So we recently looked at why you shouldn’t consider an open concept floor plan, but the open layout isn’t all bad. Here are the reasons why you should actually opt for it.

1. Because your home feels claustrophobic

Living in a small space? Do the walls of your home feel like they are closing in on you? Going with an open concept floor plan will give you a greater sense of spaciousness as your eye will achieve a clearer line of sight thanks to the absence of walls. Plus, it helps to aid in traffic flow around the house since the furnishings can be more spread out—less chance you’ll be bumping your knees against the coffee table!

Design: Linear Space Concepts

2. Because you don’t get enough sunlight or ventilation in every area of the house

If your home doesn’t receive very much sunlight or you don’t have very many windows, you should consider an open plan. This will ensure that daylight and ventilation can reach even the deepest recesses of your space. Having natural lighting and air flow will boost your home’s wellbeing, making it a happier and healthier place to be, but they also help to save energy costs since you will rely less on artificial lights and cooling devices.

Design: Design 4 Space

3. Because you don’t have enough rooms

You might want a home office or a playroom for your kids but you don’t have the rooms to spare. Getting an open concept floor plan is one way to solve this. An open plan lets you create multifunctional spaces thanks to its lack of boundaries and the extra square footage gained from the absence of walls. You can now locate your study within the kitchen or your bedroom in the living room!

Design: D5 Studio Image

Pro tip: For better usage and versatility of our multifunctional spaces, consider doing up flexible dividers that let you close up the area when you need that extra privacy.

Design: Space Atelier

4. Because you don’t want to feel isolated

A feeling of isolation can arise as we are increasingly drawn to our digital screens. An open concept floor plan can help to create a sense of togetherness with the rest of the occupants in the home, even if you are doing different tasks at different places since you will be able to see where everyone is. It also ensures you won’t miss out on conversations and interactions.

Design: Adroit ID

Of course, being constantly together isn’t everyone’s cup of tea and even the most extroverted needs their alone time occasionally. If you are going for open concept, make sure you also feature private nooks and pockets of spaces that let you retreat into your own world when you need a break from being together.

Design: The Monocot Studio

5. Because you have young children

Design: The Minimalist Society

As a parent, a home without physical barriers can make for better parental supervision since you can keep an eye on your kids even if you are whipping up dinner in the kitchen. On the flip-side though, the lack of walls can also mean it’s easier for your children to get to areas of the home where they aren’t supposed to. So do take these into consideration when you are planning whether to go open plan.

6. Because you entertain often

We are getting this out there: Not everyone who entertains needs an open concept home. Some prefer more intimate, cosier dinners that will work perfectly well (or better) in a home that isn’t open plan.

Design: Sync Interior

But an open concept floor plan will work great if you frequently entertain in larger groups since a lack of walls will mean you can accommodate more people. If you like hosting parties with a buffet table and a lot of mingling between guests, go with an open concept since the lack of barriers will help visitors move around freely to have conversations or to take food. As a host, you may also want to go with an open plan since it can help you still feel part of the party even if you are busy prepping food.

As we have seen, there are pros and cons to the open concept. Figure out your needs and lifestyle before deciding whether you should go with one. Don’t commit to it just because it’s trendy; do it because it fits you.

Tell us: Will you be going for an open concept home?

Original post 6 Reasons Why You Should Go with an Open Concept Floor Plan appeared first on Renonation.sg. Renonation.sg - It's where renovation begins.

One of our favourite interior design trends this year is the coastal or nautical style. It is a look that conjures up an easy, breezy vibe so you will always feel like you are on a holiday. With its penchant for natural light, soothing colour palettes and a preference for no-fuss furniture, it is an easy style to love. The best part? There are many versions of it, ranging from the laidback seaside resort to the more uppity Hamptons style. If you’re looking to ride the wave on this trend, get your inspiration from these charming coastal style homes in Singapore.

1. All Aboard

This nautical themed home features the cutest details in reference to the style. Highlights? The custom display cabinet in the living room covered in a rustic woodgrain laminate and featuring portholes. The whale-shaped shelving unit in the communal area. And the rope swing hanging by the living room that conjures up images of carefree days by the beach.

Design: 1.01 Design Studio
Location: Compassvale
Type: HDB Flat

2. Nautical Blue Accents

Most of this flat is kept clean and contemporary, with little touches of the nautical to allude to the coastal style. One of our favourite features is the cosy corner and play area by the living room, which is clad in shiplap walls and decked out in a darker woodgrain flooring to set it apart from the rest of the communal zone. Custom benches with nautical themed cushions provide extra storage and the perfect spots for whiling afternoons away with a good book.

Design: Icon Interior Design
Location: Not available
Type: HDB Flat

3. Understated Charm

Prefer a less literal approach to the coastal style? Get inspired by this 5-room BTO flat that has nary a nautical decor in sight. Instead, it features a green and blue palette that is inspired by the hues found in the sky and sea. The other reference to the theme, besides the colour scheme, is found on the bathroom doors, which are decorated with round wire-mesh glass windows to look like porthole windows found on ships.

Design: Wynk Collaborative
Location: Sengkang
Type: HDB Flat

4. Rustic Feels

The seashell rug, driftwood ceiling light, mirrored porthole wall décor and the shiplap walls and ceiling should leave no room for any doubt that this is a coastal theme home. While most nautical themed homes feature some shade of blue, none of it is used here. Rather, an earthy palette of creams and browns is employed. Coupled with the frills-free, relaxing furniture made mostly from natural materials, the entire apartment feels just like a laidback surf shack and is just as warm and cosy.

Design: Charlton Design
Location: Bayshore
Type: Condo

5. Class Act with Monochrome

As evident by the previous home, you don’t have to deck out your entire home in blue even with a coastal theme. This home follows a similar vein and features mainly a monochrome palette to keep things timeless, with the only blue found in the kitchen to serve as a focal point. Shiplap walls, nautical décor and an outdoor vaulted ceiling lined with wooden beams create a relaxing beach vibe in this landed home.

Design: Icon Interior Design
Location: Paya Lebar
Type: Landed Home

6. Coastal Contemporary

What makes this coastal style home stand out is its contemporary slant. While most will associate the nautical theme with a more rustic, weathered vibe, this home does the opposite with its glossy surfaces, strong, clean lines, and furnishings with their smooth and simple forms. Despite this, it still feels comfortable in here thanks to the warm lighting, casting a soft glow against the whitewashed colour scheme with sea blue accents.

Design: D’ Marvel Scale
Location: Youngberg Terrace
Type: Condo

7. Ship Ahoy

A large Noah’s Ark-esque feature wall serves as the focal point in this nautical-themed condominium. Featuring portholes and an upper deck decked out in stuffed animals and toy figurines, it functions as a TV wall, a display cabinet as well as living room storage. The theme continues most prominently in the kid’s bedroom, where the bed is handcrafted from wood to look just like a ship and the ceiling light looks just like a ship’s steering wheel.

Design: Noble Interior Design
Location: Choa Chu Kang
Type: Condo

8. Meet the Hamptons

Named after the luxury seaside community in Long Island, the Hamptons style is very closely associated with the chilled-out coastal theme. What’s different is that it’s just a bit more refined and chic, which is exactly what this apartment is.

Using a crisp white base, this home is decked out in both rustic timber and luxe marble flooring. Chinese ceramics and chintz wares lend a bit of glamour beside the driftwoods and seashell collection, while leather furnishings sit alongside suar wood pieces. In line with the relaxing vibe of the coastal theme, the home features plenty of areas for lounging. The living room also extends out into the balcony, marring the lines between the indoors and outdoors.

Design: Schemacraft Interiors
Location: Jln Loyang Besar
Type: Condo

Original post 8 Coastal Style Singapore Homes with Perpetual Holiday Vibes appeared first on Renonation.sg. Renonation.sg - It's where renovation begins.

Rising in popularity in recent years, SPC flooring is sometimes seen as the V 2.0 of vinyl flooring.

This novel invention is a product of ever-advancing technology. What is it made of, and how is it better than ordinary vinyl flooring? Let’s find out in How to Choose Your Material!

