Umaisarah

Since you're into wood, there's a shop at Holland Village Shopping Centre which sells vases made of mango wood. It's very nice, zen-like and classy. But not cheap lah, one tall vase is abt $100+ I think. But they claimed that their mango wood comes from the Philippines or some such place. Holland V itself has got some nice furn and soft furnishing shops. Sigh....I miss my old neighbourhood

Final set of pictures. Master Bathroom. Vanity with resin shelves bought at Howards and cloth baskets from Ikea. Bath/Shower area with the blinds open. Hvn't tried the bathtub yet. Am planning to put some potted plants (fake or real) on the bay window so can act as shield if someone uses the bathroom accidentally while the blinds are still open. Very messy WIW. Bought the wire baskets from Ikea to keep my pjs and everyday home clothes so they won't fall off the shelf. Cuz there's no room in the bedroom, had to put in the dry cabinet and locked pedestal (for personal and valuable stuff) in the WIW, making it more cramped than ever!

Master Bedroom. View from entrance, looking into the balcony and the TV wall. Was very disappointed in the wall. My ID charged me $250 for sticking some bits of plywood on the wall and painting it. Another view, looking directly at the Yoshi bed and Serta mattress. The mattress is fantastic, by the way, and so are the pillows. Highly recommended. View of the '3' moons.

The last and smallest of the common bedrooms. This is my helper's room and also the workroom. We bought her the sofa bed (with the red covers) but she ended up sleeping on the bay window on the floor cuz it's more convenient. So she just use the sofa bed as a chill out chair. Pictures of the common bathroom which is currently being used by the helper. Patsy - I finally succumbed and bought the bamboo bath caddy! My hubby had to file away a bit of the bottom part so that it can fit into the space. The solar film on the windows is DIY. True story: While I was taking pictures from my MBR balcony, a neighbour opposite my block was having a shower, how do I know this? Because I CAN ACTUALLY SEE him....! Ew....thank goodness it was blurry and can only see his torso, but still...EWWW.... His bathroom was like this one, with big windows looking out into the neighbours. If u don't put some sort of curtains or blinds or film, for sure ppl can see your shadows or bits of you when you're taking a shower! Thank goodness, for my particular layout, the bathroom looks into a void, so it's only your next door neighbour who can see. Whereas for this guy, the whole block can see him, LOL.

Looks very Zen right? Too bad it's going to be covered by the bookcase. The sunflowers are fake lah....got it from this plastic flower shop at Anchorpoint (can't remember the name). Oh, must tell you this funny thing that actually happened. The mover who carried the vase and the flowers, he actually smelled the flower and scratch the black centre part to check if it's real or not, hahahahaahaha I got the vase from this shop somewhere in Siglap. Can't remember where, sorry but I do remember it has a nasi lemak factory shop just next door to it. That's as much as I can remember, if it helps

Let's move on to the bedrooms. This is the bedroom with the bay bed and loft bed, another major reno item. Was disappointed somewhat that my ID didn't improve on the Google Sketch I gave her, I mean, just look at those hard square corners and edges! You can cut open your head if you accidentally bump into them! If I had known how to draw rounded corners maybe it would have turned out differently??? There's no grilles on the windows which kinda freaked my mom out. But the windows have this safety mechanism that allows it to be opened only up to certain amount. Beyond that, need an adult to press some lever to open all the way. I myself haven't figured out how to open the windows the whole way For the time being, we dun intend to put grilles but must admit, it does freak me out too when I see my youngest standing just next to the open window. So I always hv to shout at her to move away. This is the other bedroom where my oldest sleeps. Major reno works here is the study table and the top-hung cabinets. Bookcases from Ikea. Still very messy cuz we've dumped my books here too while waiting for the other bookcase in the living room to be done.

