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vicx1234

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Everything posted by vicx1234

  1. vicx1234
    welcome to RT, and nice first post on the ID selection process. Your theme is rather similar, so I'm quite excited to see how your house turns out. Keep posting
  2. vicx1234
    Thanks for the very kind words Tripper!! And is that the old SBC sign as your avatar? Brings back very fond memories I must say. To be honest, most IDs out there seem like contractors to me. They are good in terms of giving you some practical tips, but when it comes to design, there are only a rare number of ID firms out there worth giving a "design fee". And they are usually pretty **** expensive. Since it sounds like you already have your design in mind, I guess no harm going to a contractor. Any intention to set up a t-blog?
  3. vicx1234
    pm sent bro
  4. vicx1234
    Long overdue house updates So we've been living in our house since early March 2014, which is almost 4 months now. I'm sure I share other homeowners' sentiments when I say that one of the best feelings you can have at this stage in life is living in a space that you can truly call your own. For those of us who have put extra effort (and $$$) into planning our renovations, the feeling is that much more fulfilling. The Mrs and I are really enjoying our home (as some of you have rightly pointed out) and these days, that's all we really do - enjoy the house and each other's company. When it comes to decorating and buying other household items, we have been pretty slow on that front as we are rather careful to only buy stuff that we need and which won't end up as clutter around the house. Plus, since we have a baby on the way, we have to keep our floors as clear of stuff as possible. For that matter, we have been hoarding up on baby items instead! So in the next series of pictures, you will notice that our house has still been kept pretty bare, even minimalist. I would however, like to fill up the walls more, with our pictures, art etc. (I have a certain aversion to bare walls). Arming myself with a wide-angle lens, here are some pics of the house in its current state, at different angles. MASTER BEDROOM One of our favourite spots in the house. Nothing beats chilling on the bed and watching a movie or tv series just before bed. A little view of the curves on our wingback bed. Adds a nice stylistic touch to an otherwise plain headboard. Made use of the original MBR recess area to put art. This way it makes the space look purposeful, as though it was a design idea built into the renovation process. A view of our 'luxury' item, a no holds barred walk in wardrobe, but by this time full of clothes. We're running out of space. Help! We're thinking of putting the baby crib in the WIW at night, this way we can attend to our baby easily. When our kid(s) grows up, we can then think about placing a boutique-like display cum storage cupboard in the middle of the WIW. Showcasing the carpet we recently bought - adding a little texture to an otherwise cold looking room. Our Simpsons-esque caricature based on a photo taken on our wedding day! Anyone interested??
  5. vicx1234
    welcome to RT Puggy, I'm quite excited to see how your house turns out cos of your Scandinavian plus Industrial touch. We were also initially going for a mixed Scandinavian/Industrial look but ended up more Scandi instead. There are loads of inspiration on Pinterest for the Scandi theme, so you'll be spoilt for choice! For the flooring, same as the rest I would go for the gray, it would suit your scandi theme to a tee. Good luck and looking forward to your updates.
  6. vicx1234
    hey no problem, glad that we can help each other out in this small way. thanks in return for the links to the swiffer duster (awesome reviews btw) and Mr Clean magic eraser; my wife will love the duster to bits, and I won't have to worry about our future kid drawing on our walls - in fact, it may be something to be encouraged!
  7. vicx1234
    bro, I was just reading some of your older posts. You are officially the king of taobao. btw really nice internal laminates. I was just thinking the other day while looking at my internal carpentry, that the white looks so ugly. Should have paid a bit more to get it all done up, really makes a huge difference!
  8. vicx1234
    Thanks Jiawen! Looking forward to having a new addition to our small family. I just caught up on your blog after my long hiatus and it seems that your reno progress is going very indeed! I like your chandeliers and am glad they arrived in good condition And your place looks very bright too with the all white theme... Nice! Wishing you all the best for the last stretch of your renovation!
  9. vicx1234
    Morning LHWH, we use 3M Command Hanging Strips for our photo/picture frames. They can be installed onto the back of the frames very easily and just as easily taken out. Similar to you, we do not wish to drill any holes into our wall so we found that this option works the best! Of course if you are looking specifically for hooks, 3M Command brand also has them. Personally, I find the hanging strips better. Here are the links on taobao (if you're purchasing it from there) as well as a demo video for 3M Command Strips: Command Hanging Strips Hanging Hooks Video Demo of Command Strips
  10. vicx1234
    thanks Harriette! After my long hiatus I also notice that you've happily moved in! Congratulations on a great reno and a successful move. How many lil ones do you have btw? No worries =) Looking forward to your reno. After the extensive research that you've done, I'm expecting great things for your house haha. tyty! eh you started reno already? I'm waiting for my housewarming invites from all of you lor.