What is SPC?

SPC stands for ‘stone plastic composite’ or ‘stone polymer composite’.

The ‘stone’ in this kind of flooring is ground stone. More precisely, limestone, which is an inorganic compound. It takes up 50-60% of the flooring’s content.

The ‘plastic’, or ‘polymer’ is in fact PVC, polyvinyl chloride. This material is stable, eco-friendly and renewable; the flooring contains a small amount of this material.

100% waterproof

The trait that makes SPC flooring stand out is that it is 100% waterproof.

100% waterproof means that SPC flooring can withstand soaking, and is suitable for bathrooms and kitchens.

Besides, SPC flooring is highly durable. The excellent quality of the core material makes it resistant to wear, which explains its wide usage in commercial environment and places which experience a lot of traffic.

Some homeowners might think SPC flooring’s predecessor is wood plastic composite (WPC) flooring. In fact, the two’s core materials are different. The former is ground stone while the latter is wood chips.

SPC flooring is an upgrade of WPC flooring because while the two are both waterproof, WPC flooring is a foam material and has a lower density. This means WPC flooring is lighter, softer and more likely to absorb odour.

In contrast, SPC flooring has a high density (1.987 – 2.05g/ cm3), which is comparable to a piece of tile’s (2.0 – 2.3g/ cm3).

SPC flooring has been available on the market for a couple of years. In the last few years, its manufacture technology has gone through a lot of evolution and since then, SPC flooring has become much more stable as an advanced architectural material.

SPC flooring is in fact seen as a top-tier flooring material on the market. Although the planks are relatively thin, they have a high impact resistance and durability.

Normally speaking, flooring with strong mechanical specifications is not very attractive in appearance. However, SPC flooring can be manufactured to look like solid hardwood flooring, and even natural stone which is a rarity in itself.

This type of flooring scores high on both its visual appeal and functionality.

The content of SPC flooring

Both the flooring’s material and structure contribute to its durability and visual appeal.

Core material

The core material of SPC flooring is composed of mixed limestone and PVC-based resin. Limestone is an inorganic compound that is found in natural stones like marble, calcite and granite. Animal skeletons also contain limestone.

The stone material does not shrink, expand, or absorb water. It is completely waterproof.

The core material of WPC flooring is instead wood and fibre. It is not as durable as SPC flooring, yet is more expensive in comparison.

Some might hold the opinion that SPC flooring does not have WPC flooring’s flexibility. But aren’t hardness and sturdiness better indicators of resistance to warping?

Why does SPC flooring look so good?

It’s all down to the veneer layer, of course.

The advanced technology of photography and printing allow realistic imitation of wood, natural stone and concrete surfaces.

SPC wear layer

The wear layer on SPC flooring protects the printed layer and core. It is scratch-resistant, impact-resistant and anti-slip.

The merits of SPC flooring

Eco-friendly

Studies have shown that SPC flooring does not release formaldehyde or radioactive substance. It is a green and eco-friendly material.

Withstand heat and flame-retardant

SPC flooring’s fireproof level satisfies B1 standards. It is flame-retardant, non-flammable and upon combustion, it does not release poisonous or harmful gases.

Waterproof and prevents bacterial growth

The vinyl resin in the core material is non-hydrophilic and resistant to hydrolysis. This makes SPC flooring resistant also to moulding.

The flooring itself is also treated to be resistant to staining and bacterial growth.

Excellent thermal conductivity

Since SPC is stable and can conduct heat effectively, floor heating systems will not cause the flooring to warp.

This might not strike Hong Kong homeowners as a significant trait. But for regions like Europe, America and Japan where central heating systems are the norm, this trait is very marketable and often sought after.

Conclusion

If you’re looking to refurbish your home’s flooring, consider SPC flooring. Not only is this material affordable, water-resistant and formaldehyde-free, the drop-lock flooring’s thickness is only about 5-6mm.

What’s more, you can lay the flooring on top of the old flooring. Way to save your money and time!

HKDecoman, now going global as Deco-Man, is a Hong Kong-based renovation platform which provides professional consultancy services and pioneers in the development of A.I. homeowner-engineer matching. We aim at educating the public about the art of home renovation and have our eyes on transforming the traditional renovation industry, bringing standardisation, transparency, convenience and automation to the business.

Original post How to Choose Your Material: SPC Flooring appeared first on Renonation.sg. Renonation.sg - It's where renovation begins.

For the uninitiated, a branded residence is a luxury home that is associated with a particular brand, usually in the hospitality industry. In this case, Pullman Residences is associated with Pullman, the high-end international arm of French hospitality conglomerate Accor.

In Singapore, there are only three such residences, with Pullman Residences soon to join the fray. If you are looking to get your hands on an exclusive and rare property for some major boasting rights, there’s really no better choice. To get you all excited, we used actual floor plans from Pullman Residences to show you what you can do with them.

Floor plan: 1-Bedroom (Type A1)
Size: 463 sqft

1. Maximise vertical space

Storage is of paramount importance in a small space. Consider adding full-height cabinets next to your dining area and have them join together with the dining table to minimise footprint.

Design: Space Factor

2. Pantry station

Setting up a pantry area might seem like an indulgence in a small space, but not when you get a dedicated area just to store pantry essentials and prepare casual meals in. Throw in a couple of chairs and the space doubles as a cosy nook for eating in.

Design: Elpis Interior Design

Floor plan: 2-Bedroom (Type B1)
Size: 667 sqft

3. A home office with no distractions

So you need a home office and can’t afford to sacrifice a room for one. The solution? Set aside a space by the living room and you’ve got an instant workstation. To remove distractions, build cabinet doors that can conceal the TV so you won’t be tempted to watch Netflix while working.

Design: Voila

4. Drinking corner

Now here’s a fun idea. Get a custom dining bench that functions as a bar table on the other side. This saves quite a bit of space, while giving you the perfect drinking corner for downing some after-meal tipples.

Design: Boewe Design

Floor plan: 3-Bedroom (Type C1)
Size: 1,163 sqft

5. Custom storage for bags

Need that extra wardrobe to store your massive collection of handbags? Do up a full-height storage piece featuring closed cubbies that will help you organise your belongings. Because space is relatively tight in this master bedroom, consider shifting your bed so that there’s enough traffic clearance around the room.

Design: Intrigue-d Design Consultancy

6. A dedicated walk-in closet

If you are still wondering what to do with that extra bedroom in the apartment, put it to good use by converting it into an extravagant walk-in wardrobe. We like how that this design still allows the closet to be part of the bedroom, yet it still retains some privacy (for prancing around in your new clothes) thanks to the TV wall divider.

Design: Le Bleu Art

Floor plan: 3-Bedroom + Study (Type C2)
Size: 1,281 sqft

7. A study that works as a guest room

Get this layout if you want a study in your apartment. But instead of using it just as a workspace, consider including a sofa bed, which you can use for periodic breaks or host any overnight guests in. We like this fold-down workstation, which can be stowed away when not in use to save space.

Design: Fuse Concept

8. A small bedroom

The study area in this layout is big enough that you can fit in a single bed and turn it into a proper bedroom. Do up this space-saving bedside vanity table that doubles as nightstand to store bedside essentials.

Design: The Orange Cube

4-Bedroom (Type D1)
Size: 1,378 sqft

9. Hotel ambience

In this layout idea, we hacked away the original confines between the master bedroom and one of the common bedrooms and then replaced the space with a thick TV wall that doubles as extra storage. The former common bedroom is done up as a walk-in wardrobe as well as a study area. Walls to the en-suite were also removed and replaced with glass to create an open style bathroom, à la a hotel suite. The glass serves as a splashguard, while also lending elegance to the space.

Design: Icon Interior Design

Original post 9 Smart Layout Ideas for Branded Residence Pullman Residences at Newton appeared first on Renonation.sg. Renonation.sg - It's where renovation begins.

Design: Rezt Relax Interior

If you are a first-time homeowner, getting a new HDB flat can be quite a daunting process! To guide you, HDB has setup a very comprehensive site which detailed what you need to know before getting a new flat. Unfortunately, the site is strewn with too much information and hence, you have to spend at least an hour to go through them.

