The recent BTO launch in May 2017 drew much interest for the Geylang projects, mainly because they will be located between two MRT stations, Dakota and Aljunied.

We’ve already done a quick BTO analysis for the two Woodlands projects that was also launched during May 2017, Woodlands Spring and Marsiling Grove. We’re now turning our attention to Dakota Breeze and Pine Vista in Geylang.

Drawing the most interest were the 4-room flats at Dakota Breeze. The project also offers 2-room flexi and 3-room units. At Pine Vista, only 2-room flexi and 3-room flats are available.

Here’s a quick table summary of the key data for Pine Vista and Dakota Breeze:

TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS

Pine Vista is a 5-minute walk away from Dakota MRT. Walking to Aljunied MRT will take approximately 15 minutes.

Dakota MRT has a walking distance of just 2 minutes to Dakota Breeze, while Aljunied MRT is an 18-minute walk.

WHAT’S IN THE VICINITY?

Pine Vista is located at the junction of Pine Lane and Cassia Link, while Dakota Breeze is bounded by Jalan Satu and Jalan Dua. The two projects are less than 200 metres apart, and are separated mainly by the existing Mountbatten Community Club (which will be replaced eventually by high-rise developments).

Popular hawker centre Old Airport Centre is located nearby (5 minutes for Dakota Breeze and 3 minutes for Pine Vista). There is also a neighbourhood centre nearby with a supermarket and various shops providing essential services.

The nearest malls are City Plaza and One KM Mall, which is a 20-minute walk away from both BTOs.

The area also made social media headlines last month after a participant in a forum received backlash for commenting that the site might turn into a “slum” with the rise of 2-room and 3-room apartments, which he claimed will create a “den of single senior folk and poorer families”.

While we can’t foretell the future at Renonation, we will be analysing the site based on what we can see in the present as well as with the information provided by HDB.

Here are photos from our site visit during a weekend afternoon.

View of Block 36, the nearest residential unit for Pine Vista

The short building at the end is Old Airport Road Hawker Centre.

View of Pine Lane.

View of Cassia Link (road).

View along Cassia Crescent.

Most of Pine Vista is surrounded by existing residential developments. Along Pine Lane and Cassia Link, there are a few sites reserved for future high-rise developments. We noticed that the environment is relatively quiet, despite it being a densely populated neighbourhood. There is a mix of new HDBs and old HDBs in the area.

Traffic was regular, although it wasn’t overly busy. This could be due to the fact that it’s a weekend or it could be because the roads surrounding Pine Vista are not main arterial ones. However, we did spot a few heavy vehicles passing through Pine Lane and Cassia Link.

STACK ANALYSIS FOR PINE VISTA

Now that we’ve seen what the site can offer, let’s turn to the stack analysis Pine Vista. Here, we determine which stack deserves your attention and which should be avoided based on these factors.

THE GOOD

If you value your privacy, these stacks are the ones to go for. They are not next to the lifts, where human traffic is high, and there is less chance of people looking through your home while passing through the corridor.

Stacks for privacy:
37A: 14*!, 12^, 02^
38A: 38^, 34^, 32^, 22*!^

*These stacks are located near gathering spots and activity zones such as the adult fitness station, children’s playground and the elderly fitness station.
! These stacks are near the staircase. If you’re opting for a lower floor, you might have neighbours using the stairs more often.
^ These stacks face out to the road.
Note: For stack 02, it is located next to the drop-off point.

The area is already or will be surrounded by high-rise apartments, so there aren’t a lot of units that will have unblocked views. However, there is a select few.

Stacks for unblocked views:
37A: 14, 16, 18, 20

• Do note that you will have to obtain a unit that is higher than level 13 to get relatively unblocked views as the block in front of these units has 13 storeys.
• Also keep in mind that these units are all located near gathering spots and activity zones so noise levels will be higher.

THE BAD

Don’t want a home that feels like a baked oven in the afternoon? Stay away from these.

Avoid these stacks that face the western sun:
37A: 12, 14, 16, 18, 20
38A: 38, 22, 24, 26

• If you’re opting for stacks 22, 24, 26 and wish to avoid the western sun, you may wish to pick a lower floor (storey 4 and below) as these units can be blocked by the adjoining 4-storey car park.

Particular about the noise from neighbouring traffic? Best to avoid these units which face the road.

Avoid these stacks if you don’t want to hear noise from the traffic:
37A: 12, 10, 08, 06, 04, 02
38A: 38, 36, 34, 32, 30, 28, 26, 24, 22

• As you can see, most units at Pine Vista actually face the roads. While these roads are less busy than the arterial road at Guillemard Road, we expect traffic will get busier once the other high-rise developments are built in the area.
• Stack 38 and 36 are slightly further away from the road than the rest of the stacks.
• Units on the lower floor will most likely get the brunt of the traffic noise compared to those on the higher floor. So if you are picking a unit from these stacks, opt for a higher floor one if you can.

The photos from our site visit to Dakota Breeze on a weekend afternoon:

Beyond the trees is Geylang River.

The nearby school, Kong Hwa.

The road leading to Kong Hwa School, Jalan Satu.

Along Jalan Satu. View of temporary carpark.

Existing flats along Jalan Dua.

Dakota Breeze is located next to Kong Hwa primary school, the Geylang River and a park connector. Most of the development is surrounded by sites reserved for future high-rise developments. The existing public housing surrounding Dakota Breeze are located along Jalan Dua.

Compared to Pine Vista, the site for Dakota Breeze seems a lot quieter. There was less traffic flow as well. However, do note that our site visit was done during a weekend and during the school holidays. We expect the area to be noisier during school terms on weekdays.

STACK ANALYSIS FOR DAKOTA BREEZE

Let’s move on to the site analysis for Dakota Breeze, to determine which unit you should opt for and which unit you should avoid if you can.

THE GOOD

These stacks are away from the hot western sun. Opt for these if you want to keep cool.

Stacks with no or little western sun:
90A: 20!, 22!, 24*, 26*, 40
90B: 44*!, 48, 50, 54, 56, 64*
91A: 70#, 72#, 76#, 88
91B: 90*, 92*, 94*, 98, 104, 106, 110*!
92A: 112, 118*, 120*, 124!, 128, 130

*These stacks are located near gathering spots and activity zones such as the residents’ committee centre, pavilions, social communities centre, adult fitness station, children’s playground and the elderly fitness station.
! These stacks are near the lift.
# These stacks face the 7-storey car park directly. Avoid getting a unit that is lower than the 8th floor in these stacks.
Note: Stack 112 faces out to the main road and Stacks 54 and 56 is located near the drop-off point.

Dakota Breeze is located next to the Geylang River. For a riverside view, these are the units to go for.

Stacks with the view of Geylang River:
90B: 62, 64*, 46*!, 44*!
91B: 108*, 110*, 90*, 92*
92A: 122*!, 124*!, 126, 128
* These stacks are located near gathering spots and activity zones such as the residents’ committee centre, pavilions, social communities centre, adult fitness station, children’s playground and the elderly fitness station.
! These stacks are near the lift.

If you value home privacy – you don’t want nosy neighbours judging your interior décor choices from the doorway while passing through the corridor – these are the stacks to choose from.

Stacks with home privacy:
90A: 30, 28*, 22*, 38%, 40
90B: 54%, 52, 46*, 62, 64*
91A: 80*, 78#, 86*, 68*, 70#
91B: 102*, 100#, 108*, 90*, 92*
92A: 116*#, 114#, 132
* These stacks are located near gathering spots and activity zones such as the residents’ committee centre, pavilions, social communities centre, adult fitness station, children’s playground and the elderly fitness station.
# These stacks face or are located close to the 7-storey car park. Avoid getting a unit that is lower than the 8th floor in these stacks.
% These stacks are located near the drop-off point.

THE BAD

If you don’t want to hear the school bells chiming every half an hour, avoid these units which are facing Kong Hwa School directly.

Avoid these stacks if you don’t want to face the school:
90A: 30,32, 34, 36
90B: 54, 56, 58, 60
Note that stacks 30 and 32 (4-room units) are located further from the school than the rest of the stacks in this category.

While traffic wasn’t very heavy during our site visit, it’s best to avoid them as they can get noisy during weekdays when school term starts. These stacks are located along the roads – Jalan Dua and Jalan Satu. Stay away from them if you are bothered by vehicular noise.

Avoid these stacks if you don’t want to hear traffic noise:
90A: 30, 28
90B: 58, 60
91A: 80, 78
92A: 114, 112, 132

Here are some final things to note:

1. Some 4-room flats in Dakota Breeze come with a balcony in the living room.
2. Some of the 2-room Flexi units in the two projects are set aside for the elderly under short-term leases.

There is no perfect unit, so it really depends on what you can close one eye on. Tell us in the comments if this BTO analysis has helped you in any way or if there’s any other BTO project you would like us to analyse.

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

Submit your renovation enquiry:

The post BTO Analysis for Geylang’s Dakota Breeze and Pine Vista – which stack is best? appeared first on Renonation.sg.

If you’re still unaware that we’re having a sixth successive Meet The Designers event next month, you’re probably not scrolling social media enough. For the uninitiated, it will be happening on 15 July (Saturday) and the event will run at Wihardja Furniture from 11am to 6pm.

Not sure what goes on in our Meet The Designers events? Basically, you get to meet a few interior designers in one single day and space. So no more running around Singapore, making numerous appointments at different weekends and locations just to find your perfect ID.

If that isn’t a good enough reason to RSVP immediately, here are 5 more reasons to do so:

1. You get to choose from a bigger pool of IDs

This time round, we’re having a total of nine interior designers joining us. You get to speak and chat with all nine of them if you wish! The participating IDs include: 9 Creation, Artisan Space, Fineline Design, I-Chapter, In Interior, Rezt & Relax, Sky Creation, The Interior Lab, and Urban Habitat Design.

2. Transport is covered

Okay, we have to admit: Wihardja Furniture isn’t the most accessible of places. But we’re making your journey to the ulu west a lot less sian by offering a $10 transport cash reimbursement. All you have to do is cab down, keep your receipt, come to the event and we’ll reimburse you with $10 cash on the spot!

If you’re not taking public transport, rest assured that there are plenty of parking spaces available on the site at a first come, first served basis.

3. Admission is free

Whoever said the best things in life are not free obviously hasn’t been attending our Meet The Designers events! Admission is completely free. All you have to do is RSVP to let us know you’re coming.

More free stuff: Upon entry, we’ll give you a goodie bag filled with all sorts of goodies. There’s also a buffet corner with snacks in case you’re feeling peckish.

4. Meet designers at a stress-free, free-and-easy pace

We don’t like pushy people, and we know you don’t like them too. So rest assured that the Meet The Designers event won’t have people like that. You won’t have interior designers jostling for your attention or hard-selling you.

You can meet whoever you want at whenever you want. All consultations are obligation-free (you don’t have to sign with them on the spot if you don’t want to). Just bring your floor plan!

5. You’ll get a head start in furniture hunting

Maybe buying furniture isn’t in the forefront of your mind right now – seeing as you have yet to nail down your renovation and design. But it’s always a good idea to get a head start in anything (kiasu-ism to the max!), particularly when it comes to your furniture selection since it will help you with your overall design decision.

