I chose the Kingsley in brushed nickel. I have no idea what's causing the problem at this point. I have not called Moen or contacted a plumber because we rarely use the tub/shower and so we can work around the issue. Basically, we've determined that if you pull the water into the on position while the temperature is turned to hot, turning the handle into the cold position will not produce any cold water (it will remain scalding hot). If you pull the faucet to on while in the cold position, then you can adjust the temperature while the water is on. I had a plumber install the valve (which I purchased from a local plumbing store), so I think the valve was installed correctly. I really need to call Moen and find out what might be causing this issue. I really really hope it's not something that will require replacement of the valve, as I tiled the bathroom myself and loathe the thought of tearing it out and re-doing it.

Thanks so much for all of your kind comments! Lnersesian, I just posted a floor plan in photobucket. Sorry for the delay - all of our "official" floor plans are on giant architect-sized paper, not scanable with what I have here at home, so I just sketched one out. The walls are easy to identify but some of the notes I made aren't so easy to read, I apologize... if you have questions, I'll check back from time to time so I can answer them. At least it gives you an idea about the flow. The exposed beams are another idea we took from "Not So Big House." It gives a sense of separation between the living, dining and kitchen because it is all one room. It is nice to have den as an "away room" from the noise of the TV at times. carolyn53562, we used fir wainscoting in the downstairs bath. It was old - about 75 years - stored in my parent's garage all these years. They never used it and no longer wanted it. It was darker than some of the newer fir we bought because of its age. We just used a clear lacquer finish on it. The bay window is great for letting in morning light. The dining/island area could be a little dark without it, although it is nicely lit in the afternoon. I haven't made a cushion for that area yet, but anticipate it will be a nice reading spot when that's done. Last winter we did feel like we were living in a postcard! I love the quiet of snowfall... it was mud city when it melted though! Thanks again for all of your nice comments. It has been so inspiring to see all of the finished homes here, I just had to share our own.

Hi, There is a shower repair plate you may want to think about. We called them Stainless steel Smitty plates. a skilled plumber can cut a hole in the shower a little smaller than the Smitty plate. He then cuts out the old valve, solder in the new valve ,mount the smitty plate, install the valve trim over the smitty plate. Done. Good Luck Woodbutcher

We just put in Delta temperature-controlled handles with Moen shower heads, works great. Delta has a lot of options with newer temperature control technology. Are you down to the sheetrock there? You might be able to replace more of that valve and get a better working system if you can replace things further back into the wall.