adidaem

My weekend project: Simple Ikea 'hacking' using the Ung Drill mirror and a can of plastic spray (from Art Friend @ Taka/Bras Basah). Nice?

Sounds like your washer died of a broken heart!

Yep they are responsible. But I'm impatient so I ended up going to my contractor directly sometimes. Easier plus we were lucky cos can 'click' with my contractor.

Hi fishponder, I'll do an 'open letter' type of post in case there are others who will ask (and I am lazy to PM everyone)... ************* My opinion is... M+A are not for those looking for contractor-type of pseudo-IDs. So if your key concern is cost and just want a basic reno/quote comparison, then strike them off your list. E.g. pls don't go to them and ask for a quote immediately for a (insert apartment type) reno... they are not contractors (I hear they have been approached by people who did that... speechless lor). They are a design firm, and don't have their own workers, but get a trusted contractor to do the reno work. So workmanship I think really dp on which contractor they use. Mine are ok to my untrained eye. I dunno how they choose/find their contractor tho, or what criteria they use. My contractor did tell us M+A is finicky over details. e.g. I do know everyone spent a lot of time on my aircon trunking which I am greatful for cos the only visible trunking I have is in the balcony leading to the compressors! Service attitude wise... they did put up with my pages of 'review notes' on their design, so I think ok bah. They also went on-site at least once a week (could be more, I dint monitor cos I mostly popped by during weekends when no one is around), and gave me nice 3D graphics that made me happy... Most importantly, did u like what you saw of the end result? Look at the space, aesthetics and lighting. I think so far everyone who has been to my place comments it's 'not like a HDB', which I take to be a compliment bah. They don't really go shopping with us for furniture tho. Not sure if it's cos we dint request. We trusted them to choose the lightings n tiles for us cos after the first few shopping trips we thought they are even pickier than us. They really like white btw...

Yeah Ikea hacking is fun. Be careful of the dust from polishing. I found brown wood dust in the weirdest places.

Congrats and enjoy your place! Really cute plants and containers. Where did u get them from?

Why not change the cabinet colors so the contrast isn't so big? The other thing that makes the cabinet on the left obvious is cos of the depth. Possible to flush the depth to the upper cabinet height from the countertop height upwards? So it could be white which could be less obvious than the brown in the 3d. You could use the little ledge created to put cooking stuff... Or use the box up for decoration. Like put in small shelves for condiments or cans like restaurant displays, or pics or other decor.

Oh your place will be ready next week? That's fast. Looking forward to pics. Are you keeping all the rooms and walls as they are?

Not intending to move out for how long? I just can't imagine staying in one place for too long I guess. Well... we shd be here for the next 5 years, MOP and all. Plus dunno how to find (and afford!) a bigger space at an equally convenient location.

Know the feeling, haha. Btw can't help thinking about this apt I saw on Qeeple when I saw your apt (not sure why): http://www.qeeple.com/pm/16/0/Bedok+Loft Maybe cos you mentioned dark floor and white walls...

Wow, 5 weeks for a total overhaul will be kinda record breaking I think. I did quite a lot of research and the fastest reno for maisonette I read is 6 weeks - with some defects due to the rush job. Will be stalking your blog... Some suggestions: - The wood colours/mix in your study looks inconsistent with the rest of your place? Kinda lighter toned. Is it on purpose? If not I'll suggest a more consistent look with the rest of your place. Also make sure you see the wood in a bigger piece to assess if you can stand to have the entire wall of cabinets in that wood grain. Just like tiles, I always find it hard to assess using a little sample tile. - Also remember to get your ID to do up the grout lines in matching colours to your tiles, unless you want white. Noticed that the tiles in the 3Ds have white grout lines. Would be very contrasting on dark tiles. Personally I don't like the effect and a uniform colour (tile & grout) gives a better finish IMO. - Is 5 weeks enough time for your wooden floor/platform to settle down? It's one thing I considered when I did my reno. Most places told us it'll take a week to get the wood dry (?) to prevent future warping/ensure quality so it adds to the reno time. Didn't end up getting wooden floors, but that's what I remember being told... add one more week if we wanna change the parquet floor.

Think you should start your own T-Blog... easier to keep track of your reno journey when all the discussions are in the same location don't you think? Anyways, chalkboard paint comes in an array of colours, just may not be available in SG. You can probably ship in using forwarders like Borderlinx/Comgateway: http://www.rustoleum.com/CBGProduct.asp?pid=168

Haha, already thinking about it... nothing major, just some built-in storage and a minor tweak. But now is reno peak period so dunno can do soon or not. Plus decor/art. Still looking. In 4 years... I hope to be looking for new place to reno bah.

Wow, am so impressed by your media centre!

Nice buys! Looking forward to see the end result.

Do budget about 10% for overruns and unforeseen changes... Am not surprised by your cost - looks like loads of carpentry from the 3Ds and the glass railings don't come cheap. Next major purchases will be bed, toilet fixtures and TV? Lots of sale at year-end, have fun shopping and good luck with your reno!

Hey, for those still looking for reno inspiration, Qeeple is quite fun to browse. You can just start browsing randomly... http://www.qeeple.com Or look at their idea books e.g. this one for bookshelves: http://www.qeeple.com/qb/51/3491/Homes+for+Books

Do a partition wall. You can use the same 'trick' to hide all your trunking and switch boxes too. As for my TV console, it was designed by my IDs. The closest available for sale in the market is the one from Grafunkt.

Thanks for sharing! Any plans for phase 2?

Thanks Rain & Defelio for your suggestions on Christmas decor. Did up some simple decoration, will share some pics when I have time to snap some decent shots. Note that Ikea's stocks for Christmas decorations are running low, with the popular ones all snapped up. Heard that there is no re-stock. Absolutely bad planning man... they should have anticipated the huge demand IMO.

I got my alarm clock from Reebonz, but you should be able to find Karlsson clocks at Molecule at Great World City. Molecule isn't cheap tho, perhaps you can explore overseas websites that are willing to ship to Singapore? You can see the range from here, and then search for decent online stores: http://www.karlsson-clocks.com Not sure what is your style, but personally I like the Corona and Georg Jensen ones too: http://www.connox.com/categories/accessories/clocks.html For a really 'classic' look, can try Seiko wall clocks (saw in Vivocity and some neighbourhood shops before). Get the smooth movement ones and you'll have a quiet and reliable clock that costs a fraction of those expensive designer types.

So many posts by RT newbies promoting a particular new website? Coincidence? Trawlers? Really don't like fake posts/recommendations. Buyers beware...

I read the reviews. It has a strong smell and needs several coats for stronger holding power. Painting also sounds like a messy job... But its the only brand I've seen in Singapore.based on what I've read I'll suggest testing with fridge magnets after each coat has dried to see if more coats are needed. And not making the blackboard coat too thick. perhaps use the spray paint blackboard spray instead? Spraying seems easier than painting anyway.

Why not do up a mood board to help you with your colour/furniture decisions? I did one each for my dining and living room and I think the mood boards were really helpful in terms of visualising for colour and furniture selection.

Rust-o-leum. http://www.amazon.com/Rustoleum-247596-Rust-Oleum-Magnetic-Primer/dp/B003ZW7XL4