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Thanks! Aiyo... will sure invite la, esp the west-siders. the rest are also welcome, provided they don't mind visiting the ulu West side of SG. but likely to be in July or after; furniture coming in end-June, and we still need some time to unpack, and for my wife to "decorate/accessorize/personalize" the place... i think it will definitely be after Lady_R's & Ely's or even Kobelala's... yes. reduced cost for lighting points; can be affordable if not using LED lights, but the default halogen type of light bulb is very energy-consuming and radiates a lot of heat... if i'm ever going to get a new place and do renovation again... i'll go crazy on track lighting (and hopefully LED ones)... LOL... yah... forget it liao... too late to make drastic changes, but seriously, having the WC right in front of the glass door for the common bathroomis kind of *dumb*... maybe i should have expand the entrance to the common bathroom, by "converting" part of the un-used walkway at the 2nd level. Thanks. but the bathrooms are definitely smaller la. only gd thing, both bathrooms are side by side, so they can share the storage heater, unlike your case. one thing i regretted not specifying upfront, was to have hot water piped to my kitchen tap... think that would be useful for cleaning stubborn stains... i think that was one of the locations we've considered, but somehow, it ended up at the area above the bedroom door. maybe coz it's more "concealed" there... oh well... yah... actually lesson is: get the normal/common lights from the neighbourhood lighting shops ard your place. probably... will need to "live-in" before practicality or design mistakes kick us in the shin...

hmmm... i suppose our wall should be the same. anyway, the previous owner also laid the trunking in the similar manner, and there is already an existing hole in the bedroom wall into the toilet, when the previous trunking was removed. i merely re-used the same hole. btw, the wall in the pic is half the thickness, as the glass door was installed almost in the middle of the wall... i'll take a pic and upload tonight to show the trunking inside the MBR toilet. not the prettiest... but i can live with it..

Hey Aron, thanks for your advice. yes... i'm impressed by the patrol sensor mode. it actually has some sort of thermal detection, which can identify the "hotspots" in the room, and direct cool air towards it... but it's too chim le... i need to spend some time reading the user manual... so many different modes (econavi, e-ion, etc)... and thanks for the prompt arrangement to get the installers back to fix up the minor problem...

eh... the projector and HTS are from my own budget... not part of the renovation budget... she would rather i save the money for the bridal package or wedding lunch package next yr... maybe having a projector is not the most practical (or necessary) thing to have at home (given that the cost of changing the bulbs every few years can be costly)... but it's a toy, i can't resist not to have... she told her friends abt me splurging on these "unneeded" items... instead of getting support from her friends... they are actually excited to come over to watch movies and stuff when it's up... my sis was asking me to subscribe to MIO TV so that, that she & her hubby can popped by to watch EPL or so (btw, i'm not a soccer fan)...

Yup. think the lightings are ok now... have to really live it and "experience" it first... at least the light temp can changed by changing the light bulbs/tubes... but the positions can't really change le... if got more money next time, i'll change all the lau-pok PLC from lightings.com.sg to LED ones... i told the electrician from lightings.com.sg that most of the PLC downlights i've seen, have a "flap" door, to allow easy changing of tubes, but his doesn't... and he still tells me, their PLC are the better and higher quality kind... i cannot associate stupid design with better quality... it doesn't make sense... he told me he's surprised my electrician doesn't know how to fix it. I was like *dots*... if it's so gd in design, how can an experienced electrician not know how to install it? as for the aircon, i think after hearing from the rest regarding the position, i think in terms of practicality and safety, placing above the door frame would be most ideal... LOL... at my current place, the aircon blows at where i'm sleeping directly, hence at night, i usually just switch on for 10-15min to cool myself (with a fan blowing at me too), then i'll switch off the aircon... yeah... i also think the "noise", need some getting used to... maybe i'm just over-reacting, i'll get my wife to do the "sound check" over the weekend... though I think i still prefer the mitsubishi electric starmex (it looks better in white), though the features of the panasonic ones bought me over... the patrol sensor thing... I got a colleague who installed the mitsubishi one at his own place, and the panasonic one at his parents-in-law's place, he was telling me better get mitsubishi, but a little too late then... oh well... i think the kitchen would be ready this week too. the carpenter told me the works should more or less be done by this week, as only the solid surface top and glass backing need to be installed, plus re-varnishing the parquet flooring again... somehow, i think it will still be end-June... as i vaguely remembered there's quite a list of minor defects to be resolved... and the bathroom accessories are still not installed yet (due to my request...) and touch-up plastering and painting, etc... oh well...