More living room pictures! Direct view of the TV console which is one of the items in my reno bill. Didn't quite have the WOW factor I was going for, but on 2nd thots, I suppose the simple look is nice too. If you noticed, that whole wall where the TV is, is filled with stuff; TV console, then the lamp, the big mirror, the shoe cabinet and then the cushioned bench. Looks very cluttered and messy, but what to do we have to put those things someplace, right? This is view of the dining room from the living room. Sorry, had to censor my cutie pie's face, hee hee. My dining set is extra special cuz it can transform itself to a clothes dryer.....NOT. Dining set still being varnished and upholstered, so for the time being, we're using this space to dry out the clothes. Charming, isn't it.... Shot of the balcony where the future flower garden will be. Right now, it's just a bicycle garden

From the kitchen to the living room. Here's the wall immediately outside the kitchen. I'm going to put the bookcase I ordered from Nakim Homes here. Still in production in Indon. The stool in the pic will join its cousins once the dining set is delivered. View of the living room from the kitchen door. That space behind the 2-seater bench is actually the planter but haven't got round to buying the plants yet. My plan is to have a herb cum vege garden at the planter area and a flower garden at the balcony. Another view of the living room from the back of the sofa. Oops! Didn't realize can see my hubby's sarong and foot there!

Really? We noticed that it trips about 1-2 minutes after it's on, and if the temp is above 75 degrees. Weird. Ok, will try as you suggested. but we hv tried it already a few times and still trip leh....

Moving on to the kitchen first! View of the tiny kitchen from the entrance and looking into the yard area. The microwave above the washing machine has been with the family for close to 10 years now. National brand is the best! I dun think they make this type of microwave anymore. Anyway, the cabinets above the microwave was something I added in, that's why the colour is a bit off from the rest. Bargained it down from $500 to $250 with my ID cuz she made it without me agreeing to it first, hah hah. See that trolley next to the washing machine? Got it from Howards, very useful if you hv narrow spaces. Helper put all the detergent, softener, peg holder etc there so it's easy to take when want to use. So now my eldest can also do her own laundry Btw, yes we're going to do something with the mops, cans of paints hanging out by the window. My hubby has yet to sort out the store. Those things are going in there obviously. View of the kitchen from the yard. I love my collection of blue plates tt you see on top of the dish drainer. Collected on my two trips to Turkey. Can't find a good place for it except in the kitchen for the time being. Close-up of the kitchen. That thing on top of the toaster is actually a fan. Since we can't install a ceiling fan, we got a cute little box fan to provide some relief for my helper when she's slaving over a hot stove Oh yah, the built-in oven which comes with the condo DOESN'T WORK! Tried to bake some chicken with the oven on Sunday (helper's day off), and half the house tripped! Not sure if it's to do with the electrical wiring or the oven. And now I can't find the warranty card. Haiz......

Reno Picture Story, Chapter ??? (lost track aredy) Okay, finally took pictures yesterday nite, with a proper camera this time, not my crummy iPhone. View of the hallway and living room from the main door. That's the Crystal Homes shoe cabinet on the right with some dusty Ikea candles on top. Turn to your left and you get a peek of the kitchen from the glass window. That's quite a nice design touch as it brings in light into the kitchen and vice versa. You can also know who's in and out of the house, so you won't get a shock when your hubby comes home and suddenly appear at the kitchen door, heh heh

Hi Pink! Heard my name being mentioned, heh heh. Hey, your house is coming along very nicely. Like your choice of tiles for the bathroom. Very classical and Victorian. Your hubby managed to fix the bookcase back or not If you're looking for that fancy number plate thingy, you can check out the home exhibitions at Expo. I got mine there but it was many moons back. Dunno whether those stuff are still in style or not.

Er...the doors came with the house. I just need to put in curtains, that's all. But surely u need doors to shield the room from the elements, right? and for privacy and security? Is yours a private or HDB flat?

Wah, so good yours is ready! I hvn't check with him again. Each time I chk with him, I kena scolding so now got phobia. Anyway, u can collect on Monday, mah....let the sideboard sit there in his shop lah

It's actually my old dining set that he's refurbishing. I find D a bit cranky and odd. He seems supernice when I met him at my house and at his shop, but when correspond over SMS, he's sometimes quite nasty in his choice of words and very rude at times. Is this a British quality? Maybe England can comment, hah hah. Anyway, not sure if he's still in the UK or not if u intend to SMS him. Wah, how u track down the other person who won the PS3? Got any game to recommend or lobang for cheap games? I find them quite ex leh.....

