Minimalism

[euphony 0]

Hey try shopping in KL? JB won't have the kinda furniture u r looking for methinks. KL would have tho. May be cheaper than bringing in from SG, or at least less troublesome I think.

Euphony, i did went to Jb search for minimalist furniture... but sad to say molek , Austin area cant find any that i really like.

I agree KL will have more.

I have thought about KL where the good stuff are but unfortunately, they are usually not very keen to bring them down and charge exorbitant transportation costs. I also don't really trust these transports and should I reject the goods on my end I'll be charged extra for return transport nevertheless. So I thought I'll negotiate for the JB shops to bring KL stuff down and pass the liability to them instead (since majority do it already, though the item you want have to be in their catalogue). I have managed to tie down a deal with one of the JB furniture shop I visited. They can bring in the Panton S chairs for me. Fiberglass finish @ RM280/chair free delivery. Let's see how this works out.

As for the table, I guess I'd stick to SG. I recently saw something I really like. Am in the process of sourcing for cheap and reliable transport across to JB for a good rate. At least I can go to the warehouse on the day of delivery to ensure the quality and packaging before delivery.

Should all these proceed smoothly, I might finally have a dining set before Christmas. No more eating on kitchen counter top. And of course pictures and more information about the whole process to follow. Perhaps one day when the house is more ready I'll open the invitation to friends here to house visit!

I think it is kind of ironic, like my mum pointed out, most people buy from JB and ship out to SG and I am doing the exact opposite.

They say minimalists are 'anal' about things. haha. I take my inspiration from him (Ron about 4-5 minutes into the video when he talks about the architecture bits):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mn1ig-ZZUrw

[euphony 0]

People ask me whether there is any down sides to living in JB, well, not a lot but one of things that bugs me is inefficiency. Like the rectification of the air-con what was not installed properly. Finally, this has been done after a long wait. I am also finding more minor rectification work (thankfully) that needs to be done. Sometimes, you just have to live in to discover the smaller flaws that escape the inspection eye. This is one of the reasons why I delayed any kind of renovation that would allow the developer to shed off responsibility of any defects in building or pass the buck to the renovation contractor to do the job. The same line of thinking when I read a prominent blogger talked about the spade of unfortunate breakdowns of the SMRT. Yes the transport minister can cry foul at the whole debacle. But how much of a regulator role have the regulator played to supervise SMRT to prevent such incidents in the 1st place? ...

Anyway on a different note, I chanced upon this minimalist project that has a more colorful pallet than usual (exterior shot):

Edited December 18, 2011 by euphony

[euphony 0]

The interior shots of the same project:

[kw2010 0]

1. Dryer. It takes up space and consumes a lot of electricity. I would dry my laundry the old way outside the MBR balcony since I am not planning to use it. I think my challenge is too do it in an aesthetically appealing way.

i still uses washer and separate dryer. getting a nice designer set from bosch and miele will make the result much more pleasing to the eye. and also for safety reason. i dont want my wife to be hanging clothes outside the windows. had a friend whom lovely wife fell to her death for the exact reason. plus the pro of getting fuffy nice dry clothes during a raining day just too good to miss.

2. Dishwasher. This one takes up space and also consumes electricity & water. I think this is not a necessity but more an indulgence.

ya i think so too. not only it waste space. it also waste electricity. good old hand washing still the best.

3. Radio. I have got an apple airport express that is hooked up to the speaker where I send my playlist on my MBP to. So this is redundant. I also don't listen to radio anymore.

i'm a sucker for good quality sound. call it a curse as only certain speakers speak to me. manage to find a geneva lab s model for the living room. great looks too with big sound in a small package.

4. Big fridge. I think a big fridge encourages me to buy more stuff to fill it up. A smaller fridge would force me to plan my grocery shopping and meals for the week. I read that freezer boxes on top or bottom actually saves more electricity than side by sides.

true. small slim fridge with huge capacity is the way to go. bottom freezer save energy. remember to get auto ice maker too. life saver.

5. Rice-cooker. Multi-function devices are the way to go and this one can be done with a substitute pot I already have. I have found myself using cous cous more than rice these days and the best thing about it, cooking is a 5 minute deal by pouring boiling water over. Fast, minimum fuss.

got myself a multi function zuiroji rice cooker. amazing cake making ability.

