You can get a fine shower from a handheld. If I'm installing just one head in a shower, I recommend the user go with a handheld. They're more versatile, and there is no performance penalty. Understand that many manufacturers use the same shower head for fixed and handheld applications. Same head, just a different presentation. Example, here's the Grohe Relaxa Top4, which is what I have in my shower: Fixed: Handheld: I'll agree with raehelen too regarding the bench. I'll encourage you to eliminate the built-in bench and go with a movable wood stool or bench. Again, more versatile. And more comfortable to sit on. Two heads in a 65" shower is not excessive. Regarding the rainhead and pressure. You are correct, many people who use a rainhead as a daily shower head to shower an shampoo do indeed get frustrated with it. It's not really intended to function that way. But those who use a rainhead for the "rainhead experience", they love the rainhead. If your two heads will be used for functional showering, I'd recommend a fixed head on one wall and a handheld on the other wall. Make the handheld hose long enough so it can be used to wash down the walls. I probably install more Grohe than anything else. When you do change shower heads, there sometimes is a transition when going from what you're used to to what you now have. The new head isn't worse. It's simply different. For your plumbing layout, consider having the supply valve(s) located just inside the shower so you can turn the water on without having to step into the shower. The idea is to eliminate getting hit with a cold spray when you turn the shower on.

There was an enlightening discussion on this a while back so you should try doing a search. In general the gist of the comments was that a rain shower head experience is usually gentle and those with thick hair have difficulty rinsing shampoo and other hair products. Many, however, like the rain shower for the gentleness. In one shower that will be used by grubby children coming in from playing outside we have installed both a rain shower and a handshower in hopes that they will be enticed into getting cleaned up before they wander through the house. This will also probably be the dog shower. We haven't had a chance to use it yet as we are still waiting for our c.o. HTH.

We have a Grohe rainhead shower, and I've never had a problem with it not being able to clean my hair. It has a large surface area; so, may be that helps? We also have a handheld in the shower, but we hardly ever use it. My hair is fairly thick and long, and I've never had a problem. My sister used to live in a 12th floor condo, and she had a Grohe rainhead too. Something about how the plumbing was set up in the old building, but it meant that the water pressure got worse the higher you were up in the building. So, in her apt., I had issues with the water pressure from the rainhead.

Stormy night woke me up. I didn't mean to say "interior room". I meant to say interior walls. If pipes are in exterior walls they could freeze. I am not sure why your counter would be wet when the faucet is on. Does it splash onto the counter when running? Is it your wet hands that drip water on the counter, when turning off the handles, causing the wetness? Have you thought about using a faucet that has a lever at the top of the faucet instead of side handles mounted onto the deck? The lever would be on top of the spout and the drips would go into the sink, right? What I like about my wall mounted faucet, shown above, is that there is no counter to catch the drips for wet hands. In my next remodel there isn't an option for wall mounting so I am hoping my single handle faucet will keep drips over the sink as I turn it on and off. My old kitchen faucet had one handle over the top of the spout, and there was never a wet counter. Yes Oaktown it is soapstone. I actually pieced the backsplash, sink, and counter together out of narrow remnants last winter. the whole room has an old timey feel. I don't have much plumbing knowledge, I use a plumber - but I help :)