Woah! Game developer! Zai... That's my dream job leh... But with software piracy so jia lat... Can make money or not? Btw, what kind of games? Those blizzard, EA, Activision kind? Mobile games? Or web-based MMORPG kind?

Updates! (Day 65 - 7 Jun 2011) Downlights at the tv console somehow, i felt this is a bad choice... i intially wanted the downlights at the tv console area, so that if i need to work on the gadgets (wii, xbox, amp, blu-ray player, etc) it would be easy to see the stuffs properly (all the cables, sockets, etc)... but i seriously doubt i'll be using them often... i should have either: 1. extend the cove lighting to the whole area (which i think it will be fantastic) 2. have the downlights at the sofa area instead, as the cool white or daylight would be gd, if i want to read books or newspaper while at the sofa... (but oh well, i still have my Arco lamp replica... ) cool white downlights with warm white cove lightings... a look at the whole place (from the balcony) with all the lights one (except the ceiling lights at the kitchen... it actually look brighter in real life...

Updates! (Day 65 - 7 Jun 2011) Downlights for foyer area the guy from lightings.com.sg came to show me how it's done... but it only reinforces the fact that that particular downlight internal design is SUCKY... i feel such things should be idiot-proof; you shouldn't need an electrician, technician or to read a user manual to change a light bulb... btw 2x13W cool white is d.a.m.n bright... so all readers be forewarned; buy at lightings.com.sg at your own risk... for west-siders, just get from Chelsea lightings (near Chinese Gardens MRT)... if not, get from Chan Huat Lightings... btw, I'm referring to normal lights; if you are looking for design replicas or so... look elsewhere... with the warm white entrance light in the background... maybe i should have swapped their position... oh well... Downlights for the walkway actually... all my cool white downlights seem to be making a "light corridor" from the main entrance to the balcony doors... Lightings seen from dining area the following lights were switched on 1. warm white cove lighting in dining area 2. cool white downlight at foyer area 3. cool white downlights at walkway outside kitchen 4. warm white LED track lights at breakfast counter what a mish-mash of different lightings... (in terms of light temperature)... i think i'll probably just on the cools or the warms... but seldom both together... it's an overkill...

Updates! (Day 65 - 7 Jun 2011) Kitchen most of the drawers and cabinets are done, except the one obvious missing one (which the carpenter hasn't install the track runner)... i've gotten 5 sets of blum system for the drawers... but all the cabinets, my contractor provided me with non-brand soft-closing hinges... i have tested them... it's working ok... might close a little slower... i feel... let's check out the top drawer on the left... Cutlery tray i was surprised that either my contractor or the carpenter has provided me with a fitting cutlery tray (+1 pt to him)... oh yes... the oven is "installed"... more like put in place, but not connected electrically yet... Condiment rack pretty happy with the end result; but the carpenter did warn me not to overload it... there were 2 ways of installing the door... 1. to install the door directly to the rack (like what i have done) 2. to install door hinges and the rack is not attached to the door... method 1 looks better and is more convenient... method 2 is gd in the sense, the door will not "sag" over time easily due to wear and (the load-bearing rack)... oh well.. a close-up... likely to reduce 1 rack, to just have 2 racks instead...

