21 Dec 2013

We intend to install an IKEA kitchen. Ikea Tampines staff has advised us to get their appointed kitchen contractor to do a site measurement, before we laid our floor tiles. We could then choose to run the electrical wiring beneath the floor to fit the kitchen design, if necessary. We need to pay IKEA contractor $40 for such a site visit.

So yesterday, we had a site meeting with IKEA's contractor, my ID and my contractor. The following was noted/decided:

• IKEA kitchen cabinets come in fixed sizes. To accommodate electrical trunking on the walls, cuts will be made in the IKEA cabinets. This will be ugly, and it can be seen when you open the cabinet doors. To counter this, my contractor will do up a partition wall. Wiring will be run behind this partition wall. IKEA cabinets will be mounted directly onto this partition wall. This will enable us to achieve a neat and nice look.
• The IKEA wall cabinets will be mounted all the way to the false ceiling. There will not be any visible gap between the wall cabinet and ceiling. Any gap will be filled with silicon. My contractor will need to do a false ceiling which is very straight. Otherwise, the uneven ceiling will be very obvious once the IKEA's wall cabinets are up.
• My contractor will run some electrical wiring beneath the floor so that our kitchen island can have some power sockets. The guys discussed and noted the locations of the wiring and sockets.
• The IKEA contractor also looked through the cabinet sizes proposed by my ID and made some tweaking.

We are opting for an IKEA kitchen coz we would like to change the kitchen, maybe once every 10 years. My kitchen in my existing 5-room flat was built by the previous owner about 12 years ago. It is very outdated. We really wanted to re-model the kitchen, but it was too daunting. If we have an IKEA kitchen, it should be easier to update/renew it.

Here are some photos of our expanded kitchen space. The walls of the original kitchen and study were hacked.

(photo credit: butter paper studio)

(photo credit: butter paper studio)

Edited January 6, 201412 yr by Harriette

Hi tarzanboy,

Thanks for liking my tiles. All my tiles are from Hafary. I will PM you your requested information shortly.

My IDs have done a more comprehensive update on the reno in their blog:

http://butterpaperstudio.blogspot.sg/2013/12/renobt-pj-maisonette-reno-updates.html

They commented that my toilet wall tiles are "in a warm and honey tone, similar to a travertine stone look." The look of the toilet was actually inspired by the toilet design in Tien Lai Hot Spring Resort in Taiwan, where hubby and I stayed in 2006 while on vacation. I didn't know that it is a travertine stone look. Upon googling, I found out that travertine is a form of limestone deposited by mineral springs, especially hot springs.

Extract from my ID's blog:

My IDs also posted some mood images for my toilet, which I really like.

My toilet wall tiles are from Hafary and cost less than $3 psf.

Grouting has been applied to the wall tiles. Mr Yeak sent me these photos via whatsapp.

I think ikea kitchen is a great idea. I really wanted the rubrik series with stainless steel doors and kompactop teak design. Didn't go through with it though cos committed with contractor.

The wall tiles looks like my living room floor tiles... but my floor tile is the 600x 600 square tiles

It is nice and will make your toilet looks bright and clean. Good choice.

Hi Greg,

Thanks for dropping by. I have followed your blog for a long time. Must be great to enjoy your new home.

I think ikea kitchen is a great idea. I really wanted the rubrik series with stainless steel doors and kompactop teak design. Didn't go through with it though cos committed with contractor.

Hi Danny,

Thanks for your comments. Hope it is a good choice.

The wall tiles looks like my living room floor tiles... but my floor tile is the 600x 600 square tiles

It is nice and will make your toilet looks bright and clean. Good choice.

I like the feel and the design of your toilet.

Grouting has been applied to the wall tiles. Mr Yeak sent me these photos via whatsapp.

wow ! very nice workmanship. do you still remember the tile code number ?

btw, is your contractor alan yeak ? can pm your contractor's contact to me ?

Hi alfredt,

I will need to check the tile code. I don't think Mr Yeak is called Alan. I will PM you his contact.

wow ! very nice workmanship. do you still remember the tile code number ?

btw, is your contractor alan yeak ? can pm your contractor's contact to me ?

Hi Harriette,

You have a very nice view up there and indeed the workmanship is decent. Do you mind sharing your contractor's contact? Thanks heaps

Cheers,

J

Hi Harriette,

You have a very nice view up there and indeed the workmanship is decent. Do you mind sharing your contractor's contact? Thanks heaps

Cheers,

J

Hi J,

I have PM-ed you. Merry Christmas!

28 Dec 2013

We visited our new home today. Balcony wall tiles are up.

A closer look at the balcony wall

Edited January 6, 201412 yr by Harriette

Kitchen wall tiles are up. The partition wall for the IKEA cabinets and backsplash cannot be tiled.

The wall for the new study/helper's room is up. This small room can only hold a single bed and a 150cm wide wardrobe.