I'm surprised that in a gut remodel accommodations couldn't be made for proper venting. Or did they just forget? Even if they did forget, I'm not up on plumbing code anymore, but you used to be able to wet vent 60" laterally with 2" drain pipe. An air admittance valve is going to leak water every time the water is turned on or off? I've NEVER seen one leak water when properly installed. That said, I've seen the valves hidden in adjacent closets. I've seen the valves run up an interior wall, and then a little "medicine cabinet" type of enclosure was built to house the valve. The door to the cabinet can be made to look like a painting or photo hung on the wall. Sort of like a hidden compartment. Easy to do. The valve does need to be accessible so it can be replaced if needed. The higher above the waterline of the tub you terminate the valve, the less likely you'll ever see water dribbling out of the valve. And again, water should never exit the valve unless there is multiple failure. Clogged line, the valve flapper fails, etc. Any backup within the tub's drain line itself should backup and exit out of the tub's overflow before it ever reached the height of the valve. If you do bring the valve out of the tub deck, then disguise it with a small enclosure that slips down over the top of the valve and its standpipe.

Ha! Think I've seen that picture before, but it still makes me laugh!! Some people just have a fountain in their front yard and a couple flower pots on the porch! ha! What a great visual..... HHmmmmm.....Thanks for the input about the vertical loop. It appears that most all of the discussions that I've read on here have discussed vertical loops - not horizontal. This was not an option that was presented to us. Will pick up the phone and ask more questions in the morning. So that I can go in "armed and educated," can any of you tell me .....would we need the same amount of linear feet if we went vertical, or is that figured using different calculations?? Well depths in the area are only about 275 feet. So, would we be talking about drilling several shallower holes?? And what about the cost of drilling vertical versus the cost of trenching horizontal?? Anything else that I should be aware of before I start stirring the pot?? Again, thanks for your shared wisdom!

You wouldn't like random, but you can achieve it by using a random number generator. They have them on the web. Or you could roll a die. You might also try using the Fibonacci series as a way of spacing the tiles. That describes a great many structures in nature. To the human eye it looks random but pleasing, even though it's not random at all. Your Post-It method should work. Just make sure when you put them up that they're spaced correctly, not so much for the grout lines, as to have the right number of them up and down. Make sure you measure your tiles because nominal 4"x4" are often not that exact size. Instead of the papers, you could use a chalk line (string filled with chalk) to quickly draw where the grout lines will be (remember to include coves, bull noses, etc.), and then just use your 1x1's. If you have a better imagination for positioning than color, you could arrange the actual tiles on the floor as they'd be on the wall. If there's some color variation in the tiles, that's worthwhile anyway. What I do, is start with the view of the whole and put in the first 3-4 to break it up into sections, then start filling in. Sometimes move one this way or that to keep the harmony going. It's much more wholistic than using a numerical rule, but more fun. :)

Paper Towels: On a vertical stand next to my sink. I like having them handy. It is an inexpensive one from Target. In the past, I had them hanging under the upper cabinets. After we remodeled, I needed a new solution. I didn't think the countertop one would be stable, but it is and I really like it. I enjoying being able to grab the whole roll and take it to another room if I need to. Wet dish towels: I have a Rev-a-shelf hanging rod thing on the inside of one of my cabinet doors under the sink. I only use it occasionally though. Usually I have a dishtowel folded in half laying/hanging right on the counter where I stand at the sink. I use it for drying my hands, fruit, dishes, etc. throughout the day. It dries quickly. I have a dish drainer on one side of my double sink, so anything I hand wash usually just dries in there. If I've entertained and have extra hand washing with more dishes on a towel on the counter, then those go on the racks under the sink until they dry. Sometimes if I have one that is really wet and yucky, I just throw it on the tile floor in my laundry room (closet). It is the only tile I have in the whole house (I like to take advantage of it.) :) Cutting boards: In a vertically divided cabinet in one of my lowers. Plastic bags: I donate them to a food bank, so I throw them in the trunk of my car until I see my friend who takes them for me. :)