Home Renovation Portals

Homeowners of today are so fortunate; the number of home renovation portals in Singapore has flourished in the intranet for the past few years.

Such portals provide a one-stop self-service destination whereby homeowners can conveniently request for quotations from different renovation companies at the same time. In addition, they are a valuable source of information for homeowners to read up on home renovation tips and so on. 

iCompare.sg

What sets iCompare apart from the other home renovation portal is the extensive range of home services - from Home - Interior Design, House Mover etc, IT Services - Website Development, eCommerce Development etc, Wedding - Bridal Boutique, Wedding Photography, Life - Private Investigator, Driving Centre and even Beauty - Dental, Hair Care etc!

In short, iCompare offers a pretty comprehensive range of services. 

RenoNation

RenoNation is a relatively new home renovation portal. Nonetheless, prospective homeowners still flock to this site due to its clean sleek design, interactive services such as "Ask Professional" eServices and the ability for homeowners to rate and post their reviews of the Interior Design firms. 

RenoTalk

RenoTalk is one of the oldest pioneer home renovation portal in Singapore. In fact, I used to frequent its forum when I was preparing for my home renovation. In addition, I noticed RenoTalk has started to have an online product catalog too.

RenoMango

RenoMango is a new portal launched sometime in April last year. Its layout reminds me of the yellow pages but nevertheless, its a good source of home interiors and renovation information.

Plush Home 

Plush Home is very similar to RenoMango. It also has products and services listings.

Read More

Shop Directory - Bedding / Mattress

I have complied a list of the bedding merchants - this list will be constantly updated.

Bedtimes Gallery
#B1-09 Park Mall
Tel: 63387889
www.napure.com.sg

Englander Gallery
#05-21/22 Plaza Singapura
Tel: 68845755
www.englander.com.sg

Lady Americana
 7500A Beach Road #01-33
Tel: 6298 0595
www.ladyamericana.com.sg/

Lotus Sleep Studio
#01-11/12/13 Park Mall
Tel: 63392268
www.lotusmattress.com

Sealy
91 Tanglin Road Tanglin Place #01-02
 Tel: 6235 3166
www.sealy.com.sg

Serta International
#05-07 Plaza Singapura
Tel: 62390070
www.serta.com

Simmons Gallery
#03-341/342 Marina Square
Tel: 63397966
www.simmons.com.sg

King Koil
6 Raffles Boulevard #03-317/318 Marina Square S(039594)
Tel: 6333 4181
www.kingkoil.com.sg

Here is a thought-provoking post on how to purchase a good mattress in hardwarezone.

Read More

5 Useful Furnishing Tips

Here is a guest article written by Kelly from FurnitureSingapore.net, a local website that provides a comprehensive listing of furniture stores and information to help consumers make better purchase decisions. Do drop by the website to take a look too! :)

As of June 2013, Singapore’s population reached a whopping 5.4 million people, and the government has been scaling up their efforts to provide citizens and PRs with housing; in a recent BTO exercise, HDB launched over 5,200 flats. If you’re an existing, new or future home owner, this helpful list of furnishing tips is just for you!

1) Hide Your Bed

One of the furniture that takes up the most space in a room would be the bed. If you have a queen size bed, you’d be using up approximately 152cm by 191cm of floor space in your room. In a small HDB apartment, this might take up more than half of the area in your bedroom, yikes!

An innovative solution to this issue would be the hidden wall bed, a type of bed frame which can be folded up against the wall when not in use, and then pulled back down when you’re ready to count sheeps.

2) Multipurpose Furniture

Another smart way to free up space in your home would be to cut down on the number of furniture that you have. Enter the multi-purpose furniture!

Multi-purpose furniture is furniture that serves more than 1 function; there are many different types of multipurpose furniture, the most popular of which are furniture with an added storage function. For example, 1) the storage bed, 2) stool plus magazine rack and 3) sofa plus book case.

 

3) Research Before Shopping

If you visit the local home renovation and furnishing forums, you’ll find quite a number of threads where unhappy customers complain about product defects with their newly purchased furniture. You’ll want to look out for furniture stores that have a high number of complaints, and see whether the store was able to successfully resolve the customer’s issue.

Some of the more active forums you can visit are 1) Home Furnishing section in Renotalk and 2) Home Décor & Furnishing section in Hardwarezone,

In addition to customer feedback online, other useful information to have includes 1) the furniture store’s return policy for their items, and 2) store recommendations from friends and family members.

4) Out With The Old, In With The new

It goes without saying that to create more space in your house, you’ve got to remove some of your old items. As of November 2013, HDB has seen an increase in the number of hoarding cases. In the majority of these cases, the home owners involved just didn’t know how to go about removing their old furniture and items.

