3-Room 56Sqm Renovation

[hapigal 0]

Den where are u going to hang ur wet clothes? Install the ceiling hanging mechanism ( I duno the actual name, thou..)??

[eddy1564 0]

hi Ilki,

I really like your ideas. I think you and me have almost the same thinking, that is to have everything designed in a way where practicality should be the top priority. For example, to omit the feature wall of the TV makes sense. Getting a nice TV console would suffice. Features walls are fixed and in case you decide to flip your TV with your sofa, the feature wall will be a huge factor. All the best.

[jus4fun 4]

Hi ilkl, congrats on ur new flat, and welcome to the 3-rommers' club & to RT! (At which part of Spore is ur flat?)

Ya, like the way u blog.. shows that u've put in a lot of thoughts to ur reno plan! 赞!

For 3-roomers like us, who dun have the luxury of space, space planning is definitely important, & there's probably where the fun comes too, isn't it? lol

Really looking forward to see how ur transformation turn out!

I oso did a dining sette with storage space below but without cushion (bcos scared if spoiled difficult to change). Jus to share my experience, u may consider doing the base slanting (instead of straight) for greater leg space & comfort (so that ur legs won't keep hitting the base/the cabinet doors). U can take a look at my pics below for reference.

Buying a dining table to suit the sette was tough though. Probably too for urs. Bcos we need a relatively free space below the table for accessing to the storage space & the table legs can't be obstructing ppl moving in & out of the sette.. plus we must like the material & design.. After weeks of searching, I finally got what was deemed most suitable not ideal though.. I would hv gone for custom-made if still couldn't find one (then it would be another addn cost again) All the best for ur hunt in this aspect!

Enjoy ur journey & keep those updates & pics coming ya!

Living Rm with small dining area at corner

Dining table & sette (the slanting base not very obvious here though)

Edited July 29, 2013 by jus4fun

[ilkl 6]

Den where are u going to hang ur wet clothes? Install the ceiling hanging mechanism ( I duno the actual name, thou..)??

wet clothes we will hang out in the corridor - all our neighbours are doing it!

Hi ilkl, congrats on ur new flat, and welcome to the 3-rommers' club & to RT! (At which part of Spore is ur flat?)

Ya, like the way u blog.. shows that u've put in a lot of thoughts to ur reno plan! 赞!

For 3-roomers like us, who dun have the luxury of space, space planning is definitely important, & there's probably where the fun comes too, isn't it? lol

Really looking forward to see how ur transformation turn out!

I oso did a dining sette with storage space below but without cushion (bcos scared if spoiled difficult to change). Jus to share my experience, u may consider doing the base slanting (instead of straight) for greater leg space & comfort (so that ur legs won't keep hitting the base/the cabinet doors). U can take a look at my pics below for reference.

Buying a dining table to suit the sette was tough though. Probably too for urs. Bcos we need a relatively free space below the table for accessing to the storage space & the table legs can't be obstructing ppl moving in & out of the sette.. plus we must like the material & design.. After weeks of searching, I finally got what was deemed most suitable not ideal though.. I would hv gone for custom-made if still couldn't find one (then it would be another addn cost again) All the best for ur hunt in this aspect!

Enjoy ur journey & keep those updates & pics coming ya!

The flat is actually in the East-Central region, near a famous hawker food centre *hint*. Anymore specific and I'll have to put you out (just kidding)

Thanks for your tip regarding the settee! I will be blogging more about the dining table headache in future posts! Cheers!

[redder 2]

Get a clothes dryer maybe?

[NSW 0]

The flat is actually in the East-Central region, near a famous hawker food centre *hint*. Anymore specific and I'll have to put you out (just kidding)

old airport/mountbatten area?

[jus4fun 4]

old airport/mountbatten area?

my guess too! hee hee!

[zihui 7]

hahahah i'm guessing that it's near Circuit Road

ilkl, like what the other friendly RT members have said, you write very well!

but what really impresses me the most is how you've entered into the entire process with a VERY clear idea as to what it is that you want

that's totally unlike me. even until now, i'm still poring through Lookbooks and design magazines every day - it's gotten to the point where my contractor told me to stop doing this because the more i read, the more confused i get hahahahahahaha

i'm really looking forward to seeing the transformation and following your t-blog to admire the process!

[hapigal 0]

wet clothes we will hang out in the corridor - all our neighbours are doing it!

The flat is actually in the East-Central region, near a famous hawker food centre *hint*. Anymore specific and I'll have to put you out (just kidding)

Thanks for your tip regarding the settee! I will be blogging more about the dining table headache in future posts! Cheers!

Good thing abt hanging at the corridor is no bird gold ddipping on the clothes..bad thing is clothes kana stolen...

[ilkl 6]

hahahah i'm guessing that it's near Circuit Road

ilkl, like what the other friendly RT members have said, you write very well!

but what really impresses me the most is how you've entered into the entire process with a VERY clear idea as to what it is that you want

that's totally unlike me. even until now, i'm still poring through Lookbooks and design magazines every day - it's gotten to the point where my contractor told me to stop doing this because the more i read, the more confused i get hahahahahahaha

i'm really looking forward to seeing the transformation and following your t-blog to admire the process!

old airport/mountbatten area?

lao ban lao ban tau huay

My sis ask me not to say where we stay cause she is a very private person. In fact, when I told her I started this thread on RT she complained, but now she herself also like to troll this thread and read the replies . Shall give her a shout-out: Hello sis!

