Abfabamy, yeah that's a tower with glass either side. The inspiration for this design was actually taken from this bathroom. http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/6334654/thumbs/Gorgeous-Bathrooms- (Ignore the first four pictures [they're from another bathroom] and see the last picture for the shower). I was trying to replicate that design, with a few changes to suit my personal tastes. I could do a half wall, but was trying to keep as much glass as possible, as I much prefer that look. I think there's enough privacy for the toilet behind the tower, and I doubt two people would be using the toilet and shower at the same time. I dunno, it's getting late here, so I'll fiddle around with the design some more tomorrow, see what I can come up with. Thanks x

Hi Cat-Mom, Yup, we're also renoing Living Room and Master Bedroom at the same time- you? :>) I just faux-painted our entry stair railing to make do until we add on to our front entry. So many balls in the air, hard to juggle it all at one time. kgwlisa, That's what I had thought of so far, basement ceiling has been ripped down, so all the plumbing is fully exposed, and present shower and bath have leaking problems, so things pretty well have to be redone anyways. I was even contemplating 'borrowing' more out of the common wall when we build it, by building in storage behind mirror and perhaps a deeper vanity. I'm assuming this is a fairly basic/common plan, and hopefully others have paved the path... Rae

Thanks to everyone who took the time to respond and give me good advice. You pretty much confirmed that what we are doing is right--just "being there," keeping things light, not making a big deal out of this to DSS. KKNY, you don't know me, yet you read the worst into what I said, in the meantime, ignoring all of the clearly positive aspects of it. Perhaps I should read the worst into your post to point out that you did nothing more than take an opportunity to further what appears to be your "mission" to attack the SMs here. If you really wanted to help, as a BM, you could offer some constructive advice. But if you did that, you might actually help IMPROVE a step situation, which would REALLY run counter to your "mission," now wouldn't it?? For your information, and for anyone else who is wondering, I made the point that they are not "good enough" to make their middle school team (yes, they had try-outs and DID NOT make it) to show that this "team" they are on is just a step above "pick-up basketball" in the neighborhood. It is something they do for fun and exercise, but b-ball is not a sport that either of them particularly excel at, nor is this league something that is that important to them vs. time with their father, which they need, NOW MORE THAN EVER, IMO. It would be like DH telling them he can't do visitation one weekend b/c he has a church league b-ball game. If DH has to miss visitation for work (which almost never happens, as even though DH is a lawyer and works MANY hours a week, he puts in extra hours during the week so he can take off the weekends and be with DSSs), or if DSSs have to miss for school, church or some other activity that is really important to them, that is another matter. And this is not MY original sentiment--I am actually parroting what DH says, and HE certainly is allowed to make statements w/o having bad motives ascribed, ISN"T HE, KKNY??? The point I was trying to make is, there are some activities that really "justify" missing visitation, and others do not and are an "excuse" which is a symptom of a problem. If we suddenly agree to skip visitation everytime there is something going on that one of them could possibly do, we might as well tell them to "have a nice life" as I suggested above. I probably should have mentioned that DSSs have played in this league for years and have NEVER had a problem missing Sat. games for visitation, so it seems obvious it was an "excuse" this year. Also, they both are VERY VERY good at other things, and we support them. DSS 14's soccer team went to the state championships last year. DSS 12 has only lost a few wrestling matches IN HIS LIFE! So, when it comes to soccer and wrestling, we understand that they can't miss and work around those things. Someone mentioned "walking on eggshells" around SKs. That is the real irony of KKNY ascribing bad motives to me. For 9 years, I have gone out of my way to try not to say anything that would be upsetting to DSSs. When they do things that I would correct my son on in a minute (like eat chocolate chip cookies, brownies, etc. dropping crumbs all over the kitchen instead of over the counter, pouring a large glass of the last milk we have in the house so that there is none for anyone else) I do not say ONE WORD. I remind myself that I am glad they like my cookies, and I'm glad their drink of choice is MILK over soda. Of course, I would think nothing of telling DS 6 not to do that or anything else. But I don't want to do anything to make them feel "picked on" at our house. So it is almost LAUGHABLE to me that someone here would say I made a "dig" at DSS 14 over not being good enough to make the middle school team. Also, I feel badly for DH b/c he is truly one of the best dads one could imagine. Someone asked that recently on another thread. My DH is a wonderful DH and an amazing dad. When DSSs were little guys, he bathed them, dressed them, complete care. (He bathes our 2, does diaper changes, etc.) DSS 14 plays guitar and when his band played for his school recently, DH took the morning off work to be there. (4+ hours round trip for a 15 minute assembly, but again, he loved every minute of it.) He also takes DSSs INDIVIDUALLY on father-son weekends each summer. (For past 3 years, DSS 12 and he have gone to father-son wrestling camp; DSS 14 and he have been to father-son baseball camp and pro football Hall of fame.) DH loves to laugh and has a very witty sense of humor and always keeps things light. I just read this response to DH in its entirety and he agrees with everything I've said. I think I'm going to end this with the sentiment that the fact that DH and I are on the same page and have a STRONG, HEALTHY, HAPPY marriage will get us through this. Thanks again for all who posted on this. Have a good day.

Looks like the past home owners were going for a transitional look, but ended up with a weird hybrid of transitional/eclectic. Nothing inherently wrong with it I guess and looking at it. It doesn't seem you would have to do anything really extensive to get the modern look you are going for. Id start with the cabinets myself. That concrete sink just has to go. Im not sure what the last home owners were thinking with that one. It does not fit well with the current look of the bathroom nor would it fit the modern look you are looking for. Its a Leviathan of a sink that draws the eye away from everything else. The drawer fronts are already flat which is great for the modern look you are going for. I would opt to remove the shaker style cabinet doors though and replace them with flat front doors the same species of wood. Id also re-stain the cabinets to a darker color to give them a little more contrast in the room. If you plan to do it yourself opt for a nice General Finishes or Old Masters Gel stain that can go right over the existing finish. Last but not least for the cabinet door and drawer pulls. Change them out for something longer. 8 to 10 inch bar style pulls will go a long way to updating the look If you are really a stickler for detail and you want to really get into it. Get rid of the block glass around the shower and opt for a frame less plate glass instead. Maybe even add a knee wall where the block glass is between the shower and the toilet. Id also get rid of the mosaic tile on the floor of the shower. It just looks drab. Look for something with the same color variations as the wall tile, but with a little more pop to them. Last but not least for the shower. The shower trim kit to me completely go against the modern look you are going for. The trim can be changed out easily. Just opt for something of the same brand. If you go with a different brand then you will get into having to change the shower and diverter valves which means tearing out wall tile and plumbing. To much of a hassle. Stick with the same brand. Id get rid of that eclectic style ceiling light. For something with a more modern look. That square pot light over the toilet is really hurting the look of the bathroom. The vanity light over the sink is to eclectic and would need to go. The mirror is just to small and the frame around it does not suit the look you are going for. Also the wall mount faucet. Very traditional looking. Nothing wrong with the faucet being wall mounted I would just replace it with something more modern like a the Delta Trinsic wall mount faucet. Just my opinion on what should be done. I am not sure just how for into a remodel you were looking to get though