Love Nest @ Casa

[theitsybits 0]

hee, it's a matter of preference for me la..cuz everytime i look at magazines, it's the white kitchens that always wow me..i've a vision of bright and airy kitchen, so i was bent on getting a white kitchen..my other alternative was wood grained kitchen and white flooring..

some people like black kitchens or colorful kitchens too, so as long as you love it, that's enough! afterall, the person who uses the kitchen most should be the main decision maker, gives them the motivation to cook more delicious meals.. =D

[BoBochacha 0]

Agree wholeheartedly !

Btw your inbox is full

Edited August 6, 2012 by BoBochacha

[May_dream1 14]

hee, it's a matter of preference for me la..cuz everytime i look at magazines, it's the white kitchens that always wow me..i've a vision of bright and airy kitchen, so i was bent on getting a white kitchen..my other alternative was wood grained kitchen and white flooring..

some people like black kitchens or colorful kitchens too, so as long as you love it, that's enough! afterall, the person who uses the kitchen most should be the main decision maker, gives them the motivation to cook more delicious meals.. =D

white kitchen is not difficult to maintain. its easier to maintain as any dirt, you will see it and clean it immediately. so over time, you will always maintain it in clean look. but if you choose darker colour, you will not realise when its dirty and it might accumulate until a point that you need to scrub hard to remove the dirt.

[Nexer 1]

white kitchen is not difficult to maintain. its easier to maintain as any dirt, you will see it and clean it immediately. so over time, you will always maintain it in clean look. but if you choose darker colour, you will not realise when its dirty and it might accumulate until a point that you need to scrub hard to remove the dirt.

Yup, totally agree and white kitchen is so much nicer n cozier! (personally view)

[theitsybits 0]

white kitchen is not difficult to maintain. its easier to maintain as any dirt, you will see it and clean it immediately. so over time, you will always maintain it in clean look. but if you choose darker colour, you will not realise when its dirty and it might accumulate until a point that you need to scrub hard to remove the dirt.

i think what people mean by 'difficult to maintain' is having to wipe them often, since it's visible..so it's more cleaning work to do on a regular basis..some would prefer not to see that it's dirty, so no need to clean at all..that's why low maintenance lor..

my only concern is whether it will turn yellowish after some years..naturally, like paper or white clothes..but then again, that should be many years later..

Yup, totally agree and white kitchen is so much nicer n cozier! (personally view)

we've same taste..

[theitsybits 0]

Agree wholeheartedly !

Btw your inbox is full

opps! i cleared it le.. =)

[Nexer 1]

Hi theitsybits

Can me pm me where u bought ur lights and furnitures from

Taobao and how did u ship the stuff over?

Trt to cut some cost by buying stuff from taobao.

[May_dream1 14]

i think what people mean by 'difficult to maintain' is having to wipe them often, since it's visible..so it's more cleaning work to do on a regular basis..some would prefer not to see that it's dirty, so no need to clean at all..that's why low maintenance lor..

my only concern is whether it will turn yellowish after some years..naturally, like paper or white clothes..but then again, that should be many years later..

i think wiping it when its visible is easier to do than to let the dirt accumulate then you have to scrub and use all kind of stuff to clean it. isn't that more difficult?

i don't think it will get yellowish so soon. especially if you keep wiping it.... white clothes get yellowish cos seldom wash. or else, will not turn yellowish at all

[yokechye 2]

Totally agree! I too doing white kitchen. All white!

[theitsybits 0]

Hi theitsybits

Can me pm me where u bought ur lights and furnitures from

Taobao and how did u ship the stuff over?

Trt to cut some cost by buying stuff from taobao.

Buying from Taobao

I'm using Daigou65 for buying at Taobao. I have bought quite a few items from Taobao, mainly track and pendant lights. I have also bought a few Phillips downlights, but have decided to buy those from Singapore instead since it's fixed inside the false ceiling and I'm somewhat worried about potential quality issues. I've less concerns about pendant lights since they're essentially a piece of metal. I have also custom-made curtains from Taobao, they will sew based on measurements provided, and it's so much cheaper than doing it here. I have also bought Eames fibreglass chairs from Taobao. However, I have not received them.