Wihardja Furniture carries a wide range of furniture and accessories, but they’re mostly known for their solid teak pieces. Teak is great for use even in the outdoors, thanks to their durability, so it’s a good choice if you’re looking for long-lasting furniture that can stand the test of time.

Convinced that you’ll have to attend the Meet The Designers event now? Click here to RSVP. Limited slots available so you better hurry.

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

Submit your renovation enquiry:

The post 5 Reasons Why You Should RSVP For Our Meet The Designers Event Now appeared first on Renonation.sg.

Located along Lorong Limau, Whampoa Dew is made up of a series of 2-room studio apartments and 4-room units. The former is reserved for the elderly based on a 30-year short lease, while the latter was sold to the public during the Jan 2013 sales exercise. This article will look at a few layout ideas for the 4-room flats.

1. The Family Home

You have a national average amount of school-going children and you would want your home to accommodate their needs as well as yours. A homey and comfortable environment is a must.

Real-life examples:

Design: Versaform

Design: M3 Studio

Design: Arc Define

2. Fuss-free Folks

You have a national average amount of school-going children and you would want your home to accommodate their needs as well as yours. A homey and comfortable environment is a must.

Real-life examples:

Design: DISTINCTidENTITY

3. The Entertainers

You love to host friends and family over. Whether it’s for a formal luncheon or a casual pizza night, you just like having people at your home. Your home should thus be conducive for gatherings. But it should be intimate enough for when you have a small group over.

Real-life examples:

Design: Museum Homes

4. Love Nest

It’s just you and your bae living here. And you have no plans for anyone else at the moment. Your whole home is your oyster. You want a loft-style home with big, open spaces? Done.

Real-life examples:

Design: Free Space Intent

Design: Free Space Intent

5. The New Family

Congratulations, you’ve just had a new addition to your home. Create a space that grows with the child. Use standalone furniture that can be replaced easily. But having a child doesn’t mean you can’t have your own space. Go on and have that walk-in wardrobe that you’ve always dreamt of.

Real-life examples:

Design: I-Bridge Design

Design: Arc Define

6. Luxury Living

Living in a 4-room HDB doesn’t mean you cannot enjoy the luxuries associated in bigger homes. A big bedroom, a big kitchen and a walk-in shoe cabinet are all totally possible.

Real-life examples:

Design: I-Chapter

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

Submit your renovation enquiry:

The post 6 Really Useful 4-Room HDB Layouts For Whampoa Dew BTO appeared first on Renonation.sg.

Bidadari has consistently been a favourite among wannabe homeowners, due to its location near the city and its new town status. It’s also often seen as the next Bishan, with HDB promising plenty of developments including green spaces, an eco-corridor and a new Market Square next to Woodleigh Station, comprising a mixed-use development that features community and commercial facilities as well as a bus interchange.

Woodleigh Hillside is the latest launch during the May 2017 sales exercise, joining others in the Bidadari town including Alkaff Vista, Alkaff Courtview, Alkaff Lakeview, Alkaff Oasis, Woodleigh Village, and Woodleigh Glen.

I’ve highlighted the BTO developments in this Google map of Bidadari:

Here’s a look at HDB’s master plan for Bidadari:

Looking at HDB’s master plan, it is likely that Woodleigh Hillside wouldn’t be the last of the Bidadari BTO plots. Unless these areas are set aside for private homes, we think more BTO developments will be built near the Bartley MRT station, near the Alkaff Lake and and a few may be located at the existing Mount Vernon Columbarium Complex, which is set to be cleared away although a part of the site will be retained as a funeral parlour.

We’ll be analysing Bidadari’s Woodleigh Hillside:

Photos of the Woodleigh Hillside site during our site visit:

The private homes along Bartley Road across from Woodleigh Hillside:

Bartley Road:

WHICH UNIT SHOULD I CHOOSE?

HDB has announced that queue numbers will be released for the May 2017 BTOs in mid-July. If you manage to receive one then, here’s a quick analysis of the stacks to see which unit to pick.

Click to zoom in on the Woodleigh Hillside site plan:

#1: CONSIDER TRAFFIC NOISE

A few stacks are located right across from roads. But we think traffic noise will only really affect the stacks facing Bartley Road, a considerably busy road that links up to arterial ones like Upper Serangoon Road and Upper Paya Lebar Road.

Stacks that are facing the future Bidadari Park Drive will be less affected by traffic noise as it’s a less important road and consequently less busy. Furthermore, it’s part of the future Bidadari Greenway, a green stretch that will see cycling and pedestrian routes, which will then mean fewer cars:

Source: Today

We did a noise level test at one of the existing bus stops along Bartley Road:

Traffic was high, even though it was a weekend afternoon. From the video, noise levels were hovering in the mid-60s to 70s and were pretty consistent throughout. We expect the levels to go up higher during peak hours.

Avoid these stacks if you don’t want to hear the traffic noise:

213A: 573, 575 (2-room)
213B: 589, 591, 593, 595 (2-room)
213C: 609, 611, 613, 615 (2-room)
214A: 629, 631 (5-room)
214B: 641, 643 (5-room)
214C: 653, 655 (5-room)
215A: 665, 667 (5-room)

It’s not all that bad, however as a few of the stacks in this list are located relatively near to the two existing bus stops along Bartley Road. So it’s a plus even if you’re located near the main road. These stacks are:

213A: 573, 575 (2-room)
214A: 629, 631 (5-room)
214B: 641, 643 (5-room)

The bus stops currently run two bus services: 28 and 93, which go to Toa Payoh MRT station and Habourfront MRT station respectively.

Also, the stacks that are facing Bartley Road, you will probably get relatively unblocked views if you live on a higher floor as beyond the road are private housing that aren’t very tall.

#2: BARTLEY MRT OR WOODLEIGH MRT?

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Woodleigh Hillside is located in between Woodleigh MRT (North-east Line) and Bartley MRT (Circle Line). There are a few stacks which are located very close to the stations e.g. approximately just a 5-min walk away. Which stacks you choose depends on which MRT you would prefer to be nearer to:

For Bartley MRT (from nearest to furthest):

215A: 667, 665 (5-room), 669, 663 (4-room), 671 (3-Gen), 673 (4-room)
215B: 679, 681 (4-room), 683, 685 (3-room), 687, 689 (5-room), 693 (3-room), 691 (4-room), 677, 675 (4-room)
214C: 655 (5-room), 657 (4-room), 653 (5-room), 651 (4-room), 659 (3-Gen), 661 (4-room)

For Woodleigh MRT (from nearest to furthest):

212C: 545, 543, 541, 539 (5-room), 547, 537 (4-room)
212B: 525, 523, 521, 519 (5-room), 527, 517 (4-room)
212C: 549, 551, 553, 555 (4-room)
212B: 529, 531, 533, 535 (4-room)
212A: 513, 515 (4-room), 511, 509 (4-room), 501, 507 (4-room), 503, 505 (3-room)
212D: 557 (4-room), 559, 561, 569, 567 (5-room), 565, 563 (4-room)

Note: Woodleigh station will encompass an underground bus interchange in the future.

#3: A VIEW OF THE PARK

Source: URA

There will be plenty of lush green spaces in Bidadari. A large part of Woodleigh Hillside will be surrounded by part of the 10-ha Bidadari Park, which encompasses the Alkaff Lake. To truly enjoy the unblocked, park views however, we think it’s best to opt for a unit at a higher floor. Besides the verdant view, units located next to the park will also be less warm thanks to the cooling effect from being near all that greenery.

These stacks are best if you want to face the park:

212D*: 565, 563 (4-room), 561, 559 (5-room)
212C: 545, 543, 541, 539 (5-room)
212B: 525, 523, 521, 519 (5-room)
212A: 513 (4-room), 511, 509 (5-room)

*This block faces the Bidadari Park, but it isn’t the best block to choose if you also want to see Alkaff Lake.

#4: NW FACING AND SW FACING

Another consideration to think about when choosing a unit is to see if your house will get the afternoon sun. We made use of Sun Cal to determine the sun direction of Woodleigh Hillside throughout the year:

Sun Calculation Woodleigh Hillside

From the video, the sun direction changes depending on the time of the year. From October to March, the sun sets in the South-West direction, while from April to September, the sun sets in the North-West direction.

To make your selection easier, avoid units that are facing the S-W and the N-W as they will likely make your home very warm in the late afternoon. While we cannot determine exactly which units will get the brunt of the heat seeing as it’s affected by a few factors including surrounding buildings that can provide shade, these units have the best chance of keeping cool during the different times of the year:

212D: 569 (5-room), 557 (4-room)
212C: 553, 555 (4-room)
212B: 527, 517 (4-room), 523, 521, 519 (5-room), 533, 535 (4-room)
212A: 509 (5-room), 505 (3-room), 507 (4-room)
215C: 699 (5-room), 711, 713 (4-room)
215B: 687 (5-room), 685 (3-room), 679 (4-room)
215A: 671 (3-Gen), 669 (4-room)
214C: 659 (3-Gen), 657 (4-room)
214B: 647 (3-Gen), 645 (4-room)
214A: 635 (3-Gen), 633 (4-room)
213C: 621, 619 (4-room), 617 (3-room)
213B: 601, 599 (4-room), 597 (3-room)
213A: 579 (4-room), 577 (2-room, Type 1)

#5: PRIVACY FROM KAYPOH NEIGHBOURS

If you don’t want neighbours looking into your home whenever they pass by the corridors, get these corner units that feel more exclusive:

212D: 565#, 557 (4-room)
212C: 551, 553 (4-room)
212B: 531, 533 (4-room)
212A: 515, 513 (4-room), 509 (5-room), 503, 505 (3-room)
215C: 703#, 697# (4-room)
215B: 691# (4-room), 685# (3-room)
213C: 609, 615 (2-room, type 2)
213B: 589, 595 (2-room, type 2)

#These stacks are located near the staircase.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS TO THINK ABOUT:

• Location next to the carpark
  There are several stacks located right next to and facing directly at the carpark, since it spans across the entire development. The carpark has a roof garden comprising various amenities (like the fitness corner and playground). These units may be noisy, particularly if you’re choosing a unit on the lower floor.
• Location near the supermarket/shops/restaurant/eating house
  If you love the convenience of being near facilities, opt for the units at Blk 215C. But take note that these units may also be noisier as human traffic is higher. We think it’s a better option to stay away from them, and opt for a unit closer to Woodleigh MRT station, which will see a vibrant mixed-use development being built there in the future.

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

Submit your renovation enquiry:

The post A Look At Bidadari’s Woodleigh Hillside BTO appeared first on Renonation.sg.

For homeowners who want to get a glimpse of what to expect if they want to DIY* their renovation, you have come to the right place! As part of the RenoNation homeowners’ knowledge sharing initiative, we will be blogging exclusively on how we went about transforming a house without the assistance of an Interior Designer!

* In this context, we are referring to the embarking of a renovation project without the assistance of an Interior Designer.

