Our Tiny Nest At Punggol

[janesuah 6]

hey there, i'm glad I found a fellow BTO 3 roomer whose living room size is about the same as mine!

I find that other 3 room in this forum tend to have a longer (but abit narrower) living room. Whereas ours is short but wider living room... however it tend to look smaller! I went to have a look at my flat yesterday, and got a shock upon opening the door.. I double check to see if I enter the correct unit!! From door opening to the windows, its less than....15 steps? cries!

Hope to see more of ur reno pics soon!! cheers~

[guojiawen 101]

Lessons I've learn buying lights

Now, I'm no expert on LED lights but here's what I've learned on the journey of purchasing these lights, so do correct me where im wrong.

There are a few types of downlights. Those tt made me interested were E27 and LED lights.

1) the prices we pay in Singapore for LED lights are CRAZY. The cheapest I saw so far is S$ 16 for a 12w led downlight, normal price is S$20. This is the CHEAPEST.

2) LED lights, should buy those thick ones (prefer 5 cm and above). AVOID the thin ones no matter what others say. A lighting expert told me that thin LED lights burn out faster. because there is no/ minimum heat sinks and the heat is trapped within the light, making it harder to diffuse. Whats a heat sink? A heat sink is something at the back of the LED lights whereby you see many folds. What do I mean? See pic:

The grey spiky part you see is the heat sink. This helps to diffuse heat. How does it work? The multiple folds you see, creates a bigger surface area, which can carry the heat away faster. This helps to preserve the LED bulbs longer.

3. Glass or acrylic? My ID says glass is better, others say acrylic is better. so who is right? actually both are right.

Glass is brighter which means a lower wattage is needed. cleaning for both is the same. EQUALLY TROUBLESOME. For some reason, acrylic may be less hot, which means a pro-longed LED life.

4. Please try to only buy led with EXTERNAL drivers. Why? Since now most lights are manufactured in china, it doesnt matter how awesome or lousy the light is. It will ultimately burn out. To save you the trouble of replacing the entire light and having a chance that the one light is different colour then the other, by getting an external driver, if the light "blows" change the driver first. It works like a fuse in our electrical plug. Usually is the fuse or the driver that blows first. How it blows is a different story that I dont want to get too technical.

5. Try to get a LED downlight that is detachable. Now.... i truely regret not waiting for my friend to get back to me about this. because, after i bought my LED lights, did i realize it really can be a real problem. What i mean by detachable?

(photo courtesy of my fren's ID)

This is VERY useful, because, whenever you need to change the driver, you need to pull down the LED light from the ceiling to access the driver BEHIND the Led. If the LED has served you for about 5 years, the false ceiling around the led light will weaken, and the possibility of pulling out the chunk of false ceiling is REAL. For this type of LED, you need to just detach the face from the body and the light will come out, yet the body is still there in the ceiling. no damage will be done. Damned. wished i know this sooner.

6) PLC or LED?

To be honest, PLC would be a better choice if i never found taobao. LOL.. because, the price of the PLC would be the same as an LED from taobao. That being said, PLC bulbs are easier to change. If you are still keen on LED but feel its expensive, then go for the downlight that is/has E27. (not sure the right usage of the word, but i know the key word is e27)

E27 has the capability of using PLC or LED bulbs. Most plate faces come with screws at the side of the face. This is for easy removal and changing of the bulbs.

7) LED strip lights vs T5 florescent

T5 is brighter than LED strip lights. LED strip lights, once one bulb burn out, it is obvious that there is a "hole" there. changing it can also be a pain in the *** especially if its in the ceiling. you need to snip off the segment, use a connector, connect back the hole. Also LED strip light has the tendecy to burn out faster or dim faster. That luster when you first have it will diminish as you use it. There are some types whereby its 60bulb or 120 bulb. if you have the moolah.. and inisist on LED strip, get the 120 one, The more bulbs the better. if one burn out, the black hole wont be that obvious.

When i first researched about this a year ago, 5050 was the best and brightest. now there are newer ones. *faint* the numbers keep changing. but on the advisement of my ID, T5 would be alot easier to change. If you are a circle person like me, make sure to stock up on over lay cables.

Thats all my knowledge that i can remember for now! hope this helps!

Thanks for the sharing twinnie!

Can you share the TB link you bought ur downlight as well?