6. Floorlamps. Am happy my place has already got downlights preinstalled and baths the whole place in warm cosy hue. So I should have none of these although the Mooi designed ones are very very chic.

didn't even have downlight for my place. so a carefully placed ph50 for my dining and an arti mega for my living room. house so small nowsaday that 1 lamp can lit up the entire place. placed philip led spot for the rest of the place.

7. Desktop system. These things takes up space and consume more electricity than laptops, they're mostly static and produce more cable clutter.

getting an imac to avoid cable clutter. plus starting to love mac os for it bullet proof net surfing. also got a brother wireless printer to get rid of all the cables too. smaller speaker with big sound. getting a b&w mm1 when my waller get fatter.

8. Bookshelf. I am trying to reduce the number of books I have looking to rotate nice design glossies I can borrow from the library on the coffee table. Book shelves just encourage the owner to buy more books to fill it up. Clutterism.

get a bookshelf with doors. cover all the thing up for the nice neat look.

9. Curtains. They take up space and close up the interior. I guess I am more 'exhibitionist'. I reckon if I were to spend good money to get nice furniture or carpentry works, isn't it better to 'show it off' then hide it behind curtains?

preferred some privacy so got roller blind for the simple neat look.

[rain 0]

I don't have a dishwasher, big fridge, radio and floorlamps but I feel that the rest are quite essential to me.

1) Dryer

I didn't use a dryer often for the first three years I bought it, but it came in handy when I was pregnant 2nd time round. And it's really useful during the monsoon season like now and when your kid tells you she needs her PE attire or school uniform the next morning when they are still in the laundry basket!

2) Curtains

I used to put up a bamboo blind for my balcony which looks into my living area, but I realised I hate the loss of privacy. Sometimes I want to put up my legs, or pick my nose while watching TV also cannot (haha!). So I put up my curtains again. Wouldn't exchange it for anything again!

3) Desktop

For some reason, I still feel that desktops are more robust than laptops.

4) Bookshelves

I'm about to customise a 9 feet bookshelf with doors cos the books in my study is just too much to bear!

[euphony 0]

thanks rain and khimwoon for your inputs. Some times funny (nose picking!) haha sometimes poignant, omg khimwoon your friend's wife so sad!!!

anyway i have finally nailed down a table. Bought it from Koda. It has a wooden table top that can expand a 4 seater to a 6. And I like the stainless steel metal legs that frame both ends because of its reflective finish as well as taking up minimal space. Pictures to follow once I can confirm the transport to JB and when everything is assembled. Can't wait, its like... like... a baby is arriving? haha.

right before that, another minimalist project. this one's very futuristic. I like the lines cutting through the house.

[euphony 0]

This is another somewhat minimalist project I chanced upon. I love the small space but big style concept. The houses flanking the sides dwarfs the house!

[adidaem 6]

Based on my personal experience staying at my place... my thoughts...

1. Dryer. It takes up space and consumes a lot of electricity. I would dry my laundry the old way outside the MBR balcony since I am not planning to use it. I think my challenge is too do it in an aesthetically appealing way.

Agree on it being important when it's the rainy season. I hate the musty smell of badly dried clothes (makes me gag on public transports). Plus as your mum gets older, having a dryer will help her do her chores. Definitely less tiring to chuck the clothes in dryer vs hanging them, especially for heavy laundry like bedsheets. As for taking up space, just stack the washer & dryer up nicely, and put them in a simple closet to hide the machines. Think will be nicer than seeing undies and stuff hanging around the house, especially on rainy days... Read that condenser dryers use less electricity.

2. Dishwasher. This one takes up space and also consumes electricity & water. I think this is not a necessity but more an indulgence.

It's an indulgence I resisted, but now am regretting whenever I have guests over. I will definitely install in my next place.

4. Big fridge. I think a big fridge encourages me to buy more stuff to fill it up. A smaller fridge would force me to plan my grocery shopping and meals for the week. I read that freezer boxes on top or bottom actually saves more electricity than side by sides.

Look out for those with 4 ticks. You'll be surprised that the bigger 4 tick machines (e.g. with inverter technology) actually consume less electricity than smaller inefficient ones. Plus sometimes I'll rather stay at home and raid the fridge than to have to drive out (which consumes petrol anyways), park (pay for parking and risk getting mugged?) and then go thru the time-consuming chore of groceries shopping. So I'll still go for a big fridge.

5. Rice-cooker. Multi-function devices are the way to go and this one can be done with a substitute pot I already have. I have found myself using cous cous more than rice these days and the best thing about it, cooking is a 5 minute deal by pouring boiling water over. Fast, minimum fuss.