Thank you everybody for the encouragement and praises, glad to be of service!

[ilkl 6]

The Toilet Door-Fridge-Bathroom Dilemma

So after the first batch of 3D renders were done and I was generally ok with the layout (since I came up with it, mainly, with some input from my ID), something still bothered me. It started off as a small little iffy thing, then it grew as days went by and I would brush it off at first, but then it just started gnawing at me until I decided that I should deal with it while it is still in the planning phase or else I end up living with it and that would suck major.

My issue with this layout is that the toilet door would be facing the fridge and is right next to the dining table. Kinda gross if you think about it. Especially after someone has done a number 2, that would be really uncomfortable for any unfortunate soul sitting at the dining table at that moment. And you need to walk a distance before you can wash your hands.

So back to obsessing over layout again, part 2.

I remembered when I stayed at MBS, the bathroom was such that the vanity is in the middle, and to your left is a sliding door to the shower/bath, while on your right is the door to the toilet. Inspired by this layout, I told my ID about this new idea, which translated to this layout:

Personally I loved this layout, because it solved a few problems and had many pros to it:

1. Toilet door no longer next to dining table, also no longer facing the fridge

2. Vanity is very accessible from shower and toilet

3. I get the shower door next to vanity concept which I liked very much (I mentioned it before!)

The only con was that we had to spend more to erect the walls.

We also made part of the shower wall diagonal to free up some space in the kitchen.

Here are the 3D renders for this new layout:

So I was pretty chuffed about this layout and my ID went ahead to apply for hacking permit about 2 weeks before we got our keys. BUT, the very next day she called with bad news. She was informed by a HDB officer who had a look at our plan that it is highly unlikely we will get approval for it, because shifting the shower into the kitchen area is a no-no as the unit below may get leakage at THEIR kitchen (despite all the waterproofing that the contractors will do). The officer said we can still proceed with the application using this layout (I shall dub it the more 'radical' layout) and hope the application will get approved (unlikely) but risk the delay should it get rejected (likely). I was gutted, told my ID to give me a while to think about it, and as I sat at McDonald's (I was having my dinner) processing this and feeling as if my whole world is crashing down around me (okay, I exaggerate)... I called her 15 minutes later and ask her to change back to the original layout :'(

So my ID then resubmitted the plan for the hacking permit, using the first layout, because we cannot afford any delays to the renovation, and I was left pondering any possible solution to my dilemma.

Edited July 30, 2013 by ilkl

[ilkl 6]

Alas, an idea struck, a simple solution where I switch the position of the fridge with the vanity sink!

That way, the toilet door would face the vanity instead of the fridge, but unfortunately we have to live with the fact that the toilet door is just mere 20 cm away from the dining table. But that is life isn't it? You can't always have things go your way, ESPECIALLY for renovation. So when life gives you lemons, you make lemonade. Compromise it is then! Anyway my ID pointed out that it is good that we shifted the fridge away, because it is very bulky and would constrict the walkway into the kitchen. And I comfort myself by saying that now the vanity is also accessible to the toilet.

Unfortunately, we don't have any 3D renders for this final layout, but I generated my own to have a better idea, as shown below:

Anyway the hacking permit was approved for this layout, so no delays there!

Stay tuned for most posts coming up soon as I talk about the laminates and tiles selection, as well as furniture hunting!

(In case you are wondering, the renovation is currently in progress, now in the tiling phase! Estimated time of completion for everything is end of August *cross fingers* *jump up and down in excitement* )

Edited July 30, 2013 by ilkl

[Granitetop 1]

Looks like our renovation will end around the same time...

I like your radical layout! it is a pity.. but your new one is a practical and a good one u have come up with!

my 2cents' worth: just wondering will u have enough clearance bet the fridge and the front load washer? Maybe rotate the fridge such that it faces the washer may help abit?

[ilkl 6]

Looks like our renovation will end around the same time...

I like your radical layout! it is a pity.. but your new one is a practical and a good one u have come up with!

my 2cents' worth: just wondering will u have enough clearance bet the fridge and the front load washer? Maybe rotate the fridge such that it faces the washer may help abit?

Oh ya, the 3D render a bit deceiving cause my measurements there not very accurate (the fridge is very fat). But if you look at the drawn 2D layout, there is plenty of space. Sorry for the misleading images!

And my washing machine is top loading!

Edited July 30, 2013 by ilkl

[dexufto 5]

Do factor some 280mm to 300mm of allowance to open your rubbish-chute.
The kitchen sink may be limited to one one instead or duo.

Oh ya, the 3D render a bit deceiving cause my measurements there not very accurate (the fridge is very fat). But if you look at the drawn 2D layout, there is plenty of space. Sorry for the misleading images!

And my washing machine is top loading!

Edited July 31, 2013 by dexufto