[NingNing 28]

Hi ning ning, thanks for your sharing. Can email me your ID's contact and cost of your renovation? Email is kiaming@gmail.com.

emailed

Hi Ning Ning,

Thanks for sharing.. I am currently waiting for my 3room bto flat too! Could you pm me your ID details? Thanks!

pm-ed

[NingNing 28]

hey there, i'm glad I found a fellow BTO 3 roomer whose living room size is about the same as mine!

I find that other 3 room in this forum tend to have a longer (but abit narrower) living room. Whereas ours is short but wider living room... however it tend to look smaller! I went to have a look at my flat yesterday, and got a shock upon opening the door.. I double check to see if I enter the correct unit!! From door opening to the windows, its less than....15 steps? cries!

Hope to see more of ur reno pics soon!! cheers~

Hi Jane, Wah! you went to count the number of steps?! but yes, ours is short but wide. i will actually prefer long and narrow.. but my ID said, can work it to my advantage!

Thats why he designed the "river" stream for me for the false ceiling. Its meant to make the room appear bigger. I asked my company designer.. he told me why the room will look bigger may be because when there are curved lines, our brains are fooled to try to make sense of it, and try to see the line as straight. The longer the line, the longer the space looks, therefore making it bigger than it really appears to be.

So much 学问 in designing..

Good luck in your reno!! we can discuss ways to "trick" ourselves into thinking its bigger than it really is! hahaha..

Thanks for the sharing twinnie!

Can you share the TB link you bought ur downlight as well?

Sure : http://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?spm=a1z0d.6639537.0.0.3LsNoH&id=18574297404

I will review all my purchases once it arrives in march.

Actually, i rather you buy from SG then buy from taobao since i found a local source that is almost the same price with the shipping.. But the diff is that... this one is one of the best in China. The local one- brandless and not sure good anot.

Edited February 24, 2014 by NingNing

[alfredt 27]

Yes I agree!! my hubby loves the bed. He likes soft and plush stuff. (maybe thats why he picked me.. I'm soft and plush. ) HAHAHA!

hahahaha

[NingNing 28]

Whew! just met my designer at my place.

Reno will start on 28th!!

We met Tony the Aircon guy also. Nice man! He gave alot of suggestions and I gave my input on what i want, with my ID's supervision of course. HAHA..

the aircon was fast. within 20 mins, meeting over.

Then it was me and ID alone.. so romantic. KIDDING!!

We went through all the electrical points and how the lights were being placed. I told him what i wanted, and he gave me good practical suggestions that I didnt think of. Most of his suggestions will be implemented. He told me that his suggestions were based on his own home and how he will use it. so i guess, it makes sense.. coz, its happening at my own home too!

He was trying to help me save money by suggesting this and that, instead of loop these lights, why not run from here to here etc.. haha! end up, my electrical quotation was only 1.7K for that MASSIVE amount of work that I needed to do.

Then we walked through the house again, from room to room to make sure everything i wanted was taken note of.

again at the kitchen, he warned me one more time about the swing door. But, I dun care la!!!! leave abit of gap can already!

For my water pressure, my ID commented that it was quite low. my rain shower will become a drizzle. So, cant be helped, my rainshower will just have to use the waterfall function. (lucky i paranoid, i bought a rainshower with waterfall function instead of just rain..) He also helped me plan my gas heater so that the water pressure will be as high as it can ever go. He told me that, the lesser turns the water pipe have, the higher the pressure. So for the next 10 mins, the both of us discussed which route has the least turns and length.

There is actually a way to increase water pressure if anyone is wondering.. but cant use gas heater.. have to use instant heater with booster from malaysia. Not really keen on instant heater as my hubby home currently using it. When someone turns on the tap, the other person bathing, will be burned. At least with Gas, not so much ba.. (at least my current home one wont). If the pressure really sucks, maybe we all complain to Town concil and have them install a booster at our place? HAHAHA!!.. *wishful thinking*

getting very excited. Things i need to do now:

-arrange with my Aircon when he is coming up to do my place and inform my ID

- give my ID the diamension of the Hood and Hob

- give my ID the diamension of the sink

[apple83 0]

Hi Jane, Wah! you went to count the number of steps?! but yes, ours is short but wide. i will actually prefer long and narrow.. but my ID said, can work it to my advantage!

Thats why he designed the "river" stream for me for the false ceiling. Its meant to make the room appear bigger. I asked my company designer.. he told me why the room will look bigger may be because when there are curved lines, our brains are fooled to try to make sense of it, and try to see the line as straight. The longer the line, the longer the space looks, therefore making it bigger than it really appears to be.