Source: A Couple’s Decision to DIY their Home Renovation

Without further ado, let us first kick off with 6 FAQs about DIY Renovation:

1. Which types of renovation projects are suitable for DIY?

Next Post: Embarking Your DIY Renovation Journey Part 2– Four Renovation Project Management Basics Which You need to take note of

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Previous Post: Embarking Your DIY Renovation Journey Part 1– Six Frequently Asked DIY Renovation Questions

As you will be working without the help of an Interior Designer, you will need to be equipped with some basic project management skills. This will ensure that you complete the renovation on time, within the budget while making sure that your home meets your needs. This is because you are taking over the Interior Designer role to liaise with either the main contractor or contractors to get the work done! Therefore, here are the 4 main project management basics that you should take note of.

1. Scope of Work

It is of utmost importance that you define the scope of renovation works needed. The main reason is because you will need this information to estimate the amount of time, money and effort to complete the renovation. In addition, the contractors will also quote their charges based on the scope of work.

In fact, such information is usually captured in the form of a drawn to scale floor plan, which is also accompanied with a list of detailed descriptions of the works to be completed.

Tip: It helps to be as detailed as much as possible since you will also be able to gauge the total number of vendors that you need to work with.

In this simple case study, this is what we have covered when we prepared the scope of work for the 2 bedder condominium:

A) Space Planning

Lifestyle needs and foot traffic affect the space planning, which sets the stage for the storage capacity planning and also the placement of various pieces of furniture.

Design: Charlotte’s Carpentry

Therefore, the living room and the dining room have the most foot traffic since this is where the homeowners spend 90% most of their time. Furthermore, they also cook frequently, work from home and the only time they adjourn to their bedroom is for rest and reading.

To illustrate how space planning is done, the red lines denote the foot traffic and the blue zone illustrates the possible placement of the furniture such as sofa, dining table and bed. We have proposed to move the master bedroom wardrobe to the other side of the room (in orange) to improve the traffic flow and free up space for a study corner. Furthermore, this helps to keep the wardrobe away from the windows which expose it to humidity and sunlight.

B) Storage Capacity Planning

Basically, capacity planning will help to determine the dimension of the carpentry works needed. Hence, a general rule of thumb is to find out the volume of space you are using right now and then replicate the same amount of space in the floor plan. In addition, do not forget to take into consideration the dimensions of the big sized items since this will influence the placement of the various belongings.

In this case, since the 2 bedder does not have any utility room, the much needed area is eked out through the construction of the floor storage platform.

C) Lights and False Ceiling Planning

The lighting plan will help the electrical vendor to better estimate the amount of electrical works that needs to be done. Although in general, due to the tremendous number of variables to be taken into account; which is the ceiling height, the colours of the flooring, walls, ceiling and types of fittings and lighting used, a very loose rule of thumb is that around 2-3 6W down-lights are needed per meter. You may use this online calculator as a gauge.

Design: Forefront Interior

Next Post: All you need to know before embarking your DIY Renovation Journey Part 3 – 3 Tips for Selection of Contractors

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I’ve previously done up a quick site analysis to see if you should go for a unit at Bukit Batok (Sky Vista and West Scape) or Sengkang (Rivervale Shores) in the August 2017 BTO sales launch. Applications are now closed, results will be released in September and unit selection dates will start in October. If you’re still up for getting a unit in those areas then, here are our choice picks for your consideration:

BEST UNITS IN SKY VISTA (BUKIT BATOK)

2-room (Type 1)

These units have a boxy kitchen compared to 2-room (Type 2) units, where kitchens are a long, galley style. If you’re going for this layout, there are two stacks for you to choose from: 506 and 504 at block 114B.

I would recommend going for units at stack 504 as 506 is closer to the rubbish chutes. In addition, you will get relatively unblocked views from the living room and bedroom at stack 504. 506 on the other hand is wedged between 508 and 504.

My choice: 504

2-room (Type 2)

If you’re opting for Type 2 units instead, you have three stacks to choose from: 516 at block 114A and stacks 510 and 508 at block 114B.

Stack 510 is a corner unit, which is great for folks who like their privacy. However, stack 510 is near the pavilion, main road and the bus stop, so it is a stack that is very near high activity zones. Also, depending on the other buildings in the area, 510 might get a bit of western sun. Both 510 and 508 are also located near the 3-storey carpark.

If you’re hoping for a quieter spot, I would recommend 516. Whilst it’s near the rubbish chutes, the stack is prized for its unblocked views – there are no neighbouring buildings that are blocking it directly.

My choice: 516

3-room

There are three stacks, 512, 514 and 518 at block 114A and two stacks, 500 and 502 at block 114B to choose from if you’re going for a three-room flat.

There is a possibility of stacks 512 and 500 facing the western sun. Stacks 500, 502 and 512 are facing high activity zones such as the playground and fitness facilities – not for you if you’re looking for some quiet.

518 and 514 are decent choices. However, 518 is mainly surrounded by units in the adjacent block so views are not impressive. 514, on the other hand, has relatively unobstructed views, particularly if you’re opting for a unit at the higher floors. It faces a current existing HDB flat, which is just four storeys tall.

My choice: 514

BEST UNITS IN WEST SCAPE (BUKIT BATOK)

2-room (Type 1)

Type 1 units are those with a boxy kitchen. You are able to select from 4 blocks: 431A (stacks 1653 and 1655), 432B (1549, 1551, 1557 and 1559), 433A (1605 and 1607) and 433B (1579 and 1581).

I would eliminate stacks 1559 and 1557, as these two stacks are located very near to the 6-storey carpark. I would also avoid 1605 and 1607, which is located close to the cross junction between the main Bukit Batok Road (a really busy road) and Bukit Batok West Ave 6 – these units might be rather noisy even though they are slightly buffered by the four-room units in front.

Stacks 1579 and 1581 are good choices if you’re hoping to be near the future bus stop. However, 1579 is just a little too close to a 4-room stack for my comfort. 1549 and 1551 are a bit far off from the main road but are good options for those who drive since it’s near the carpark but not facing it.

Go for 1653 and 1655 if you want relatively unblocked views, since it will be facing the not-very-tall Bukit Batok Home for the Aged. However, these stacks are facing Bukit Batok West Ave 2, which will be busy particularly during school pick-up and drop-off times seeing as it’s en route to Dazhong Primary School nearby.

My choice: 1581

2-room (Type 2)

With a total of 24 stacks, there are more Type 2 than Type 1 2-room units in West Scape available to choose from.

I would avoid those along the road, such as stacks 1609/1611 and 1649/1651. Stacks 1623 and 1621 are also located relatively near the main road even though they don’t face it directly. 1597, 1595, 1593 and 1591, 1639 and 1637 are also located relatively close to high activity zones such as the playground and the pavilion so they should be avoided if you don’t want a noisy apartment (although if you want rare park views, consider 1639 and 1637). If you don’t want to be facing the carpark, avoid 1555 and 1553.

Units 1643 and 1641 are great if you want peace and quiet, since they are not directly facing any human activity zones and are located relatively far away from adjacent buildings. You might have to contend with the western sun however.

Decent choices include 1519, 1517, 1583, 1585, 1541, 1543, 1545, 1547. My top picks would be for the units at block 433B (1583 and 1585), since they are not as close to the playground or the elderly fitness area. I would go for 1585, since it’s a corner unit.

My choice: 1585

3-room

There are only eight stacks to choose from if you’re going for 3-room.

Unless you’re opting for a high floor, I would skip 1563 and 1561. These two stacks offer a park view, but are close to the pavilion and hard court so they will be rather noisy.

The other stacks are located near activity zones such as the adult fitness and elderly fitness stations as well as the playground. However, stacks 1587 and 1645 don’t face these zones directly, while 1613 is a distance away from these activity zones so pick those for some peace and quiet.

My vote will be for 1613, although 1587 comes a close second. Both are corner units, but the former has a better view since it isn’t near any adjacent buildings.

My choices: 1613 and 1587

4-room

A few stacks come with a balcony view. These are: 1625/1627 (433A), 1599/1601 (433B), 1519/1521 (433C), 1633/1635 (431A). While they offer a better view, take note that all these balcony units face the main roads so they will be noisy. In addition, stacks 1633 and 1635 as well as 1519 and 1521 are located near the pavilion. The latter is also very close to the bus bay.

For 4-room flats that don’t have a balcony, you might want to consider against 1503 and 1505, which are located above the future shops and eating places. While convenient, these stacks will definitely have higher noise levels. Several units also have the possibility of facing the western sun: 1537, 1539, 1571, 1573 and 1631.

Choice units include 1603, which doesn’t face the main road and is probably free from the western sun. It is also located at the corner, so you will have privacy from nosy neighbours. Corridor units like 1569, 1567, 1575, 1577 and 1565 are also decent, although 1565 is located near the rubbish chutes.

My choice: 1603

5-room

The 5-room flats are mostly located near the southern end of the development. Avoid those near the future school (1535, 1533, 1531 and 1529) and those located near the eating houses and shops (1513, 1511, 1509 and 1507) as these areas will likely be noisier than most.

1515 and 1517 aren’t the best units either since it’s located just next to the carpark. I would opt for 1525 and 1527 instead.

My choice: 1525 and 1527

BEST UNITS IN RIVERVALE SHORES (SENGKANG)

As Rivervale Shores BTO in Sengkang is a relatively large development, I’ve decided to pick the best units in terms of these factors: view of the Serangoon Reservoir, corner units that won’t have noisy neighbours passing you buy, units that don’t face the western sun, and balcony units. Balcony units are only reserved for certain 3-room flats and above.

2-room (Type 1 and 2)

For the view of the reservoir: 56, 58, 286, 284
Corner units with privacy: 106, 120, 162, 142, 162, 184, 186, 192, 194, 208, 206, 220, 276, 262
Units facing away from western sun: 56, 58, 286, 284, 118, 116, 114, 112, 110, 108, 106, 142, 140, 138, 136, 160, 158, 156, 152, 184, 182, 190, 192, 196, 194, 208, 206, 226, 224, 222, 220, 250, 248, 246, 244, 276, 274, 272, 270, 268, 266, 264, 262

3-room

For the view of the reservoir: 62, 60, 290, 288
Corner units with privacy: 62, 290, 102, 104, 172, 210, 252, 254
Units facing away from western sun: 62, 60, 290, 288
Balcony units: 62, 60, 290, 288

4-room

For the view of the reservoir: 34, 32, 54, 52, 84, 82, 96, 94, 92, 90, 342, 340, 326, 324, 322, 320, 306, 304, 282, 280
Corner units with privacy: 22 (up to 8th or 9th storey), 48, 50, 52, 76 (up to 8th or 9th storey), 96, 334 (up to 8th or 9th storey), 326, 298 (up to 8th or 9th storey), 292, 294, 278
Units facing away from western sun: 34, 32, 54, 52, 84, 82, 96, 94, 92, 90, 342, 340, 326, 324, 322, 320, 304, 282, 280, 180, 178, 198
Balcony units: 34, 32, 54, 52, 84, 82, 96, 94, 92, 90, 342, 340, 326, 324, 322, 320, 306, 304, 282, 280

5-room

For the view of the reservoir: 38, 36, 30, 28, 26, 24, 68, 66, 80, 78, 346, 344, 338, 336, 310, 308, 302, 300
Corner units with privacy: 40, 38, 22 (from 10th or 11th storey), 26, 24, 76 (from 10th or 11th storey), 80, 78, 98, 100, 334 (from 10th or 11th storey), 338, 336, 328, 330, 298, 302, 300
Units facing away from western sun: 36, 30, 28, 24, 66, 78, 344, 336, 310, 308, 300, 132, 228
Balcony units: 38, 36, 30, 28, 26, 24, 68, 66, 80, 78, 346, 344, 338, 336, 310, 308, 302, 300

While these stacks are great for their various reasons, keep in mind that they may disadvantageous in other areas including: facing the expressway (TPE), facing the main road, near high human activity zones such as the pavilion, playground and amenities area. So bear in mind other factors when choosing your flat.