For the pendant lights, I have received all of them in good condition. Things like Tom Dixon lights, Spinning lights are selling for like SGD$10-$30 each, but shipping is expensive for bigger items, like the big spinning light. Prices are still at least half-price as compared to Singapore. E.g. I heard Tom Dixon replicas are selling for 100++ each, but I got 3 of them for SGD$97 including shipping. My large spinning lights are retailing for 200+++ in Singapore, but I got it for SGD$129 all-in, mainly because of the expensive volumetric shipping fees. I also got track lights track. Everything came in good condition, except the spinning light which I found to be yellowish/cream in colour instead of pure white. Mr K is helping me paint it glossy white.

For me, I buy from Taobao with the mentality that it's really cheap, and even if it turns out bad, I wouldn't be heart pain. I was willing to take the risk and ain't that particular about quality. Moreover, the light shops import from China too!So I think that if you have similar mentality and isn't too bothered about quality and workmanship, the items are pretty decent and at least half-price (for the things I bought). I had fun searching for the chinese names of things I wanted to buy, surfing the endless products. Anyway, I was surfing in Chinese, so if you do not have a decent command of Chinese, this won't work!

A few tips for buying from Taobao:

(1) Find out the chinese name of the things you want to buy. Google translate helps.

(2) Surf the first, say 10 pages of the products. Many of them are similar, and there's a range of prices.

(3) Try to choose sellers with better ratings, just like buying from ebay.

(4) If possible, buy a few items from the same seller and request for them to pack them together to save shipping

(5) Confirm volumetric or actual weight before confirming the orders. Due to different packaging by different sellers, you can save quite abit e.g. same item, one seller might pack into 15kg volume box while the other packs it into 8kg volume box.

It helps if you have an idea of the prices of similar pieces here, and some items are more worth it and 'safe' to buy from Taobao than others. E.g. Phillips lights do not have much savings compared to Singapore pricing. But if you do not mind their China brands, they are very cheap, even LEDs. But that was one item which I wasn't comfortable with buying online as it's troublesome to change.

Will post pictures once my stuff are up!

[theitsybits 0]

i think wiping it when its visible is easier to do than to let the dirt accumulate then you have to scrub and use all kind of stuff to clean it. isn't that more difficult?

i don't think it will get yellowish so soon. especially if you keep wiping it.... white clothes get yellowish cos seldom wash. or else, will not turn yellowish at all

i think different people thinks differently..haha..i think if u build your place from scratch and really love your white kitchen, wiping it often isn't a chore..how long does it take to give the surface a wipe?

but if you've a whole family staying together, perhaps with a less hardworking maid or other family members who are less enthusiastic about cleaning it when dirtied, can have heart attack if they don't clean it and leave stains..or some thinks, can't see dirty means not dirty and no need clean!

the yellowing part sounds logical..but that is the common concern or perception people have about white kitchens..

[Nexer 1]

Buying from Taobao

I'm using Daigou65 for buying at Taobao. I have bought quite a few items from Taobao, mainly track and pendant lights. I have also bought a few Phillips downlights, but have decided to buy those from Singapore instead since it's fixed inside the false ceiling and I'm somewhat worried about potential quality issues. I've less concerns about pendant lights since they're essentially a piece of metal. I have also custom-made curtains from Taobao, they will sew based on measurements provided, and it's so much cheaper than doing it here. I have also bought Eames fibreglass chairs from Taobao. However, I have not received them.

