Shabby-chic/colonial/eclectic/whatever Mishmash

[carelinwen 0]

Hi carelinwen,

Happy to know that you find my idea for the wardrobe door height useful for yourself. I'm not sure whether I'll end up using it myself as I'm no longer doing the bed as built-in *sigh*

Wow, you have an interesting mix in mind: colonial/scandivanian/peranakan! Which elements are you going to combine? I'm Peranakan myself, but I find the traditional Peranakan furniture rather too "fussy" or ornate. Will be fascinating to see how it works out for you!

Mine is just an idea, it might not be easy to find antique furniture that is reasonable now. If you keep the floors and walls plain, it will be fine to have a nice peranakan piece in the living room. Or you can use the porcelian or jewellery as a decoration. My mum used to get secondhands from garage sales and Salvation Army, our house is a mix of stuff. Hope my mum pass them to me next time!

I am not building in bed too, in fact, other than the kitchen cabinets and the MBR wardrobe (due to the extreme lack of space), I would preferbly have no other built-ins at all. However, may do the bomb shelter wall so as to have some storage at that narrow gap betw main door and wall.

[312079 0]

Hi 310279...is it easy to do? I mean using google sketchup?

How to download the software?

h4happy,

Download free from Google website. To me it's quite intuitive to use - started drawing within half an hour. The help window is quite... helpful But it may depend on whether you can visualise 3D in 2D, if you know what I mean.

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carelinwen,

Haha... What do you consider reasonable? I saw a nice small bedside table I liked at Salvation Army, selling for $180. Quite plain, only some simple brass-inlaid lines. Not expensive in a sense, but when you consider what an Ikea side-table costs, it ain't cheap! In the end, didn't get it (though I may go there another day!)

Yes, for our kind of style, loose furniture fits better doesn't it? All the same, I'm doing the BS wall because the BS door is kinda ugly just there when you step in the front door (which is quite nice in comparison). Another idea for you: my BS wall extends to the kitchen wall, and that part next to the kitchen is our shoe cabinet, rather than just being a wall covering. Is that what you had in mind? I'm not sure there's much space behind the main door.

Mine is just an idea, it might not be easy to find antique furniture that is reasonable now....

...I would preferbly have no other built-ins at all. However, may do the bomb shelter wall so as to have some storage at that narrow gap betw main door and wall.

Edited April 1, 2008 by 312079

[carelinwen 0]

$180? Well that depends on the size, quality, design and the real age of the item. But if it's not an authenic antique but just a repro, then I'll rather stick with those plywood cheapo ones for now. I'll rather save up to buy a more prominent piece of furniture like sofa, dining table etc first.

Well the BS wall feature we had in mind is just as you have described. But it's about $2K! So I'll just let the ID proposed first, see whether really useful or worth it or not. If really want to save can still scrap that off the list. Then the most just hang a curtain in front of the BS door.

Saw yr post to me at the TPY thread, so are you considering using them too? As for me, I actually just confirm my ID already. BTW, my unit number is the same as yours, I remembered wrongly in that quoted post.

[312079 0]

Yes, ours was 2k also. But at least you get the door and your shoes covered at the same time! My friends got 2 separate items and it cost them about 1k more I think.

I heard of them a bit late, so confirmed with another ID. Yes, I know our units are the same. Easy to compare!

Well the BS wall feature we had in mind is just as you have described. But it's about $2K!

Saw yr post to me at the TPY thread, so are you considering using them too? As for me, I actually just confirm my ID already. BTW, my unit number is the same as yours, I remembered wrongly in that quoted post.

[312079 0]

The Look:

Floor: parquet, herringbone pattern

Furniture: medium brown wood (or wood look...)

Lights: pendants & uplights

Walls: blue (living), green (study), brown (MBR)

[312079 0]

Today: going to Ikea to look at

Leksvik furniture

wooden venetians

dining chairs

[warsurfer 1]

Hi, the photos you've got are really lovely. My wife and I renovated our home in a country style. May not be what you are looking for but just to share with you anyway. http://picasaweb.google.com/NDVonet/CountryLivingInTheCity All the best for your reno!

[strychnine 0]

Wow your place is going to look gorgeous...can already visualise it liao...

Im inspired by the shabby chic look myself...

chia yoh!

Edited April 7, 2008 by strychnine

[312079 0]

Thanks warsurfer & strychnine for the encouragement. Actually the reality will be less than the inspiration... Unfortunately I don't have the time or the budget to seek out really classy or 'shabby' furniture and decorations.

But I did get these 2 lamps today:

Now thinking whether I should have bought the more expensive ones instead. Hmm....

Anyway hope you guys out there like 'em!

[strychnine 0]

lovely !

why bother with the expensive ones when you have such precious finds here..

did you get them locally ?

Edited April 8, 2008 by strychnine

[312079 0]

yep they're just from arab st.

the shop had even nicer (& more expensive) ones, which i'm still dreaming about...

why bother with the expensive ones when you have such precious finds here..

did you get them locally ?

Edited April 9, 2008 by 312079

[warsurfer 1]

yep they're just from arab st.

the shop had even nicer (& more expensive) ones, which i'm still dreaming about...

These lamps are really unique. !! Will shop at Arab St to see if I can find such jewels too. thanks!

[312079 0]

warsurfer, saw your home photos. Beautiful place! I really like the attention to details, like the two-sided clock and your dining lamp. Really lovely.

[Zlia 0]

ya, warsurfer, your house is very nice! i planned to get a tiffany lamp for my dining area also, but in the end, due to practicality, i transferred the chandelier in my MBR to the dining and did not buy the tiffany lamp. abit sad actually... but well... it's ok..it's ok. haha.

i like your living room and kitchen curtains. where did you get them? I think your kitchen cabinets / wall tiles are very nice. i got the same handle as your kitchen handles. =) but i used them for my shoe cabinet and tv console. had porcelain knobs for my kitchen cabinets.

Hi 312079

Am looking forward to seeing pictures of your house! am sure it'll look beautiful!

[warsurfer 1]

Hey guys,

Thanks for your compliments. Your homes must be really beautiful too, accented with all the lovely decor items I've seen. At the end of the day, I feel that our homes are somewhat more unique and "personalised" as compared to the standard few styles that many IDs offer nowadays.

312079, may I know what are the shops that you've been to at Arab St? Really think your lamps are special.

Zlia, I saw the perspective drawings of your home, but you haven't posted pics yet? Is your house ready? The drawings are simply lovely. By cottage crafts you mentioned? Same as piggiedearz then?

Is your reno expensive? We had some furniture piecies and our kitchen done by Forest woodworking. Okie, do post some pics if you can!

Oops, I forgot to reply that all our curtains are homesewn. The fabric for our living room curtains is from spotlight while the one for the laundry area is from IKEA.

Edited April 10, 2008 by warsurfer