2Roomer

Actually, I got my eye on some SkillsFuture@PA courses on DIY on home repairs & maintenance. I attended a home renovation course by ITE a few months back but didn't find it that useful.

We also don't need to pay property tax and will be getting GST U-Save vouchers of $380/- every year. Not a bad deal.

mmoh - Thanks for the photos! Very smart to have a floor-to-ceiling cabinet in front of the main entrance. You've got storage space, an entryway and privacy (from an open main entrance) with that cabinet.

Hi Ryanyth - Yes, gas clothes dryer are hard to find in Singapore. Only City Gas & Hoe Kee Hardware carry this Rinnai Gas Dryer. It is supposedly quicker and cheaper compared to electric ones. My preference is to air dry clothes indoor but I think it is difficult in a 2-Room flat since the kitchen is small and there is no service yard. As my kitchen window will be facing a busy main road & some construction sites, I will avoid hanging my laundry outdoors. A washer dryer combo is a good idea but it can be tricky with a full load of laundry as the dryer has a smaller capacity than the washer. So much things to consider for a tiny house.

Hi Ryanyth - Got your point about the advantages of induction over gas. I've got some thinking to do. Actually the gas dryer won't take up too much space as it meant to be stacked on top of a front load washer. I am not sure if upper kitchen cabinets can be constructed near the window (as in your plans) as they may obstruct the movement of the indoor drying rack. Hi Mmoh - Can I check how you dry your clothes? Do you use the laundry rack outside the kitchen window or a clothes dryer?

Hi Ryanyth - I used to have the same idea as you about using only induction for cooking. However, in the remote chance of a electricity outage, we have to rely on the gas cooker for cooking and boiling water. Current models of gas hobs are compact, easy-to-clean and safer compared to their predecessors. Most likely, I need a gas clothes dryer too. I intend to dismantle the indoor drying rack or not use it minimally as it takes up too much space in the small kitchen. What are your plans for the indoor drying rack?

Hi Ryanyth - I think the white colour panel houses the DB box.

Hi Ryanyth Didn't realise about Living Star & Star Living until you pointed it out. You can search for the Living Star flexible wardrobe system in Lazada SG. It is a bit expensive just for a few poles. For Comfort Design & Castlery, just go to their website and look at their products and prices, you will be pleasantly surprised.

Hi Ryanyth 1. Yes, I agree that the furniture in Star Living & Ki-mono have a nice balance of style & budget. You should take a look at Star Living's branch just a few feet away from Labrador MRT, where there are 3 floors of showrooms. I do agree with mmoh about Vhive, there are some unflattering comments about them on Renotalk. 2. If you are looking for a 2 seater L-shaped sofa, you can consider a modular sofa system from either Comfort Design or Castlery. Both shops also offer some solid wood furniture at decent prices. 3. I assumed that part of your 4.05m wall in your living / dining room is a recessed wall as the darken portion is protruding out. 4. If you are thinking of a floor to ceiling pole system for your HS to maximise space, I think those from Ikea and the defunct Howard's involve drilling into the walls which is a big HDB no-no. The Living Star pole system uses tension rods instead. Some Home-Fix stores have such a system set up in their stores.

Hi Ryanyth Wow, you must have put in lots of time, effort and thought into your space planning. I'm impressed! I am still waiting for my BTO and can't give as much insights as mmoh. But here's my 2 cent's worth anyway: 1. There was a segment on Designer In The House with a blind that blocks out air-con but it's more for windows. You can check out the episode (#6, at around 10 minutes) on Toggle TV. 2. You can consider having a counter above the bicycle storage area as an additional food prep area. 3. There is a recess wall in the living/dining room (next to DB box). Maybe you can relocate the study area to there. 4. What pole system will you be using for the household shelter? From what I know, Living Star is the only one in Singapore that doesn't involve drilling into walls.

A Happy New Year to mmoh & all. RuFus58 - Don't get disheartened by the long wait. I think of the long wait as getting more time to plan for my flat and save more money.

Thanks for showing us how you set up your bathroom. Do you have further work to do in your bathroom? I see that the blue, black and red tapes are still on the walls.

Welcome, MrMrsJai. Skypeak is a good location, near MRT & West Mall, flats are spread out nicely. When are you getting your keys?

Thanks for the head-ups on the P&R bed. Seahorse has a single trundle bed with small drawers made of "high-quality Finland wood". Muji got some nice-looking storage beds which (I think) are made of rubber wood with oak/walnut veneer. But Muji's beds are not standard Singapore size so mattress & bed sheets can't be bought from elsewhere. Scanteak bed frames are not so expensive when there is a sale.

Not easy to find a single/super single, solid wood, bed frame with a wooden headboard in Singapore if you don't know where to look. Most of the big chain furniture shops sell PVC headboards which I am not into. Beside Picket & Rail, Seahorse, Scanteak & Muji offer bed frames that I like. Currently, I am leaning towards Muji but I change my mind about furniture layout and selection every other week. Is your wardrobe a built-in or bought from the shops?

Hi mmoh - I see from the picture that the mattress is from Seahorse. Is the bed frame from Picket & Rail?

Hi evozero - I like the decors of the homes on Apartment Therapy. The homeowners inject their unique personality and heart into their apartments, something that a hired interior designer cannot do.

Hi DrewTan - You should be getting your keys very soon. Congratulations. Hope you can keep us updated on your renovation progress whenever you can. Your flat is a corner unit, right?

mmoh - Thanks for the picture. I can definitely use the blocks for my washing machine and even the refrigerator. It's better than getting a contractor to construct a permanent concrete base.

mmoh - Congratulations on your flat completion. Unfortunately, I can't build a bay window lounge area similar to yours since my bedroom door slides into one of the living room walls. A sliding door does save space in the living room though. Where did you buy your washing machine stand? Can you provide a picture of it? The prices and varieties in TB (via ezbuy) are impressive but it can be tough searching for products. I would rather not subject my middle-age body to climbing up and down a double decker bed everyday. But seriously, I have done some calculations and should be able to squeeze 2 single beds and a modest wardrobe in the bedroom.

Hi daztan89 - I think you found a qian-bei in mmoh. The reason I posed the question earlier is cos there might not be much space left in the bedroom after you installed the platform bed. My dad isn't officially staying with me but will visit often. I plan to have either 2 single beds or a trundle bed (top super single, bottom single) in the bedroom. The estimated completion date for my BTO is early 2018 but I am hoping it is earlier.

Hi daztan89 - You got a good queue number and should be able to get the unit you want. My queue number was 44, that was almost 2 years ago (wait & wait). Your BTO kitchen & bathroom layout is so much more user-friendly than the earlier batches. Is your platform bed layout meant for the bedroom, living room or a combo? During your selection, HDB should give you a floor plan with some basic measurements which should help you plan your furniture layout.

Welcome to the club! You got a good location, there's a hawker centre & LRT nearby right? But there is a long wait between flat selection and key collection. I think most of us in this forum are just waiting and planning for the space in our flat.

Hi mmoh - Under layout ideas in the sales brochure, there is an area (dashed lines) in the bathroom, which I assumed is the shower area. Maybe the space in the top left corner is for storage or a washing machine? That would certainly free up space in the kitchen.