If you have a microwave, can use the microwave rice cooker too. But if you like japanese rice, then I think have to get a japanese rice cooker.

8. Bookshelf. I am trying to reduce the number of books I have looking to rotate nice design glossies I can borrow from the library on the coffee table. Book shelves just encourage the owner to buy more books to fill it up. Clutterism.

Hahahaha... booklovers can't resist methinks. But I did get a Kindle for christmas so that should mean less buying of books.

9. Curtains. They take up space and close up the interior. I guess I am more 'exhibitionist'. I reckon if I were to spend good money to get nice furniture or carpentry works, isn't it better to 'show it off' then hide it behind curtains?

More to block off the sunlight (especially critical if you face the morning/afternoon sun), or for watching movies in the day. At night, essential for privacy... I wouldn't want my neighbours to see what I'm doing in the privacy of my room... nor to see what my neighbours are doing either (ewww... gross). Think the minimalist solution to this is to install blinds. You can hide them behind pelmets if you don't want to see them.

Edited December 20, 2011 by adidaem

[euphony 0]

Cheers Adidaem for your inputs. A next place? Anything concrete? That should be exciting!

Based on my personal experience staying at my place... my thoughts...

2. Dishwasher. This one takes up space and also consumes electricity & water. I think this is not a necessity but more an indulgence.

It's an indulgence I resisted, but now am regretting whenever I have guests over. I will definitely install in my next place.

[adidaem 6]

Cheers Adidaem for your inputs. A next place? Anything concrete? That should be exciting!

I'll hv to wait for MOP. Plus for prices to drop. So nothing concrete unfortunately. But yeah, will definitely get another place in a few years, whether for investment or to move.

[euphony 0]

I'll hv to wait for MOP. Plus for prices to drop. So nothing concrete unfortunately. But yeah, will definitely get another place in a few years, whether for investment or to move.

can't wait for you to embark on another chapter ha.

[euphony 0]

Saturday is the big day where I receive the table and chairs. Finally.

In the meantime, I am turning my attention to my courtyard. Actually my place is considered quite small compared to other JB developments. The minimalist in me wanted a comfortable space but not something overwhelming because it houses me and once in a while my mum. So the courtyard is pretty humble too. It gets rainy these days and the airwell also amplifies the neighbor's activities so I am thinking of covering it up with a glass roof, removing the stones, knocking out the glass doors to open up the space and installing a minimalist glass railing on the 2nd floor to get the double volume effect and yet retain the amount of light permeating the apartment.

[joshdes 1]

Saturday is the big day where I receive the table and chairs. Finally.

In the meantime, I am turning my attention to my courtyard. Actually my place is considered quite small compared to other JB developments. The minimalist in me wanted a comfortable space but not something overwhelming because it houses me and once in a while my mum. So the courtyard is pretty humble too. It gets rainy these days and the airwell also amplifies the neighbor's activities so I am thinking of covering it up with a glass roof, removing the stones, knocking out the glass doors to open up the space and installing a minimalist glass railing on the 2nd floor to get the double volume effect and yet retain the amount of light permeating the apartment.

With space, it's easier to work on the minimalist lifestyle/concept I think. I was browsing foreign interior mags a few days back and most minimalist concept apts/hses have huge windows to allow natural lighting. Isn't it nice to have a courtyard? If I work in NTU, I would buy a house in JB!

[euphony 0]

With space, it's easier to work on the minimalist lifestyle/concept I think. I was browsing foreign interior mags a few days back and most minimalist concept apts/hses have huge windows to allow natural lighting. Isn't it nice to have a courtyard? If I work in NTU, I would buy a house in JB!

Joshdes, agree! space amplifies the emptiness central to minimalism. once our houses are done, we house swap for a day! hahaha. it is nice to have a courtyard, the house is bright everywhere even at night when the softer moonlight comes in.

[euphony 0]

Christmas is fast approaching and New Year is not too far away. Everybody seems to be in a holiday mood now. I abhor Christmas because its a season for unnecessary gifting. That is a nightmare for minimalists because you suddenly find yourself buying and receiving things you don't want spending money to do so sometimes for the people you don't really care for. If I were the rule maker I'll outlaw Christmas gifting. And then perhaps take on the title of the euphony who stole Christmas. haha.

Anyhoos. I bunch of photos to start me thinking about the courtyard. Double volume happiness!

Edited December 22, 2011 by euphony