Hi! Hi! Wah, din realize been almost a mth since my last post! Been superbz with move and work. House is still messy but not as bad as last week. All the TV and electronic stuff are hooked up last weekend, so we finally get to try out our new, free PS3. With a very tame Lego Indiana Jones game My dining set is STILL NOT DELIVERED yet. Very upset about that. Apparently got miscommunication btw the shop and me (meaning the shop owner MISINFORMED me). Said it will take 10 days (2 weeks to be safe) but now its been almost five weeks already. Grrr.....Now he's in the UK cuz his mom is sick. and I hv no idea when my dining set will be ready. So we're eating off the coffee table. Ngunadi, if you're reading this, better check and re-check with D when the sideboard will be ready in case he 'misinformed' you also. Also upset that the main contractor for the condo didn't want to repair my store door. It came off the hinges on a paticularly windy afternoon abt a week before I even moved in. But when they checked, they said it's due to the fault of the reno, and since warranty period over, they are not responsible for repairing it. Grrr.....but the developer person was nice enough to offer to fix the hinges if I bought the hinges myself. In the end, my hubby said he will do it himself. Dunno whether it's just my place, but is it superhot these days??? There's hardly any breeze or wind, and my place is very warm even in the evenings. I miss my windy and breezy Strathmore flat (ok, stop reminiscing and whining!) Was planning to post the final pictures when the dining set comes home, but since I dunno wen that'll be, I'll post some pictures later tonight. Till later!

Yah tdy feel so drained cuz of all e problems. I moving nxt Thu, yeah!

Tiring day at the new place. My mom, sis and aunt came over so they took all of the chairs available Problem with curtains and blinds at my living room cuz the pelmet depth is not enuff. So now, even though blinds and curtains are installed, I can't open the windows! And blinds can go up, but not down! Sigh...sigh...sigh... So need to do a bit of mod for my curtains. Most likely it has to be hung outside of the pelmet. Aiyah, it's gonna spoil the 'concealed' look Carpenter was there and I witness with my own eyes when he made a big ugly scratch on the brand new parquet floor! Haiz! Complained to my ID, she assured me they will rectify it. Well, we'll see abt that... I still hanging on to the last 5% payment .....

Wah! I like your outdoor and dining set Very nice and cosy place you've got there. So when is your 'official' move-in date

Hey, hey, am at my new place right now, coming to you all live using my M1 Mobile Broadband Citygas man came and went. Now waiting for curtain guy to come at 1 pm to put up the curtains. Hubby put up the TV but then we realised we didn't bring any TV cable with us so no chance to watch TV 3-4 pm waiting delivery of my bed and coffee table. Carpenter supposed to come down and do final touch-ups and outstanding work, but it's now 12 noon and there's neither hide nor hair of them Will update with pics once those things are done!

Go to Howard's Storage World at Harbour Front for some ideas. I bought their resin shelving which you can put on top of the vanity table. Then you can buy nice weave baskets (Ikea has some nice, cheap ones in various sizes) to store and organise your barang2. That's how I'm doing mine, but my vanity top is inside the bathroom. I dun hv dressing table in my MBR. Here's a pic of shelf on top of the vanity (but without the baskets). Otherwise, if you're asking your ID to custom make the vanity table, ask him/her to include shelving underneath the table or at the sides for your stuff. You can visit Ikea for ideas.

Here are some pictures of my bamboo deck @ living room @ Master Bedroom

Wow you're all done! Jealous, jealous . Mine supposed to handover last Saturday, but still got a few outstanding work and touch-ups. Happy for you that your reno went smoothly Everything looks good. Like the bamboo caddy in your spa bathroom. I didn't buy but now like v tempted Your bamboo deck looks darker, could be becoz it's taken during night-time? Do put in more pics once you're done unpacking. Btw - who's the little girl in your avatar who I see also takes centrestage in your living room? (sorry for being so kaypoh ) very cute! that's not you when you were young isit??

Is that a shoe cabinet cum bench? Try Crystal Homes at Upper Serangoon.

YET MORE CARPENTRY! Low slanted ledge in master bedroom. We're not cutting the edge here cuz there's a gap already and it's quite low so can just let the curtains pool at the bottom. You see, we are not unreasonable ppl Study table for me to pay bills and surf Renotalk while DH sleeps Bifold door at bathroom.