Little London

[Starrain 4]

Wa seems like Nick also not bad. I will contact him. Thanks!

Maybe it's only some simple reno, but you are good at designing it to look so impressive. Just like those in Pinterest.

I also got all my inspiration from there. Hope will turn out well!

 

 

[bykaraanne 30]

23 hours ago, Starrain said:

Wa seems like Nick also not bad. I will contact him. Thanks!

Maybe it's only some simple reno, but you are good at designing it to look so impressive. Just like those in Pinterest.

I also got all my inspiration from there. Hope will turn out well!

 

 

It will! Can't wait to see your completed home! 

[hellofromanotherside 1]

On 10/1/2015 at 4:19 PM, bykaraanne said:

MY KITCHEN 有救了

I found clean lines one with the marble countertop (which I am still super happy with!!) that my contractor can most likely do. Just need to spray paint handles from IKEA gold. But it's okay, RUST-O-LEUM to the rescue!

I am finally feeling less dejected about my kitchen now.

(Source)

OMG Still fits into my theme right? I miss PeachyDurians already hahahaha. Someone please get me!

And I already got my golden tap so fits right in. YAY YAY YAY!!

Hello! Been meaning to ask you this, since we seem to have the same vision for our kitchen. Did you spray paint the IKEA handles yourself, or did you get your contractor to do it? I'm wondering if it's easy enough to become a small project for me =) 

xx Warm, Earthy, and a Little Bohemian xx

[bykaraanne 30]

1 hour ago, hellofromanotherside said:

Hello! Been meaning to ask you this, since we seem to have the same vision for our kitchen. Did you spray paint the IKEA handles yourself, or did you get your contractor to do it? I'm wondering if it's easy enough to become a small project for me =) 

xx Warm, Earthy, and a Little Bohemian xx

I spray painted them. But they're not perfect of course. It took us 2 tries... 

There are some places that are not noticeable that have rub offs, in the high traffic areas, but overall they're ok.

my contractor did not offer to spray paint for me. You can buy pre-made Gold handles, like some t-bloggers did. I wanted to order from Amazon but they weren't the right size for my vision. 

[Starrain 4]

Hey Idol..

Edmund did not get back to me. So sad. Hurt my little heart.

I thought I just wanted to sign with him without looking for others because I like how he had transform your house so beautifully. Also my ideas is also kinda Ang moh chu with a little differences. Tsk. why.. he....

But lucky you suggested Nick to me. Meeting him this Saturday. This time I don't want to tell him so much of my ideas liao. Slowly then add in..  Because somehow, maybe this Edmund is shocked with my ideas...

Oh! How can I let it pass!!  I wanted to tell you!! Other than thanking you for the contacts and love your writing style...

Of all the BTO I've seen online for a period of 4 years.. (my intense research for nice interior) yours is the nicest!!!!! At least or solely for ME la.. Not that I am only into Angmoh/London design alone.  Industrial, Minimalist, Shabby chic bla bla bla.. I like all of them as long they are nicely done. But maybe of our small limited little tiny cramped BTO, some make it seems 'wrong/unfitted' and still look like a BTO home. Probably they don't have the desired to make it NOT look like a BTO la..haha!  Not bashing anyone here! I've notice some 'interesting' themes coming up by other T-bloggers!! Feast our eyes!!

[bykaraanne 30]

On 14 April 2016 at 10:44 AM, Starrain said:

Hey Idol..

Edmund did not get back to me. So sad. Hurt my little heart.

I thought I just wanted to sign with him without looking for others because I like how he had transform your house so beautifully. Also my ideas is also kinda Ang moh chu with a little differences. Tsk. why.. he....

But lucky you suggested Nick to me. Meeting him this Saturday. This time I don't want to tell him so much of my ideas liao. Slowly then add in..  Because somehow, maybe this Edmund is shocked with my ideas...

Oh! How can I let it pass!!  I wanted to tell you!! Other than thanking you for the contacts and love your writing style...

Of all the BTO I've seen online for a period of 4 years.. (my intense research for nice interior) yours is the nicest!!!!! At least or solely for ME la.. Not that I am only into Angmoh/London design alone.  Industrial, Minimalist, Shabby chic bla bla bla.. I like all of them as long they are nicely done. But maybe of our small limited little tiny cramped BTO, some make it seems 'wrong/unfitted' and still look like a BTO home. Probably they don't have the desired to make it NOT look like a BTO la..haha!  Not bashing anyone here! I've notice some 'interesting' themes coming up by other T-bloggers!! Feast our eyes!!

