euphony

Just as I am about to embark on the courtyard remodeling. I decided to insect proof my place first. Having lived in high-rises in SG, I've never had any problems with insects but living very close to the ground for the first time without the protection of winner does present challenges. I almost never dare to open the windows and doors day and night fearing the little buggers (literally!) will invade my home. Well I don't mind that really if they pay their fair share of my mortgage! The boss will come in an hour's time for an evaluation and a quote and various design samples. They specialize in all kinds of magnetic nettings that seal the doors and windows. Seeing this as more urgent, I will go ahead with it prior to the courtyard remodeling. Hopefully get some fresh air circulating the house afterwards. One that I paid good money for. Well pictures below are unrelated but I take the opportunity to showcase something I chanced upon recently. I like how spatial and simple it is.

hmm, I really like to complete the courtyard remodeling project with the 2nd level conversion to a glass balcony (below) The original state Taken together the remodeling project will likely cost me a fortune. One which I suspect would be peanuts to Grace Fu despite her impending pay-cut.

thanks rain. hmmm right wood it is. i did a bit of reading on the interweb and some stories are pretty scary.

1 more thing I wanne do to the courtyard. Remove the stones and 'Woodify' the floor. Here is where I hope to have some opinions, dear readers. Imagine gloss black on both walls of the courtyard (original below). What color wood tone flooring would go well with the walls? Should I go real woodcuts or laminate??? I may later add in a minimalist sofa set which would take on a white color scheme so that they really 'popout' of the courtyard space when it is seen as one enters the living area.

Thanks both of you! I am aware of 3 shops. In fact they have been recommended to me before which goes to show they're not bad at all. yes Ne0, they're doing replicas from what i know. salormoon: i am intending to get lounge chairs, sofas etc so much to do still! am currently, looking at some nice original designs currently. i agree with you Ne0! that one's gotta go. i had a neighbor who painted it gray and it looked so much better. i understand what you mean your color combo melts together very nicely. btw, quirky tissue box you have! a conversation starter if anything haha.

I want to thank everyone of you who have been following my project (readers/commenters/PMers). I want to try to make it worth your while too even if it means a temporary respite in a long work day! Continuing from the previous post. I hope to drap nice lamps from the glass ceiling and contrasting the gloss black wall. Something like this: I should also be hunting for lights too in addition to the painting as well as the roof installation. Everyday i stare at the courtyard trying to visualize the various permutations and what it may eventually look like. And I can't wait for it to come to fruition! Then again when the whole project finally ends, it may create a 'void' here which I have been filling up religiously for some time now. I am so not looking forward to that. What irony!

Earlier i mentioned about thinking about (haha) painting the wall gloss black. I will eventually try it out and show the final form here. But more importantly the courtyard currently also doubles up as an airwell that opens up into the sky. Whilst that is very nature meets resort living, I'll like to reclaim that area by covering it up with a glass top, still letting in the lights but also means I can make use of the space as well as keeping the rain out. More importantly, it should also serve as a sound insulation because I share the airwell with the neighbor and I can hear the insects crawling on their floors (an exaggeration) because the airwell tends to amplify sound. I guess the hard part now is to get a reliable contractor to do the job up to my specifications. That should create plenty of fodder to blog about in time to come.

Hi Ne0, thanks for your comments! i really appreciate you point about keeping the theme. This is something i'll constantly bear in mind in the future to come. Actually, the choice of that yellow orange is the house in its original state, I actually don't quite like it (although I am into the contrast wall thingy) and am planning to paint gloss black over it. Hope that works out as I visualized in my mind.

I hope everyone's had a great celebratory 1st day of 2012. The courtyard have been on my mind a lot over the past week. Because the wall is already in contrasting yellowish orange hue I think I might continue with the contrast theme though I might be venturing into something a bit more controversial. Gloss black that is, so that when I put white furniture in the area, it will literally jump into the visual field. Below are 2 examples of it. This is the original state:

I dunno why the sudden urge to write so much perhaps it is the atmosphere in the air where everyone is rushing to set their new year resolutions? My take on it? This I learnt from Steve Jobs the maestro of minimalism: live tomorrow as if its your last. Throw the resolutions out the window and all the unnecessary stuff. The really important things, go get it done (a reminder to myself too). Apologies if it sounds a bit preachy haha. Right the last few pictures before 2012 arrives.