  11. vicx1234
    bro, just stopped by to have a look. Your renovation is coming along v nicely! Looking forward to your invite =P
  12. vicx1234
    Yo bert! long time no see man. Still waiting for your blog! =P HAHA Actually it's not so much the baby that's keeping us busy (it's not out yet), but we've had to go out shopping for baby stuff alot of the weekends. At night we rarely use the computer as we prefer to watch tv instead. I guess it's better for us to have as much couple time as we can before the baby arrives! Now that I have a bit of time at work in between projects, I hope to be doing more posts
  13. vicx1234
    ART & OTHER DECO CONTINUED Here are my other favourite online stores to browse and purchase art, and if you look hard enough, some there are some real gems to be found on taobao as well. I have also included the links below for your reference Society6 (http://society6.com/) - This store is pretty awesome. Not only does it sell wall art, it also has a pretty impressive collection of household items such as rugs, mugs, shower curtains and wall clock. You can also buy their t-shirts which carry the same prints! Etsy (https://www.etsy.com) - I'm sure quite a number of you are familiar with this online store. It carries almost anything you might want to decorate your house with, but it's based overseas so shipping may be a problem. Here are some of my favourite stores from the Etsy portal. Typography prints - https://www.etsy.com/sg-en/shop/InkistPrints & https://www.etsy.com/sg-en/shop/BeautifulType?ref=l2-shopheader-name Awesome/intricate paper art - https://www.etsy.com/sg-en/shop/ThePaperarty Everyone's favourite buying portal - TAOBAO Here are my favourite taobao art stores (disclaimer: I've yet to purchase from any of these stores so I'm not too sure about the quality/reliability!) UIUI Home - tends to be a bit more flowery etc. Nice store for the ladies to check out. qxyh - a bit oriental, but rather modern in its delivery beizhangengge - nice mix of art available though limited in selection 23posters - the last of the lot, and my personal favourite of the lot. I like their reinterpretation of various movie posters, and they've got quite a sizeable collection to select from too. Enjoy hunting for that perfect picture(s) for your home ladies & gents!
  14. vicx1234
    Hi guys, since I have a bit of spare time in between work today, here's a short post about art and some other household stuff that you can purchase online. LOCAL WEBSITES These are my 2 favourite websites to browse household items, art and other misc stuff. Prices for some of them aren't exactly cheap but the items are certainly unique. http://www.kwerkee.com/ http://www.naiise.com/ Naiise is loaded with lots of local goodies, including art from up and coming local artist Lee Xin Li. Check out some of the finds below: Let's support our local artists and industries! To be cont'd
  15. vicx1234
    hey PTopaz, how's your house coming along? So far the blinds have been ok, I don't see alot of dust having accumulated, but that's also probably because we don't open all the windows in the house so less dust gets in. Cleaning wise, my wife swears by the Magiclean dusters as those attract and trap dust very well. However, the refills are pretty expensive at a couple dollars per piece (I think), but It should make your life cleaning the blinds alot easier though. If you clean it with a traditional feather duster, the dust may come off the blinds, but it will be transferred to your floor or walls instead as it dust does not stick to it. At the end of the day, even if you opt for traditional curtains, my view is that fabric curtains trap alot of dust as well, but they may not be as visible or obvious. Of course, you always have the option of throwing your curtains in the washing machine, but you may not do the same for blinds. One thing to note apart from the dirt/dust, is the ease of opening and closing of the blinds. IMO, blinds are more difficult to open because you have to pull up, pull down and louver the blinds to either close or open position. Traditional curtains are alot easier in the sense that you can just slide it open or close. Conclusion - if you're willing to spend on Magiclean dusters and don't mind a bit of operational inconvenience, go for the blinds. Otherwise you can stick to roller blinds or traditional cloth curtains. Cheers
  16. vicx1234
    hi there compass, thanks for the compliments and well wishes! Our living room cement screed tiles were actually one of the cheapest yet most beautiful that we could find, and only cost around $3 psf. This was within our ID's stipulated budget =) The kitchen tiles were more expensive at $4 psf but we had to get it because we loved the look and feel of it. Almost everyone who has come to the house has been fooled by it - when we tell them that's it's actually ceramic tiles instead of wood, they look quite surprised haha. As for ease of maintaining the floors, no complaints there. They stand up well to all sorts of abuse and are relatively easy to clean with a mop/vacuum. The laminate wall has also held up pretty well and you can just occasionally vacuum it or clean it with a damp towel to maintain it. It's actually nice to have a very woody/rustic type of wall backdrop when you're watching tv - creates a v good contrast IMO. Took a quick look at your potential table - my only concern is the seller rating as well as number of transactions. There should be plenty of stores with this type/style of table so choose your vendor carefully. Shipping wise, I paid about $180 just to ship our dining table which dimensions are 180 cm x 90 cm, and packed into 2 boxes (1 for the legs and 1 for the table top). Of course if you use Amcon like OceanEleven (see post below) did, you would be able to save a bit on shipping but you may have to do more coordination as well. Oh yes you may want to ask whether the table can be flat packed (the table legs in particular), otherwise the increased volumetric weight will mean that you have to pay extra for shipping. Quality wise, the table actually came in very good condition as they (meaning the seller & Peeka) packed it well and in wooden frames for additional support. Unfortunately, our taobao vendor did not provide the correct screws and we had to hunt high and low for the right screw thread sizing. We kindda had a disaster with the eventual set up of the table as some of the screws went right through the table! If we had exercised a bit of patience, I think we could have solved the problem. Anyway, the point is to find a very reliable table supplier from taobao. Nevertheless, we're still using the table for dining, and apart from the obvious defects with the table, it has held up well and looks good. The defects have actually become somewhat of a conversation starter, so it has gotten a bit of 'character' through the whole process. hahah. As above =) haha bro, thanks as usual for being my admin Long time no see man, hope you're doing fine and that the house is coming along nicely!
