Homeowner

Wishing you a happy birthday, Hirox, and a very happy reno ahead!

Hi, ah blur, if you are using solid surface, it's better to get light colours so that the scratches cannot be easily seen 'cos solid surface scratches easily. What does your ID recommend? If you really want black, you may want to switch to granite but it is expensive. Maybe you can go for other neutral colours like light grey solid surface with some patterns e.g. spots, etc. so that any stains will not be easily seen? IMHO.

Heheh, Fifi, agree with Ben . Usually only the very pretty or the very nice ones get teased. Aiyah, ignore them lah, they're just the grown-up versions of primary school boys who pull their female classmates' hair!

Wow. Your tiles are so cheap and yet look really nice in the pictures. Good value for money... hmmm, does it mean that SBH is more expensive?

Get a better one.

Wow, your reno. costs seems really cheap. Are you doing kitchen carpentry as well? I got mine at 391 Poh Joo. !!

Really nice toilet tiles. Phantom also has some very striking and nice black and white flower tiles. Yours is really like a wall paper 'cos the grouting for the black background tiles can't really be seen (at least from the picture). !! Are you going to have black sanitary items, too?

As long as you are comfortable.. after all you and your hubby will be the ones staying there most of the time .

Hey, Odie, the supermarkets like NTUC Fairprice sell mold-cleaner together with all the other cleaning detergents. Diluted bleach helps too. But, you must remember to wear gloves to protect your hands and open the door wide 'cos bleach is very corrosive and the chlorine fumes bad! My rice cooker is a Phillips. Simple one abt $50-60. Only rice function and non-stick pot. After the rice is cooked (i.e. on the warm function), we turn off the electricity and take out the rice abt 20 min later. We are not supposed to take out the rice immediately after the rice is cooked 'cos the rice will stick to the bottom of the pot. Dunno whether your rice cooker is similar. At first, we didn't know and kept scraping the pot. Realised that we have to wait 20 min. only after we read the manual. !!

Welcome and good luck! !!

Hi kenmura, welcome! Here's a suggestion: do a detailed list of what you want to do and get the IDs/ contractors to quote you based on the list and your floor plan. Then, you are able to compare apple to apple. Remember to put in the details: e.g. cost of tiles required, installation inclusive or exclusive of sanitary items 'cos some might be cheaper but give you cheaper tiles. !! Don't forget to ask them how long they'll take.

Most kitchen design books in the National Library are American, featuring traditional and country homogenous, fitted carpentry and tiled backsplashes. Not exactly most forumers' cup of tea. But, here's a book that features sleek, modern European designs with glass backsplash, etc. "The Kitchen" by Rita Mielke. Call number: 747.797 MIE-[HOM]. Hard cover. Big, inch-thick book. It has interesting bits on kitchen history and really beautiful pictures of modern kitchens (53 pages) and designer kitchens (105 pages). Enjoy!

Heheh, my "new" balcony has the very traditional a-few-tiles-make-up-one-big-picture tiles. The big picture has a few flamingos at a pool. Thought it was very passe and wanted to hack it off...but then, since the tiles were in relatively good condition and since I have budget constraints, we decided to save it, the flamingo sanctuary. There's a set of marble table and chairs at the balcony too. Very chinese and homely, like your grandmother's place sort of thing. I'll post pictures of the "new" place soon when the sellers move out. Think it's not so nice to post the pictures now in case their relatives or someone they know see my T-blog. We'll probably get only 2 long ones at the sink and short ones for the rest. We tried but failed to find an ABS trimming with similar woodgrain to our choice of laminate...so in the end, we chose a light solid cream ABS trimming. 2mm

Heheh!! !! High five!! Women are just so emotional!! And, hubby objected to mine too!! So, not setting up a proper blog, just a T-blog to post pictures and chat as I go along....owe it to renotalk mbrs from whom I received a lot of help, esp. those at the Masionnette Owner thread. So, GMC and HDB sigh, if you are reading this, this blog partly for you! Yes, will post LOTS of pictures, including the flamingo sanctuary that I promised HDB sigh! Hey, rummi, why don't you post your pictures in my T-blog? Then, this blog will be more interesting and informative to forumers doing DIY or working with contractors. Most blogs have IDs . At the contractor's office yesterday, I was a little shocked to find out that my flushed handleless design require veneer trimming. Confirmed contractor's rationale with the info. from thread below. renotalk thread on ABS vs veneering trimming Even though my contractor did mention about the sharp edges of the veneer trimming and how they take care to grind the edges so that they won't cut, I've decided to go for ABS trimming and handles instead 'cos I'm not someone who's very careful about the kitchen...more of a slap and bang cook...so laminate trimming might not be so suitable. Need something really, really durable. The disadvantage of ABS trimming, according to the contractor, is that ABS trimming fades over time whereas veneer will not. Sigh...practicality rules over design!