So much 学问 in designing..

Good luck in your reno!! we can discuss ways to "trick" ourselves into thinking its bigger than it really is! hahaha..

Sure : http://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?spm=a1z0d.6639537.0.0.3LsNoH&id=18574297404

I will review all my purchases once it arrives in march.

Actually, i rather you buy from SG then buy from taobao since i found a local source that is almost the same price with the shipping.. But the diff is that... this one is one of the best in China. The local one- brandless and not sure good anot.

hi hi.... can you please share the local source as I also prefer to source locally when possible. Thanks.

[NingNing 28]

hi hi.... can you please share the local source as I also prefer to source locally when possible. Thanks.

Hi Apple,

I dont have the info with me. its somewhere lost in our long long conversation at FB. I will try to look for it.

[NingNing 28]

I have scouring furniture shops for dining tables to find something we might like that will be under our budget. Because our dining room is so small, (u walk out of kitchen might hit the dining table, put beisde sofa also wrong)

Coz if u place the dining table beside the sofa, no place to sit liao... sianz.... wish my living room was abit more "normal", long and narrow, then i can do more things..

But that day while having a meeting at millenia walk, a company caught my eye.... SMOOTREE!

This my friends.. is the goliath table from smootree.. smallest is 0.5m x 1m, can extend up to 3m x 1m.. great for a small dining party between me and hubby; can stretch out for our dinner parties!

i fell in love with it the minute i walked in and was given a demo. then i asked the price.

S$5700++

looks like have to look for alternative.

Edited March 6, 2014 by NingNing

[apple83 0]

Hi Apple,

I dont have the info with me. its somewhere lost in our long long conversation at FB. I will try to look for it.

thanks....

[guojiawen 101]

Hi Jane, Wah! you went to count the number of steps?! but yes, ours is short but wide. i will actually prefer long and narrow.. but my ID said, can work it to my advantage!

Thats why he designed the "river" stream for me for the false ceiling. Its meant to make the room appear bigger. I asked my company designer.. he told me why the room will look bigger may be because when there are curved lines, our brains are fooled to try to make sense of it, and try to see the line as straight. The longer the line, the longer the space looks, therefore making it bigger than it really appears to be.

So much 学问 in designing..

Good luck in your reno!! we can discuss ways to "trick" ourselves into thinking its bigger than it really is! hahaha..

Sure : http://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?spm=a1z0d.6639537.0.0.3LsNoH&id=18574297404

I will review all my purchases once it arrives in march.

Actually, i rather you buy from SG then buy from taobao since i found a local source that is almost the same price with the shipping.. But the diff is that... this one is one of the best in China. The local one- brandless and not sure good anot.

Thanks for the link

Your reno is coming along fast! All the best kk!

[Takaishi 44]

6.7k for that table is like 1/4 of renovation works. just forget about it lol

[Songz 132]

I have scouring furniture shops for dining tables to find something we might like that will be under our budget. Because our dining room is so small, (u walk out of kitchen might hit the dining table, put beisde sofa also wrong)

Coz if u place the dining table beside the sofa, no place to sit liao... sianz.... wish my living room was abit more "normal", long and narrow, then i can do more things..

But that day while having a meeting at millenia walk, a company caught my eye.... SMOOTREE!

This my friends.. is the goliath table from smootree.. smallest is 0.5m x 1m, can extend up to 3m x 1m.. great for a small dining party between me and hubby; can stretch out for our dinner parties!

i fell in love with it the minute i walked in and was given a demo. then i asked the price.

S$5700++

looks like have to look for alternative.

That is an expensive table.

I rather spend the money on other stuff.

(*Juz my 2 cents worth)

[guojiawen 101]

That is an expensive table.

I rather spend the money on other stuff.

(*Juz my 2 cents worth)

Or there's also the option of looking for a replica

[NingNing 28]

6.7k for that table is like 1/4 of renovation works. just forget about it lol

no lor.. he said 5.7K PLUS. hahaha!! but there is a stone lookalike material one is a WHOPPING 7K.

That is an expensive table.

I rather spend the money on other stuff.

(*Juz my 2 cents worth)

me too.. why the nice stuff all so ex??? it would have saved my space problem...

Or there's also the option of looking for a replica

I actually found a replica already.