CONCLUSION

There is no perfect unit, although some units stack up better than others. Determine what you can live with and what you cannot when choosing your own flat.

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

Submit your renovation enquiry:

The post Aug 2017 BTO Analysis: Selecting Units at Sky Vista, West Scape and Rivervale Shores appeared first on Renonation.sg.

Previous Post: All you need to know before embarking your DIY Renovation Journey Part 3 – 3 Tips for Selection of Contractors

When you are undertaking the DIY Renovation journey, you might be concerned that you do not have the home interior design knowledge and skill-sets to manage the design aspects of your renovation.

Don’t worry! Let me share with you some secrets of home interior design; actually interior decorating is all about following a simple set of formula. Yes, you can think of this as a simple cheat-sheet to help recreate your very own home with your unique artful flair!

Hence, let me share with you one of the design hacks which we used when it comes to pulling together the interior design of our place. By following this simple trick, you can create a functional and yet aesthetically pleasing personal space for you and your family!

Splurge on a Sofa!

Do you know that the sofa is the most important element which will influence the design which you choose for your home? Sofa selection is the 1st step when it comes to deciding your Home Interior Design!

Do you know?

The sofa is the largest and the only piece of furniture which you will spend almost 70%-80% of your waking moments in it. Hence, you should treat the sofa as a lifelong investment and look for the best quality and most comfortable sofa which you could afford.

Firstly, by visiting numerous sofa showrooms to find the perfect sofa before deciding on the interior design. This is the easiest way to ensure that the theme which you have adopted is seamlessly integrated together with your furniture. This is because the make, material, texture and color used for the sofa will have a direct impact on the choices of your other furnishings and home interior design.

Case in point?

A Manhattan black leather sofa goes well with the Industrial style due to its masculine vibes. You can up the masculine factor by adding stark white masculine pillows at the sides.

A brown Chesterfield leather sofa also sits very well with Victorian design; simply throw in a marble, gold accented coffee table to complete look!

 Create a Vignette with the chosen Sofa

After deciding on your sofa, you can then proceed to create a Vignette – which is a small area that is formed by a variety of matching objects in terms of color, texture, material and theme. This is the second step which helps you to further refine your the interior design.

To help you to kick start this process, look for a coffee table, TV console and rug that matches your chosen Sofa. So you can think of this step as simply grouping several objects which have common elements together to create a cohesive, eye pleasing, pocket-sized arrangement. When you have completed this part, you should have a clearer idea of the design that you wish to adopt for your home.

6 Things You Should Look Out for When Shopping for a Sofa

Here are some useful tips on choosing quality sofas that will be able to withstand regular use and test of time!

Find High Quality Affordable Sofa and Furniture at Origin Home Fine Furniture!

“If a single piece of furniture has the ability to define the style of personal living space, that piece would be the sofa”

We chanced upon Origin Home Fine Furniture during our quest for our perfect leather sofa. Although it is an extremely challenging task for us due to the compact size of our apartment and budget constraints, we managed to find our dream sofa there!

Jeanette Ng, the Director of the Origin Home Fine Furniture , informed us that their furniture store focuses exclusively on high quality, natural and organic materials for all of its furniture. Despite this, she still ensures that the Origin Home Fine Furniture‘s extensive range of sofas, tables and chairs still remain surprisingly affordable for homeowners. In fact, Origin Home Fine Furniture‘s rapidly growing customer base can attest to its rising popularity since its inception on 15^th March 2017.

 What makes Origin Home Fine Furniture’s Sofas unique?

The reasons why Origin Home Fine Furniture’s Sofas stood out from the rest are as follows:

(1) Wide Selection of Leather Quality and Colors

There is a wide range of materials to choose from; ranging from premium exotic to full grain leather in an amazing array of natural colors!

(2) Allows for Customization

You can design your sofa to your perfection! Starting from the types, dimensions and colors of the leather and material used for the sofa legs can be customized.

(3) High Quality Leather Assured

The sofas carried by Origin Home Fine Furniture are available in full grain leather which is much more expensive than corrected leather. This is because full grain leather that comes with no or minimal imperfections and smooth surface is much rarer. In contrast, pieces of inferior leather that are actually full of imperfections are available in vast quantities. Therefore, the inferior leather is very much cheaper since they can undergo additional processing to correct its grain and uneven texture. As a result, high quality full grain leather maintains its natural sheen and so no two sofas which are upholstered with full grain leather are identical.

Furthermore, full grain leather sofas are actually more scratch resistant than top grain sofas since the scratches can be easily removed using the leather oil. Also, one of the advantages of getting a leather sofa is that it requires a lower amount of maintenance effort since it only requires a bit of dusting or vacuuming before it is wiped clean with a leather cleaner.

Case in point?

Let us take a look at the video which shows how easily scratches are removed from a full-grain sofa!

Do you know?

A good quality leather is not determined by the thickness of the leather. However, most homeowners are under the false impression that “Top” grain leather sofas are of higher quality.

In fact, the premium exotic leather sofas carried by Origin Home Fine Furniture goes through a special tanning process that retains its natural colors while keeping it very lightly sanded n buffered. Due to its scarcity, premium exotic leather is more expensive than its full grain cousin since they are thicker too.

(4) Matching Coffee Tables, Dining Tables and Chairs

Aside from sofas, Origin Home Fine Furniture also carries coffee tables, dining tables and chairs. The sofas and dining chairs are available in matching premium exotic, full leather and imported European cotton, which is actually water guarded so that it is resistant to red wine stains. Therefore, you can easily create the vignette with a wide variety of matching furniture in terms of color, texture and material!

(4) Impeccable Service and Experience

Although we did not introduce ourselves as the RenoNation team, the service rendered by Origin Home Fine Furniture is top notch and noteworthy. In fact, Jo, the Furniture Guru and her assistance, Claudia made us feel extremely at home and also helped us to select the suitable sofa based on our lifestyle needs and budget.

Do you know?

A low height sofa of around 1.5 m – 1.7 m will make a compact room look bigger and more airy. However, the actual seating area will be influenced by the thickness of the arm rest and the sofa back.

For instance, originally we thought that Barker was able to fit our requirements. Nevertheless, after some in-depth discussion  with Jo and Claudia we realized that the Barker will not offer much seating deck space due to the thick arm rest and back rest. Also, the proportions of the customized, smaller version will not match with the proportions of the compact room.

In contrast,  Discreet was a much better choice with its sleeker arm rest and sofa back.

 Trade-in-campaign!

The trade in promotion will start on 17th Aug, Thursday.
Do check out the campaign’s details either from the Origin Home Fine Furniture’s website or facebook page!

 Where can you find the Origin Home Fine Furniture’s Showroom?

The details of the showroom as follows:

Address: 201 Henderson Road #03-19/20/21 (Road Level) Apex@Henderson,
Singapore 159545
Tel: +65 6909 0765
Fax: +65 6909 0756
Business Hours: 11AM – 8PM daily including PH

Next Post: All you need to know before embarking your DIY Renovation Journey Part 5 – Wong Keun Furniture, your reliable renovation partner

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

Submit your renovation enquiry:

The post All you need to know before embarking your DIY Renovation Journey Part 4 – High Quality Leather Sofa from Origin Home Fine Furniture appeared first on Renonation.sg.

There’s nothing more challenging than finding room for everything you own, especially with homes in Singapore shrinking in size. That’s where clever storage solutions come in. They maximise the most of your limited square footage, while keeping your pad looking spiffy and clutter-free. To help you avoid potential pitfalls when planning for storage in your home, we’ve put together 7 small space storage mistakes to avoid:

Mistake 1: Planning for too many open shelves

There are plenty of guides out there – ours included – that tell you open shelving is the way to go for a small space because they can help to create a sense of spaciousness. Sure, but don’t overdo it. Remember: not everything you own looks like they came out from an interior decorating magazine. Plus, it’s a pain to constantly curate your open shelves in order to keep visual clutter at bay. Always plan for enough closed storage that can help you stash away your uglies.

Make use of both open and closed storage in order to avoid visual clutter in your small space.

Design: Story of Us

A walk-in wardrobe features both closed drawers and open shelvings.

Design: The Interior Lab

Mistake 2: Going too deep

Because of the lack of space, some small space dwellers are tempted to create deep, almost bottomless, storage cabinets. Not a good idea. Why? Things that are stuffed into the deep cabinet abyss are often forgotten.

If you really must go deep, think about layering. For instance, things that are less frequently used will go at the back, while things that are more frequently used are put to the front. Include inner storage solutions like boxes and baskets to better organise your deep drawers and cabinets. And finally, consider installing innovative solutions like pull-out cabinets and drawers to help make it easier to reach out for things stored deep within.

A pull-out drawer serves as a convenient nightstand.

Design: Eightytwo

Reach for your pantry items more easily with a pull-out drawer.

Design: Fifth Avenue Interior

Mistake 3: Going too shallow

On the other side of the spectrum are people who don’t plan for enough depth within their storage units. Shallow storage is okay for nooks and crannies where you want to squeeze in a little more storage into your space, but it’s not okay for important storage units like your wardrobe or kitchen cabinets.

The standard depth for a wardrobe should be about 60 to 65 cm to allow your shirts to hang comfortably within without the wardrobe doors interfering. For kitchen cabinets, your base cabinets should have a depth of about 60 cm, while top-hung cabinets should be about 30-cm deep.

Double stacked top cabinets afford more storage space within your kitchen

Design: GS ID

Make sure the depth of your closet is able to accommodate all your shirts.

Design: Distinct Identity

Mistake 4: Not going for multifunctional storage

In a small space, a single piece of storage that remains a single piece of storage is ultimately a waste of space. Consider combining more than one function to your storage units and furniture. A bookshelf can double as a room divider. An ottoman can function as a seating space, a coffee table or a storage unit for magazines. A bed can come with under storage drawers to keep bed linen. A chest of drawers can hide a foldaway desk.

Your bed should be a multifunctional piece. Underneath bed storage makes room for things like your bedsheets.

Design: Artist Room

This bedroom cupboard opens up to reveal a workstation.

Design: Eightytwo

Mistake 5: Not making the most of your custom built-ins

Every inch matters in a small space. Avoid going for stunted cabinets that don’t reach all the way to the top, which create an area for serious dust accumulation and limit your storage space, or built-ins that only take up part of the wall, thus wasting the area on both sides of it. When customising built-ins, create floor-to-ceiling units or storage solutions that take up the full-length of a wall. Full-height and wall-to-wall units give a sense of height and scale, giving the impression of a larger and taller room.

Reach for the ceiling and the full length of your wall when you create a customised wardrobe.

Design: Linear Space Concepts

This full-height pantry is flanked by display shelves on both sides.