I think it's not so much a mutual decision; more like a kindly husband trying to comfort and calm down a distressed wife who thinks that the sky is falling!! Wow, rummi, your ventilation tips are quite pro. Hey, do post pictures of your reno. I'm very interested to see your results. Read from another thread that you'll be saving $20k by DIY. Wow. Chose the carpentry laminate and tiles today. Phew! Am really tired. Stuck to birch for the the laminate, rich brown for the kitchen tiles (heheh, contractor's suggestion and we found this really, really nice woody looking one) and white for the kitchen wall. Couldn't find the right shade of cream for the wall. Didn't really want glossy kitchen tiles 'cos I thought they were too reflective. So old-fashioned. Cream marble tumbled tiles for the master bathroom and a darker shade for the floor. My bathroom is going to have a calming cocoon effect. The children's bathroom was difficult even though hubby and I liked the same line of cheerful coloured fishes. Hubby preferred the showroom's combination of glossy white and blue while I preferred matt white and orange...brought back the sample tiles and guess what? I was outvoted 3 to 1! Hahah. The last toilet hubby wanted something more masculine?! Eventually we agreed on white and chocolate brown tiles with wavy patterns on them and matching chocolate brown tiles. Hahah...so despite my initial misgivings about dark tiles, we still end up getting those dark, dark tiles...guess we're not at the extreme end of the generation gap yet.

the half-height wall is just enough to cover the washing machine, so if we shorten it, part of the washing machine can still be seen...will think about it. yesterday night, hubby and I checked the ventilation requirements and realised that our fridge need 10 cm at the back, with the fridge jutting out significantly, the difference between the front door of the fridge and the end of half-height wall is only about 20 cm. and, he's fine with that.

After a good night's sleep...feel a lot better. So, from my experience , anyone designing kitchen carpentry need to make allowance for appliance ventilation and door allowance. Appliance ventilation requirements differ for different brands and appliance, and can be easily found in the appliance's instruction manual. They are very important 'cos insufficient ventilation can cause the appliance to heat up and spoil. As you probably have noted, insufficient door allowance means that if you want to put in/ take out large items, you'll have to move the appliance. Well, hope this helps someone.

Not a problem..hubby says. Just move the fridge out when cleaning. He still likes the half-height wall idea. No go for glass or acrylic partition. Sigh ...don't panic..it's okay... Will be going to take measurements tomorrow...so let's see how it goes.

Aiyoh...major design flaw! Checked my fridge. To fully open, I need 350mm!!! For normal usage, the limitation is not so bad, but if I want to remove the shelves for cleaning the doors have to be opened fully. Aiyoh, how? Thank you for your insight, Rummi. Wished you were here earlier. But, at least I can change it before it's already built!!! Can't seem to change the layout; think a very low wall is just so odd, so four choices left: 1. shift the half-height wall as close to the chute as possible since allowance must be given to the washing machine; 2. don't build half-height wall anymore, just put the washer there. That'll give me 100mm more and put the washing machine as close to the chute as possible. 3. put in a thinner material, e.g. glass and put the washing machine as close to the chute as possible 4. when cleaning, empty the fridge and move it out 'cos the fridge has wheels. Aiyoh!

Welcome, rummi...I'm so glad to find someone to discuss design with . Mine's a 21 year old flat...haiz, better not play play so leaving the sewage pipes alone...so ugly...wish I have the extra budget to do carpentry. No, we're not going to buy the systems 'cos the carpenter will be making the drawers for us. Saw them at andrew's place. You can check out his t-blog here, but no pictures of the drawers. Really nice...was very impressed. When my place's completed, I'll post the after pictures with close ups of the drawers and the before pictures of my very messy shelves at my current place (not the new place). The contractor's very careful, will be sending all my purchases to his office so that the measurements will correct and everything fits. The carpentry will be done at his factory. According to a book I read, this is good 'cos wood is easily warped and laminating and sealing the wood at the factory reduces the risk of warping. It's very reassuring when what the contractor does is what you have read in a book...and an angmo book some more. Means must be international standard. Heheh, haven't started reno, already so hau lian...hope the contractor won't let me down. But, you have a very GOOD point about the allowance for opening fridge door. Thanks!! My allowance is only for ventilation. Gotta to go back to the drawing board now 'cos giving the contractor the configuration tomorrow.

Hehehe!

That's interesting. How's your day today? Still hacking?

Great! Looking forward to more exchange of ideas! Thanks for your hospitality.

Thanks, si pitung. Stove face washing machine but creating a half-height wall to "block". !!