Nordic Crush

[sapphire89 5]

Artbuild is infamous for their crappy work

AZ is quite busy cus all the east side people also go all the way to Alexandra.

I'm going to take your advice considering all the stuff you've gotten from IKEA!! It's near Castlery so I'll check out over the weekend. Hopefully we manage to get something!

Ya... sofa is all about the feel.. and for me the depth is important too, cos I'm too short. Think the ones you are looking at are too deep for me... got my eye on the Hanford and Naomi..

I love deep deep seats where you just sink into it... The feeling after a long day at work.. Haha! But my fiance and me quite tall so sofa not deep enough also not comfortable to us and our neck also need support...

Edited November 4, 2015 by sapphire89

[sapphire89 5]

It is possible to cut the drawers around the pipes but you lose a bit of storage space. I did this for my present house.

Open shelves with hinge doors will maximise storage space but more difficult to reach things stored inside.

I did think of that and I asked them whether they happy to do it not but the price I cannot justify cause we were quoted for casement and they say if I make 2 drawers need to top up for one more mechanism... Not that I mind but if I can get IKEA to install and save some $$ I'll be a happy lady!

I think you are referring to the drain pipe - the concern that the drawer can't close properly as its blocked by the drain pipe.

Most drawers will be cut a U shape to go around this problem. Not an issue with most carpenters. You can also measure how much allowance you need to clear the drain pipe. The drawer can be made shorter but bot advisable as this reduce storage space.

Yup that's what I'm referring to.. I read online that the solution to this is to twist the drainage pipe parallel to the wall so that there's enough clearance to close the drawers... But I'm not sure if we can actually do that... I wonder how the IKeA installers actually do it... Hmm...

[zen_zen 0]

Can I know which code of brick wall u gotten ? Able to take a close up?

[sapphire89 5]

Can I know which code of brick wall u gotten ? Able to take a close up?

Hi we decided to go for the cheap option of getting a stucco wall. So there's no code (:

[Sunnyshannie 0]

Oooo what a busy weekend and it's been so fruitful!

We've finally booked our actual day package for the wedding next year. Went with the same one as we did our pre-wedding photoshoot. I see wings sprout from our money! *Kaching Kaching*

As we had our HLE letter for the flat reassessed via the HDB portal and over emails, we were informed of the approval and I went into the portal to check the new letter only to find that our appointment date to collect the keys was approved for end of the month. Can you imagine the "OMG OMG OMGs" that were going through my mind. Straight screenshot and sent to the fiance~ Totally over the moon!

Side story for some couples out there~ When we first applied for our HLE, the fiance hadn't graduated and I'd only started my job for about 3 months. so the HLE amount was puny! Anyway, when it got automatically reassessed a month or so back, HDB, I don't know if they weren't thinking or what, but they managed to automatically re-approve the HLE without changing anything. They should have realised that the HLE was based on a single income and also they knew that both of us now had CPF contributions as their letter added both our CPF amounts together! What a contradiction in a single letter! They should do more homework and improve this. The appeal was painless and swift via the portal but it would have save us all time if they got it right the first time round. If anyone needs advice on the reassessment, do PM me Now, back to the main story...

We walked around looking at TVs in Best and Harvey Norman who were on sale all weekend~ I suspect they're on sale every weekend... Hmmm... We were sort of looking at the TVs to gauge the sizes and we've come to a conclusion that we need at least a 48 inch one but a 50 inch one would suit us best. As usual, the Samsung ones are a tad too expensive and visual's a little supersaturated but we are halfway sold on a Sony Bravia TV which looks pretty good. 50' going at $1500 (sale price). We're hoping to find something about 200 bucks cheaper but if we can't find anything, we will likely just go back for this one.

Finally, to complete the mood boards for my place today~

We're left with the 2 guestrooms one of which we're converting to our study and another we're using as a guestroom. We're leaving the common toilet as it is only installing a sliding L shaped screen in the shower area and also we're self doing the acrylic panes to replace the unsightly mesh HDB contractors use to hide the pipes. Our ID's recommended this place which a number of T-bloggers here have used as well. For the master toilet, we will be replacing the vanity sink that's come with toilet fittings that HDB have installed, replacing with our own vanity and mirror set that the ID will be designing. The counter top will be Kompacplus. Lurvesss! Finally, we're installing a swing door shower screen as well. Hopefully, we'll be able to make our master toilet cosy!

Reason we're doing up the remaining 2 rooms ourselves is the cost involved in doing carpentry work and also cause we didn't want something very permanent. I also wanted to have a hand in doing the decorating. Years of playing the Sims actually gets put to good use in real life. The guestroom especially would eventually make way for our future kids and will need to grow with them. The study on the other hand, we've got loads of books which only increases as we get older and we'd like to make the study something of a library. You won't believe it costs more than $3k just to build a full height, full length bookcase! Actually, you probably would but I'd rather think of other ways and if I can't, I'll get the ID to just build me one nearing the end of the renovations.... Fingers crossed!

So the guestroom will need to have the following and we're going to IKEA decorate the place since it's cost effective and also easily replaceable.

The concept will be something like this...