  17. vicx1234
    Thank you peggy! Really excited to be a dad. Will do my best to update when I can for sure, thanks for your kind support.
  18. vicx1234
    I don't believe I was charged extra for the black frames per se, but since I upgraded to aluminium PD door, my contractor charged me more for it, probably a few hundred more. So far the door hasn't given us any problems. Still slides in and out as good as it did on day one. Hope I haven't given you the info too late.
  19. vicx1234
    Hi guys, once again sorry for the delayed response. The bed can be found at Cellini (I went to the branch at Loyang Drive), and hopefully it's still on sale. Fabric and colour can be chosen as I understand it. I'm not sure what the raw cost of the bed frame itself is as I bought it as part of a package - bed frame plus mattress at around $1900. It's actually a pretty good deal so if they still have this price, you can consider it. The mattress is on the firmer side but still quite comfy, my wife and I have no complaints. Cheers!
  20. vicx1234
    hi pforpeggy & others, sorry for the delayed response. You're partially right about us enjoying our house, the other part being I rarely log on to the internet while at home nowadays. My wife and I are trying to enjoy as much couple time as we can before our baby arrives this September . In that sense we've become a bit of an online hermit. Anyway, to answer your queries: - Blinds are from Serene (from JB) contact no. 016-760 0683 - The study room frame material is aluminium and done by these contractors called Wellmax Metal Works (but to be honest I wouldn't recommend them).
  21. vicx1234
    Hi guys, sorry for the late reply. I have been devoting alot of my time offline so that I can enjoy our new home and my 1 on 1 time with the wife. Add work in and there's really very little time to blog! I do apologise for leaving some of your hanging and awaiting replies. thanks for your kind compliments stealth. TBH, I'm not too comfortable sharing our quotes as we don't want to cause any problems for our contractor, as quotes for each house can vary according to the amount of work done, negotiations etc. I could probably give a rough breakdown if that's ok. Hi kethan, thanks! We love it too It's actually in the low $2k range, it's not as expensive as a brick wall, but it's certainly not cheap either. Depends on the length of your feature wall also. hey MLTR, that's actually a very relevant point you brought up. Is this review from a customer of the shop Happy Mall? I bought mine from them and didn't have any problems at all. It could depend on which vendor you're using. But like you said, it could well be random, depending on your luck? Same as above, I will let you know the rough breakdown! Hi Bready, we got the shelf from Commune - paid about $700 for it. We got them from this shop called Contat Decor, website here: http://www.contatdecor.com/product/handles They actually stock quite a few handles so you will be spoilt for choice. Hope you find one that you like! Cheers
  22. vicx1234
    hi bianzi, here are the pictures as promised: First pic - as you can see, there is usually a little splash produced outside of the half shower screen, but it's not that big of a deal. Second pic - we deal with the splash by placing a bath mat to cover the area just outside the shower screen. It dries itself out so you won't have to deal with a wet mat for long. Ocean, I officially hire you as my tblog poster/representative. haha. Yes guys, the link provided by Ocean is the correct one. You can choose the size you want, but must be prepared to self assemble. I can't tell if it's made from solid wood, or just plywood with veneer (as is the case with so many furniture today), but it feels sturdy enough. The assembly is also simple enough, but the bar between the bottom legs poses a little bit of challenge and you will spend some time trying to fix that up. Cheers guys hey marcel, we actually asked our carpenter to custom make it. It's just a mirror bordered by laminated wood, with a ledge that is about 4 inches so that it can fit some of our toiletries.
  23. vicx1234
    same here. it doesn't get too wet really, just place a bathmat there and problem solved. Will show you what I mean through pictures tonight. Cheers,
  24. vicx1234
    hi crashz, thank you! yes we got it from taobao and here is the link: http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=15202397216
  25. vicx1234
    heading to francfranc tonight to hopefully pick up some cheap house deco. Quite sad that they are exiting Singapore Anyway, here are some recent purchases for the house from IKEA - really like their new collection, very colourful yet functional. Some trivets w interesting motifs. tray which resembles a country flag of sorts step ladder cum stool - just high enough to enable us to reach our ceiling lights. Was quite a hassle to assemble this bugger! Side table / serving tray from CB2 - quite pleased with this purchase as it can fold away for storage when not needed. The best part about it is the table top is actually a serving tray which can be detached for use.
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