Therefore, to help you jump start this process, we have come up with a video that highlights all the basic knowledge for time-pressed homeowners-to-be like you.

Do you know?
You can try out this simple 3-minute quiz to find out whether if you are eligible for a new HDB!

Design: Authors • Interior & Styling

Original post Video: All You Need to Know about Purchasing a new HDB Apartment in 1 Min appeared first on Renonation.sg. Renonation.sg - It's where renovation begins.

Most condos in Singapore come furnished with basic carpentry, appliances and fittings. But that doesn’t mean you can’t add your mark to make the apartment suited to your wants and needs. With actual floor plans from new beachfront condo Meyer Mansion, we show you how you can personalise your condo space so you can feel completely at home.

1. Convert formal dining into a casual joint

Floor plan: 1-Bedroom (Type A1)
Size: 484 sqft

Formal dining is so passé. If you like doing things casual, set up a bar table by the kitchen. Not only will that add extra prep space, it’s also a great layout for hosting guests—entertain them with canapes and chitchat while you busy yourself in the kitchen.

Design: Arche Interior

2. Add a convenient vanity

Floor plan: 2-Bedroom (Type B1)
Size: 883 sqft

We don’t know about you, but we need a proper vanity area to do up our morning and nightly rituals at. If a small space is all you have, here’s the ideal solution: a standing vanity by the wardrobe. The great thing about this is you don’t need a chair, so that helps to shave off some footprint. Plus, you get to have more storage space!

Design: Crescendo Interior Design

3. Turn an entire room into your walk-in wardrobe

Floor plan: 3-Bedroom (Type C1)
Size: 1,109 sqft

Indulgence, much? But yes, it’s your apartment and you can do whatever you want with it. We like the clear wardrobe doors in this, which not only let you see where everything is at at once, but they also force you to keep your wardrobe neat. Notice also the peek-a-boo corner that can be seen from the living area? It’s a great spot for displaying your expensive designer handbags.

Design: Arche Interior

4. Surround your kitchen with glass

Floor plan: 3-Bedroom (Type C2)
Size: 1,109 sqft

The original condo layout came with an open kitchen, which some of you will like. But if you tend to do Asian style cooking—sambal chilli, anyone—you might want to contain the grease and fumes within the cooking space. Do up a glass wall divider that separates the cooking zone from the rest of the home.

Design: Blanc

5. Get in a home office

Floor plan: 3-Bedroom Premium (Type C3 PL)
Size: 1,399 sqft

Work from home? Need a proper study area to focus on work? Set up your workstation in the living room by moving your dining area into the balcony. What you’ll get is a generous alfresco eating spot and a dedicated workspace. That’s what we call a win-win.

Designs: Home Philosophy and Zenith Arc

6. Warm the soul with an eat-in kitchen

Floor plan: 3-Bedroom Premium (Type C4 PL)
Size: 1,496 sqft

Think cosy dinners with the family and intimate dinner parties with friends—all possible with an eat-in kitchen! Surround a kitchen island with counter-height seating, which is more democratic in design than bar height—and you’ll have a kitchen that is truly the heart and soul of your home.

Design: Space Factor

7. Have a wow factor with an open bathroom

Floor plan: 4-Bedroom Premium (Type D1 PL)
Size: 1,722 sqft

Open bathrooms are not for the faint-hearted. But if you are looking for some serious hotel-like vibe, go for it. Just look at that freestanding tub in the middle of the room! If you are feeling a little shy, curtains will help to shade some privacy.

Design: Three-d Conceptwerke

8. Casual meals by the balcony

Floor plan: 4-Bedroom Premium (Type D2 PL)
Size: 1,765 sqft

We love how this kitchen sits just beside the balcony in this condo layout. Guess what that means? You get to double your kitchen counter as an alfresco dining spot. Do up glass sliding doors so that you get to have the versatility of having your kitchen opened or closed, depending on your needs.

Design: Rezt & Relax Interior

Original post 8 Creative Ways to Get the Most Out of Your Condo Layout appeared first on Renonation.sg. Renonation.sg - It's where renovation begins.

When it comes to flooring, most people are so preoccupied with the living room that they forget how utterly important the flooring design of the kitchen is.

The kitchen is often contaminated by kitchen fumes and grease. The frequent use of water in the kitchen makes the slippery floor a real safety hazard in this space. Therefore, the choice of tiles in the kitchen is in fact just as important as that in the living room.

The wide range of kitchen tiles options on the market makes reaching a decision a hassling business. What are the points of consideration in choosing tiles for the kitchen? Deco-Man’s here to give you some advice.

What kind of tiles for where

1. For the walls, matte and glossy tiles are recommended for the ease of cleaning, and a chic visual effect;

2. For the kitchen floor, matte tiles are more suitable because they are less slippery than other types when wet. Like the washroom, the kitchen is always more humid than other spaces in the house. We do not recommend using wall tiles on the floor since they are likely to absorb an excessive amount of water and become hard to clean.

Image: Couple Abode

3. Since kitchen fumes leave grease on practically all flat surfaces in the kitchen, do not use grooved tiles in the kitchen. When grease is accumulated in the grooves, cleaning them completely is virtually impossible. These dirty grooved tiles can, in fact, pose health hazards in your household.

4. The best tiles for the kitchen and the bathroom should have a low water absorbency. This is because water is almost always used in cleaning these spaces. Prolonged humidity exposure might cause water-absorbing tiles to come loose.

5. The colour of full-bodied tiles is the same all the way through the tile. They are the best choice for the kitchen floor, since this type of tiles is never glazed, which helps prevent slipping accidents.

Design: I-Chapter

6. If you really want tiled walls in the kitchen, opt for glazed tiles which are vibrant in colour and easy to clean. This kind of tiles has low water-absorbency, high strength and anti-bacterial properties.

7. For smaller kitchens, large tiles make space appear to be even smaller. In contrast, smaller tiles in a light shade can visually extend the space and make the kitchen look more spacious.

8. Laying tiles of only one colour might make space look boring. The general rule for choosing tile colours is not limiting the variation to 3 tones. Patterned tiles can be used to decorate the floor and add a bit of spice to the kitchen.

HKDecoman, now going global as Deco-Man, is a Hong Kong-based renovation platform which provides professional consultancy services and pioneers in the development of A.I. homeowner-engineer matching. We aim at educating the public about the art of home renovation and have our eyes on transforming the traditional renovation industry, bringing standardisation, transparency, convenience and automation to the business.

Original post The Best Tiles for The Kitchen appeared first on Renonation.sg. Renonation.sg - It's where renovation begins.

#1. There are 2 types of plumbing systems in every apartment

Project: Escapade Studios

A plumbing system is made up of pipes which carries 2 types of water; the supply of clean drinking water while the other is for discharging of used or waste water.

#2. Aside from you, the PUB and Town Council is also responsible for the maintenance of the water pipes

Image from HDB

What this means to you, is that you need to inform the Town Council if there is low water pressure. This could be caused by a malfunction in the booster pump. Also, do inform the PUB if the PUB water sub-meter is found to be faulty.

#3. Town Council and you are responsible for the maintenance of the sanitary pipes

Image from HDB

You need to maintain the sanitary branch pipes while the Town Council is responsible for the maintenance of the main sanitary pipes. Therefore, you should check pipes regularly and
engage a plumber to carry out repairs for the sanitary branch pipes. Also, contact the Town Council when repairs are needed for the main sanitary pipes.

#4. Precautionary measures must be taken when renovation works are carried out for flats with concealed water pipes

Project: EHKA Studio

The renovation professionals should treat the concealed water pipe layout plans for kitchen and toilet as a reference. Hence, a metal detector has to be used to locate the exact location of the concealed water pipes before any drilling is done. The ramsets, nails and/or screws must be located away from these concealed water pipes.

#5. Only a licensed plumber is allowed to carry out the plumbing services

Design: Icon Interior Design

Starting from 1 April, 2018, only PUB Licensed Plumbers are allowed to provide water and sanitary services.