The different ways to get rid of your old furniture would be to sell it, donate it or trash it. If you’re looking to sell your second hand furniture, you can consider selling it to used furniture dealers here. Alternatively, you can donate your furniture to charitable organisations like Pass It On and the Salvation Army.

5) Furnish On A Budget

If you’re looking to save some money on your furniture purchases, a quick and easy way to do that would be to look for clearance sales online. Several furniture stores have a clearance sales or sales promotion section on their website, where they feature discounted items that they like to quickly sell off. These items are usually 1) outdated, 2) have minor defects, or 3) they’re the display furniture in the showroom. You can visit FurnitureSingapore.net for a big list of stores offering cheap furniture and furniture sales.

　

Author Bio

Kelly Ong is the editor at FurnitureSingapore.net, a local website that provides a comprehensive listing of furniture stores and information to help consumers make better purchase decisions. Kelly enjoys discussing and writing about topics on home furnishing and décor. In her free time, she thinks of ways to beautify her living and working spaces.

Read More

City Gas Go Green Go City Roadshow 2013 – Heaters, Dryers, Hobs & Hoods On Sale

City Gas is holding their annual roadshow at Toa Payoh HDB Hub Atrium this Wednesday till Friday, 20th September. City Gas will be showcasing their range of gas water heaters, clothes dryer and various hobs and hoods.

Check out their Facebook page on the pros and cons of using a gas water heater. Here’s City Gas quote on gas water heater benefits:

“Our gas water heaters are more energy efficient, as 1 heater is all you need to supply to multiple outlets and it only consumes energy for heating when hot water is required – giving you on-demand, continuous hot water at your preferred temperature. Based on a study done by Dr Lee Siew Eang from NUS, the gas water heater saves up to 80% in your utility bills in water heating, and also emits 63% less carbon than an electric storage water heater, making it a green and eco-friendly product. On top of that, our gas water heaters are safe and reliable, as there are built-in safety features to guard against overheating, flame failure and incomplete combustion. We have more details on the advantages of using gas water heaters on our website.”

Details of the event as follows:

Go Green Go City Gas Road Show
18 – 20 September 2013
10am – 9pm
Toa Payoh HDB Hub Atrium
Come down to explore a suite of energy-efficient gas solutions for your HDB home! We will be showcasing our range of HDB gas water heaters, gas clothes dryer & various hobs & hoods. The first smart gas water heater, Macro MA-1210FER, which comes with energy-saving ECO-mode & a convenient remote control, will also be launched!
Enjoy great deals on all gas appliances:

• Irresistible prices for gas water heaters – 3 days only!
• 3 months free* gas with every gas water heater purchase
• Free gas pipe installation for gas water heater (up to $80) & clothes dryer (up to $120)
• Extended 6 months warranty for gas water heater & clothes dryer
• Great deals for hobs & hoods
• Grand Lucky Draw: Stand a chance to receive full rebates on your purchase!

*Terms & conditions
. 3 months free gas for gas water heater purchases is limited to $20 a month.
. 3 winners will be selected for the Grand Lucky Draw. The draw will be conducted the week after the road show, & all winners will be notified by phone & mail.
. All promotions will only be applicable at the 3-day road show, unless otherwise stated. Promotions are not applicable for online, phone, or Gallery purchases.

Read More

home & giving

I came across home & giving - a home furniture, arts and lighting shop located at The Star Vista while I was on my way to collect the moon cakes.

What attracted me into the shop was the fascinating assortment of unusual furniture. Case in point - this shiny wooden side table, which is crystallised in sparkling mineral, is definitely a sure conversation starter!

In fact, I noticed that the store specialised mainly in furniture that is made up of nature elements such as wood, slate and stone. 

Mr Koh, the store owner explained that this range of cutlery, which is made of slate, is extremely popular with high-end Japanese restaurants.  If you recall, such dense, fine grained metamorphic rock is also popular as kitchen counter tops too!  

In additional, it is extremely rare to find table-tops made of a complete piece of wood - without any joint lines or whatsoever! Hence, these are pretty expensive.

Lastly, I wish to thank Mr Koh for allowing me to take photos of his beautiful shop, and also patiently answered all my questions!

  

 If you are visiting The Star Vista, be sure to drop by this place!

I am sure that you will not be disappointed! :)

Address:

1 Vista Exchange Green

#B1-30 The Star Vista

Singapore 138617

Tel: 66943680

Email: home.giving@gmail.com

Read More

2013 Great Singapore Sales

Great Singapore Sales (GSS) 2013 have already started! This is a good time to start shopping for big ticket items such as furniture, home interior furnishing and electrical stuffs. Psst – remember to bookmark this post as this is perhaps the only guide you need for this GSS!