Hey there!

aww. He might be overwhelmed. That said, he wasn't super well-versed in design so you have to be very direct and focused with him. Nick has more of an ID background so he can help more design-wise.

but then that brings about another con. Edmund only takes a certain number of projects at any one time, whereas I know Nick takes on A LOT at one go. Part of the reason why I didn't go for him eventually, though I know he's quite responsible. He scares me because he talks about his past clients, and I always worry that with him, if I complain about something that seems small to him, he will talk about me badly to another prospect. But of course sometimes I wonder if he'll have even more good ideas for me compared to Edmund.  

thank you for your kind words! I am always apprehensive about the way I chose to do my home up, and always feel inadequate to most cus everyone else does so much custom carpentry... But your words make me very happy. Thank you.

[pipsqueak 3]

Hi Kara!

I was reading about your gas heater and that you chose to take Macro over Ferroli because there were more complains about the latter (and i was going to go for the latter LOL). May i please ask how is the Macro working for you? Is the water instantly hot and remains hot throughout your bath time? Is there any gas smell in your service yard/black spots on clothes from the carbon (??? i have no idea why somebody said there was - that sounds quite hazardous actually)?

Sorry for the noob questions because i am currently using an instant heater at my mum's place and have absolutely no experience with gas heaters - online comments are not that informative either. Thank you! 

[bykaraanne 30]

2 hours ago, pipsqueak said:

Hi Kara!

I was reading about your gas heater and that you chose to take Macro over Ferroli because there were more complains about the latter (and i was going to go for the latter LOL). May i please ask how is the Macro working for you? Is the water instantly hot and remains hot throughout your bath time? Is there any gas smell in your service yard/black spots on clothes from the carbon (??? i have no idea why somebody said there was - that sounds quite hazardous actually)?

Sorry for the noob questions because i am currently using an instant heater at my mum's place and have absolutely no experience with gas heaters - online comments are not that informative either. Thank you! 

Hey there!

Ok, Macro has been working very well for me. My master gets heated up much slower than the guest because it's further. I would say maybe 10 - 20 seconds max for the water to heat up. It does stay hot enough for the entire shower, or even to fill my entire tub, so I would say it is consistent. It's definitely not instant. I just use the first 10-20 seconds to rinse out my shower area. 

There is absolutely ZERO gas smell or any deposits on clothes. ZERO. This is a myth, I feel. My bunnies live in my SY and my kitchen so I would never expose them to something like this. There is ZERO smell when working, just the sound of it heating up. 

Hope that helps! I also almost chose Ferroli due to the last EC I stayed in, but the Citygas lady told me Macro was better.  

[bykaraanne 30]

POST-MOVE IN REVIEWS:

I realized I never did a review post to make my t-blog relevant and useful to most renovators, so here I am after seeing a few review posts on other T-Blogs. I have moved in for about 5 months now and everything is really settling into "day-to-day mode" and I can see what is useful and what isn't. Overall, I have only a few regrets for my home. 

Quote

 

- Regret #1: Not doing my marble-esque countertop all the way to the backsplash. My contractor said it was a waste of money since my backsplash tiles were relatively pretty (which they are!) but I can't seem to shake away the feeling that having it all done would be SO much prettier!

- Regret #2: Bifold door in the master toilet. We were planning to change doors anyway (since bifold doors are very affordable), so I didn't think much of it. Aesthetically I don't dislike it, but it clicks loudly when you open or close it, making it not-so-ideal for the master during night time. We will change to louvre swing and slide doors in the future.

- Regret #3: Since I changed both my WCs and overlaid the floor and wall tiles in the master, I really should've overlaid the floor tiles in the common bathroom as well. We liked the tiles in the common bathroom, no one expected it to be from HDB straight cus it was so pretty! But the dark floors left water stains and the grout turns black when wet, reverting to beige only when dry. Which makes it look a bit scary. Also, mould has grown in the corners whereas no mould has grown in my toilet at all! 

- Regret #4: Washing machine base. Should've done one because of my silly bunnies who live in the SY and kitchen (and Living Room). My fatty likes to pee under the washing machine, and I have to shift the heavy thing to clean it -.- Otherwise we wouldn't need it. She doesn't pee under the fridge. 

- Regret #5: Not installing t-lights inside the bathrooms' box-ups. We thought we didn't need this (we still don't) but it would provide a much softer light in the mornings when your eyes are adjusting to the dark! This can be solved in a jiffy though.

 

Other than that I have no regrets! My house suited our "flow" completely and had no white elephants or wastage of space. Everything is perfect and my friends were very surprised because of all the horror stories they'd heard!

---------------------------------------

Now on the main stuff I bought. I realized I never wrote reviews because I had nothing to complain about! I got really really lucky, or should I say BLESSED, with all the right stuff!