One of the walls will be painted grey the rest will remain white. We'll put in a daybed/sofa/single/double bed in one corner. Plush cushions all over. Light drapes on the windows which will be a translucent white day curtain and a darker grey blackout curtain. We'll be putting in an armchair in the corner with a standing lamp next to it by the window for our guest to chill out and read maybe? We will also have a dresser with a mirror resting on top which will serve as a vanity area. We'll also be getting a hanging rack so that our guests can hang up their clothes etc. This will be something like the Scandinavian clothes shops sort of hanging racks~

I just have to add that this HEMNES day bed is absolutely great. There are storage options, and also depending on the number of guests, we can also pull this out into a double bed. A great use of space.

We'll also be adding some art maybe recreating the photo ledge that we have in the dining area to this room so that we can swap the pictures around once in awhile. I'm thinking of soft colours for the art in this room to bring some life and Iris Grace paintings/prints seem like the way to go. The paintings are lovely and also they're for a good cause so why not!

As for the study, we're going for a library sort of look in this room so we will have a full wall bookcase down one length.

My idea of nice book cases doesn't have doors. The fiance says I'll need to do the dusting. *Pouts*

I'll also be getting this from IKEA. I'm picking the solid wood top as we all know their plywood tops are hopeless! Also the solid wood top has lovely wood grains which fits into the house theme perfectly.

That's all folks! Next up initial ID reviews! Look forward to the next piece!

XOXO,

Sapphira

Hi ,

Can share with me your contact and the price for the acrylic in the toilet?

Thanks

[sapphire89 5]

Hi ,

Can share with me your contact and the price for the acrylic in the toilet?

Thanks

Hihi!

PM-ed you!

[sapphire89 5]

Ok so I've finally overcame my dilemma in the toilet and made some drastic decisions!

We have now decided to go with a wall mounted sink with no carpentry under. If we need any storage what we're going to do is get some IKEA storage stuff below! We put money down for the toilet accessories and a granite kitchen sink as well. I never realised that picking out these stuff cost so much as well.

In the end, after all that pain, we didn't even go with either my ID's option or the IKEA vanity. Which is a waste but I didn't wanna risk the clearance as I've measured 12cm clearance to my discharge pipe but i measured 10.5-11cm clearance from the back of the Godmorgon vanity.

Hopefully the lack of carpentry can be made up with decorative stuff like candles and an indoor plant. *Popipopi*

Edited November 15, 2015 by sapphire89

[bykaraanne 30]

My master toilet also has a wall mounted sink with no storage underneath... At first I thought it would be a challenge, but after wall mounting some accessories it's just nice. Anyway less space to clutter!

I think it'll be fine

[sapphire89 5]

My master toilet also has a wall mounted sink with no storage underneath... At first I thought it would be a challenge, but after wall mounting some accessories it's just nice. Anyway less space to clutter!

I think it'll be fine

I've seen the pictures of yours and that's partially contributed to my decision too. Thanks for the help babe! I just hope to be able to add some warmth that a bit of wooden carpentry would have been able to bring to the mix. Hopefully I can find some good ideas in styling the bathroom!

[sapphire89 5]

Just went down to our place today and had a quick chat with the ID and the electrician on where our lights should go and to let them know the power points need to be moved where! I didn't realise it would be so exhausting.

One thing that they've brought up is that if I don't do false ceiling then the wire casings would make the ceiling look a bit ugly? Any advice on how to minimise the impact on the asthetics? My main criteria in this reno is not to have false ceilings given the HDB wall height is so low already Help!!

Our kitchen wall has come down! Makes the whole place look so open now!

[kaisermisaki 0]

Hello!

I didn't do false ceiling as well. But I didn't mind too much about the casing. For sure it can be seen. What my ID did was to run the casing on the wall, but just below the ceiling. Paint it the same colour as the wall colour. Will minimise it visually.

I used track lights for my living, kitchen and bedrooms. So there will only be one casing running from the wall on the ceiling, and to the casing of the lights (does that make sense?).

You can refer to some of my photos the topic My Cave I started.

Just went down to our place today and had a quick chat with the ID and the electrician on where our lights should go and to let them know the power points need to be moved where! I didn't realise it would be so exhausting.

One thing that they've brought up is that if I don't do false ceiling then the wire casings would make the ceiling look a bit ugly? Any advice on how to minimise the impact on the asthetics? My main criteria in this reno is not to have false ceilings given the HDB wall height is so low already Help!!

Our kitchen wall has come down! Makes the whole place look so open now!

[bykaraanne 30]

Same for me. I used all existing HDB light ports only so I have no casings on that

But I did add 1 socket each for living room, and 2 bedrooms. Visible casing but ran along the floor so can't really see. Painted same color too.

[sapphire89 5]

I only got worried cause the ID and the electrician both like... Like that might be ugly la.... Hmm... I suppose if we route it properly then might not be so obvious? I was thinking more on the ceiling lights cause all the HDB provided points like a little off from where we wanna place the lights... Did you all not move any of the points?

[kaisermisaki 0]

Hey!

Sorry mine is a resale, so in some ways easier for me. But if you plan the route of the casing properly, it should minimise the visibility.

I only got worried cause the ID and the electrician both like... Like that might be ugly la.... Hmm... I suppose if we route it properly then might not be so obvious? I was thinking more on the ceiling lights cause all the HDB provided points like a little off from where we wanna place the lights... Did you all not move any of the points?

[sapphire89 5]

Hey!

Sorry mine is a resale, so in some ways easier for me. But if you plan the route of the casing properly, it should minimise the visibility.

I'm liking the idea of routing the casing bordering the ceiling already... not too obvious and not in your face sort of obvious... Fingers crossed though!