Do you know?
It is an offence for anyone, without a valid PUB Plumber Licence to:
a. provide water service and sanitary works and/or;
b. advertise or pass off as a licensed plumber.
The penalty is either a fine not exceeding $10,000 or a term imprisonment not exceeding 3 years or both.

#6. Handymen (without PUB licence) can be engaged for simple plumbing works

Project: Versaform

Handymen are allowed to perform the following simple plumbing works for the water service works for portable water. They include the replacement or removal of any tap or mixer, or the accessories* connected to a tap. They are also allowed to replace or remove the pipe that connects the stop valve and the instantaneous water heater. In addition, they can replace or remove the flushing or flexible hose after the ball valve in the flushing cistern.

As for the sanitary works, handymen are permitted to install, replace or remove the washbasin or sink, any bathtub, shower tray, or shower enclosure, floor waste outlet, or pipes that discharge sullage water into the floor trap. They can replace the floor trap grating or cover and floor waste grating or cover. Handymen can install, replace or remove the urinal, and this includes the fitting trap or any pipe connecting the urinal to a urinal trap. They are also allowed to clear the blockage in the floor trap, water closet or sanitary appliance, discharge pipe, ventilating pipe, drain-line, fitting, floor trap, inspection chamber, grease trap, pump related to the discharge of sewage or sullage water to a sewerage system.

* The accessories include a shower hose, shower head, connecting hose with a spring-loaded self-closing nozzle, connecting hose to a washing machine or a dishwasher.

#7. The costs of plumbing works vary, depending on what types of repairs are carried out

Project: Ju Design Studio

The estimated market rates for the following common plumbing works are as follows:

a. Clear toilet bowl choke – from $120 onwards
b. Clear floor trap/drainage pipe choke – from $120 onwards
c. Supply and replace toilet/WC flush system – from $140 onwards
d. Replace Sink/Basin/Cistern flexible hose – from $100 onwards
e. Supply and install toilet bowl set – from $390 onwards

#8. There are a number of portals that provide licensed plumbers for hire!

Project: Fuse Concept

Do you know that you can easily search for a licensed plumber through the following 3 portals:

a. PUB;
b.  Income and;
c. GoFix.

Original post 8 Things You Need to Know about Water and Sanitary Plumbing Maintenance for Your HDB Apartment appeared first on Renonation.sg. Renonation.sg - It's where renovation begins.

There are plenty of pros when it comes to a kitchen island-dining table hybrid. One, it saves more space than if you were to have a separate kitchen island and dining table. Two, the dining side can sometimes double as extra prep area or the island can also work as extra seating when you have guests over. And three, because there’s no standard design, your kitchen island-dining table hybrid is guaranteed to look uniquely yours. Here, we show you some of the ways to combine your kitchen island and dining table into one:

1. Embrace the height difference

Rather than have both the island side and dining side the same height, get your dining area to table height while keeping your island as counter height. This makes things more comfortable, whether you’re prepping food or eating them.

Despite the height difference, the same blue accent was used on both the dining side and the island to tie things together. In addition, the dining table runs all the way to the side of the kitchen island so there’s no visual disconnection.

Images courtesy of DistinctIdentity

2. All in one

Prefer to keep everything in the same height? Here’s your solution. It’s a neater design, and it offers you more flexibility in terms of using the island side as a dining area and vice versa, but the only caveat is that you will have to eat at counter height. This might not work if you have young children or the elderly living with you.

Make sure to account for lots of legroom at the dinner table so that seating will be comfortable and include storage by the kitchen island.

Image courtesy of Eightytwo

3. Hung up on you

Erected perpendicular to the kitchen island, the dining table gets extra support from a ceiling mount which doubles as a storage piece. Suspended tables are great for small spaces since they don’t take up floor room at all. To tie things visually, both the countertop and the tabletop are swathed in the same woodgrain laminates.

Image courtesy of Chapter One

4. Curving consensus

To soften the edges in a room or if you just need a kid-friendly option, consider this curvaceous kitchen island-dining table hybrid. We love how the island was also designed relatively compact, so that the kitchen still feels relatively open and welcoming. Plus, it lets more of that gorgeous blush-pink cabinets to be seen.

Images courtesy of Three-D Conceptwerke

5. Matching material

Cast in cement, this kitchen island and dining table combination looks like a singular piece. Notice that the sides of the island are raised, which helps to hide the mess and clutter of the cooking space.

Image courtesy of Goodman Interior

5. Gentle slope

Because of practical reasons and to make it easier during cleanup after mealtimes, the dining table is covered with a glass top. A gentle slope between both zones was designed into the piece to create more of a visual continuity between the kitchen island and dining table.

Image courtesy of Aestherior

6. Pull-out dining table

For homes that are really short on space, consider doing up a pull-out dining table that you can pull out from your kitchen island during mealtimes and can be tucked away when dinner is over.

Images courtesy of Fineline Design

8. Raising the bar

While most homeowners would opt for a table-height dining area, the occupants of this home chose to go bar-height. It creates more of a casual setting, which also serves as the perfect setup for sipping tipples in in the evenings.

Image courtesy of Open Studio

9. Stand out feature

If you prefer your dining table to stand out rather than to blend in with your kitchen island, have them in different heights and materials. In this island-dining table hybrid, the rustic wooden top of the dinner table coupled with the bright yellow stools stand in contrast with the smooth quartz of the kitchen island.

Images courtesy of The Local Inn.terior

Original post 9 Ways to Combine Your Kitchen Island and Dining Table in Style appeared first on Renonation.sg. Renonation.sg - It's where renovation begins.

Who says minimalist homes need to be stark and sterile? These luxe minimalist Singapore apartments show that you can do clean and sleek while still looking plush.

1. Serene Sanctuary

Design: Sujonohun Concept & Design
Type: Condominium

There is something very zen about this luxe minimalist home. It could be because of the natural and soothing colour scheme, or the simple, clean lines that define the space. Brassy accents and the use of glass accessories bring up the elegance in the home. For a grand gesture, the designer opted to clad the entire bathroom in lush grey marble tiles.

2. Throw a Curve

Design: Kuro+
Type: HDB

This BTO flat comes with a black-and-white scheme, which is conventional in minimalist interiors. But what makes this home different is the use of curves in the space, seen in the TV wall and the kitchen island, which helps to soften the stark palette and straight lines.

3. Light and Lush

Design: The Local Inn.terior
Type: HDB

4. It’s Getting Dark

Design: 0932 Design Consultants
Type: HDB

An easy way to create a luxurious feel for your minimalist home is to go dark. Take a leaf from this moody luxe minimalist apartment, which is covered in dark wood and dark grey marble. Storage and doorways into the private spaces are concealed or made less visually obtrusive for an end result that is sleek and stylish.

5. Three Styles in One

Design: In-Expat
Type: HDB

This apartment manages to be industrial, minimalist and luxurious at the same time, which is no easy feat since these styles are very different. An unpretentious black, white and grey palette was adopted, with the occasional browns to warm things up. Aluminium frames and track lights allude to the utilitarian theme, while the use of metallic accessories and premium materials like leather contribute to its luxurious feel.

6. Changing Things Up

Design: The Monocot Studio
Type: Condominium

Relying on just wood and marble, this luxe minimalist home manages to keep things interesting by varying the finishes and hues of the materials. The living room and formal dining room for instance, use lighter wood tones, while the kitchen cabinets are clad in darker woodgrain and the island made from a grey marble. In contrast, the bathroom uses white marble with grey veins.

Original post 6 Luxe Minimalist Homes in Singapore that We Wish Were Ours appeared first on Renonation.sg. Renonation.sg - It's where renovation begins.

The majority of Singapore homeowners do not begin to think about renovation, until they’ve reached the final stage of a property deal, two months before completing the transaction.

Practically speaking, however, homeowners should plan ahead a year before that. They should consider beforehand what their living priorities are, and what design elements they see as the most important.

If possible, you should exchange renovation ideas with other homeowners in order to widen your sphere of knowledge and find the flat and design that suits you the most.

Recommended renovation timeline

One year ahead: make up your mind about design

Do look at a copious amount of design demonstration photos. This helps you single out one to two favourite styles and streamline the decision-making process.

