Our First Own Home

[Zlia 0]

Hello all

Cement screed was done on the 12th Jan. And sad to say, our tiles went out of stock. our ID told us that she reserved the tiles for a week, but cos we could only start our reno after 2-3 weeks, Soon Bee Huat let go the tiles to someone else. Sigh. Somehow, i was abit suspicious, cos both hb and i weren't informed about this reservation for a week. but well, doesnt matter la. anyway, we accepted the fact the dwelling over this wouldnt be beneficial for us. so we've selected new tiles and confirmed with our ID today. from the creamy woody tiles, to the brownish woody tiles. hb said we might have to change the colour of our shoe cabinet and dining bench cos of this change in tile colour. i really hope the overall effect will turn out to be ok, cos both my living room tiles, and my bedrooms laminates are brown in colour, but they are different shades of brown.

anyway, went to a friend's house today. her house is very nicely done up, and she was advicing me to do whatever necessary carpentry work, ceiling works, floor works, toilet works i need to do for my house now, else it would be very troublesome to do it in future. there comes my excuse to think abt more carpentry to do, more things to buy.

1. TV console for bedroom. after many discussions with our aircon guy, our aircon trunking will still go thru the "TV console side" of the bedroom. the aircon trunking will be on the bottom. am now thinking of custom making one or two shelves to be placed on top, or on top and below (for 2 shelves) the air con trunking. think that shouldnt be too ex? (hopefully) and it'll sort of hide our trunkings and can be our display / tv shelf. can actually buy this off the shelf, but i was thinking of having the edge nearer the door 'rounded', so that when my kids dash in and out of the room, it'll be..safer for them.

2. my toilet bowls and sinks. i actually really want to have a vanity top with cabinets below. think it's more..hmm..practical and it looks very nice as well. but this is not something that i cannot live without kind. haha.

3. custom made cabinets / storage bench at foyer area.

4. kitchen door.

Hai. Headache. Anyway, our tiles and laminates are going to be delivered to our house tomorrow, so i'll prob go hv a look after work...see how... hopefully all will be well.

[Zlia 0]

Renovation has officially started. Went to my new place just now to have a look, but cannot step inside, cos the sand / cement is not totally dry yet. Some of the electrical points have been shifted as well. Getting excited!

This morning, when i was in office, my ID called me a few times, saying that we wld have to do a base for our washing machine and dryer, and she'll try to increase the height of the other side of the cabinet so that they will have the same height. Keep thinking about what applefreak said... asked hubby if we should just set aside a space for the washing machine and dryer and just stack them up, but well, failed. haha. but i can understand his concerns also la.. he said he hopes that we can have more table top to work with, and he thinks that the current layout is nice... .... so confusing. so scared it'll be a decision we'll live to regret. hahah.

Then just now i was so stupid at the new house. My ID was telling me the door lock pin over the phone, and i repeated the pin ALOUD to her cos the reception was bad so i was afraid she couldnt hear and confirm. Then she was laughing at me. hai.

prob wouldnt go down to the new house till next sat, hopefully, the tiles would have been laid by then. and ya, when do i need the lights? i havent bought my lights. die. think might have to make a trip down to JB again this weekend.

[Zlia 0]

Hello all

have got some qns to ask regarding shower screens.. how much did you get yours for? My ID quoted me 625, which i think is super ex, but she told me it's because her supplier is a "shower screen" company (not a glass company), and they r from australia, so their shower screen is very durable.

then i got a number from the internet selling shower screens that are imported from aust, true enough, the price is about there.

but i got a number from the straits time classified, the shower screen is 325, but i nv ask how many mm and made from where la...

Do you all have any suggestions on which i should take? Really in a dillemma cos ive got kids and im really worried that if the quality is not good and the glass shatters, it 'll be very dangerous. on the other hand, the aust one is double the price! hai.

[h4happy 1]

Hi ZLIA

Yeah...a bit on the high side.

I think mkt rate for shower screen should be around $500 right?

Try ask for discount from your id lah, ask for $580???

HAPPY

Hello all

have got some qns to ask regarding shower screens.. how much did you get yours for? My ID quoted me 625, which i think is super ex, but she told me it's because her supplier is a "shower screen" company (not a glass company), and they r from australia, so their shower screen is very durable.

then i got a number from the internet selling shower screens that are imported from aust, true enough, the price is about there.

but i got a number from the straits time classified, the shower screen is 325, but i nv ask how many mm and made from where la...

Do you all have any suggestions on which i should take? Really in a dillemma cos ive got kids and im really worried that if the quality is not good and the glass shatters, it 'll be very dangerous. on the other hand, the aust one is double the price! hai.

