littleones 0 Report post Posted August 11, 2009 THE BEE Well well, we've bought a cute Karcher vacuum cleaner from Courts recently to clean up our house. It's called The Bee. Seriously, we've no idea what to look for in a vacuum cleaner as there are so many models and price range is so big. Sales staff are of not much use either as they just recommend the most expensive ones aka Dyson to us. Personally, I find that Dyson does sounds attractive with its bagless and filterless operation but the price tag is really too hefty! In the end, we decided to go for a mid-range one and The Bee is so cute, we couldn't resist it However, the problem comes after we started using it, not sure whether it's because we are not vacuuming correctly, the head just seems to scratch our homogeneous flooring with those screeching sounds Think maybe I should try to vacuum without the head like I always do at my own house. Another problem is that there is no mechanism to retract the power cord so we have to twist and turn it manually. Now why didn't I check for that earlier? I probably assume that all vacuum cleaners come with that feature. It is supposed to be able to function without the bags so I sure hope it better last us for years. FURNITURE Our TV, washing machine, fridge, and classic furniture have also arrived. No reviews on the electronics as we have not used them yet though we find the Samsung LCD TV unclear. Not sure if it's the Mediacorp TV programs or whether it's the TV. We'll test it out again with a DVD player later. The classic sideboard and coffee table are replicated well after the original designs. One problem is that the sideboard looks too distressed while the coffee table looks too new. It is not evident in the picture but rather obvious in reality, even our contractor commented that they don't really match. That's one of the risks of ordering online. It's hard to visualize the real thing and matching them together. Even a tone difference can make a lot of difference. Well, no choice, that's the risk I had chosen to take. [Yeah, we were very thirsty after spring cleaning, that explains the can of Coke on the table ] The armchair wasn't exactly what I wanted with all the metal studs and it turned out cream instead of white. The only choice the seller gave us was to sell it back to her at a discount which isn't really a choice at all as that would mean that we are paying $ for nothing! Since it's rather well made and still fits into our living room, we'll make do with it then. This was the ULTIMATE! Can you spot the differences? I really cannot accept this because I find that it deviates too much from what I wanted. I mean, look at the proportion and the legs! Instead of getting a graceful giraffe, I'm getting a fat hippopotamus! Look at the knobs and the carvings (or appliqués), and the drawer units are so badly made that we broke out a sweat trying to open and close it. After the lower drawer is closed, one end of it was still jutting out as it wasn't made evenly. Look at the obvious scratching that probably occurred during packaging and transportation. The seller has promised me an exchange for the side table but not without giving me a long "education" on online shopping first. I am not new to online shopping and I know what to expect but this is way too much! You guys be the judge, should I accept it? The new piece will not arrive until Oct/Nov 2009 so I shall reserve my other comments till then. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skymars 0 Report post Posted August 11, 2009 hi littleones can i request to "see" ur living room from the kitchen entrance angle?? i am having a similar design but i am concerned that my sofa will be too close to my 40-42" TV...so thought i can only get a 37 TV....so can request to see the whole picture from ur main door =>shoe rack =>sofa=>TV THANKS alot!! btw if nothing goes wrong, my reno should start next week!! will update everyone laters!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
aoiaoi 0 Report post Posted August 11, 2009 ELECTRONICS Haven't blog for some time le cos site always timeout We are in the midst of cleaning up the place and spotting for problems for contractor to fix. It may be a challenge for the 2 of us as we were very blessed by our mums and have not much experience in housework One problem I've realised with our layout is the shoe rack. By constructing the shoe rack at the door, we've overlooked that major pieces of furniture might have trouble getting in Oh well...we'll just have to be mindful when buying our furniture. 