Should you find it difficult to make up your mind, considering visiting your friends’ renovated homes and think about this: What potential living problems will you encounter if you lived there?

Nine months ahead: make preliminary decisions

Write up a list of materials and decoration items you might need. When you go out and happen to encounter these things, take pictures of them for later reference.

At the same time, start paying visits to flats renovated by different contractors. Apart from the inspiration, this also helps you sort out which contractors you should consider hiring or avoid.

After making some preliminary decisions, you will be able clearly illustrate your renovation needs to interior designers.

Ascertain what desired and attainable material options there are before a design blueprint has materialised.

Six months ahead: the design comes into being

Hire a design company to do the design for you. If the handover hasn’t taken place yet, request for an architectural drawing from the estate management office.

The structural design of the flat is going to affect your final decision on the renovation.

Three months ahead: measurement and quotation

Find an experienced and able renovation company to realise the renovation design.

Before hiring a design company to carry out measurements, try to finalise most of your renovation decisions.

This can increase the efficacy of the communication between you and the company, and minimise the need for revisions in the quotation.

Finally, you’ve reached the construction stage, and can make orders on renovation materials.

This certainly is not the only feasible renovation timeline.

For example, hiring a design company to design and renovate your flat is usually a more affordable option.

The concrete illustration of a renovation timeline is to show that each step within the timeline affects the next. The importance of planning cannot be over-emphasised.

The interaction between renovation decisions

How do earlier decisions affect later ones? Here are some examples:

1. The choice of flooring affects the cost of installation (E.g., the installation of fibreboard flooring does not necessarily involve levelling out the floor base).

Design: Black N White Haus

2. The type of curtain affects the proximity of the furniture and the wall, as well as the position of the air conditioner.

Design: Design NEU

3. Sofas and chairs affect the house’s partitioning, space allocation, colouring and the positions of lights and switches.

Design: Third Avenue Studio

In conclusion, homeowners should make the decision early, according to the list of renovation items. Let the designer know about your must-haves so that they can anchor the design according to your preferences.

HKDecoman, now going global as Deco-Man, is a Hong Kong-based renovation platform which provides professional consultancy services and pioneers in the development of A.I. homeowner-engineer matching. We aim at educating the public about the art of home renovation and have our eyes on transforming the traditional renovation industry, bringing standardisation, transparency, convenience and automation to the business.

Do you love what you’ve seen? Contact us for a non-obligated consultation now.

Original post Professional Renovation Advice: Setting a Timeline appeared first on Renonation.sg. Renonation.sg - It's where renovation begins.

If you entertain every once in a while (or you just have a mother-in-law who loves to “drop by”), setting up a guest room for your visitors to crash for the night seems like the good host thing to do. But if you have a small home and little square footage, having a dedicated bedroom just for your guests might seem like an indulgence, especially since you won’t always have overnight visitors. To help you be the best host you can be even with a small space, we’ve consolidated some practical (but still welcoming) guest room ideas that won’t make you waste precious floor estate.

1. Make use of your bay window

Give your guests a sleeping area with a view by incorporating a daybed by your bay window. To make the most of the area, consider including storage drawers underneath.

A daybed is still useful even when you don’t have guests staying over. It functions like a chaise, for lounging or extra seating when you are hosting large groups.

Design: Free Space Intent

Once your guests take their leave, dress the area with plenty of cushions and turn it into a cosy reading alcove.

Design: Fifth Avenue Interior

2. Install a Murphy

Don’t have an extra room to spare? Incorporate a Murphy bed at your communal areas. A Murphy, also called a wall bed, can be pulled down for a flexible sleeping area and stowed away when not in use.

Once folded, this Murphy looks just like it’s part of the feature wall.

Design: Free Space Intent

Want your guest to have some privacy? Consider installing a flexible divider like a curtain around your Murphy bed.

Design: New Nyew

3. Double the guest room as a lepak corner

Make your guest room more multipurpose by doubling it as a lounge area where you can retreat to for some relaxing when you don’t have friends and family staying over.

A platform decked out with a zaisu chair and cushions is the perfect spot for unwinding. A single sized mattress is hidden underneath to accommodate overnight guests.

Design: Story of Us

Alternatively, locate the mattress on top and leave room for underneath platform storage.

Design: DB Studio

4. Get it together with your walk-in wardrobe

Still deciding whether the spare bedroom should be a walk-in wardrobe or your guest room? Why not have both?

Do up an enclosed walk-in wardrobe for more privacy.

Design: Dap Atelier

Placing the bed on a step-up platform helps to visually separate the closet area from the sleeping zone.

Design: My Reno Diary

5. Go loft style

Think tall if you are blessed with a higher ceiling in your small space. Build up a loft for your guest bed, and make use of the space underneath the loft bed by turning it into a home office.

Don’t forget a workstation’s essentials: bookshelves, storage and good lighting.

Design: Starry Homestead

Personal touches make your guests feel more welcome.

Design: Notion of W

6. Do up bunk beds

Here’s a space-saving solution when you need to accommodate more than one guest over: bunk beds.

Avoid the childish overtures of bunk beds by sticking with a classic black-and-white scheme.

Design: The Local Inn.terior

This guest room bunk bed is furnished with a mini wardrobe, which your longer term visitors will find very useful.

Design: Design 4 Space

7. Keep things concealed

If your guest room is multipurpose, you might want to consider going for concealed design elements to keep the mess and the visual clutter at bay when company is staying over.

Pocket doors and a pull-away drawer hide the study and wardrobe in this guest room.

Design: DS2000

This guest bedroom features hidden platform storage and a pop-up table.

This guest bedroom features hidden platform storage and a pop-up table.

Design: LS2 Design & Construction

Original post 7 Ways to Design a Practical Guest Room in a Small Home appeared first on Renonation.sg. Renonation.sg - It's where renovation begins.

If you are looking to make a great first impression with your home, there’s no better place to start than with the front door. From subtle, minimalist door gates to eye-popping painted doors, here are some of our favourite ideas for an enviable front entrance:

1. Say hello to yellow

Attention-seeker? Paint your front door with a bright pop of colour that is bound to get your neighbours’ attention. Pick a hue that matches the accents in your home for a cohesive colour scheme.

Design: The Local Inn.terior

2. Split sides

Lay on the charm with a Dutch door, also called a stable door, that will definitely get all your neighbours talking. A Dutch door is essentially a door that is split into two parts, usually at the halfway mark, so that the bottom half of the door can be closed while the top half is opened. A taller bottom half and louvres allow light and breeze to come in without sacrificing too much privacy.

Design: Three-D Conceptwerke

3. Champagne Party

Want a balcony for sipping tipples in the evening? Create one right by the entrance of your home, complete with floor decking and faux carpet grass (available at IKEA).

Design: MMJ Design Loft

4. All wired up

If you have pets and they keep escaping through the bars of your gate when you are not looking, get a wire mesh gate. Style-wise, it’s a great option for industrial or contemporary themed homes. Do up a laser cut of your unit number on the gate for an extra dose of personalisation.

Design: butterpaperstudio

5. Go groovy

Get all retro-fied with an accordion style or scissors gate, which were once popular in the 70s and 80s. While the gates of yesteryear had to be pushed aside before entering, these ones today feature a swing mechanism—all the feels minus the inconvenience!

Design: Vitas Design

6. Typography transformation

For a subtler approach, consider just changing up your unit number. Pick a cool font that will provide a hint of how cool the rest of your home is.

Design: Free Space Intent

7. Minimalist approach

One for the minimalist, this simple door gate features clean, straight lines that allow your guests to get a glimpse of what to expect inside while still shielding your home from prying eyes.

Design: Ehka Studio

8. Wear it on your sleeve

Feeling patriotic? Love a particular superhero or anime character? Or just have an unhealthy obsession with cats? Get a bespoke laser cut gate that can be completely customised to showcase your personality. There are also designs that look like optical illusions—handy if you like confusing your nosy neighbours.

Design: One Last Hope Interior Design

Original post 8 HDB Front Door Ideas to Make Your Neighbours Green with Envy appeared first on Renonation.sg. Renonation.sg - It's where renovation begins.

