Elementally Nordic

[owlNbear 2]

I think we're kitchen twins...I'm also going with white plastered kitchen walls as well, haha! And if your updates are real time, I believe we're doing the same thing at the same time

By the way, will you be leaving the tiles behind the fridge unplastered? My carpenter told us that heat coming out from the fridge will damage the plastered walls and cause it to turn yellow and crack. So if you're not already aware of that, do take note As for the white grout, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it'll last for quite some time because apparently, white epoxy grout won't get stained or dirty so easily.

Edited January 20, 2016 by owlNbear

[alprakas 1]

Hi dadajunior! excited to follow your renovation journey. I will be doing renovation for my resale flat soon as well. Could you please pm the contacts for the two contractors Mr Boon and J&E? Thanks a lot!

[dadajunior 5]

Hi alprakas. I have pm you their contacts.

[dadajunior 5]

Hi owlNbear,

We didn't plastered the tiles behind the fridge. Eventually it will be blocked by the fridge. This is also the same thing contractor J&E advised and helped us save $$.

On a side note,

Our contractor (J&E) advised us on quite a few items - feasible (save $$) vs nice (costs $$). But it still up to individual on where to spend and where to save. Like the green tiles originally from HDB, we decided to plaster it.

[owlNbear 2]

Hi owlNbear,

We didn't plastered the tiles behind the fridge. Eventually it will be blocked by the fridge. This is also the same thing contractor J&E advised and helped us save $$.

On a side note,

Our contractor (J&E) advised us on quite a few items - feasible (save $$) vs nice (costs $$). But it still up to individual on where to spend and where to save. Like the green tiles originally from HDB, we decided to plaster it.

Awesome

[dadajunior 5]

Taobao & lights

We have read that many people purchased their lights and furniture from Taobao. We were initially apprehensive about it since shipping all the way to Singapore may damage some of the items especially the fragile lights. And then...came the mega 双十一 sale! It's like the GSS in Singapore but at a MUCH greater extent..WOW! How can we miss this once-a-year chance! This was one mind-blowing online shopping experience we never shopped so much in our entire life!

We were spoilt for choice for our lights - there are thousand of shops selling lights on Taobao! Most of them are also replica of designer's lights which u can get it at less than 1/10 of the original price! we finally narrowed down our selection to the following after browsing through thousands of pages *phew*:

First the pendant lights. Our kitchen follows a black and white color scheme, and so we thought it would be nice to have a loft-style hanging light for our breakfast counter. The transparent glass light is for the dining area while the tom dixon void light replica will serve as our bedside light in the master bedroom.

Breakfast counter light: https://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?id=45600713177&toSite=main

dining light: https://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?id=41997159000&toSite=main

bedside light: http://world.taobao.com/item/36652900592.htm?fromSite=main&spm=a312a.7700846.0.0.R4KKNu&_u=n2el52bcf9b6

We opted for tracklights in the kitchen and our passage ways. If you are a fan of track lights, Taobao is the place for u! We bought two of our tracks from one of the local shops along Balestier road. One meter is SGD $15. If you buy from Taobao, one meter only cost RMB 15 => at least 4x cheaper!

tracklight: https://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?id=18266333831&toSite=main

track: https://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?id=18254262106&toSite=main

downlight: https://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?id=41705313063&toSite=main

Finally, the ceiling lights. We were both exhausted from the shopping by then and hence decided to stick to one common design for all 3 rooms and another common design for the toilets, service yards and bomb shelter.

bedroom light: https://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?id=40635449072&toSite=main

toilet light: http://world.taobao.com/item/45175465766.htm?spm=a312a.7700714.0.0.I3dDZq#detail

[dadajunior 5]

Other miscellaneous Taobao purchases

oil and vinegar bottle: http://world.taobao.com/item/38410673971.htm?fromSite=main&spm=a312a.7700846.0.0.R4KKNu&_u=n2el52bcc9da

water jar: http://world.taobao.com/item/44829420128.htm?fromSite=main&spm=a312a.7700846.0.0.R4KKNu&_u=n2el52bcf7f6

coffee/sugar jar: http://world.taobao.com/item/522083181713.htm?fromSite=main&spm=a312a.7700846.0.0.R4KKNu&_u=n2el52bc13df

blue glass bottle: http://world.taobao.com/item/38818046415.htm?fromSite=main&spm=a312a.7700846.0.0.R4KKNu&_u=n2el52bcba81

toilet shelving: http://world.taobao.com/item/45533848623.htm?fromSite=main&spm=a312a.7700846.0.0.R4KKNu&_u=n2el52bc13f6

animal poster: http://world.taobao.com/item/520292348270.htm?fromSite=main&spm=a312a.7700846.0.0.R4KKNu&_u=n2el52bc1848

polka dot carpet: https://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?id=37784438290&toSite=main

cushion covers: http://world.taobao.com/item/39353045188.htm?fromSite=main&spm=a312a.7700846.0.0.R4KKNu&_u=n2el52bc8004

fake plant: https://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?id=42534486817&toSite=main

dustbin: https://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?id=40733896929&toSite=main

wall clock: http://world.taobao.com/item/523761234333.htm?fromSite=main&spm=a312a.7700846.0.0.R4KKNu&_u=n2el52bc08d0

bedside clock: https://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?id=13492549936&toSite=main

PVC sticker: http://world.taobao.com/item/36945495418.htm?fromSite=main&spm=a312a.7700846.0.0.R4KKNu&_u=n2el52bcb507

door bell: https://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?id=23556440465&toSite=main

big poster: http://world.taobao.com/item/40721114924.htm?fromSite=main&spm=a312a.7700846.0.0.R4KKNu&_u=n2el52bcc162

Will review on some of these items soon!

[owlNbear 2]

Hey dadajunior! I bought all my lights from taobao too Are you going to have a few separate 1 meter long tracks, or will you be joining them together to form a longer track? My electrician told me today that I should have just bought a very long track, (but I've never come across one before!!). Made me feel like such an idiot

[dadajunior 5]

We got a sepearate tracks (2 spot lights on each track) because we would like to have a separate switches. We don't wish to switch on all lights at the same time. Waste $$.

The longest track we came across is 2m in local store. We bought it and ask my Contractor to cut to 1.5m. (As we bought 1.5m track in Taobao and arranged by air, it was rejected because the limit is 1.4m in length. And due to time constraint, we got it in Singapore).

[mrsm 0]

hi. can pm me contractor boon and contractor j&e contacts. thank you! 😀

[dadajunior 5]

Hi all!!

It's been a long time we have updated our blog. We are so busy with the renovation and upcoming Chinese New Year.

Here's a Prelude.

Stay tune for more!! :sport-smiley-018:

[Changbp 5]

The cabinet recess is cement screed?

Looks very unique.

[sanguine 0]

Hi dadajunior, do you know if J&E are now a HDB registered contractor? I called them some time last year but at that time they were not registered yet. I thought I read online somewhere that they might be getting registered by this year. Any idea?

[tohlianseng 0]

can i know how much is your reno cost

Edited February 4, 2016 by tohlianseng

[dadajunior 5]

Hi Changbp,

It's laminate. We chose this because it looks like cement screed. And it is a cheaper option.

Yupz, we also think it is unique. We have done extensive research on our home design.