Updates! (Day 65 - 7 Jun 2011) Aircon fancoil unit for MBR This is the most headache one... as after the installation was done, i was having 2nd thoughts abt the placement... it is placed directly above the door frame, and the small space was just suitable for the fancoil unit. however, i felt the cool air was not directed to the sleeping area (where the bed will be placed), nor the study table (where we'll be spending some time on, while using the computers)... The original placement of the old fancoil unit was on this wall... in fact, in terms of placement, it would be the best ideal, as the cool air will blow across the room towards the sleeping area... and there won't be a need for extra ugly trunking to the area above the toilet door and the room door... however, we intend to wall-mount our tv there and have a study table too... so we dun think it's a gd idea to have a fancoil unit above it... (aircon above tv? big no-no...) a 2nd after-thought.... i felt that the panasonic aircon was a little louder than my current quite old carrier... and the cooling power at (25 deg C) doesn't seem very impressive.... i was having a 12k BTU unit in my MBR... though the room is slightly bigger, the unit was bigger too... so i attributed it to the placement of the aircon, which resulted in inefficient cooling to the sleeping areas... i'm not sure if this is because of the inverter technology or something else... anyway, i think, for whoever is reading this, it's best to locate the aircon at a position that the cool air can reach the area it's meant to cool directly, to achieve immediate cooling results and also to save energy...

Updates! (Day 65 - 7 Jun 2011) took PM leave today to oversee the aircon fancoil installation (from Imperial Distributors), and the indoor laundry hanging system (which the installer flew my kite), and the electrician from lightings.com.sg... and potatoes and family popped by for a visit... Aircon compressor installation one of the installers standing precariously on the steel bracket, receiving the compressor from the other installers from the 2nd level MBR... Aircon fancoil unit for common room 3 in my opinion, this is the best installation among the 3 rooms... coz there's no trunking! (as the trunking is from the other room...) Aircon fancoil unit for common room 2 this installation for this room was not too bad too, as the trunking is pretty concealed (in the recessed area)... but due to the trunking, the door cannot close properly and it was only resolved by getting my contractor to add a small support for the door stopper... oh well...

Hey potatoes, thanks! there's still a lot of minor defects to settle with... and yeah... some i have already closed 1 eye on... it's too tiring (and sometimes, even depressing) to harp on the "mistakes"... yes... a set of bi-fold doors is probaby ard $180... a tempered glass swing door would be ard $450 or so.. almost 3 times as $$$, but it's something my wife and I really want to have... and divided by the no. of years, and so... it didn't feel that bad... you should check out Soichiro's built-in wardrobe... it looks similar too... but it has a nice sliding mirror, which can be concealed... it's not like those (i.e. one of the sliding doors is full mirror - cos FS-pantang ppl might think it's bad...), his is quite "innovative", i thought. Actually, i think the staircase wall light is too bright at night (it's like 2x26W), and very energy-consuming... given a 2nd chance, i would do something more subtle... or maybe more track lights! LOL... but anyway, the staircase area supposed to be my "prosperous" area... so advice was to keep it bright bright... like i've shared with you, top-hung-only doors, seems a little filmsy (though aesthetically nicer without the bottom track)... for safety/security reason, i would think having a bottom c- or u- channel track would keep it more sturdy... we did consider the white power coated kind... but my wife prefers the wooden kind... (which i'm sure it will be a maintenance hassle next time), esp so when the wooden door is exposed to the abuse of the weather elements... I wish you gd luck in finding a responsible and efficient contractor/ID and a smooth renovation journey ahead...

LOL... yes... army day... and yes, we had 1 day of R&R (rest and relax); we went to the royal brunei museum, or so... not really problems la... but thinking abt my career path...

the only time i was in Brunei, i spent almost 20 days in the jungle...

woah, Linda! your schedule is so packed with activities... i better take a queue no. to seek your advice on my Bazi... LOL i'm at the crossroads... would appreciate some advice...