In the living room, the sofa is always in the spotlight.

A lot of homeowners get frustrated over whether to buy a classic leather sofa, or a chic fabric sofa.

Of course, none of the two are without their flaws. Brought to you by Deco-Man, here’s a breakdown of the merits and flaws of leather sofas and fabric sofas.

What’s the verdict? Let’s find out!

Design: Design Identity

Leather sofa: merits

Sofas made of authentic leather are classy, easy to clean, sturdy and durable. The leather sofa’s look is also simple and tends to get along with various design styles.

The most important strength of the leather sofa, though, is its comforting texture.

Isn’t it nice to just sink into a plush, voluminous leather sofa?

Leather sofa: flaws

Sofas made of authentic leather are generally more expensive. There also isn’t a wide range of styles. Leather tends to scratch easily too.

Design: 9 Creation

Fabric sofa: merits

Fabric sofas come in many styles and colours. Fabric is a breathable material and it comes in many different textures too.

This type of sofas generate much warmth in the interior, and are generally more affordable than leather ones.

Fabric sofa: flaws

These sofas stain easily and are relatively hard to keep clean. It also deforms and becomes sunken easily. In a humid climate, mould growth can occur rapidly on the fabric. Insect infestation is also not rare.

Styles

Design: Dreamcatcher Interior Design

In terms of style, fabric sofas’ surface materials come in many types and are generally light and soft. The styles of fabric sofa are more on-trend which suits younger homeowners.

Authentic leather sofas have a classic look. Both the surface material and the style tend to look luxurious and weighty.

Placing a deep brown leather sofa in a spacious living room can elevate the whole house’s aesthetics exponentially.

Price comparison

Real leather sofas come in two varieties: full leather and half leather.

Full leather sofas are quite expensive; they also have great breathable quality and are more eco-friendly.

For half-leather sofas, the part hidden from sight, like the back and the base, are lined with polyurethane or artificial leather. The parts where our bodies can touch are lined with real leather. These sofas are cheaper than full leather ones.

Since the fabric is a cheaper material than leather, sofas made of fabric are relatively cheap.

Lifespan comparison

Real leather sofas are very durable, while fabric sofas tend to become sunken after a couple years of use, and have to be replaced.

Maintenance effort comparison

Fabric sofas demand extensive daily care. You can always clean and replace the fabric. But since the filling material cannot be washed, while moisture can seep into through the fabric, fabric sofas are often the breeding ground of insects.

Maintaining real leather sofas is much easier. Just wipe the leather with a cloth from time to time.

Conclusion

Authentic leather sofas are comfortable, classy, easy to clean and have a long lifespan. Although their styles do not vary as much, the leather sofa’s classic look easily withstands the test of time.

Fabric sofas really pales in comparison even with its multitude of styles, breathability and affordable price.

A high-quality leather sofa is very durable and requires little maintenance, which makes it the sofa for busy urban dwellers like us.

HKDecoman, now going global as Deco-Man, is a Hong Kong-based renovation platform which provides professional consultancy services and pioneers in the development of A.I. homeowner-engineer matching. We aim at educating the public about the art of home renovation and have our eyes on transforming the traditional renovation industry, bringing standardisation, transparency, convenience and automation to the business.

Browse through the list of Interior Designers, their reviews and portfolios at http://www.renonation.sg/professionals/interior-designers/

Submit your renovation enquiry:

Original post Furniture Showdown: Leather Sofa VS Fabric Sofa appeared first on Renonation.sg. Renonation.sg - It's where renovation begins.

A small space may be limited in size, but it doesn’t have to be restricted in creativity. Using real floor plans from soon-to-be-completed BTOs, we show you how to rework your 2-room BTO layout based on your lifestyle and personality.

For the Fashionista

1. Who says you can’t have a walk-in wardrobe when you have a 2-room flat? Replace your original living room with your closet. For added functionality, do up a rotatable mirrored/TV wall divider between your sleeping zone and the wardrobe.

Floor plan used: Bidadari Alkaff Courtview (2-Room Flexi Type 1)
Hacking works: Yes. Remove part of the original kitchen walls and the sliding door that came with the flat.

Real-life examples:

Design: Lemonfridge Studio

2. Alternatively, if you like more privacy while parading clothes, locate your walk-in wardrobe in the original bedroom in your 2-room BTO and have your bedroom sit where the living room was. Get a dedicated vanity table while you are at it.

Floor plan used: Bidadari Alkaff Courtview (2-Room Flexi Type 2)
Hacking works: None

Real-life examples:

Design: Summerhaus D’Zign

For the Good Host

3. Treat your guests to a dinner with a view by turning your living room’s bay window area into an eating space. A custom dining bench by the window accommodates plenty of extra company.

Floor plan used: Northshore Residence 1 (2-room Flexible Type 1)
Hacking works: None

Real-life examples:

Design: Rockin Spaces

4. A pull-out dining table in your 2-room BTO gives you plenty of flexibility when hosting guest. Set it up when it’s time for hors d’oeuvres. Put it away when you want everyone to sit out on the couch for a movie night.

Floor plan used: Northshore Residence 1 (2-room Flexible Type 2)
Hacking works: Yes. Replace original wall separating living room and bedroom with a rotating TV wall.

Real-life examples:

Design: Ark-hitecture

For the Suite Life

5. Want to feel like you’re living in a 5* hotel suite? Get rid of the walls and embrace an open concept. Have your TV wall as your headboard on the other side to save space. Go with an open-plan bathroom by replacing concrete walls with glass for that extra luxe feel.

Floor plan used: EastLink@Canberra II (2-room Flexible Type 1)
Hacking works: Yes. The original sliding doors separating the living room and the bedroom as well as part of the bathroom walls.

Real-life examples:

Design: Story of Us

Design: D’ Initial Concept

6. Reorganise your bathroom into a spa sanctuary by creating separate wet and dry zones. Have the vanity and sink area outside, while keeping the shower and toilet enclosed for privacy.

Floor plan used: EastLink@Canberra II (2-room Flexible Type 2)
Hacking works: Yes, in the bathroom. Shifting of sink and shower areas.

Real-life examples:

Design: The Concept

For the Workaholic

7. If you work from home, consider changing up your living room in your 2-room BTO into a dedicated home office. This gives you much needed space to focus on your work.

Floor plan used: West Plains @ Bukit Batok (2-Room Flexi Type 2)
Hacking works: Yes. Remove original sliding doors.

Real-life examples:

Design: The Scientist

8. Don’t want to sacrifice your living room in your 2-room BTO? Build a storage unit and conceal a workstation in it. Pull out a chair when you need to work, then stow it away when you are done to keep your small space clutter free.

Floor plan used: West Plains @ Bukit Batok (2-Room Flexi Type 2)
Hacking works: None

Real-life examples:

Design: Vitas Design

Design: Third Avenue Studio

Original post 8 Unconventional Layouts for Your 2-Room BTO appeared first on Renonation.sg. Renonation.sg - It's where renovation begins.

Design: IN-EXPAT

Most first-time HDB homeowners like you might not know that there are renovation rules you must to adhere to. When this happens, you will run the risk of getting fined or face harsh penalties.

Do you know?
The renovation rules are in place in order to prevent the following scenerios:
• Overloading the structure which may affect the structural integrity and safety of the building.
• Affecting the external facade/form of the building or public safety.
• Creating public nuisance, posing fire hazard or encroachment to public area.
• Infringing lease agreement, relevant statutory regulations or requirements, etc.

Design:  LemonFridge Studio

Therefore, you must do your due diligence to ensure that the renovation works do not affect or invalidate any of the warranties for the Unit and or common property of the building, and do not jeopardize the issuance of Certificate of Statutory Completion (CSC).

To help you in this, we have listed the most commonly prohibited renovation works in the following 1 +min video for your easy reference. If you have more time to spare, you can pop by the following HDB site to view the entire list of prohibited renovation works.

Design: Kome Interior

Original post Video: Common Prohibited HDB Renovation Works which Homeowners Might Overlook in 1 Min appeared first on Renonation.sg. Renonation.sg - It's where renovation begins.