8 Aug is going to be a busy day for us as our furniture and electronics arrive We have bought our washing machine, fridge and LCD TV yesterday, all under Samsung. Not that we are big Samsung fans, it just happened that they look good, price is good, and size is good Of course it wasn't a rash decision, we have previously gone to Best Denki and Harvey Norman, Mega Discount Store, etc to browse and shortlist the models we wanted then we called up Goh Ah Bee and Hong Liang for quotes. Apparently, the quotes were relatively similar for the WM and fridge but as what we've found out, and which Hong Liang admitted too, prices for LCV TVs are much more volatile. Delivery is foc but our only gripe is that they only accept cash & cheque, understandably to cut out the credit card & NETS charges to offer a lower price. Eventually, we got the WM and fridge from Hong Liang and the LCD TV from Best so we could use the vouchers which my ex-colleagues gave me and pay the balance in installment. Paying everything upfront in cash is really too taxing considering there are other major purchases like curtains not bought yet I shall not revealed the prices here since the dealers are kinda particular about it. We wanted to get the Samsung 37" model of the same series actually due to the length of our living room but "upgraded" to the 40" as it is actually cheaper than the 37" lor This is a popular model and is out-of-stock in whole Sg (according to HL) at the moment. It's a Full HD TV and equipped with iDTV (integrated DVB-T tuner), meaning we don't need a separate set top box to receive those HD programs from Mediacorp. I like the WM because it has the Diamond Drum (reduce damage to the clothes) and Silver Nano (generates silver ions that remove bacteria and fungus) features. As for the fridge, actually I prefer those Made In Japan models with at least 3 doors, but they cost way too much, so we'd have to settle for this. Again, I like their Silver Nano feature which "removes unpleasant odours perfectly, retaining the original flavour of the food". Our classic console, coffee table and side table are also scheduled to arrive in Sg next week. So excited, can't wait to see them soon...but first, spring cleaning...arrrrgghhh... Hello, hope the problems don't continue anymore. I too faced so many challenges as well. Issues with my ID: who anyhow change my bedside table, altar dimensions and tv feature wall height, bay window cushions, study table. At last they are almost all over, just the bay window cushions left for them to change to the correct dimensions. Issues with the furniture guys: sent me the incorrect crappy dining chairs (Winter International) and scratched arch lamp (The White). Do be firm with these people and reject accepting the goods or full payment if the goods do not match the description of what you have purchased. If you'd already made full payment online, get your credit card bank to file a descrepancy report and claim back the money, say you did not receive the goods purchased online (it can be done). Don't let your kindness be taken as weakness by these unscrupulous deceptive merchants. I almost got the same LA40B530 Samsung tv as you. The shops told you no more stock?? Hmm Audiohouse still have plenty of stock ley. I got the LA40B550 after much consideration. Price difference is just $100 more and comes with a Robinsons $100 voucher, so it evens out. May as well get the better one. Ok lah, good luck with the rest of your furniture due for delivery. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pinklady 0 Report post Posted August 12, 2009 Of course you shouldn't accept the scratching for the side table!!!!! make sure that person changed for you, at his/her cost. its too obvious to just close 1 eye and open 1 eye. but on a lighter note, i like your armchair very much, looks so much like royalty and so countryside living. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
littleones 0 Report post Posted August 12, 2009 skymars: that was our concern too but it's really not worth getting 37" tv now as it costs more than the 40" one of the same series and specs as 37" is an interim size according to Hong Liang and most manufacturers are going to phase it out soon. will try to get some pics from the kitchen angle for you the next time we go to our house. we haven't got our sofa yet so you may not get a good gauge of the distance. frankly speaking, it is indeed abit tight so if possible, you may want to consider mounting the tv on the wall. aoiaoi: thanks very much for your advice the furniture seller auto refunded me $100 until the new piece come, so it was not too bad. wah, your ID really has a mind of his/her own. if he/she does not consult you before proceeding with the changes, then i would think you are not liable for the full charges. hope they rectify the problems soon. Pinklady: thank you. i sure am hoping the new piece will come in a better condition. at least the armchair 錯得還不錯 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