Quote

• Fireplace (TB): We have gotten nothing but compliments on this piece. Cheap, sturdy and good. Really makes my living room!
• Kitchen faucet (TB): This piece looks great and works very well. We have fortunately not had any leak issues. Going to buy a tap water filter today so I'll let you guys know how the installation goes. Very well-finished.
• Philips Strip Light / Square and Round Ceiling Lights (TB): Very well-made, not sure if 100% authentic (will you ever know with TB?) but bought from a very reputable seller. They are SUPER bright and very easy to maintain. If I could make a small change, I would go for warm white instead of stark white. We like the stark white generally cus of usefulness, but warm whites keep more insects away.
• Fanco Ceiling Fans: AWESOME. No words to describe. Great wind even at #1 speed. Bright lights. No wobbling, quiet, cooling. Honestly, with our super hot temps recently, #2 is all you need. My home is cool (no afternoon sun) and I didn't even feel that it was this hot until people who went outside told me (I work from home)!
• MIC Hansgrohe Rainshower (TB): Wasn't too happy with this at first because it turned out to be a replica (the only one of all the Hansgrohe stuff I bought), but it's LOUD. It's supposedly the air technology to make the water pressure stronger and conserve water. It works! I know because I compared water bills with a lot of my friends' and ours was SUPER low even though our rainshower head was very large (and I have a tub!). So I know it works. It's loud but my husband likes it because he likes white noise when bathing. He uses that toilet exclusively. Also, I sprayed the entire thing with Rustoleum 2x Clear Spray to prevent rusting since it's MIC. 
• MIG Hansgrohe Sink Taps (TB): GREAT. These are DEFINITELY authentic and causes us no problems whatsoever.
• MIG Hansgrohe Shower Set (TB): This is defo authentic and used in my master. The water pressure on it is phenomenal. And it conserves a LOT of water as well (the handset). 
• Esmaltal Bathtub: Considering we got it for $250, really no complains. Although almost no one uses steel-enamel nowadays, we like it! We have not had any issues.
• Mayfair WCs: Very thankful for HL for recommending! These are relatively cheap (though there are some IXISS cheaper), these are pretty, uncommon, and does its job well. The flush is alright, especially the "big" flush. Seat is very comfortable and the whole WC is easy to clean. 
• Monic Kitchen Sink: Firstly I want to say that I'm happy with it mostly. It is large to wash all my pots and pans, and it really is silent. I don't have to worry about things dropping in it and causing a din. But as square sinks go, food and debris do get stuck in the corners sometimes. I will sweep them out and clean them daily anyway, just a chore. Never had to do it with rounded sinks. It is pretty and worth the money I suppose. Franke/Kraus look on a budget? (I got 2 bathroom sinks + Monic kitchen sink at $500). Rust stains are relatively easy to remove.
• Baron Bathroom Sinks: These work well (stuff doesn't really get stuck) and are quite sturdy. They fit great in our toilets, too. But the silver round thing that prettifies the hole in the sink (to prevent overflowing) is SO cheap. It is basically spray painted plastic. It got in my way of (slightly OCD) cleaning so I just threw them away. They're just holes now and they look fine.
• Bosch Hob/Hood/Oven: Surprisingly no issues. I LOVE MY HOB. Seriously. The cast iron top is so easy to use and great for the oven. The whole hob is easy to clean (doesn't get food stuck in any holes) and able to withstand heavy cooking (I cook almost every day). The hood is fine, doesn't suck super awesome but I never expected it to anyway. It's cheap, and removing the filters was just a matter of clicks. Oven is so popular for a reason! Heat insulation was great. Not as easy to use (had to look at the manual) but overall no complaints.
• Bosch Washer Dryer: I LOVE THIS MACHINE. I can custom set ANYTHING and it takes 15-20minutes to get a good wash of my clothes. It has every mode imaginable. I finally get to hand wash my delicates without having to hand wash them. Worth every (expensive) penny.
• Panasonic Fridge: Controls temperatures very well (we can tell cus we have lots of vegetables in our fridge and we have used fridges that are expensive yet destroys the veggies). But I wish there was an even bigger version of this fridge. I cook a lot so it's a little small!
• MIC Hansgrohe Towel Racks and Toilet Paper Holders (TB): ZERO rust. Didn't protect these but didn't need to! Works very well. 

That's it for now! If there's anything you want me to review LMK!

HDB toilets get a bit damp though, especially the BTO ones, so I actually got the $7.90 foldable rack from ikea to place in my GIGANTIC corridor to my rooms to air dry my wet towels instead of using the towel racks inside sometimes.

