Stephanie's is actually a stand - I have one, can only put fingertip towels on it since it's so short. But works for DD, I'm thinking a towel ring or hook on the back wall b/t mirrors when she gets taller. Why don't you buy an inexpensive stand and try it to see how you like it before you commit? Hooks are easier, but rings look neater (if people bother to fold the towels before slipping them through the rings) and I think are more secure - the towels don't fall off them like they do the hooks. Hooks or rings, a position on the side wall near each sink may be more convenient, not just for kids, depending on how far apart the sinks are/how far from the walls they are. You could always place the hook for the "in-use" bath towel higher and closer to the shower and still fit a hook or ring closer to the sink and lower (just check the length of your handtowels, remember they're not doubled on a hook like they are on a ring, so hook would be higher than ring in the same location). I don't know if you really need to frame out for hooks or rings like you do for bars - unless you think your kids would really pull on them.

We're in AZ, so everything dries within 24 hrs or less. We always had bars and folded the towel long-ways in half and then over the bar. It was always dry by the next morning in this doubled manner. When we redid the old bathroom, I opted for a bar again for myself (because I also have a washcloth) and a hook for DH because he's not a very neat folder. His towel was still always dry by the next morning. I could see the mold potential, but if you get one of the big hooks that holds the towel out a little from the wall, I don't see how it would differ from the depth of a bar from the wall. In our new house, we're currently sharing one bar on limited wall space and I fully plan to switch DH to a hook again when we remodel. We also didn't have a hand towel bar when we moved in, so I just put up a removable plastic hook for the meantime. It's worked out very well (as DH ALWAYS removed the towel from the bar and didn't put it back) and I plan to hang both bathrooms' hand towels on hooks permanently as well!

My towels dry fine and I am on the Great Lakes where humidity is high. Just only hang one towel per hook. If there is more than one on a hook could be a problem . I have 5 hooks in the space of a single towel bar that would only hold 1-2 towels. I do have a towel ladder at one house. That holds more than a traditional towel bar and is a nice place to stage clean towels. So that’s another option.

It really won’t matter much. I think I’d match the faucets. So, brushed nickel I guess.