For the pendant lights, I have received all of them in good condition. Things like Tom Dixon lights, Spinning lights are selling for like SGD$10-$30 each, but shipping is expensive for bigger items, like the big spinning light. Prices are still at least half-price as compared to Singapore. E.g. I heard Tom Dixon replicas are selling for 100++ each, but I got 3 of them for SGD$97 including shipping. My large spinning lights are retailing for 200+++ in Singapore, but I got it for SGD$129 all-in, mainly because of the expensive volumetric shipping fees. I also got track lights track. Everything came in good condition, except the spinning light which I found to be yellowish/cream in colour instead of pure white. Mr K is helping me paint it glossy white.

For me, I buy from Taobao with the mentality that it's really cheap, and even if it turns out bad, I wouldn't be heart pain. I was willing to take the risk and ain't that particular about quality. Moreover, the light shops import from China too!So I think that if you have similar mentality and isn't too bothered about quality and workmanship, the items are pretty decent and at least half-price (for the things I bought). I had fun searching for the chinese names of things I wanted to buy, surfing the endless products. Anyway, I was surfing in Chinese, so if you do not have a decent command of Chinese, this won't work!

A few tips for buying from Taobao:

(1) Find out the chinese name of the things you want to buy. Google translate helps.

(2) Surf the first, say 10 pages of the products. Many of them are similar, and there's a range of prices.

(3) Try to choose sellers with better ratings, just like buying from ebay.

(4) If possible, buy a few items from the same seller and request for them to pack them together to save shipping

(5) Confirm volumetric or actual weight before confirming the orders. Due to different packaging by different sellers, you can save quite abit e.g. same item, one seller might pack into 15kg volume box while the other packs it into 8kg volume box.

It helps if you have an idea of the prices of similar pieces here, and some items are more worth it and 'safe' to buy from Taobao than others. E.g. Phillips lights do not have much savings compared to Singapore pricing. But if you do not mind their China brands, they are very cheap, even LEDs. But that was one item which I wasn't comfortable with buying online as it's troublesome to change.

Will post pictures once my stuff are up!

Thks alot for the info! Maybe i shld go do some shopping too.

Rem to post ur chairs once they are here!

[May_dream1 14]

i think different people thinks differently..haha..i think if u build your place from scratch and really love your white kitchen, wiping it often isn't a chore..how long does it take to give the surface a wipe?

but if you've a whole family staying together, perhaps with a less hardworking maid or other family members who are less enthusiastic about cleaning it when dirtied, can have heart attack if they don't clean it and leave stains..or some thinks, can't see dirty means not dirty and no need clean!

the yellowing part sounds logical..but that is the common concern or perception people have about white kitchens..

i guess i am lucky then since i am the only one cooking so i know i will wipe it. hehehee... white definitely looks more clean cos i am very afraid to prepare food in unknown cleaniness. hahahaah...

[theitsybits 0]

Thks alot for the info! Maybe i shld go do some shopping too.

Rem to post ur chairs once they are here!

okay! actually it has already arrived, just that i'm putting off getting it delivered as my place is not ready yet..

i guess i am lucky then since i am the only one cooking so i know i will wipe it. hehehee... white definitely looks more clean cos i am very afraid to prepare food in unknown cleaniness. hahahaah...

haha yar, if the kitchen is all yours, it's easy to maintain it.. i think i'll be the only one using the kitchen too, so i suppose it ain't that bad!

[theitsybits 0]

i forgot to mention alittle trivial which i wanted to share..

Mr K brought pinkwhale to visit my place last Saturday, and we were slightly late while they let themselves in..and when I arrived, Mr K was near the entrance, sweeping my floor very embarrassing, because i haven't swept my floor at all since my husband insisted on cleaning up only after all works are done.. i kept telling him to stop sweeping, i cannot afford to pay him for sweeping my floor!

still very thankful to have him do up my place..he's always beaming with pride when he shares his project pictures, and he really takes pride in his work..he refers to his potential customers as 'guests'..he never fails to call back or reply all our questions, and trust me, we've quite abit of questions!

no, i'm not paid to advertise for him, and i've paid him quite abit of money instead.. many thanks to pinkwhale for sharing and recommending her contractor!

Edited August 6, 2012 by theitsybits