Design: Kuro +

Mistake 6: Not fully utilising vertical space

Many a time, we don’t realise the full potential of our walls when planning for storage space in our tiny apartments. When floor real estate is limited, look towards your vertical spaces. Think mounted display shelves, pegboards to hook up cooking utensils and wares in the kitchen, vertical bike racks to suspend our two-wheelers in mid-air, and wall-mount bedside tables that allow us to stash extra things underneath.

A vertical bicycle rack frees up valuable floor estate.

Design: Versaform

A pegboard wall provides a perfect area to store and display the homeowner’s hiking gear.

Design: Richfield Integrated

Mistake 7: Forgoing awkward niches

The space above your toilet? The area above your door frame? That awkward corner in your bedroom? The ceiling space along your walkway? The zone between your windows? They are not dead and useless, so use them! Create customised built-ins that fit perfectly within that niche to carve out a little more storage and make the most of your limited square footage.

Cubbies hang from the ceiling along the walkway, providing unexpected storage space.

Design: Country Concept

A recessed niche was created above the toilet for displaying items.

Design: Distinct Identity

The post 7 Storage Mistakes to Avoid in Your Small Space appeared first on Renonation.sg.

Results for the latest BTO exercise in February 2018 are expected to be out in late March or early April. Five developments were launched during the last exercise, and the ones at Ubi Grove in Geylang and Teck Whye View in Choa Chu Kang received the most bids and were largely oversubscribed.

Today’s article will focus on Ubi Grove. We’ll look at the surrounding vicinity, the amenities within, the site itself as well as the best units to pick if you received a queue number.

Quiet neighbourhood?

Our site visit over the weekend found the neighbourhood to be relatively quiet. Surrounding the future BTO site are mainly industrial facilities (along Ubi Ave 2 and Ubi Road 3) with a few older residential buildings (along Ubi Ave 1) situated nearby.

The plot is mainly surrounded by industrial buildings and older HDB flats.

The site will probably be a lot more bustling during the weekdays, with several schools nearby and the area being in the midst of an industrial estate.

Relatively empty streets along Ubi Ave 1.

Relatively empty streets along Ubi Road 3.

The cross junction that intersects Ubi Road 3 and Ubi Ave 2 (located near the entrances of Ubi MRT) is still pretty busy, despite it being a weekend.

Amenities

Transportation: The popularity of this BTO probably stems from its close proximity to Ubi MRT station, which is located right outside the estate along Ubi Ave 2.

There are several existing bus stops surrounding the site. We spotted one across Ubi Road 3, one along Ubi Ave 1 and another along Ubi Ave 2 – this means the entire site is surrounded by bus stops.

Drivers, you’ll also be pleased to know that you wouldn’t have to cross too many traffic lights to reach the Pan-Island Expressway.

Retail and shopping: There is a neighbourhood centre nearby with several retail shops, coffee shops and a small Giant supermarket within it. Many of the shops were closed however, and the few that were opened didn’t receive much footfall.

Schools: A child care centre will be built within Ubi Grove, according to HDB. It will be located right next to the busy cross junction mentioned earlier, and will be next to one of the car parks.

Nearest schools are Maha Bodhi School (primary school) and Manjusri Secondary School, both of which are located right next to Ubi Grove.

Choice units

Before we get down to the nitty gritty to see which stack you should choose, here are some things to look out for:

• In general, if you want a relatively closer proximity to Ubi MRT and the facilities at the neighbourhood centre, get your unit from blocks 357D, 358D, 357C and 358C. However, do note that these areas will also guarantee higher human traffic so privacy might be compromised.
• There are a few stacks that face the schools. Schools tend to be a bit noisier, particularly during mornings and afternoons on the weekdays. Avoid those if you work from home or if you need peace and quiet during the day. Otherwise, those units are okay to go for if you aren’t usually at home during the day.
• For units facing Ubi Ave 1, you might get heavy traffic during peak periods in the mornings and evenings as this road leads to the secondary school’s entrance. For units along Ubi Ave 2, traffic is guaranteed to be high as it’s one of the roads leading towards the industrial estate.
• A few of the units are also located quite close to multi-storey car parks, which reach six to seven storeys. Avoid lower floor units at those blocks (357D, 357C, 356B and 356A) if you don’t want your unit to be enveloped by car fumes or disturbed by engine sounds.

1. Unblocked views

The HDB flats along Ubi Ave 1 are about 12 storeys tall. Selected blocks in this BTO are taller than 12 storeys, so you will be getting relatively unblocked views if you get a unit at the upper floor.

Pick these units if you don’t want to be blocked by adjacent flats or surrounding buildings:

356D: 60, 62, 64, 66 (only from 13-15th floor)
356C: 44, 46, 48, 50 (only from 13-14th floor)
357C: 116, 118, 104, 106 (only from 11-12th floor)
358C: 184, 186, 188, 190, 192, 194 (only from 11-12th floor)

Note: Blocks 357D and 358D (only 10 storeys) looking over Ubi Ave 2 face industrial buildings across the roads, which are relatively tall. As such, you might not get unblocked views should you go for a unit there.

2. Afternoon sun

The direction of the afternoon sun varies throughout the year, although it is generally in the west direction. More accurately, in Singapore, from March to September, the afternoon sun comes from the north-west direction, while from September to March, it stems from the south-west direction.

If you don’t want your home to be baked by the afternoon sun, pick these units which are generally cooler:

357D: 134 (4-room flats)
358D: 222 (2-room flats)
358C: 196 (2-room flats)
357B: 102 (4-room flats)
358B: 156, 158 (4-room flats)
358A: 152, 154 (4-room flats)
356B: 28 (lower floors might be blocked by car park, which is located at the west of this stack), 38 (4-room flats)
356A: 16 (lower floors might be blocked by car park, which is located west of this stack; 4-room flats)

3. Privacy

Get these corner units if you don’t want neighbours looking in while they get from the lifts to their own homes:

357D: 130, 132, 134 (4-room flats)
358D: 226 (3-room flats), 206, 208, 210 (4-room flats)
357C: 104, 106, 108 (4-room flats)
358C: 200, 180 (3-room flats), 182, 184 (4-room flats)
357B: 98, 100, 102 (4-room flats)
358B: 168, 170, 172, 174, 156, 158 (4-room flats)
357A: 84, 86, 72, 74, 76 (4-room flats)
358A: 136, 138, 140, 142, 152, 154 (4-room flats)
356B: 28, 30, 34, 36, 38 (4-room flats)
356C: 40, 42, 44, 52, 54 (4-room flats)
356A: 10, 12, 18, 20 (4-room flats)
356D: 56, 58, 68, 70 (4-room flats)

4. Peace and quiet

These units aren’t facing major roads, schools, car parks or amenities such as the pavilions, fitness stations, playgrounds and the hard courts so they offer more peace and quiet:

357C: 112, 110, 108 (4-room flats)
358C: 192, 194, 198, 178, 176 (2-room flats), 180, 190, 200 (3-room flats), 182 (4-room flats)
357B: 92*, 94, 96, 98, 90*, 88 (4-room flats)
358B: 168, 170, 172, 174, 160, 162 (4-room flats)
357A: 84*, 82*, 86, 80, 78, 76 (4-room flats)
358A: 140, 142, 148, 150 (4-room flats)
356B: 32, 34 (4-room flats)
356C: 44, 46, 48, 50 (4-room flats)

*Do note that these units are located next to a site reserved for a place of worship, which may result in higher human traffic and noise levels.

Look out for our BTO site analysis of Teck Whye View next! Keep checking back at www.renonation.sg.

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

Submit your renovation enquiry:

The post Feb 2018 BTO Site and Unit Analysis: Geylang (Ubi Grove) appeared first on Renonation.sg.

We’ve recently done a BTO analysis on Ubi Grove at Geylang, which was launched alongside Teck Whye View in the last BTO launch in February 2018. These two developments were highly sought after during the sales exercise.

If you were looking for a BTO unit in the west, Choa Chu Kang’s Teck Whye View would probably have been your choice. In this article, we will be looking at the surrounding amenities of the site as well as the units to pick if you managed to obtain a queue number for this BTO.

Site Visit

Plot of land reserved for Teck Whye View; currently used as a football pitch

Closer up view of the land

Facing the back of Junction 10

We visited the site during a weekday evening and found the place vibrant, yet not overly so. Compared to the more pulsating Teck Whye Ave at the next street, Jalan Teck Whye, where the BTO is, is a much quieter road. The BTO is located at the edge of Bukit Panjang and Teck Whye neighbourhoods.

A relatively quiet road along Jalan Teck Whye

Teck Whye View is situated behind a large post office, and is right next to a park connector that runs the length of a drainage reserve. This connector is heavily utilised and populated as it stretches across a good part of the Choa Chu Kang district, including Yew Tee.

View across the drainage reserve

The park connector leads to several smaller neighbourhoods within Choa Chu Kang

Across from the drainage reserve seems to be a parking area for heavy industrial vehicles. According to HDB, this will most likely be cleared away in the future for high-rise developments.

The land across from the drainage reserve is currently an industrial bus park

Just opposite the site of the future Teck Whye View, is another BTO building in progress, Teck Whye Vista was launched in November 2015 and set to TOP in the mid of 2020. It’s a BTO that only consists of 2-room flats.

Surrounding Amenities

Transportation options: Teck Whye View is located right between two LRT stations, Phoenix as well as Ten Mile Junction. There are also bus stops within a short walking distance, along Teck Whye Ave and right in front of Phoenix station.

We estimated it will take around 8 minutes to walk to Bukit Panjang MRT station, which links up with the rest of the stations in the Downtown line as well as the Bukit Panjang LRT station that goes all the way to Choa Chu Kang MRT.

Retail convenience: The BTO sits right next to shopping mall Junction 10, which is a two-storey mall located below a condominium. The main attraction of the mall is a relatively large Giant supermarket. Otherwise, the mall is rather quiet at this stage. There are however, several restaurants and food and beverage options within the mall as well as enrichment centres for children.

Just a short walking distance away (approximately 15 minutes) are two malls, Hillion Mall and Bukit Panjang Plaza. Food and beverage options are more varied there, with fast food options, bakeries, small eateries, food courts and restaurants. Supermarkets are NTUC at Hillion Mall and NTUC Finest at Bukit Panjang Plaza.

Walking along Jalan Teck Whye will take you the Choa Chu Kang Community Centre, where there is a MacDonald’s. There is also the Teck Whye neighbourhood centre, with a wet market and coffee shops, as well as an NTUC and a Prime Supermarket.

Schools: There are a lot of schools nearby, so you will always see students milling about. Within walking distance are Teck Whye Secondary School, Choa Chu Kang Secondary School and Teck Whye Primary School as well as Pioneer Junior College. In the other direction, you have West View Primary School as well as Fajar Secondary School.

Best Unit To Pick

The plot is relatively small and there aren’t many units to choose from. Teck Whye View has only three residential blocks, which ranges from 22 to 31 storeys. There are a total of 574 units to pick, and you get to choose from 2-, 3- and 4-room flats.

UNITS TO AVOID

1. Stacks close to the car park
Avoid units on the lower floor of stacks that are located close to the 5-storey multi-storey car park: 46, 44, 40, 38 if you don’t want to be engulfed by engine noise and fumes.

