Spoiler alert: we have been living with the new, completed bathroom for several months now. It is transcendent, resplendent.

But when I left off we were putting in the plumbing. We decided to put the thermostat and on/off valve on the wall opposite the showerhead. That way, you can open the door and turn on the shower without having to get wet. Nice, right?

This is what the plumbing looks like in order to achieve this effect.