littleones 0 Report post Posted August 12, 2009 CURTAINS Finally, we have ordered our curtains from Mr Chew. Thank you all who recommended him in this forum. He and his wife are really nice people to work with. He came down to our new house last week with a trolley of fabric samples. He suggested us to go for Roman blinds since our windows are all half-height and according to his view, half-height curtains can never be as nice as full-length ones. I wanted London blinds since it would go nicely with our theme but obviously, London blinds are going to cost us a bomb as they use much more fabric to create the effect. I was pretty disappointed as Roman blind was the last thing on my mind. In the end, I have to psycho myself to accept the fact that Roman blind is indeed a better choice given our windows design and layout (settee in my living room) As we couldn't see any fabric which we like, he suggested that we visit his house to take a look at one new book of fabrics which he just ordered so we went to his house today. My goodness, I must say his house has a splendid unobstructed view of the city Mr Chew and his wife were very hospitable and much to our delight, that very book of fabric which he mentioned was the kind of pattern we were looking for! The sweet floral cottage style kind of design. The range is called "Secret Garden" and the fabrics are made in England, so understandably they cost more but he kept to the price which he quoted us when he came to our house and he even throw in a string curtain foc for our WIW area :good: We didn't even ask for it, he just suggested that we could do a string curtain there while he was taking measurements in our room so kudos to his good customer service He also showed us a Roman blind which a customer sent back for repair as it was 3-4 years old already and something at the back snapped I think but I was really impressed as the blind is beautiful and it totally changed my perception that Roman blinds are boring and orbit of course kudos to Mr & Mrs Chew again for offering after-sales service I can't wait to see my blinds soon! Once they are done, we can finally shift in. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pinklady 0 Report post Posted August 17, 2009 wow that's good news, finally u can move in soon. so when u r expecting your curtains to be ready? u must be very excited rite? pls show more final pics when u move in! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
littleones 0 Report post Posted August 17, 2009 Actually, we've no idea when the curtains will be ready and we don't want to rush them cos they are rushing some orders for their customers before the Lunar 7th Month. I supposed it should be ready in a week or two maybe Will definitely put up pics later Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shingirl 0 Report post Posted August 17, 2009 hi, can you pm me mr chew number? and may i know if his house in sg or msia? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
littleones 0 Report post Posted August 29, 2009 Hi rondy, thanks. The reno process is really tiring. Not only the reno but the aftermath of buying the furniture, electronics, and shifting in, etc...it's really a HUGE project.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
littleones 0 Report post Posted August 29, 2009 (edited) CURTAINS (PART 2) After about 2 weeks plus our roman blinds are finally ready! Mr & Mrs Chew came to install the curtains this afternoon. It took less than an hour and we are pleased with the results. Here are some pics though abit unclear cos of my handphone..paiseh.. Skymars: hope this pic is a good guide for you. We haven't gotten our sofa yet but I think the distance from the tv should be fine. Also check out the complimentary matching big pillow which Mr & Mrs Chew gave us. The pillow is lovely and so are they. A close up of the sweet cottage style fabric. I love it! Our living room and adjacent room are decked in this. The little flowers on our blinds matches that of our clock (from Cottage Craft) You can also see how the blinds look partially drawn up. ...and this is a clearer pic of our cute teapot telephone at the corner of the settee. Ordered it from the U.S. Haven't tried if it works yet. We've chosen this for our MBR and WIW area instead. It is actually the same floral design but in pink in order to match our pink walls. The white string curtain is also nicely done and discreetly separates our WIW area. I love how they made the hems curvy and tasseled which add a touch of class to an otherwise boring straight hem. So, with the curtains settled, we should be moving in within these few days..although there is no ironing board, fan, sofa, and dining set yet. We'll settle those in due course. Edited August 29, 2009 by littleones Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Supersimon27 2 Report post Posted August 29, 2009 Wow , yr house good great . Rachel like this type of country style alot ... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sky2029 0 Report post Posted September 5, 2009 (edited) Hi Littleones, May i have the contacts for the curtains. Thank you... Edited September 6, 2009 by sky2029 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dyleen 0 Report post Posted September 5, 2009 I love the feel of your house. The cottage style fabric veri lovely. the pink pink one veri sweet, Loves it sial. too bad all these cant fit into my house theme, so i can only here Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
newnyew 1 Report post Posted September 5, 2009 (edited) . Edited September 1, 2010 by newnyew Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
