A new poster for the home

I got a new poster for the home- to fill up the walls.
Paid RM130 for a big canvas from Canvas Street- a subsidiary of Photobook

It's slightly different from normal frame as normal frame would have a glass on it. Nevertheless, I am happy with the price I paid. I am thinking to do this every year.

Phase 2: Living Hall Reno

What do you think of this design?

If you've been following this blog, you will know that I have embarked on my "renovation journey". This is phase 2 after a one-year span of completion of Phase 1.

In this design, I would need new set of TV to fit the new TV cabinet, sofa and coffee table. Some rugs, bean bags (I like Doof) and curtains.

Happy Chinese New Year

Happy Chinese New Year folks. This blog is so rusty and well of cobwebs...Anyway I would like to wish everyone a healthy, wealthy and prosperous Chinese New Year. HUAT ar!!!!

Having a new home should means I should decorate it? I actually didnt have time or mood to decorate because our CNY is a simple affair, nothing extraordinary.

Here is my wall feature which I promised aeons ago. Plain. This wall is huge and a bit empty. So I decided this should be a "memory" wall whereby I will hang precious memories into this piece.

The ID selected a few stickers and allowed me to choose. In fact, besides sticker, she did recommend some other ideas. But I put-off the other ideas cos it will "create more work"..you know..something you need to dust/wipe

That's all for now.

Before-InProgress-After : Masterbedroom - Part 3

The full-height wardrobe

To design this, it took a lot of effort! Just the design alone, it has many revisions, at least 20 times!!

Because it was so customize, both ID and myself also forgotten about practicality. When the quote came, it for one 1 wardrobe. How the inside of the wardrobe looked like is up to me. So we started with a basic drawing and end up changing up to 15-20 times I think.

So came the day where I started to put my clothes and I realised..darn the wardrobe is too high. I cant get my clothes. I had to tip toe... I also realised, I needed more drawer space. Anyway I got those Ikea boxes too.

The final drawing after sooooooo many rounds

In Progress

3 panel sliding wardrobe.

First panel

Second and Third Panel

Things to take note:
1) The quoted price for the wardrobe is "designer's" price. Not factory or retail type. So my expectation were..since the price were higher..then
a) quality should be good.
b) the wardrobe, 1st handover, the clothes holder were like dropping because clothes too heavy n the rod seems to be causing a "u" shape. So the ID took it back and re-do it.
c) on 2 occasions, the ID took back the door to make the door more solids, the mirror to hold stronger n also change all colored mirror to the same color.
d) on a few patches, the workmanship was very bad. Although I can accept it, but ID insist to take back.
e) if you are doing your own design, better ask urself or take measuring tape n go to the actual site . Because on paper, it looks small, but real..its huge. That why I had to tip toe to get my stuff.

Before-InProgress-After : Masterbedroom - Part 2

Blinds for the master bedroom

Like the 2nd bedroom, I installed blinds. I got them from Maxtrack.

Maxtrack
Jaya 1
Contact: Ms Mizhzel @ mizzhelmaxtrack@hotmail.com

First blind (zebra): rm750
2nd blind: rm300

The Id and myself went to Maxtrack to select the blinds. We came across the zebra blinds whereby we can have 2 tones. After installing the zebra, I realised that the sun coming thru is still bright. I cant sleep in after 9am. LOL. To refresh yourself about Zebra blinds, pls read here

So I went and got a black-out blind as the 2nd layer. The color matches the zebra and the room perfectly.

During the 2nd blind installation, the workers probably wanted an easy and fast job, so they installed the black-out blind as the outer layer and the nice decorative zebra blind behind. So common sense will say it is NOT NICE. So I made some noise and the workers came back for 2nd time to rectify the issue. No extra charges and problem solved :)

This is where it is installed

First layer, the zebra. You can see the lights from outside.
Like a transparent sheet

2 blinds being installed. The black-out on the outer layer (front)

Close up

After rectification, this is final product
When I need the sun, I just pull/retract the black-out blind.

Before-InProgress-After : Masterbedroom - Part 1

Very sorry for the long silence.
There is so much I want to talk about the master bedroom. There are good and bad. So, let's start with the easy one.

Wall Paper.

The quotation from the ID included the wall-paper.
The selection of the wall paper was entirely up to the ID
The installation of the wall paper was disastrous

At the end, the ID painted back the wall, remove the wall paper fee.
The outsource company providing this probably had a big lost because they installed it twice or thrice if not mistaken. But since the end result was not satisfying, I didnt want to accept
it.

Two concerns when getting wall-paper
- The wall must be on a smooth surface and of the same level
- Those who installed the wall paper must be seasoned and not a fresh guy out there. I mean, get a SI-fu

First Time Install. Can you see the bubbles?

The bedwall.

2nd Time. Actually I can accept cos no one can see.
But then, based on a professional..ie: the ID, he said he cant accept such lousy work

I asked Joanna if her wall paper were like mine and she said mine was totally unacceptable.

So as you can see, final product, no more wall paper. Painted back cream color.

Again, sorry for the messiness.



Btw, I do not know which supplier my ID used for the wall-paper. Anyhow, I dont like the contractor because they did a lousy job and they also spoiled some of my household item like table and broom. Too bad I dont know the name of the company. Otherwise I would have list it here.

Coming up next, Blinds

Before-InProgress-After : Master Bedroom Bath

This is the makeover for the Master Bedroom Bathroom.