2. Stacks close to the activity zones within the site
Avoid units that are located near the playgrounds, fitness stations and hard court, if you don’t want to be disturbed by high noise levels: 44, 66, 64, 62, 60, 40, 42

UNITS TO GO FOR

1. Stacks with relatively unblocked views
While the units at Teck Whye View are mostly surrounded by other buildings, most the units, particularly those at the higher floors, have relatively unblocked views because they are quite a distance apart from other neighbouring developments.

If you’re going for 4-room flats, pick 48, 50. They face the drainage reserve. Even though the land across the drainage reserve is set aside for high-rise buildings, it is still a relative distance from these stacks. Alternatively, pick higher floor units at stacks 46, 44 (they face the car park) that also receive relatively unblocked views.

If you’re going for 3-room flats, 20, 22 are some distance apart from neighbouring buildings.

If you’re going for 2-room units, pick 52, 54, 56, 58 that face the drainage reserve. Or go for higher floor units at 32, 30, 28 and 26, which face the relatively short post office building. Stack 24 also has no view obstruction.

2. Stacks that are cooler
Note that in Singapore, the afternoon sun comes from the north-west direction from March to September, while it stems from the south-west direction from September to March.

Unfortunately, most units at Teck Whye View do get a bit of afternoon sun and is relatively unavoidable. However, there are some units that have a bit of shade thanks to neighbouring buildings. Opt for lower floor units at stacks 46 and 44, 32, 30, 28 and 26, as well as stack 66 which received a bit of shade due to its proximity to stack 44.

Tip: When choosing, you can look out for units that have the afternoon sun facing the service yard. This will help your clothes that are hung out there dry faster.

3. Stacks that have more privacy
Corner units away from lift areas tend to have more privacy – no prying neighbours there! Go for: 46, 48, 58, 60, 40, 38, 34, 32, 24, 26.

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

Submit your renovation enquiry:

The post Feb 2018 BTO: Analysing Teck Whye View at Choa Chu Kang appeared first on Renonation.sg.

If you’ve been following the news, you might have heard the recent buzz surrounding condominium Park Place Residences. The first phase, that took place at the end of last year, saw about half of the 429 units being sold on the first day alone.

WHY THE HYPE?

The excitement surrounding this Paya Lebar condo isn’t based on a bunch of hot air. The property is located within the up-and-coming Paya Lebar Quarter (PLQ) integrated development, touted as the next CBD district and the gateway to the Paya Lebar district.

Artist Impression of Park Place Residences

Source: Lendlease

Developer Lendlease plans to turn the area into a “vibrant, pedestrian-friendly city precinct” with a retail mall, office towers and residential blocks set amidst green and outdoor spaces as well as cycling and walking paths that link to five park connectors in Singapore.

Linked to the condominium via an elevated walkway, the PLQ mall’s main features are its numerous al fresco dining options. Recently, it has also confirmed Shaw Theatres, Fairprice Finest and Kopitiam as its anchor tenants.

Location, location, location
While the PLQ vicinity is attractive, the condo’s surrounding vicinity is an equally pulsating hub of retail spaces and offices, with mixed-use developments such as Singpost Centre and Paya Lebar Square housing various retail options, as well as One KM mall located just minutes away.

Location of Park Place Residences on Google Map

For drivers, reaching the PIE takes only 5 minutes. Transportation-wise, the Paya Lebar MRT station – which is linked to both the East-West line and Circle line – takes approximately 5 minutes to walk from Park Place Residences.

In terms of schools, there are several of them located within the neighbouring Geylang and Katong districts. These include Tanjong Katong Secondary School, Haig Girls’ School as well as Geylang Methodist School (Primary and Secondary), all of which will take 20 minutes to reach.

For recreation, a quick drive down to East Coast Park and the Sports Hub at Kallang will take about 10 minutes from Park Place Residences.

Creature comforts
Within the condominium, residents will get to enjoy a variety of amenities amidst pockets of green spaces, including a yoga deck and fountain, a clubhouse complete with kitchenette, gym and entertainment suite, an aqua therapy pool with daybeds, a 20-metre leisure pool, a 50-m lap pool, a kids’ wading pool, and various outdoor dining spaces.

Source: Lendlease

Each of the unit features an elegant scheme, with flooring for the communal areas done up in a luxurious natural marble finishing and the bedrooms covered in timber flooring. The kitchen is fitted out with Italian brand Snaidero and Smeg products.

Units up for sale
The 429 units are located within three residential blocks. With the positive response from the first launch, only 50 percent of the units are up for sale in the second phase on 7 April (Saturday).

According to The Straits Times, there is a remaining 43 one-bedroom units up for sale, with prices starting from $900,000. Another 110 two-bedroom units will have prices from $1.15 million. The remaining 66 three-bedroom units will start from $1.8 million.

One-bedroom units are sized between 480 sqft and 580 sqft, two-bedroom units are between 650 sqft and 900 sqft, while three-bedroom units are between 1,080 sqft and 1,350 sqft. Units are located from the fifth storey onwards, with the four-storey car park located right below the residential homes.

Most homes come with a balcony, while certain units come with a PES (private enclosed space). Some of the 2-bedroom units are dual key, meaning there are two entrances to the home. Premium two-bedroom units come with an additional en suite in the master bedroom, compared to the regular two-bedroom apartments that only have one shared common bathroom. Premium three-bedroom units come with an extra bedroom (and attached bathroom) located behind the kitchen that is used as the helper’s bedroom.

LAYOUT IDEAS

To give you an idea of how your future home at Park Place Residences can look like, we compiled a selection of layouts and designs that can work with the condo’s actual floor plans:

TYPE A1/A1*/A1Pa (one-bedroom)
484sqft – 581sqft

When floor space is a precious commodity, make furnishings work twice as hard. Build an extendable drawer in the kitchen that doubles as a dining table and an extra countertop space when you need it.

Design: ArtMuse Interior

The workstation in your study can be flush against the window in order to save space. Build high to maximise storage, but keep it see-through so that light can still filter into your room.

Design: Richfield Integrated

TYPE A2/A2Pa/A2Pb (one-bedroom)
484 sqft – 581sqft

If the master bedroom is too small to incorporate a wardrobe, place it outside of your sleeping quarters. Make use of that short walkway leading to the bathroom by creating a petite walk-in closet, with full-height drawers and cupboards at both sides.

Design: The Orange Cube

In the living room, incorporate a casual dining area beside your living room. A custom-built, single console and dining piece will create a cohesive look in your apartment. Specially designed racks can be included to display your wine collection.

Design: UNO Interior

TYPE B1/B1*/B1P/B1P* (two-bedroom)
646 sqft

A glass cut-out can create the sense of a much bigger space and will allow light to pass through the home. Incorporating curtains or blinds will lend the areas some privacy when needed.

Extensive clothes collection, but a shortage of closet space? An open wardrobe is a great solution as it takes up less space without the bulk of doors. Plus, it lets you see what you have at a glance so you can visualise clothing combinations quickly and easily.

Design: Icon Interior Design

TYPE B2/B2P/B2*/B2P* (two-bedroom)
646 sqft

A high bar counter separating your living room from your open kitchen is a great way to hide the mess and the flurry of activity in your cooking space, without having to close off the kitchen.

Design: Distinctidentity

In the balcony, using similar surface materials as the living room will provide a sense of continuity. Using this area as a dining zone will save you square footage in the communal zone. Make sure you include outdoor blinds that are resistant to the elements.

Design: UNO Interior

TYPE C1/C1*/C1P (two-bedroom premium)
743 sqft – 904 sqft

Keeping your kitchen behind a sheet of glass is a great way to keep the fumes and noise minimal, while still giving you the sense of openness that you need in a small apartment.

Design: Architology Interiors

If you can afford to sacrifice a bedroom, consider including the quintessence of luxury living – a walk-in wardrobe that adjoins your bedroom. A high headboard serves as a privacy screen, keeping the sleeping quarters and the changing area distinct.

Design: Meter Cube Interiors

TYPE C2/C2Pa/C2Pb (two-bedroom premium)
667 sqft – 786 sqft

We think a home is for indulging. Place a cushy bay window seating for the perfect lounging area in your bedroom—even better when you have a view worth gazing at.

Design: 0932 Design Consultants

In your communal space, make full use of your apartment’s long and narrow layout by going for a galley kitchen. But rather than building cabinets on both sides, create a bar counter on one that works as a dining table, a home wine bar, or even as an extra prep counter when necessary.

Design: Third Avenue Studio

TYPE C3/C3Pc/C3*/C3Pa*/C2Pb/C4/C4Pc/C4Pb (two-bedroom premium)
667 sqft – 797 sqft

You don’t need a designated room for a walk-in wardrobe. Create a private changing nook within your bedroom by arranging your wardrobe in an L-shaped manner to block the view of the space from your sleeping quarters. A platform creates a cosy and intimate space, while giving you extra storage room.

Design: Team Interior Design

If you feel your en suite is too small, you can always divide the wet and dry areas by placing the latter outside your bathroom. It’s a functional way to keep your dry area well, dry, while maximising the space in your en suite.

Design: The Scientist

TYPE D1/D1P/D2/D2P (two-bedroom dual key)
667 sqft – 678 sqft

For a quirky element and a focal point in your bedroom, create a bed frame that looks like a house and have your wardrobe take on a similar shape. A glass divider between the en suite and the bedroom is a great way to let the natural light pass through the entire space.

Design: The Monocot Studio

Separating your en suite with a glass divider instead of an opaque door is a luxurious scheme. Visually, it’s unobtrusive. Functionally, it’s a great way to light up a dark bathroom. Knee-height drawers surrounding the bedroom helps to create more storage areas, but ensures that your sleeping quarters doesn’t feel too boxed up.

Design: Third Avenue Studio

TYPE E1a/E1Pa/E1b/E1Pb/E1c/E1Pc (three-bedroom)
1,076 sqft – 1367 sqft

An all-white kitchen scheme is a great way to take advantage of the daylight that is coming in from those windows as the light colour will bounce off the light to the rest of your home. Keep things open for a visually larger home.

Design: Architology Interiors

A TV wall that flips from the living room to the bedroom? Ingenious, we say! Plus, you don’t have to buy two sets of TV when you really only need one.

Design: ArtMuse Interior

TYPE F1/F1P (three-bedroom premium)
1,163 sqft

A combined wardrobe and bedroom space is the ultimate indulgence, but create privacy between the areas with a TV wall. Mirrored wardrobe doors are not only functional but will also help to make your master bedroom appear larger.

Design: akiHAUS

A kitchen pass-through is a great way to serve up meals quickly and easily. Installing bi-fold glass panels on it creates a more versatile space. They can be closed to keep off cooking fumes, but opened during serving times or when you want to use the bar table.

Design: The Design Abode

Source: Lendlease

Park Place Residences is gearing up for their second launch on 7 April (Saturday) with the remaining 219 units up for sale. The show suite is located next to Paya Lebar MRT. For more information, visit www.parkplace-residences.com.sg

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

Submit your renovation enquiry:

The post CONDO BUZZ: Why Park Place Residences Condo at Paya Lebar is Hot Property (plus layout ideas!) appeared first on Renonation.sg.

