggest problems occur when you have two barriers and one or both are poorly detailed. Over time moisture gets in but has difficulty getting out. Thus the "sandwich" that you referenced. The "imperfect" in your system is the exterior foam. I'm a proponent of foam, but only if it is the right type and the proper thickness. With your exterior foam probably being a Class II on the exterior side of your wall, your best bet is probably to omit the interior poly and simply use other methods on the interior walls. You can use something like Hydroban in your shower (if the shower is on an exterior wall), it's a waterproof barrier but does allow vapor to transmiss through it. For the remainder of your walls, simply use two coats of latex paint over your interior drywall. Latex paint is classified as a Class III vapor retarder. As such, it'll slow moisture vapor transmission that wants to get into your wall, but if any does, it'll allow your wall cavities to dry out during a drying cycle. It's an imperfect solution for an imperfect situation. I'd be completely confident in my reply were your exterior foam thicker than it is and if I knew it was well-detailed. My concern is the interior side of the foam reaching dew point temperatures in winter and any moisture vapor within the framing cavity condensing on the interior surface of the foam, between the foam and the sheathing. That may not be a problem. But it is a consideration, especially since I tend to go towards the conservative side with an "over the internet diagnosis" such as this one. I'd certainly do more research if you can, you might get better information than what I'm offering. You are addressing moisture generation within the bathroom. That's good. Other stuff: 1) I do sometimes insulate interior walls, Roxul is good for that. 2) A simple yet effective sound deadener behind your washer and dryer is nothing more than a second layer of drywall over the first. 5/8" is better than 1/2" due to the added mass. Beyond that you can go fancier: 2a) sandwich a 1/2" sheet of homasote between the two layers of drywall. 2b) Use RC clips and metal channel between the studs and the drywall. 2c) Use green glue between the two layers of drywall. 2d) If you do research you'll probably see references to mass loaded vinyl, but I usually use that only when doing fully integrated sound deadening room "systems". I think you'd do better (and save money) with just using drywall.

Bestyears, auntomichael, lesnyc, & flyleft, Thanks so much. It's so good to have my color scheme validated! Bestyears, I wish I started out my day surrounded by glass tile. Instead, I start out my day surrounded by diapers and baby bottles. When I'm lucky, I can *end* my day in the shower, but that doesn't happen every day... Dgmarie, Lol! The tile is *supposed* to be crooked. Hakatai Ashland and Oceanside Tessera are "rustic" tiles. No one tile is exactly the same, so they don't line up cleanly. There are more pictures on the Oceanside (see link below) and Hakarai websites. It's not everyone's cup of tea, I know. Flyleft, Have you seen ORB tension curtain rods? We wanted a tension rod so we wouldn't have to drill into the glass, but I couldn't find an ORB one. However, I didn't look very hard. I would definitely be open to getting one. Qdognj, flyleft, & dgmarie, Thanks for the input on the caulk situation. We will be placing a call to the tilesetter on Monday. One thing I forgot to put in my post is that we also took out a drop ceiling and shifted half of a wall. I really wish I had "before" pictures!! Here is a link that might be useful: Another example of Oceanside Tessera glass tile (red)

My son and I were the crown molding team--he installed it throughout the house and I was responsible for caulking/priming/painting it. What I learned to do, that was extremely helpful, was: 1. Put a layer of caulk on. 2. Let it dry for a LONG time--several days is good but a week or so is even better. 3. Put in a second layer. The first layer almost always shrinks a bit and 'settles' into the joint. Letting that dry completely then putting in another layer seems to make a huge difference. None of my caulked crown has split or had any problems. Good luck. I use the usual stuff, I think it's Dap, that Home Depot sells. Ann

Terri, I drew this up using the added-up dimensions you gave for both walls -which pretty much agree- instead of the 14' 10" measurement, which is a couple feet longer. If I'm wrong, then these ideas are mute, and I'll redraw it. Let me know. (Adding up the smaller measurements I get 150"-151.5" total room length; that's what I drew.) If this is correct, there won't be enough space to simply extend the counter down for makeup area without creating an odd, ungainly space down next to the shower wall. BUT... there's a nice nook there for making a built-in make-up area on the wall next to the shower. I would use the same counter material (I think you will find that nothing comes close, price-wise, to the Ikea counters, and they are totally worth the 3 hour drive! I know a lot of people who've driven all day for it :))... anyway, I'd use the same counter material, and build it in by setting it on a 9" cabinet on one side, and simply attached to the wall with cleats on the other side. Or, no cabinet, more legroom, but then you will need wall storage for all the makeup and stuff. Maybe a nice slim wall cabinet on one wall would work well and be the cheapest way to do it nicely? Put a big window in between the vanity and makeup desk... lots of natural light. I like the idea of losing the big tall cabinet next to the sink, if it works with your budget. I think the room will feel much airier and spacious without it, to compensate for the fact that you're adding more shower bulk, which will make the room smaller. It also seems to me that the 18" deep space opposite the vanity is sort of wasted now. How about doing open shelving there, with a matching set of pretty boxes/baskets on it to hold some of your bathroom stuff, and folded towels can also go there... imagine how much more open feeling that whole vanity/sink area will feel without the tall cabinet there. You could do some open shelves, and some hooks if you like robe storage there... I would replace the mirror over the sink with a larger one, with nice sconces on either side. In the wall area now taken up by the tall cabinet, you could add a couple more (matching) open shelves with baskets/bins if you need more storage. If you decide to replace your vanity, I would highly recommend getting base cabinets with drawers rather than doors. it is SOOOOO much easier to stow your stuff, like all the bottles and tubes that end up on the counter, if there are drawers to pull open rather than hard-to-access shelves inside regular cabinet doors. If you wanted to explore doing that, I'd recommend simply getting base cabinets (just like kitchen ones, except they are shallower (although it'll be cheaper and easier to use regular kitchen ones if you have the depth for 24" cabs there, I couldn't quite tell from the drawing...) For example, using Ikea kitchen base cabinets, you could do the whole run, from the corner next to the door, to where the vanity ends now, for about $600 including a whole bunch of soft-close drawers, in this style (of course there are lots to choose from!) or $525 in this style of cabinet (I know you don't ike the green color, but the pics are just for the cabinets) Some Ikea bases with drawers actually come in 12" deep sizes, so even if you didn't have space for full 24" deep, you could still do it. By the way, when I was poking around on the Ikea web site, I saw several drawer/cabinet things that are a nice, rustic look like you're after. Very inexpensive, too. You might like some of them. If you are considering re-doing your cabinets, that would be another possible budget-minded way to go :) by using something like this, and a wood top. Might need to add some slightly taller legs (easy to do in similar pine) to get it to the right height. If you do something along these lines, I don't think you need the beadboard on the walls. Especially since you seem not to like "so much white"... although of course if you want to spend a bit more you could do rustic wood siding on the walls. I think you asked about painted wood walls, above. WEre you talking about this: ? I think that's painted V-groove paneling. It comes many ways... some in sheets, primed MDF. Some as individual or double planks, either primed or even rustic knotty pine. It's basically like beadboard, but without the bead, and iinstalled horizontally rather than vertically. If you like this look, you should check into pricing for the "real" 1/2" stuff (not the cheaper, thin MDF panels) which can be installed INSTEAD OF sheetrock. I don't know, but it may be similar pricing, because you wouldn't have to pay for all the expensive labor to finish the sheetrock. Maybe you and your DH could even install it yourselves?