Bathroom Walls

I'm wondering if we can save the current built-in unit that is in the den.  Could it be reused in the bathroom (painted white?)  Also, could we remove the paneling and use it as wainscoting?  My only concern about wall materials in the bathroom is around the shower and toilet, which should both be tiled.  The shower is obvious.  The toilet--that's just to do with having little boys who aren't too accurate at the bathroom.  Let's talk this over.

Bathroom Flooring

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053&R=202497914&catEntryId=202497914#BVRRWidgetID

Here's the flooring I want for both the master bath and for the main floor bathroom.  Home Depot has it for $6.95 per square foot.  Or, can we find it cheaper elsewhere?

Let's talk about toilets!

Since we've got two bathrooms to outfit, it's time I started researching the essentials.  I started with the most essential of essentials:  the toilet!  I learned that toilets are responsible for the largest share of home water use (30%).  The average family of 4 flushes their toilet 5840 times per year.  Given that, every savings of a 1/10th of a gallon per flush saves 584 gallons per year!  That's a lot of water.  Of course, because water is currently so cheap (we pay, at most, about a penny a gallon for water here in Manhattan, KS) that this doesn't make a big financial difference.  But, imagining 584 gallons of pure, drinkable water flushed down the toilet each year--that is something to think about.  So, I'd say our goal is to buy an efficient toilet without sacrificing much on flushability (a term that I just created.)

Currently, the standard for toilets is 1.6 gallons.  Efficient toilets, single flush toilets are commonly 1.28 gallons per flush (GPF).  Dual flush toilets are often 1.6/.8 GPF.  The EPA has a "Watersense" label that marks more efficient toilets.

Other details:  It's good to have a "glazed trapway" as this helps waste exit.  Standard height is 14-15".  Adults, particularly the elderly, like a higher toilet.  Of course, we have young boys for whom a taller toilet would mean more accidents.  So, standard is probably fine for us!

Pressure assisted toilets are often more efficient, but they are usually more expensive ($400 and up).  And, I don't know if they are harder to install or repair.  

Reviews about toilets tend to complain about cheap plastic seats and plastic handles.  

Peacock Sketches

This is one of several possible versions of a peacock window.  It's the most complex one.  I have another, more basic one that lacks the inner set of "eyes" but it won't upload correctly to the blog, for some crazy reason.  Anyway, it's a start!

Peacock Design

It's time that we got crackin' on drafting a design for the "peacock window."  This design could also be modified to be used for custom wood decorative pieces for the covered entry ways and dormers.  I've collected a few "fanlight" windows here, to act as guide/inspiration.  The windows featured below have between 7 and 12 "rays." The ones with 10-11 rays look best to my eyes.

In this basic illustration of a peacock, you can see how there are different types of feathers, the "eyes" that we all think of and the "T"s which float above the rest.  It would be impossible (and not even desirable) to try to reproduce all the feathers in a peacock tail.  We'll have to decide what level of detail is desirable (and practical.)