The BTO results were recently announced for units launched during February 2018. For those who got a queue number, check out our analyses of the Choa Chu Kang (Teck Whye View) and the Geylang (Ubi Grove) BTOs.

Today’s article will focus on the two Tampines BTOs launched during this exercise: GreenDew and GreenFoliage.

The two BTOs are located next to Tampines GreenCourt, launched back in November 2017. We previously visited the site earlier this year, and found the area to be still relatively underdeveloped and therefore inaccessible to the public due to the numerous construction works going on. Based on our previous analysis for Tampines GreenCourt, the zone is set to be a huge BTO cluster.

We mapped out the various BTOs currently under construction in this area:

Based on pre-release information from HDB, the next Tampines BTO launching in May 2018 will be located right beside Tampines GreenFoliage. And based on the site and location maps by HDB, the surrounding greens will eventually be turned into public housing as well.

The good thing about the two Tampines BTOs launched this time round is that both are still located a relative distance from the TPE expressway, with future developments acting as a kind of buffer, which hopefully means units there won’t be subjected to too much traffic noise.

WHAT’S NEARBY?

Depending on the construction of future roads, it is highly likely that it will take less than 20 minutes (by walking) to reach Ikea, Courts and Giant Tampines. It is about a 6-min drive to Pasir Ris town centre, and a 7-min drive to Tampines’ main hub.

If you take public transport, there are three bus stops located right outside the BTOs, which we believe will serve as shuttle stops to nearby MRT stations. For GreenDew, they are located along Tampines North Drive 2 and Tampines Street 62. For GreenFoliage, it’s located along Tampines Street 62.

There aren’t many amenities within the sites themselves (save for an education centre within GreenFoliage), but neighbouring Tampines GreenCourt BTO (launched November 2017) has a retail cluster within walking distance and comes with a supermarket, childcare centre and other retail and F&B outlets.

UNIT ANALYSIS

HDB has clustered both the units at GreenDew and GreenFoliage together in its unit selection, which won’t matter if you don’t have a preference. However, if you do, note that blocks 647A, 648A, 648B and 648C are GreenDew, while blocks 645A, 645B, 646A and 646B are GreenFoliage. Also note that only 4-room and 5-room flats are available at GreenFoliage, while GreenDew has those in addition to 3-room flats.

In general, the blocks at GreenDew are arranged at a more curvilinear fashion so the units are closer to one another. The ones at GreenFoliage are more spread apart because of their perpendicular layout, so there’s a fair distance between one cluster stack to another.

Best units at GreenDew?

Proximity to bus stop
Counting the distance from the lift lobbies to the surrounding bus stops, blocks 648C and 648A are closest to the bus stop at 33.3m and 62.5m respectively.

Quieter units
The units marked here are the ones away from the road, away from the bus stops, away from the car park, and away from high activity zones such as the pavilion, playground and fitness stations. So if you want some peace and quiet, pick these:

647A: 181, 179, 177, 203, 201
648B: 139, 141, 143, 145
648C: 161, 163, 165, 167

Greater privacy
Go for units at the corners if you don’t want nosy neighbours walking past your flat to get to the lifts:

648A: 119, 107
647A: 183, 197*
648B: 133, 145
648C: 161, 171, 173

*For the unit of this stack on the 9th floor, there is a link bridge that leads to the car park so the unit will not enjoy the same level of privacy.

Less afternoon sun
We want to avoid units where the living room and bedrooms face the afternoon sun, as that will create a very warm environment in your flat when you come home from work in the evening. In Singapore, the afternoon sun comes from north-west during March to September and south-west from September to March.

Pick these units which are facing away from the afternoon sun or are relatively blocked from the heat:

648A: 105, 107
647A: 203, 201, 199
648B: 135, 137

Best units at GreenFoliage?

Proximity to bus stop
In general, the units at GreenFoliage are located a bit further from the bus stops than at GreenDew. The block that is closest is 646B at 66.3m.

Quieter units
For some peace and quiet, these units are away from high activity zones, including the education centre, pavilion, playground, fitness stations, car park, bus stops as as well as traffic roads:

645B: 35, 33, 57
645A: 11, 23
646A: 89, 91

Greater privacy
Owing to GreenFoliage’s perpendicular arrangement, there are more corner units at this BTO than at GreenDew. Corner units tend to have more privacy, as they won’t have neighbours passing through them:

645A: 15, 17, 25, 31
646B: 35, 43, 49, 51
646A: 81*, 93
646B: 59, 61, 65*, 71, 77

*Take note for units on the 8th floor. As there is a link bridge that links to car park, residents on these units might not enjoy the same level of privacy.

Less afternoon sun
As mentioned earlier, units that face the afternoon sun tend to create a very warm environment for your home when you get home from work in the evening. Avoid units that are facing the north-west or the south-west, which is the direction of the afternoon sun in Singapore. Pick these units instead:

645A: 25, 27, 29
645B: 45, 47, 49
646A: 81, 83, 85, 87
646B: 67, 69

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

Submit your renovation enquiry:

The post BTO Site and Unit Analysis Feb 2018 for Tampines (Tampines GreenView & Tampines GreenFoliage) appeared first on Renonation.sg.

Painting is one of the most important renovation tasks in any home remodel project. This is because a good paint job protects the walls, metal fixtures and foundations from environmental elements that cause wear and tear and corrosion.

Furthermore, a paint treated wall is more durable and easier to clean since stains on unpainted surfaces are very difficult to get rid of. Paint also prevents mold from growing due to extreme moisture and humidity. Therefore, painted walls actually helps to lower maintenance costs!

Interior Design: Free Space Intent

Hence, here is a simple infographic for homeowners like you to understand the main differences between the different types of paints and where it should be used.

The post The Ultimate Paint Guide for your Home Renovation appeared first on Renonation.sg.

Owning a landed home is often a mark of status and success in Singapore. Sure, they come with a huge price tag, but it also comes with a major square footage upgrade as well as the freedom to create a space you can really call your own.

If you’re interested in landing yourself a landed home, here are two new landed properties located at Lorong Kismis (in District 21) to consider. The swanky Tranquilia @ Kismis is a cluster housing project, while the multigenerational-friendly Kismis Residences is a development made up of rows of terraced housing.

Artist’s impression of Tranquilia @ Kismis

Artist’s impression of Kismis Residences

THE SURROUNDINGS

Lorong Kismis is tucked between the Bukit Batok and Bukit Timah neighbourhoods. If you’ve been to the popular café Necessary Provisions, this relatively short thoroughfare is right behind it. The surrounding area is tranquil and private, and is marked by various landed housing. Despite its seclusion, it’s relatively accessible with the entrance into the PIE located just a couple of minutes away.

Nearby schools
Bukit Timah Primary School is just next door, while Pei Hwa Presbyterian Primary School is a 15-minute walk away. The nearest secondary school, Yusof Ishak Secondary School, is a 5-minute journey by car. It takes the same amount of time to reach Ngee Ann Polytechnic, and a further four minutes to reach SIM Global University.

Nearby retail
Just two streets away, along Eng Kong Road, there is a cluster of retail shops including a small grocer, a coffee shop, several cafes and pet speciality stores. For more options, Bukit Timah Market and Food Centre as well as foodie/supper haven Cheong Chin Nam Road is just a 15-minute and 20-minute walk away respectively. They are clustered around Beauty World MRT, which also sees shopping malls like Bukit Timah Plaza (of which Fairprice Finest is an anchor tenant), Beauty World Centre and Bukit Timah Shopping Centre.

Further out, it’s a 7-minute drive down to the Jurong East cluster of malls, (Jem, Westgate, IMM and Big Box), a 10-minute drive to The Grandstand along Turf Club Road, and a 10-minute drive to Clementi town centre.

Nearby recreation
Nature lovers will be pleased to know that reaching the foot of Bukit Timah Nature Reserve from both developments takes less than 10 minutes by car, while it is a 15-minute drive to the MacRitchie walking trail. Other nearby recreation can be found at the Jurong Lake district, which takes 15 minutes to reach by car. The district is set to be revitalised in the next few years under URA’s master plan, with the area anchored by the high-speed rail terminus.

THE DEVELOPMENTS

Site plan of Tranquilia @ Kismis

Site plan of Kismis Residences

Both Tranquilia @ Kismis and Kismis Residences come with five en-suite bedrooms, so the whole family gets to enjoy privacy. Each of the units include a rooftop terrace. For homeowners at Kismis Residences, they will get to enjoy their own jet pool located at their rooftops, while the residents at Tranquilia will share a communal pool right outside their homes.

THE LAYOUTS

While the units at both landed properties come equipped with basic fittings, you can still turn the space into a home that better reflects your tastes and lifestyle. We’ve put together a few design ideas to get you inspired:

Tranquilia @ Kismis

Unit 7:

Design: HYLA Architects

A concrete staircase wall is perforated with oblong holes to allow light and air to pass through to the rest of the spaces.

Unit 11:

Design: AkiHaus

The wood-clad, U-shaped kitchen lends a Japanese Zen vibe. It features bar chairs that allow the cooking space to also be an entertaining or eat-in zone. They can be tucked neatly under the counter, creating a seamless composition.

Unit 13/15/17:

Design: Collective Designs

The mirrored closet in this bathroom really helps to visually enlarge this long and narrow bathroom, which is done up to look like a spa sanctuary complete with twin sinks, a rain shower and plants.

Design: The Orange Cube

Make the most of your rooftop terrace by turning the area into a relaxing and socialising zone. Incorporate outdoor lounge nooks, a bar table for sipping wine in the evenings and a sink for a quick washing up later.

Unit 9:

Design: The Scientist

A panel made of light wood strips provides privacy between the sleeping quarters and the walk-in wardrobe. Yet its translucent nature meant that the bedroom still appears open, with light and air flowing through easily.

Kismis Residences

Type TB-2A:

Design: Distinctidentity

Thanks to bi-fold dividers that sit on the counter, this kitchen window pass-through makes for a casual hang-out area. Plus, it makes serving meals that much more convenient.

Type TC-1:

Design: HYLA Architects

A skylight is a great way to invite daylight into the interiors but it can function as a decorative element. The spot is perfect for greenery as plants thrive on sunlight. Surround it with glass dividers and you’ve got a garden within the confines of your bedroom.

Type TC-2A:

Design: The Orange Cube

Turn the spare room at the basement into a family entertainment corner,replete with state-of-the-art systems and soundproof-clad walls.

Type TC-2B:

Design: Rezt & Relax Interior

The bedrooms at Kismis Residences all come with an en suite, which is all you need to turn it into your own personal sanctuary for self-indulgence and pampering. Install a deep tub that you have to reach via a small flight of steps (more indulgent this way!) and create a divider for some privacy.

Type TD-2A:

Design: AkiHaus

Admire the views of your surroundings and your private jet pool away from the heat of the sun by using that extra room on the attic as a family lounging area. Put comfy couches, floor cushions and a full-height bookshelf filled with your family’s favourite tombs for lazy afternoons spent relaxing and bonding with loved ones.

Type TD-2B:

Design: ID Emboss

A cushioned, built-in dining bench makes for comfortable seating, but it’s a great way to reduce the floor estate taken up by your dining set while creating an elegant and opulent flair to the home.