Tempered glass is a safety glass processed to have high levels of strength, stability, safety and impact resistance.

This material is popular because of its relatively high strength, but since the glass, as a material is still breakable, wrong applications of tempered glass will still lead to breakage.

Therefore, when using tempered glass items, you should always take extra care so that the material can have a longer lifespan.

Design: Icon Interior Design

Here are some points of consideration when using tempered glass.

Avoid collision with sharp, hard objects

Tempered glass is especially fragile around the corners. When the corners experience damage from impact, the material is much more likely to break.

For the purpose of maintaining safety, do not hit the corners of tempered glass with sharp, hard objects.

Avoid uneven heat exposure

When a glass panel is at a high temperature on one side, and low on the other side, the glass is surely going to break.

Although this is less likely to occur on tempered glass, always make an effort to avoid uneven heat exposure on this material.

Protect the corners

As a rule of thumb, taking extra care to protect the glass’s corners effectively lowers the risk of breakage. Applying edge guards to the corners is the easiest way to do this.

Avoid prolonged pressure application

For aesthetic reasons, a lot of homeowners opt for dining tables and coffee tables made of tempered glass. They might place a lot of heavy objects on the furniture for an extended period of time.

This, in fact, increases the chance of the glass breaking.

Avoid contact with acids and alkalis

The material in the glass might react with acids and alkalis. Be sure to prevent the glass from getting in contact with harsh chemicals.

Design: Fifth Avenue Interior

Maintaining tempered glass

Be gentle

Place objects on glass surfaces in a gentle manner. To avoid scratching the material, use table cloth and placemats.

Keep clean

Tempered glass should be clean regularly to avoid mouldy stains. Remove stains right when you find them so that they cannot spread.

Avoid exposure to the elements

Prolonged exposure to the elements might cause any material wrapping the glass corners to expand, breaking the glass material.

Clean up in time

When spilling accidents happen, you should always clean the glass right away so that the glass is not stained.

When cleaning, do not use detergents with an extreme acidity or alkalinity. Cleaners with a neutral pH value are your best option.

Browse through the list of Interior Designers, their reviews and portfolios at http://www.renonation.sg/professionals/interior-designers/

Submit your renovation enquiry:

Original post How to Choose Your Material: Tempered Glass appeared first on Renonation.sg. Renonation.sg - It's where renovation begins.

Mahjong-playing neighbours? Live next to the MRT tracks or a busy expressway? Work from home and just need some peace and quiet from your own kids? Noisy home dwellers, we hear you. From investing in noise-cancelling window treatments to building bookshelves, these tips should help you create a quieter home.

Solutions against noisy next-door neighbours

a. Build carpentry

Image courtesy of Versaform

Installing built-in carpentry, like a bookshelf or cabinets, against the shared wall helps to absorb some of the noise coming through it. Cover as much of the wall as possible. Make sure your storage is filled though—hollow cabinets or empty shelves shelf will only amplify the noise.

b. Erect a drywall

Image courtesy of Paramount Construction

If you don’t need the extra storage, consider building a drywall packed with rockwool insulation against the dividing wall to block off the unwanted noise. Rockwool, a dense, fibrous material made from minerals, will reduce the air mass between the panels of drywall and therefore help to deflect sound transmission. But if the noisy neighbours are coming from upstairs rather than next door, do up a false ceiling and have it similarly filled with rockwool.

c. Move your furniture

Image courtesy of Artistroom

A third (and easier) option is to place a large piece of furniture such as your sofa, buffet table or a canvas painting against the shared wall. It might not cut off the noise from your next-door neighbours completely, but it will help to ease some of it.

Solutions against noise from the outside (MRT tracks, traffic, school, next to the pavilion, etc.)

a. Get blackout curtains

Image courtesy of Three-D Conceptwerke

Blackout curtains are meant to block off sunlight coming through your windows, but thanks to their dense fabric, they are also great for blocking off some noise.

When looking out for blackout drapes, get ones that are made from a dense and heavy material like velvet as they are more effective in blocking off noise compared to curtains made from a lighter material. Pleated ones will go further in helping to reduce noise.

Install your curtains over a sturdy rod and ensure that they are wider than your windows—this creates more pleats—and that they reach all the way to the floor to minimise any gaps through which noise can pass through.

b. Replace your windows with soundproof ones

Image courtesy of Design 4 Space

If you have the moolah to spare, consider investing in double-glazed windows, which are better at reducing sound transmission than standard windows. Double-glazed windows comprise of two layers of glass with a layer of air trapped between them, sort of acting like a vacuum in which sound cannot travel.

Note that if you’re living in an HDB flat with full-height windows, you are not allowed to replace them unless in cases where there is a damaged frame. In this instance, you will have to request for an approval from HDB before replacing your windows.

c. Line plants along your windows

Image courtesy of Design Chapterz

Plants can also help to reduce sound, so consider placing them by the windows as an extra barrier against outside noise. In general, the more plants the better. Reduce the gaps between your greenery to serve as a more effective sound barrier. Use tall plants with large fleshy leaves rather than thin, needle-like leaves as the former are better at deflecting sound.

Solutions against noise from within your home

a. Swap out your hollow-core doors

Image courtesy of Fifth Avenue Interior

Whether you’re looking to keep noise in or keep noise out from within a room, swapping out your hollow-core doors with solid, dense ones is a good option to reduce noise coming through or going out. Unlike solid doors, hollow-core doors have layers of air within them which serves as a medium for sound.

An easy way to check if your door is hollow cored is to knock on it. If it sounds hollow, it most likely is hollow. Most hollow-core doors are also painted rather than stained. And if there are panelling on them, it is likely to be faux rather than real.

b. Use soft furnishings to absorb noise

Image courtesy of DB Studio

Soft furnishings are also known to absorb noise. Furnish the rooms e.g. kid’s playroom, the family entertainment room, where you want to reduce noise levels with large area rugs. Cut pile rather than loop pile types are known to be better sound absorbers. Also, deck out the space with textiles, cushions and throws.

c. Source for appliances that are quiet

Image courtesy of Liid Studio

Many a times, the noise coming from within our homes are actually from the vibrations and buzzing produced by our devices and appliances. From things like your fan, washing machine, air purifier, refrigerator and vacuum cleaner.

While we cannot completely eliminate noise from these appliances, you can source for quieter ones when shopping for them. Look out for appliances that are designed to be quiet and check out their decibel levels to see how loud they will be when in used. Especially for appliances that run over a longer period of time like an air purifier, you want to opt for one that has decibels around 40 dBA or less.

Tell us all about your noisy home in the comments below. We want to hear your rants. 

Original post Noisy Home? Here’s How to Create a Quieter One appeared first on Renonation.sg. Renonation.sg - It's where renovation begins.

In the November 2019 BTO sales exercise, Yio Chu Kang Beacon in the Ang Mo Kio neighbourhood received much love, especially for its 4-room units, which are the biggest unit type in the development.

Don’t want to read about Yio Chu Kang Beacon? Check out our analyses of the other BTOs launched in November 2019: Tengah (Plantation Grange, Plantation Village and Garden Vines) or Tampines GreenSpring.

Our team dropped by the site during evening peak hours on a weekday to see what makes this site tick. Despite the hours, the area was still relatively tranquil. Ang Mo Kio Ave 9, the road which borders the BTO, saw some traffic, although it wasn’t overly busy. It might get busier after the school holidays though, seeing as the area is surrounded by a number of schools.

Site for Yio Chu Kang Beacon.

Ang Mo Kio Ave 9 during peak hours. Not many vehicles passing through. There is a bus stop along the road, so buses do pass by.

Buildings surrounding Yio Chu Kang Beacon aren’t very tall, so you are likely to get unblocked views if you decide to go for a unit on the higher floor (block 651B goes all the way to the 18th floor). Older HDB blocks (the one adjacent to Yio Chu Kang Beacon is just 12 storeys high) and schools surround the immediate vicinity, while the Thye Hua Kwan Hospital sits just opposite the site.