[Zlia 0]

Cornices were completed yesterday. After this would be painting, cleaning, installation of carpentry works.

Bought our FIRST light yesterday. Haha. Foyer light. It's those..made of sea shell hanging kind.. hmmm.. Would take some pictures this weekend and post. Decided that we'll prob buy the tiffany light from our ID for our Dining area. Have collected our ceiling fan from Royal Franco as well. Saw one chandelier that we really really really like from Sitic Lighting in Balestier. Thinking of putting it in the MBR. Then hubby suggested buying basketball hanging light and football hanging light for the other 2 rooms. for the room with the football, it should be painted green, then for the one with the basketball, should be painted light yellow. Think the idea is quite nice, but i think those 2 lights are like.. not very bright, and the football esp looks really heavy, and i can't imagine my kids sleeping underneath that light. i feel it's really quite dangerous. For kitchen and toilet, will use those simple and bright lights. Think am going to spend more than 1k on lights. So sian.

[Zlia 0]

Finally, some pictures to share. We eventually gave up our tiffany light for the dining room. It was a painful decision to make. We really liked the tiffany light, but cos we already bought the chandelier (which was intended for our MBR), and the thought of having the chandelier (with 5 none energy saving bulbs) on every night makes my heart ache, so... we shifted our chandelier to the dining area, and had just normal hamburger lights for our MBR.

Okay. I forgot to save our Shoe Cabinet picture. Was rather silly of me. Hmmm.

So here we are (pictures were taken with phone camera by lousy camera woman, so pardon the quality ):

Shoe cabinet knob (so stupid to save the pic of the knob and not the cabinet!)

Side view of shoe cabinet and dining area (and my boy)

Close up for storage dining bench and cushion (still covered with plastic)

Edited April 19, 2008 by Zlia

[Zlia 0]

Dining area chandelier

TV console

TV console drawer handle

Feature wall wallper and cornice

MBR wardrobe

MBR wardrobe full length mirror and reflection of my gal

MBR wardrobe handle (top cabinet)

Kitchen

Edited April 19, 2008 by Zlia

[h4happy 1]

Wow!!

Country road...tqke me home....

The design really looks like my younger sister cottage in Finland.

Yours is solid top or granite top?

Edited April 19, 2008 by h4happy

[warsurfer 1]

Hi there!

Your home is really lovely. I like your kitchen and dining area. Where did you purchanse your dining set from? And I saw that we do have the same handles! haha, they probably got them from the same supplier. Did you manage to find a suitable curtain shop in the end?

When's your family shifting in?

[Zlia 0]

Hello happy, mine is solid top

Hello warsurfer, thanks . the dining bench is custom made, i got the the dining table and chairs from courts. $299. hahahaha.

For the curtains, i'm not sure who i'll get it from eventually, still b/w cottage crafts and this old uncle recommended by a friend. I am thinking of doing valance or curtains for my kitchen, but i'm thinking about the hassle of washing it often cos i think it'll smell after i cook. Really envy you..can get home sewn curtains. My MIL knows how to do it, but she's too busy helping to take care of my kids and her kids to help out.

would prob be shifting in in mid-end May. Have not confirmed the date yet. gotta seek fsm advice again.

[bebebe 0]

Hi Zila, ur place is really nice!!!! how much did u pay for ur chandelier? Really adds on to the overall mood of the place. Ur wardrobe is custom made, i suppose? And wallpaper... All so nice!

[skywolf 0]

Hi Zila,

Your kitchen is so country-looking! Nice nice!

[Yang Guo 7]

first time see a country-style hse..

your kitchen is super

[Zlia 0]

Thanks all . Just got my final bill last Friday, and was quite surprised it worked out to be $23k+ for my reno (excluding window grilles cos we got someone else to do it). We thought it would be about 27k. *phew*

Hi bebebe, the chandelier costs $285. We like the colour of the chandelier and lamp shade alot. But we realise the crystals look abit...hmm.. fake. hahahaha. like, when like shines into the crystals, they dont have those rainbow effect. haha. And yup, our MBR wardrobe is custom made. cos there is a recess area in our MBR, so thought it would be better to custom make to fit the recess area exactly.

My uncle is going to help do up 1 wardrobe each for the kids room and the study room.. would prob arrange with him to take measurements this coming or next weekend. And hubby and I saw this dining set in Picket and Rail today that we really like... @#($*)*^ but we bought our dining set liao. Anyone interested in wooden dining set? hahahaha.

[linggie 0]

the kitchen is very sweet, alot small details...remind me of a fairy tale-cottage, if we stepped in your house, will feel like we are transform into another world