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

The post 2 Landed Properties at Lorong Kismis to Land The Home of Your Dreams appeared first on Renonation.sg.

Aside from mood-boards, you might be surprised to find out that sometimes, inspiring quotes can provide great guiding interior design principles when you are stuck in a design rut. The list of design quotes, which Pauline Morrissey from Home Trends & Inspiration has compiled, is a great testament of this!

Without further ado, here is a list of my top 5 favourites…

Image from Domain

One of the best ways to make your home renovation stand out from other cookie cutter interior designs is to treat your home an embodiment of who you are; as a couple. Since no two couples are alike, you should treat your home as a blank canvas; let it narrate the untold story of you and your partner…

If you are not sure where to begin….where are some great examples!

For couples who share the love of ……

Tip #1: Collecting Toy Bears…

Your apartment can be a huge showroom for displaying the amazing toy collection which you and your significant other have amassed over the years!

Images from Onion

Tip #2: Appreciating Artworks…

Romantic oil paintings, matching furniture and furnishings inject an instant Art Deco appeal in any home interiors.

Image from Etsy

Image from The interiors addict

Tip #3: Enjoying Comic Art!

Instead of decoupage your favourite comic strips directly onto the walls, translate both your love for comics through these framed comic art décors easily.  They are very effective in injecting an instant whimsical appeal.

Image from Guiaparadecorar

Image from Design Rulz

Tip #4: Travelling…

If you and your partner are globe trotters, you can enthral your visitors with photos of places where both of you have visited; displayed in the form of a global map. Your guests will definitely be bitten by the travel bug after tuning into your adventurous travel stories…

Image from Pinterest

Images from Deavita.fr

Image from Feedinspiration

Image from Domain

My love for minimalist interior design is evident from the series of blog posts which I have published: 5 Tips to create a Minimalist Home, 7 Tips to achieve a Minimalist Home Interior Design, Muji Inspired Home Interior Designs from 5 ID Companies and 60 must see Muji inspired home interior photos. To me, simplicity is the ultimate sophistication since an uncluttered home is utmost important for me to relax and unwind after a hard day of work. In addition, simplicity has its merits too; it is timeless,  practical to execute and actually costs lesser to maintain over the long run.

If you are travelling to Shenzhen, be sure to check out the Muji’s first hotel which has opened in Shenzen this January! Be prepared to get inspired with minimalist designs which are both functional and practical, with plenty of wooden furnishings and accessories to boot. Muji will open its second hotel in summer this year, followed by one more in Japan next year.

Tip #5: Muji Hotel minimalist ideas for compact places!

If you are running out of ideas on how to throw together a minimalist look, the inspiring designs from the Muji Hotel website is a great place to start!

Image from My Home Onemega

Images from Hotel Muji

Tip #6: Muji’s infamous minimalist vertical house …

The iconic Japanese consumer retail store also sells the entire house, in a prefabricated-pack! Sadly it is only available in Japan and nowhere else.

Images from Idesignarch

Image from Domain

Talk to your renovation professionals and most of them would likely to inform you about the importance of getting the kitchen triangle, a concept used to determine efficient kitchen layouts that involve the refrigerator, stove and sink. A few of them might even talk to you about the importance of work zones, areas where you work and store your kitchen tools and appliances. Image from The kitchen think

Don’t forget that the kitchen can be designed to be an area where you can entertain your guests! In fact, it is a great communal place for fun, food and where you can frolic and have lots of chats and laughter!

Tip #7: Open kitchens are best for entertaining guests!

Open concept kitchens fluidly link the dining areas to the kitchen workplaces, whereby enlarging the entertaining area for your guests. Hence, you can consider the kitchen as an informal extension of your living room, where your guests will be moving about and even mingling with you while you are preparing the meals.

However, the challenge is to ensure that you have sufficient counter space and storage to keep the mess out of the sight from the guests. Therefore, a kitchen island is recommended to delineate the “wet” area, where you are working and the “dry” area, where the guests are seated.

Image from Upstairs

Images from Vivawg

Images from Ideal home

Images from Decoist

Image from Domain

A lot of times, homeowners rushed and purchased the entire suite of furniture and furnishing for their home before the renovation has completed. Although it is good to be prepared, this takes out the fun of the renovation journey. Learn to slow down, savor, create memorable memories and enjoy the moments while you embark on the renovation journey.

Tip #8: Make your place an unforgettable experience for your guests!

Home interior design is a very personal endeavour, so you should not be afraid to break all rules and inject interesting, fun elements to make your place special! Learn to let go, be bold, unusual and unpredictable in the most unexpected places and you will succeed in leaving a memorable impression for your guests!

Image from Pinterest

Image from Orangefizz

Image from Pinterest

Image from Ronibats

Image from Sightunseen

Image from Rebelwalls

Image from Diy-bastelideen

Image from Domain

Trends..fabs…you see them everywhere; there are Top 10 Home Trends for 2018, What Renovation Trends are in Vogue in Singapore and so on. However, do you really need to follow these trends? Or simply follow your heart?

Well, one thing for sure… we know that trends seldom last and withstand the test of time. In addition, what is in vogue may not always suit your lifestyle. Furthermore, by not conforming to the trends set by others, you get to stand out! And make your own statement in the process!

Image from Hueconcept

Last but not least, it is very important to find a reliable renovation professional who understands what you truly need and helps you in making your dream home come true.

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

Submit your renovation enquiry:

The post 30 Inspiring Design Ideas to get you out of Design Rut! appeared first on Renonation.sg.

As the saying goes, in a small space, every inch counts.

In this post, let us show you how these 10 apartments have cleverly incorporated 7 stylish design concepts to make their tiny interiors look much more spacious than they really are!

Make the Stylized Wall the Center of Attraction

A tactically placed stylized wall will draw our attention away from the diminutive size of the apartment. It is also another great way to add texture and interest in your home. In this way, you can easily spruce the interior with style without having to make it look too busy and cluttered with design adornments.

#1 Location: Medge
Design: The Association
Size: 37 sqm

Declutter and Conceal

Conquering clutter has been already a challenge for any homeowner, but it’s an even bigger challenge for small apartment owners! Apart from making the apartment look much smaller, the heaps of clutter make the interior look messy and unkempt. Therefore, keeping the mess out of sight is the easiest way to achieve the most sought after clean, sleek and minimalist look.

#2 Location: Holland Avenue
Design: The Design Abode
Size: 59 sqm

#3 Location: Marine Terrace
Design: The Design Abode
Size: 65 sqm

#4 Location: Marine Terrace
Design: The Design Abode
Size: 88 sqm

Ceiling Surprises

Instead of opting for the false ceiling which takes up around 4 to 6 inches of height, home interior designers have chosen to leave the ceiling bare. This deliberate move makes the room look much taller and roomier. In addition, the bare ceiling can be adorned in an unusual manner to give it character and style.

#5 Location: Anchorvale Crescent
Design: The Local Inn.terior
Size: 89 sqm

Create Additional Dimension

Architectural ceiling treatments are getting increasingly popular in recent years, to add extra dimension and character to a tiny home. Instead of cookie cutter designs, home interior designers have turned to false ceilings of asymmetrical, unique shapes and sizes to create depth which results in a stunning look.

#6 Location: Punggol Field
Design: M3 Studio
Size: 85 sqm

Going Multi-functional

Clever multi-purpose furniture is perfect for tiny spaces since it is able to pull double and even triple duty. Quality multi-functional furniture is characterized by its versatility to cater to the homeowners need in varying situations. In addition, aside from being creative in its functionality, multi-purpose furniture is also very stylish as well! For instance, a bed frame which doubles up as a pull-out cabinet and a collapsible, retractable table which can be easily towed away when not in use helps to free up a lot of space for a compact interior.

#7 Location: Skywood
Design: Authors • Interior & Styling
Size: 70 sqm

#8 Location: Edgedale Plains
Design: Luova Project Services
Size: 41 sqm

Mixing and Matching Texture and Prints

Contrary to popular belief, mixing and matching texture and prints will not turn a meticulously planned interior into a kaleidoscopic mess. Be bold and creative! Limit your texture and prints to 2 and 3 designs the right finishing touches and they will pull together a cohesive design.

#9 Location: Hougang
Design: The Association
Size:  56 sqm

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, who’s the Largest of them all?

Mirrors are the most flexible and versatile material for the home interior designers to work with; not only they are meant for homeowners to check their appearance,  a strategically placed mirror has the power to transform a compact room to look bigger and brighter.

#10 Location: Fernvale Road
Design: Tan Studio
Size: 65 sqm

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

The post 10 Apartments that are Small in Size, but Big on Taste appeared first on Renonation.sg.

How do you impress your visitors with what your place has to offer before they even step into your home?

Well, the answer actually lies in your entrance way!

You may not realize this; the entrance to your abode actually plays a very important role; it is where your guests get their first impressions of your home. And as the saying goes “First impressions are the most lasting”! Hence, the humble entrance actually sets the tone of your home interior design; it can make your guests feel welcome and even get them ready to be blown away when they see what is exactly inside your abode!

Instead of cookie-cutter interiors, the entrance way should break the typical “shoe-rack-storage-cabinet” design. Nevertheless, without further ado, here are our top 6 picks which are remarkably unique and creative!

#1. Vintage Eccentric 

Design: The 80’s Studio

Beyond the vintage industrial gate, you will come face to face with an inspirational chalk lettering and wall mural. The Star Wars toys, candy Gumball machine and a vintage fan add a sense of quirkiness in a relaxed, and bohemian setting.

#2. Old School Charm

Design: DB Studio

Step behind the black expanded metal mesh gate and you will be greeted by a wall of antique white old-school ventilation bricks.  These nostalgic accents take you back in time and they also complement the classic white shaker cabinets, doors and dark toned kitchen cabinets perfectly.

#3. Raw, Rustic Industrial Chic

Design: Fineline Design

Imagine stepping into a lush carpeted greenery, padded with wooden tiles with bouquets of flower blooms lining the edge of the floors. This cosy setup is completed with a nice touch of a galvanised metal bench and an antique bicycle. This carefully thought out design for the entrance is actually a prologue to the spectacular industrial interiors!

#4. Country Life Appeal

Image from Budas.biz

You can literally carve out a cosy niche for the entrance foyer by laying contrasting floor tiles and erecting a wooden partition wall.  This transitory spot will beckon your guests come in and make themselves comfortable at home immediately. In addition, it also showcases a statement mirror framed by twigs, and warm firewood adorned the sides of the cabinet complete this edgy country styled theme.

#5. Statement Making Art

Image from Bhg

Bright, breezy and airy, this entryway oozes appeal and style. Instead of an actual bike, the bold, wooden artwork which depicts a bicycle takes centre stage of the entrance way. Furthermore, the unobtrusive emerald metal cabinet pulls double duty as a functional storage place for the necessities such as shoes and aptly injects a pop of colour to this grey-and-white interior.

#6. Enigmatic and Dark

Image from mydizajn.ru

Entryway designs are typically light-hearted and warm. However, you can choose to balk this trend and opt for the utilitarian and brooding dark shades. In addition, you can also adorn this entrance space with subtle, elegant decorative details to make a stylish first impression for your guests!

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