I have sorted out all the photos and have decided to post it all up tonight. Later today, am joining a couple of friends at Peninsular for countdown and fireworks so will likely not be around. Are you celebrating your new year and what are you doing? or will you let it pass quietly as you consolidate your life for the new year? as a minimalist i would prefer the latter though there is obligation to be with friends. as a minimalist we tend to evaluate every object for their utility and their value. I can't help but also wonder about editing down my 'friends'. Who are our real friends? In a time when everyone is racing to add as many friends as they can on facebook like its a badge of honor, i've decided to quit facebook together with hundreds of 'friends' and start afresh on google+ only adding or letting those who have similar ideologies literally join my circle. I figure a few close friends is better than hundreds of acquaintances. the following are the roads inside the precinct as well as the canals and park spaces.

This is the beginning of the last day of 2011. Personally, I can't wait for the day and hence the year to pass because there were quite a number of major setbacks and I really want to put it behind me. Nevertheless, the house is the one good thing that happened in 2011. My hope is for a better 2012. Thanks to you all (including the occasional reader) for following. I hope to continue blogging about the journey in the new year to come. More importantly, i wish you well for your own journey, house reno or not in 2012. Here's a toast. This is the 2nd guard house and the perimeter fencing.

And fauna of the precinct. haha apparently, the gardener takes care of the ducks too. They don't seem to move away much from that ground.

i am fortunate the place does very much feel like a resort! makes me forget about city life at times. the following set is the flora

Finally had some time to go around the precinct for a walk and to snap some pictures. It was an enjoyable one. These next few days will be putting the photos up. The first set is the clubhouse and the infinity pool as well as the surrounding semi-D and bungalows circumferencing the small river that traverses through the development into the straits of Johor.

these are both in the area of shops outside sutera mall. did not have the card so no address, apologies. have a good stroll around when you are next there should be an interesting few hours. i wonder why?

Phew its a nice day of heading out and about in JB to look for some things to make my place more habitable. PKChair, the place you were asking is ibenz. These 2 shops I chanced upon when i was just walking about in a part of town i don't usually go to and they were quite a surprising find. Very design centric with lots of beautiful pieces and fair prices vs molecule and the likes. Managed to find a bin. As you can see below I started out 'kiaping' plastic bags to the kitchen cabinet door handle as my 'bin'. This was quite unsightly, but I have never found a bin I quite liked, either the color was off or the design sucked or the built quality was filmsy. I rather do without one until I find something I really liked. And I found it. At first it looked very busy will all the flower motif. But to my absolute delight, those are made like car decals and can be peeled off easy. So the last pic is the final form. I have kept those flower decals, anyone who wants it please let me know. I can give it to you FOC. Would like to play the role of the environmentalist here. And perhaps add a bit of color to your pad.

can, use your current career to your advantage! that's good to hear. sometimes, the IDs work as if they can get away with murder... yea, I think JB homes mostly gives tiles are that like these.

dear adidaem no offense at all. in fact, i have the exact thoughts about the doors and hinges was planning to surprise readers when I do some work to it but you beat me to it! as for the carpets, not this time especially when some reno works at the courtyard may happen soon which could be a very dusty experience.

thanks! well, my monies are earned in part on a digital platform so there is no 'boundary' to work actually. having said that i do sometimes have engagements in SG also in JB too in an otherwise semi-retired life. JD, how's your reno progress?

i like the 'concept'. a tight leash on money constraints will result in a very creative effort both to keep within the expendable as well as making the money work extra hard to achieve the end point.

More double volumed inspirations for the courtyard as I build up the look I want. For the panton S chairs the built quality is not perfect after using it for a few days now. the fiberglass mould is a little thinner than the original therefore the necessity for support struts. Am going to look for something to stick to the bottom of the chairs to reduce the noise when the chairs are dragged. Let's see how that works out, does any of you have any ideas where and what should I look for? Though I paid cheaper for the chairs overall, the reduced cost does also mean it is built to a cost. Still the visual aestheticism does add that bit of appeal to a very minimalistic space.

Am enjoying the holidays so don't turn up here as much as I like. Finally the 6 panton S chairs were delivered early this morning. They are in good shape although not perfect replicas. I am happy nonetheless. The addition somehow filled yet opened up the existing space. For now, the table/chair ensemble will remain as a 4 seater and until the need arises, be converted to a 6 seater. The extra 2 chairs will flank my temporary coffee table, that'll make a bold statement when the outside world peers in... before I update the area in the future to come. I am so looking forwards to 2012.

cheers. yeah they do have a coordinated flair.