[bykaraanne 30]

If any of you has some extra time, could you please help me favorite my home on Apartment Therapy? It's always been my dream to be featured and it's finally up:
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/kara-annes-sanctuary-in-singapore-small-cool-2016-230498

Thank you! 

[dukebluedevil 1]

3 minutes ago, bykaraanne said:

If any of you has some extra time, could you please help me favorite my home on Apartment Therapy? It's always been my dream to be featured and it's finally up:
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/kara-annes-sanctuary-in-singapore-small-cool-2016-230498

Thank you! 

Congrats!!!

[Starrain 4]

I will support you!!

Btw, I'm rethinking of who to pick again after reading your message.

Actually I also have low tolerance with people who are hmmm.. less polite.

Btw, your pictures in Apartment Therapy seems to have much back-light. If with good lighting will look much better! My two cents!

 

[SonOfTPY 0]

Hi kara,

This is my first posting. Just want to say ... nice house you got there ... can feel your excitement from your postings 

My last reno was about 15years ago and many things have changed ... trying to gather info as I go and I saw your blog. I will be getting a BTO 3rm similar to yours probably end of the year or so ... have some questions hope you can give your comments on these.

1) Is your flooring in the living/bedroom all vinyl tiles? Does the texture feel like wood and does it gives a hollow or soft feeling like laminate ? 

2) I have old folks at home on wheelchair. So i guess the slope at the main door entrance will be useful for me. But I have some concern on the durability of the vinyl flooring especially at the slope there. And from your picture, it seems to slope down at quite an angle. I am not sure whether the joint can withstand the heavy load day in & out and warped over the years? Because of this concern, I am still undecided on the type of flooring I would use. Homo tiles will be best option but I would like to have wood feel on my feet 

3) Same thing about vinyl but this time at the toilet entrance. I know that current bto, the toilet entrance will also have slope and hdb are using tiles by default, so no concern. If i install vinyl or hardwood at the living & all bedrooms, the area where the wood flooring connects to the toilet tiles will be subjected to water splash. So same concern, will it warped with the constant wheelchair loading? 

Any comments are appreciated ... thanks

[bykaraanne 30]

4 hours ago, Starrain said:

I will support you!!

Btw, I'm rethinking of who to pick again after reading your message.

Actually I also have low tolerance with people who are hmmm.. less polite.

Btw, your pictures in Apartment Therapy seems to have much back-light. If with good lighting will look much better! My two cents!

 

I agree! Unfortunately I wasn't given too much time for pictures so the LR one didn't turn out that great. Ah well! You can't edit any entry. 

4 hours ago, SonOfTPY said:

Hi kara,

This is my first posting. Just want to say ... nice house you got there ... can feel your excitement from your postings 

My last reno was about 15years ago and many things have changed ... trying to gather info as I go and I saw your blog. I will be getting a BTO 3rm similar to yours probably end of the year or so ... have some questions hope you can give your comments on these.

1) Is your flooring in the living/bedroom all vinyl tiles? Does the texture feel like wood and does it gives a hollow or soft feeling like laminate ? 

2) I have old folks at home on wheelchair. So i guess the slope at the main door entrance will be useful for me. But I have some concern on the durability of the vinyl flooring especially at the slope there. And from your picture, it seems to slope down at quite an angle. I am not sure whether the joint can withstand the heavy load day in & out and warped over the years? Because of this concern, I am still undecided on the type of flooring I would use. Homo tiles will be best option but I would like to have wood feel on my feet 

3) Same thing about vinyl but this time at the toilet entrance. I know that current bto, the toilet entrance will also have slope and hdb are using tiles by default, so no concern. If i install vinyl or hardwood at the living & all bedrooms, the area where the wood flooring connects to the toilet tiles will be subjected to water splash. So same concern, will it warped with the constant wheelchair loading? 

Any comments are appreciated ... thanks

Mine are wood-like homo / porcelain tiles. They feel like tiles but they do have grains like wood that you can feel. Hardwood you probably will build a kerb in between the tiles and the wood... If not it will probably  cause damage (as seen from my last EC it was built like that).

[SonOfTPY 0]

19 minutes ago, bykaraanne said:

I agree! Unfortunately I wasn't given too much time for pictures so the LR one didn't turn out that great. Ah well! You can't edit any entry. 

Mine are wood-like homo / porcelain tiles. They feel like tiles but they do have grains like wood that you can feel. Hardwood you probably will build a kerb in between the tiles and the wood... If not it will probably  cause damage (as seen from my last EC it was built like that).

Oh so they are tiles actually ... really look like wood 

The kerb will block the wheelchair right  anyway much as I guess, this kind of flooring setup will not last.

thanks for the feedback