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.

OK, this has nothing to do with pocket doors, but the 'non traditional bathroom door in semi public area' reminded me of the house I grew up in. The kitchen had a bathroom right off of it. No polite hallway to it, it was just right there in the corner. And it had louvered doors. Yes, louvered doors, like you might see on a pantry, and the "lock" was a small knob and flippy thing that hooked onto it. One light push and the door popped open... My parents entertained alot, but this bathroom was just so weird that they never even mentioned it to guests, and directed them upstairs to the hall bathroom that served the kids' bedrooms. I'm not sure why they never replaced the louvered doors with a solid one, but even if they had, it was still rather bizarre to have a toilet connected to the kitchen!

Have the finishes match all the other finishes, (door knobs, faucets, etc) in your home. Consistency. A constant temperature valve with one, two or three diverter valves -- one for the shower hear, one for the rain head, one for the second shower hear if you have a second one -- is the way to go. Check if an instantaneous "instant" hot water heater for only the shower, or sink, or both is feasible. Any good tile guy will tell you this: Use real tile, not rock, not marble, not glazed stone, polished cement or whatever other variation of tile the national/regional chain tile stores stock. The national/regional chain tile stores are OK for getting ideas, but ask your tile guy his go to tile supplier, and go there and look. Chances are the place will not be glamorous or have luxurious displays, but there are reasons experienced tradesmen patronize the place, good quality raw materials, reasonable prices, varied selection, etc. The overall, final look is all about pulling together patterns, colors, lines, shapes and finishes in a bathroom. Light, natural or otherwise, fits into that list somewhere also. If you're good at this then ok, else consult a professional architect.

are there bedrooms down there as well? if someone will be using the bedroom in the basement, then they will want a decent bathroom to go with it. 6 inches really isn't worth the hassle of taking down or moving a wall. A foot, maybe, 6" ? no. once you put on the wall or tile, you've got maybe 4" total. Maximize the space by choosing a good vanity w/storage, and possibly building a niche into the wall for additional storage. (use the area between the studs as a built in cabinet) using a prefab shower is fine, but pick a decent one as opposed to those flimsy acrylic pieces. you don't say want the resale value is, so i have no way of knowing how much you should invest. You say you bought mid-range, but I don't know what else you need to redo. anything under a 15% profit really isn't worth it. as for fitting it over the existing drains, usually you will need the new drain cover. if the drain needs to come up, there are extensions. I would advise your husband to do some research on how to fit those into an existing bathroom. If he's handy and can build his own slope, mortar bed and waterproof the shower, then he could prob tile it himself. Just depends on how much work you want to do and what the return is on what you choose. by the looks of what you have there currently, you may have some water damage underneath all the mess. Tear out what you can and then determine what you need to do.