Before:


1) can you see the extreme right hand side? Its light blue fan-fold door
2) The loo, wash basin, plastic shower screen, glass sticker, tiles were all removed

Click here for the ID's drawing.

In Progress:


1) Hacking everything off
2) Repositioning of the WC (some plumbing work)

After

Entrance to the new makeover bathroom/toilet

1) Change to 2 fold vanity door



Hope you like my selection of tiles from Guocera
2. Sorry for the messy top. Its still messy. I guess I am just "normal" right..
3. Re-do / add some lights and power points
4. Of course, new wash basin, tap, wc, water heater


1) utilised the entire wall and made it a mirror and one part of it storage
2) Instead of plastic shower screen, used glass to have the "hotel" look



1) Played with different "earth-tone" tile colors
2) Be a little environmental friendly by choosing WC with half and full flush

Issued face:
1) This is a positive problem. The water pressure in this condo is SUPER STRONG! So my water heater cannot heat up the water cos the pressure. I'm the type who love strong pressure hot water showers!!! So I've not found a solution yet. If I want really hot water, all I need to do is to switch off the pump. By doing so, I have slow water with hot water. If I want strong water, its cold/luke warm.

2) The 2nd problem is the wash basin tap. Similar to Bathroom2, we bought the wrong size. So everytime I put my head down, I will hit the tap.


BTW, I apologise as I am not a professional photographer and I just snap the photos as it is. Very sorry for the messiness, like not clearing the counter top, putting down the toilet seat, closing the shower screen, etc In fact, I love this toilet! Just compare the BEFORE and now...hehehehe

Thanks for reading

Before-InProgress-After : Bathroom 2

This is the bathroom 2 makeover.
Total makeover.

Before:

 

The tiles from developer

There is no separation for wet n dry area

Toilet is extremely small.

 

 

 See the door. It went away

See the wash basin, It went relocated

See the tiles, new ones chosen

The wash basin,wc, new ones.

In Progress

After:

 

New Foldable Door. RM450. Note, this was not in the original quotation.

 

 3 types of tiles chosen. Got the tiles from Guocera in PJ.

Cant recall the price proportion. But I paid all in RM3k for tiles for 2 bathrooms. This is also after a 10% staff discount.

Note, please see how the tiles were placed. Horizontal and Vertical also makes a difference.

The WC, wash basin and accessories were from Vernon Bath, SS15, introduced by a friend. Again, I paid RM3k+ (less than RM3500) for all bathroom stuff for 2 bathrooms.

The removing of the tiles, water proofing and removal of the old bath items - under ID's quote

The new tiles tiling, under ID's quote

The installation of bathroom stuff - RM900 for both bathrooms (3rd party but managed by ID)

 

The glass door, I asked my old friend to supply. RM800 all in

The cabinet, part of the ID's quote.

One thing that I didnt like: was the tap. The idea of a tao coming out of the wall was cool. However we chose the wrong one. If a person faces his/her face, his/her head will most likely hit the tap. When you stand at ur wash basin, normally we stand in the middle right.. So middle head down = bang!

This chart here was to show the sales people in Guocera. From here, they will be able to calculate how many boxes of tiles needed. The chart was confusing for me. But i guess the people know best. FYI, it is also good to order extra 1 box of each tile type just in case for spoil, broken, etc. It is not recommended to buy again, same model as different factory batch has different color output. If unlucky, you may get a slight color tone difference.

After I moved in, I realized there was leaking in my utility room. Id came and checked and realized its from bathroom 2. So the plumber was called back. He was gentlemen enough and also admit his mistake. :D ** just imagine, how many would have done this???**

Design & Layout - Part 3/3

Soon, Eunice produced the 3D visuals for me. It took her less than 1 week. I had no issues on the waiting time.

My jaw dropped when she email-ed over. I even had to print it on color laser a3 size to see it on hard copy ;p

This is what I got. Enjoy

Master Bedroom

The bed (King size), I will buy separately

TV Console, to be built

Sliding door wardrobe, to be built

Bedside table, to be built

Fan, to be purchased

Aircon, existing

Plaster ceiling, existing

Additional lights to be added

Instead of curtain, I used blinds

TV, I limited to 32"

Master Bedroom Bath

100% makeover. Nothing from the old toilet used

New WC, new basin, tap, bath tub*, tiles, built in cabinets, etc

My son punya room

Curtains replaced with blinds

Beds- reused

Only thing new are: Carpentry works (shelves), the wardrobe is old one. New fan, fake plaster ceiling which was made by wood due to carpentry work. Added lighting. Add in stickers to make the room more boyish.

The reason why I didnt want a total makeover because, he is still young. If I spend $$ on it, later when he grows up and he dont like it how? Also, he is not toilet trained yet and if I buy another Nightingale (bed), and he urine...heartache. Furthermore, staying in a condo, very hard to sun-dry right.

This is a corner at the hallway. Instead of just a wall, I requested for carpentry work and the width to go parallel with the steps. So there are some display and some storage.

This is the shoe cabinet. Didnt waste any space. So built right-up. Top portion can double up as storage. I also had a space to put umbrellas which cant be seen here. The lower shelf is for daily wear shoes/slippers (those that used often) and the seat, is for the elderly or to place things, ie: your groceries, etc

So what's next from here?