It is a little overwhelming to start. You have the functionality aspect of planning the bathroom and then the fixtures/look aspect. I definitely find it less exciting to research the functionality options but that usually ends up being where I wished I spent more time. For the functional - some of the things I think I remember is making a decision - do you want your vanity standard at I think 30 inches (this is our hall bath) our taller at 34 1/2 (our masterbath), or even taller at 36". The 34 1/2 is definitely more comfortable for me than when I use the 30" tall vanity in the hall. Someone else made the point of working around the pipes with the drawer so you can gain more storage. I wasn't able to get that in the cabinet line and every time I see the false drawers I think of what can't be stored there. You may also want to think, where else can you get more storage. In one case - had a niche build in the wall and added a glass shelf - this it the side wall that is next to the vanity. With the fan - someone mentioned making sure it vents properly thru the roof. In addition to that, you may want to see if a skylight is possible and how much it would cost. I wasn't a big skylight person (worried it would leak), but now I love having the extra light in the bathroom and extra ventilation. Not sure if you decided on a grab bar for the shower. Also if you are going with a shower niche (they have the plastic molds that can be tiled into the shower - I think that is easier for contractors to work with, but it is defined sizes) For the fixtures - I used faucetdirect with no problem and did a lot of online shopping. Where I had problems was with the valves and drains and I am not sure if that was because I didn't utilize the sales people enough or that you had to be familiar with my setup specifically to know which product. In one case, the drain wasn't quite right even though it was recommended to go with the tub. The contractor made it work. In another, luckily my contractor told me to order the pop-up drain for the sink. That's another one that doesn't necessarily match for me online. Since my faucet controls were in the wall, I needed the popup drain in the sink. With the valves, in a custom shower, I didn't do my homework on the 1/2 inch versus 3/4 inch and that I needed a transfer valve to switch between the handheld and the main shower. Last thing - I think the tile from HD or Lowes is fine. Tile can get pricey and that is where I wish I had found something that looked nice but was less expensive. If you do want to splurge on something - maybe look into the Benjamin Moore Bath and Spa line paint. It is made for bathrooms and has a matte finish.

Tell us more about the kids. Gender and ages. Having a teeny tiny jack and jill bath with 2 daughters, I can say that there are several areas that need to be addressed if you want the bath to have some semblance of presentability. And avoid losing your mind. 1-kids are not tall. Do not put storage out of their reach. They won't use it. 2-kids are not married--they don't respect each other's property and share well. So Susie may want Crest, and Sally may want Colgate. Susie may want apple blossom shower gel, Sally may want peach blossom shower gel, etc. So frankly it's easier to have each child have their own set of everything. This also eliminates problems when Sally spends the night at Betsy's house and takes everything with her. 3-kids are not careful like adults. They will get nail polish on your nice tabletop. So very utilitarian surfaces are required. I also suggest using a silicone hot pad under hair straighteners so the countertop isn't singed. 4-Teenage kids are Pigs. Disgusting. And old enough to clean their own bathrooms. Make them do it. Plan a place in the bathroom to store Lysol wipes, glass cleaner, toilet cleaner and brush, and paper towels. I recommend having this chore due on trash night. So at least the trash should get emptied. And any time you hear "mom, can I have a friend spend the night?" the answer is, "of course, but you have to clean your bathroom first" So I think when designing your space, to take into account where and how these items are stored. The functional part is more important to get right the decor part. I found that the $4 paper storage boxes with lids that are sold at Hobby Lobby (for VHS tapes and photos...that size box) are great to use to organize in the bathroom. The lids keep things dust free, and daughters can store "unmentionables" there (so they don't steal all of yours!) and they stack up easily and can be labeled. If you have a shower curtain, there are some that have liners with about 20 pockets on them. These are good for organizing there. And as big of a trash can as you can fit. With a plastic bag liner.

I used antique walnut. After the first coat, I was running low (because of the 3 coats I did on the first try and I had a tiny container) so I bought another tiny java and mixed them together and that worked well too. I probably would have preferred all antique walnut. It's a nice dark brown without being super espresso.2 coats of antique walnut will be so nice. Brushing on with a foam brush and then wiping off with a sock in the direction of the grain will give you a nice, dark, stained (not painted) look. You will still see the grain for sure. I'll post some pics from my phone in a minute. I used arm-r-seal and it is very easy to apply. You wipe it on with a shop towel or old t-shirt. However it is oil based and so it has a longer dry and cure time than the water based. However the water based is kind of milky/hazy looking so I'm not sure how it would go over a darker wood finish. My table is wood on top with white skirting/pedestal that I painted. I used arm-r-seal on top (4 coats of gloss and the last 2 satin) and then for the base I did 2 coats of primer, 2 coats of white paint, 3 coats of satin high-performance on the pedestal and 5 coats on the skirt. I used all GF products, they have a good reputation and I'm happy with how they turned out. I'm doing the matching windsor chairs for the table right now (currently primed and about to do first coat of paint today). The prep is the longest and worst part but it's the part that makes the most difference in the finished product! Okay, here's the photo. top left, before touching the top, old orangey oak finish (after I painted the skirt and pedestal). top right, after stripping with citristrip and lightly sanding with 220 grit and cleaning with mineral spirits. Bottom left, after 1 coat of antique walnut, brushed on with foam brush, wiped off with sock in direction of grain. Bottom right, after 1 coat of antique walnut and 2 more coats of antique walnut mixed with java gel, and 6 coats of arm-r-seal (4 gloss, 2 satin). It is curing and we will start using it in about a week. We are a family with 3 young kids and I want to give it time to get as hardened as possible before my kids treat it like crap! citristrip is super duper easy to use, it's just a bit messy, but I did the entire thing inside because it was winter and also I don't have a garage so it was done in my upstairs landing area outside my bedroom! I had a tarp down, then a big flat piece of cardboard, and then I put plastic drop cloths on the walls around in case anything splattered because my walls were recently painted.

I had a bad experience with GF gel stain on an oak desk. The first coat went on great, but it needed one more. I let the first coat dry for 24 hours before the second. When I applied the second coat, it randomly lifted off areas of the first coat. It was just awful looking. I thought it might have been due to my not letting the first coat dry longer, but you had similar problems after 4 days. In my opinion, there was no salvaging it. I stripped everything off (including original stain on desk) and started over. But not with gel stain. I had a wonderful chat with someone in customer support at General Finishes. He told me he preferred their conventional stains. I used their oil-based stain and then finished with their water-based top coat. The desk turned out great and I use it every day. No more gel stains for me.