Updates! (Day 64 - 6 Jun 2011) not much of an update today... just came back from the place... seems like no work was done today. anyway, some pics on the main door and balcony door, after they are stained on Saturday (which i forgot to take a pic of) Main door nothing fantastic; but looks gd enough... Balcony door i wonder if the previous colour - more cherry or is it natural - looks better or this? this is like.. ermmm... wenge? or dark walnut? oh well... somehow, being "darker" makes it look more "sturdy"... i think it's a false impression... bleahz...

Hey potatoes! cleong is your neighbour! you should go visit his place and get some gd ideas... i think his place is nicely done up...

To all those who like my bathrooms... the credit goes to RimBlock, marshmallow and my wife... ever since my wife and I visited RimBlock's EM during the CNY period, and saw the toronto tiles he used for his MBR bathroom, my wife was in love with it... (though i prefer the niagara series better - but i think it's harder to clean too) and also after visiting marshmallow's place and seeing her slightly darker theme toilet (i think it's some beige/dark grey/light grey colour combination), my wife was into dark themed toilets too... (though i have my initial reservations, regarding dark theme making spaces even smaller)... now, i should have gotten warm white lights for the bathroom... it might just complete the look... now with cool white... something is just not very right... hmmm... but at least, she can see her make-up properly, when she's at the vanity counter...

I'm still considering... but likely won't do it la... it kind of spoils the look... i should have made the adjustment upfront before or even during tiling... SIGH...

Thanks! my whole place, mostly white, and neutrals and woody... til it's kind of boring... but i like i like my home to be a relaxing and restful place; so nothing visually "stimulating" or bright (except some of the lights)/loud... though my wife will attempt to "ruin the serenity" by adding dashes of colours every where, by accessorizing... the kitchen cabinets... the laminates are textured... i feel it might get dirty easily and hard to clean... unlike glossy or even matt ones, which can easily be wiped clean (?) there's still the white solid surface countertop and the frost glass backsplash... and soon it will look like those cookie-cutter kind... (which i'm totally ok with... ) yah... might want to "downgrade" the staircase light to 2x13W kind... but will wait til the CF tubes give way... i want to up the no. of LED track lights though... but think my wife will kill me...

Hey cleong, your MBR bathroom's really pretty... actually, some of the other IDs we had met earlier on, did mentioned it's possible to do what you are doing... but we didn't quite give it much thought, as we thought it might reduce the shower stall space... i like the warm white light... and also the ventilation fan... i should have insisted on it... argh...

Oh... That's true... I did consider the issue of the chairs not able to shift it fully... I should have insisted to increase the extend the floor underneath the breakfast counter, by at least another 30cm... Argh... I think for sitting, it's maybe still ok, depending on the base of the chairs I'm getting. But definitely won't be able to tuck the chairs in properly, when not in used... it's potentially a safety hazard

woah, Ely! your place really got character. i also can't wait to go visit your place...

yes... actually... the beam is pretty narrow to be a proper downlight... think they act more like spotlights... you need to actually install the track first... which is sold in abt $10-$12 per metre... i only gotten 2 x 1-m tracks for the kitchen breakfast counter area and also the level 2 walkway... the track lights have the flexibility to be placed anywhere along the track, and they can be directed at different spots... so quite a lot of versatility... it's more commonly used to direct light to wall features, especially paintings, or some display... but i think when used in a certain manner, it can help create shadows and lighted areas... which makes the areas more visually interesting, rather than a complete white-wash, due to overwhelming lights... i'll be switching on my LED track lights quite frequently, since they emit less heat and use less energy....

yah... maybe i should have opted for dark glass instead... oh well... yes... our MBR bathroom quite odd layout and unless we do like lady_r, which is to really hack and rebuild the 2 bathrooms... it's hard to achieve a gd layout for the MBR bathroom... the common one seems more "sensible" in terms of layout, and if i knew abt the possibility to switch WC and wash basin, i wouldn't have my WC for the common bathroom, in front of the frosted glass door... LOL... yes... i want to paint the "white" box-up grey... argh...