The site is surrounded by schools, one of which is Anderson Primary School, which sits just opposite Yio Chu Kang Beacon.

Thye Hua Kwan Hospital.

Amenities-wise, it was less than a 10-min walk to the nearest MRT, Yio Chu Kang along the North-South Line, and it was a short walking distance to a decent-sized hawker centre, Ang Mo Kio 628 Market & Food Centre.

It’s a short walking distance from Yio Chu Kang Beacon to the bustling hawker centre and market. Market stalls are usually opened during the earlier parts of the day.

If you managed to snag a queue number for Yio Chu Kang Beacon, congrats. We check out which units are the best picks depending on a number of factors.

Which unit to pick?

1. Cooler units

In Singapore, the western sun comes from two directions: northwest and southwest. If you don’t want your home to feel like a baked oven when you come back in the evening, avoid units that have the main windows facing these two directions. However, the western sun can also trap heat on the walls, so make sure it’s not facing any important walls e.g. bedroom of the unit you pick.

Stacks 334 and 336 of block 651B and stacks 346 and 348 of block 651C are unlikely to have any western sun. However, they will bear the brunt of the morning sun, which rises from the east. This is a good thing if you are a morning person and like to wake up with the sun. This is not a good thing if you happen to do night shifts and need to sleep in during the day.

2. Privacy

If you want to avoid having a neighbour sneaking glances into your flat when they are passing through the corridors, get a corner unit away from the lifts and the rubbish chutes.

651A: 308
651B: 324, 340, 336
651C: 346, 342, 358

3. Unblocked views

Most of the stacks will be able to get relatively unblocked views since the site is mainly surrounded by relatively short buildings. For stacks 320 and 318, which face existing HDB block 621, get a unit that is higher than the 12th floor (if any) if you want relatively unblocked views.

Stacks facing the 7-storey carpark with roof garden on the 8th floor, 310, 308, 324 and 322, will benefit from unblocked views if you go with a unit higher than 8th storey.

If you are opting for a stack facing the surrounding schools (Presbyterian High School or Anderson Primary School across the road), you might want to get a unit higher than the 8th or 9th floor (approximation) for unblocked views. We based this estimate on the Nuovo condo, which is located right next to Anderson Primary School.

What else to take note of?

• Avoid picking a unit that faces the road, Ang Mo Kio Ave 9, if you don’t like to be disturbed by traffic noise. We think this particular road can get quite busy especially during school drop-off and pick-up hours. These stacks are: 320, 300, 302, 304, 306, 326, 328, 330, and 332.

Browse through the list of Interior Designers, their reviews and portfolios at http://www.renonation.sg/professionals/interior-designers/

Submit your renovation enquiry:

Original post Nov 2019 BTO: Yio Chu Kang Beacon at Ang Mo Kio Unit Analysis appeared first on Renonation.sg. Renonation.sg - It's where renovation begins.

The Tengah BTOs are coming up fast and furious, with three developments launched in the November 2019 BTO sales exercise. These are Plantation Grange, Plantation Village and Garden Vines.

Think Tengah is too ulu? Check out our similar analyses for Yio Chu Kang Beacon and Tampines GreenSpring.

As you may know, there are five districts in the new Tengah town. Plantation Grange and Plantation Village will be located in the Plantation district, while Garden Vines will sit within the Garden district.

For more information about these two districts in Tengah, see our summary here.

An Overview of Plantation Grange, Plantation Village and Garden Vines

Overview of the current progress at Tengah town, taken in November 2019.

Best units to pick for Plantation Grange

1. Convenience

For folks who value convenience to the MRT, Neighbourhood Centre located over at Plantation Village and the community club, these blocks 131A, 131B, 132A and 132B at Plantation Grange offer the least walking distance (from the lift lobby) to these amenities.

Take note: As the Jurong Region Line is an aboveground MRT line, stacks located near the tracks or facing the tracks directly will likely bear the brunt of the noise (and lack of privacy) from the trains passing through.

2. Privacy

Prefer to keep to yourself? Don’t want busybody neighbours looking in your flat while passing through the corridors? Get corner units that feature the most privacy. Make sure they are also away from the lifts and rubbish chutes.

See the site map below for the units with the most privacy:

3. A cooler flat

Want a flat that feels cooler? Choose a unit that faces away from the western sun, which can trap heat in the afternoon, leaving you with a very warm flat when you return home in the evening. In Singapore, the western sun comes from the southwest and northwest directions in Singapore, depending on the time of the year.

See the site map below for the cooler units:

4. Unblocked views

Stacks 366 and 368 over at Blk 131D as well as 338 and 340 at Blk 131C will likely get decent and relatively unblocked views, especially for those located on the higher floors as the stacks will be facing a school compound, which usually isn’t built very tall.

Similarly, higher floors over at stacks 356 at Blk 131D and stacks 504, 506, 508 and 510 at Blk 133C that will be facing the site reserved for a church will also get relatively unblocked views.

What else to take note for Plantation Grange?

• Avoid stacks that face the traffic roads if you are particular with traffic noise. Of the three roads bordering Plantation Grange, Plantation Crescent will likely be the busiest road, seeing as it leads into the Neighbourhood Centre and has two bus stops along it.

Best units to pick for Plantation Village

1. Peace and quiet

With the MRT station located next door, the Neighbourhood Centre located on site and retail options stretching the eastern length of the development, Plantation Village can sound well, like a village. It’s all fine and dandy if you like convenience, but what if you prefer to have peace and quiet? We suggest getting a unit at blocks 123A, 123B, 123C, 125A, 129A and 129B if you want reprieve from the hustle and bustle. You might also want to avoid stacks that face the pavilions (designated as PP on the site map) as these areas are known to be congregations of a variety of activities.

2. Cooler units

As previously mentioned, the hot western sun in Singapore comes from the northwest and southwest directions depending on the time of the year. While some flats don’t have windows facing the western sun directly, part of their walls might, which will inevitably lead to the warm home. To avoid returning to a baked flat in the evening, check out the potentially cooler flats highlighted in the site map below.

3. Privacy

Don’t want nosy neighbours checking in on you? Refer to this site map for the stacks with the most privacy.

What else to take note for Plantation Village?

• There are several bin centres within the site to take note of. One in block 129 and the other is located at block 124. Getting a unit close to these areas might subject you to pongs of accumulated rubbish during collection times.
• As with Plantation Grange, avoid the stacks that face the roads directly if you don’t want to be disturbed by traffic noise. We expect stacks facing Plantation Crescent to have the most amount of traffic disturbance.
• Stacks 207, 205, 343, 341, 391 and 393 are north-south facing, which means they will likely be the windiest thanks to the wind directions in Singapore.

Best units to pick for Garden Vines

1. Unblocked views

There are some stacks in Garden Vines that have relatively unblocked views. There are often unobstructed by nearby buildings or facing shorter structures. See the site map below:

2. Little to no western sun

A cooler unit will be one that doesn’t face the northwest or southwest directions. These directions are the directions of the hot afternoon sun in Singapore, depending on the time of the year. We marked out potentially cooler units on the site map below:

3. Privacy

Prefer to keep to yourself and want more privacy in your apartment? These are the more private units to pick at Garden Vines:

What else to take note for Garden Vines?

• Take note of the bin centre located at the south-west of the site at Blk 233.
• There are link ways across the common green to Garden Vale, the BTO launched back in May 2019. Like Garden Vines, Garden Vale has a childcare centre on its premise, located near the site reserved for a Chinese temple.
• Avoid stacks that face the roads or the MRT tracks if you want a little peace and quiet. Avoid being located close to the supermarket, eating house and shops, as these are high human traffic zones. Also, choose units that are away from areas such as the hardcourt, the multipurpose court as well as the pavilion, as these areas often tend to be used for various activities.

All BTO site maps are courtesy of HDB

Browse through the list of Interior Designers, their reviews and portfolios at http://www.renonation.sg/professionals/interior-designers/

Submit your renovation enquiry:

Original post Nov 2019 BTO Analysis: Tengah’s Plantation Grange, Plantation Village and Garden Vines appeared first on Renonation.sg. Renonation.sg - It's where renovation begins.