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hi, i'm new in this forum but actually i have been following for many month, just recently signed up to share my experience. i recently finished my home reno and i spent a long time looking for ID like you guys. i cam e across this ID by chance on instagram! there are too many IDs now so I was just randomly looking. then i immediately liked what they do (a bit modern raw+industrial but not too over). Actually its just 'she' and her husband, small company. they are very creative and really efficient in their work. i finished my reno (5-room bto) in less than 3 months (although its not alot of work la) i realise nowadys IDs in Singapore like to design alot of flashy and non-authentic things (especially those void deck ones) but i find my ID very original and very sincere in her ideas. for example my study corner sliding doors. most people will just go for aluminum, but its very thick and ugly and she refused to do it in alum, she found contacts to help me get it done in steel, i saw her drawings ver complicated for this part cus got alot of details but i really really loved how it turned out! super slim and sleek doesnt look like the usual HDB style! (picture below when it was just done) She does have a strong opinion in what she thinks is the best sometimes a bit stubborn but still willing to discuss and of course get my approval for everything before excecution. i have had very bad experienes before with ID so i just wanna share this very very positive experiecen with everyone. You can see my HDB on her instagram feed as well! the latest 2 pictures. (BELOW!) If anyone wish to know more I am happy to share her contact or pictures or whatever..

My woodworking experience is close to zero besides what I learnt in secondary school. I learnt most of what I know from YouTube All I got were some basic tools like a jigsaw, orbital sander and a power drill. Honestly most of my DIY stuff are simple mods and customizations to fit certain spaces in the flat. Like my kitchen pantry is basically an IKEA hack of the IVAR system. I combined the shallower 30cm IVAR shelves with the deeper 50cm shelves to make the pantry. I then painted the frame black and recolored the shelves with a waterproof almond varnish. 50cm is a little too deep for the upper shelves as you cannot reach deep inside, and I find 30cm is a too shallow and unstable. My customized pantry will also allow it to follow the shape of the kitchen windows as you can see. The arcade table is also customized, so that I can store the foldable dining table underneath. I have since also made a little planter ledge by the window frame for some greens Easy project, just have to cut a plank of pine and lay across the top of the kitchen counter and the pantry. It's also treated with the waterproof almond matte varnish since it's likely to get wet around there. A small fence along the length to finish the project. Another mod of the IKEA Elvarli system in the bomb shelter. Actually ryanyth, I wanted to get the vendor for your wardrobe setup - Smart Home I belive it was. But they response and communication is quite atrocious, to the point that I gave up and just found my own solution. I like the Elvarli system as you can adjust the shelves as needed. I found a way to install the corner shelves too, as the original Elvarli does not have the option for corner shelves (you can see from the photo). The left part of the system (the tools section) is customized with a length that fit that side of the room. The shelves are Ivar shelves cut to size. The right side where my clothes are are original Elvarli. The Elvarli bamboo shelves are expensive ($40 a shelf!), so I save quite a bit of money by using the pine shelves on the left side also. Some simple DIY allows you to accomplish little projects around the house without calling in the handyman. You also understand your home a little bit more, and most importantly it can be fun!

I like to recommend one alum grill company too. My parent's hdb masionette house in Hougang recently installed Window grill. We got quotes for some contractor, because of the height issue, they also quote me higher charges for it. Through Facebook, I managed to find one sub-contractor company that does its own production and their price is lower. I saw that they had Expo Exhibition (goes to show they are quite legit) so I engaged them. They took only 10days to install for me and the powder coat window grilles looks really good. pm me if you need their contacts

I hope this information will be useful to all homeowners who wish to save cost on home renovation works. Just as any other couples, we approached a few interior designers to build our dream home. To be frank, we were quite disappointed with their proposed ideas and design. Im proud to say we were the designers for our own home but of course with the help and advice from our contractor. Since we had to keep within our budget (arrival of our baby around the same time), we decided to do the renovation with a contractor after hearing from friends that it is possible to have a wow home makeover and save significant savings too. Information on renovation ideas are also readily available online. We were very much involved during the whole process. We invested our time on phone calls and checks to ensure evrything goes as plan such as the correct colours, design and layout as discussed with our contractors. Here are some of our house's photos in progress and the outcome. Im unable to upload all the completed photos due to size. All the best in planning your dream home!