Note: Do find out whether if there is a min purchase needed before you qualify for the discount!

Air
Up to 50% off designer furniture.

ALESSI
Up to 70% off selected items* (While stocks last).
  
BI&L Collections
Up to 15% off kitchen accessories.

Bowerbird
15% off all purchases.

Bungalow 55
Enjoy 20% discount on hemp rugs, lighting, decor objects, cushions, paper, nightwear, and even dog collars. Until 30th June.

Castilla
Up to 60% off furniture and furnishings* Until 30 June.

Commune
Up to 50% off selected furniture, furnishings and home décor items.

Ethnicraft
Enjoy a 5% discount for any purchase above $2,000, 10% discount for any purchase above $5,000.

FRED LIVES HERE

FortyTwo
FortyTwo was formally known as Beds.sg: Up to 70% discount and sale ends on 28th July.

Francfranc
Up to 70% off furniture, dining, bed, bath, beauty and stationery products.

Furniture Club
Up to 30% off.

GABBEH CARPET
Up to 50% off carpets and handicrafts

Hansgrohe
Up to 30% off Hansgrohe mixers and shower sets.

Home Shopping
Up to 50% off home products until 30th June.

Howards Storage World
Exclusive offers on selected storage and organisational products (Till 30 June; while stocks last).

IFC (International Furniture Centre)
Up to 50% off.

Journey East
Storewide 20% off until 20th June

KB Living
Enjoy 30-50% discount storewide.

LIVE IT UP!
Up to 70% off selected items* .

LORENZO FLAGSHIP MEGA STORE
Up to 70% off sofas, beds, dining sets and outdoor furniture.

Lotto Carpets Gallery
Up to 50% off selected large carpets* *1 June to 28 July.

Lucky Store
Up to 60% off home appliances.

LUSH
Up to 30% off contemporary furniture.

Matzform
Up to 30% off contemporary furniture.

Meroni Furniture
Up to 60% off furniture and accessories.

MoreLess
Up to 30% off contemporary furniture.

Molecule Living

Natural Living
Up to 80% off furniture and furnishings*.

Novena
Up to 50% off furniture and furnishings*.

ORIENTAL HANDICRAFT
Up to 70% off classical and modern Oriental furniture and furnishings.

Oddyssey
Up to 50% of regular prices from 1 June.

Qureshi's Carpets
Up to 40% off handmade Oriental carpets and rugs.

Roccoco Kent

Simmons Gallery
Up to 35% off mattresses.

Shiva Designs Bespoke
20% discount on all items on their website and in their studio.Until 5th July

Teak and Mahogany
Up to 70% off outdoor furniture and accessories.

TEMPUR

THE MATTRESS CENTRE
Up to 50% off mattresses and bed frames.

The Furniture Mall
Mallwide Sale: Enjoy discounts of up to 50% and sale ends on 28th July.

The House of AnLi Interiors

Verandah Living

W. Atelier Pte Ltd

Do like this post if you find it helpful!

Happy Shopping!! :)

Read More

Furniture Directory

Furniture

I have compiled some of the useful links which I used during my renovation and also added a few more which I have came across. Do let me know if you anything to contribute too! :)

• Ikea*
• OM*
• Cellini*
• King & King Wong
• Herman
• Couture
• Lifestorey
• LUSH
• Novena
• Star
• V.Hive
• Molecule Living
• Courts
• Castilla
• Lorenzo
• Space
• Prinz

* Note: Kindly refer to my review on their products. :)

Read More

Furnishing Directory

I have compiled some of the useful links which I used during my renovation and also added a few more which I have came across. Do let me know if you anything to contribute too! :)

Ikea
King & King Wong
Simmons
King Koil

Read More

Francfranc @ Vivocity

Francfranc @ Vivocity

  

So what is the fuss about?

Why? Simply because Francfranc:
1. is a Japanese lifestyle home furnishing concept store;
2. opens the largest flagship store in the world (and the 1st in Southeast Asia) @ Vivocity
3. occupies 20,000 sq ft - yes that is right - 20,000 sq ft!
4. is designed by Yasumichi Morita, an award-winning designer & president of Glamorous Co., Ltd
5. features gigantic chairs and a polar bear - ok please ignore the last point. :P


What goodies does Francfranc carry to pimp my house?

Francfranc offers a wide selection of products ranging from furniture, home interior furnishings such as carpets, home appliances like speakers and kitchenware such as silicon steamers, home and interior accessories and health and beauty products.

Read More

Glamourpuss life

glamourpusslife.com

I have covered Wacky Kitchen Tools last year, thus today I shall write about  exquisitely designed Kitchen and Gardening Tools that simply melt any woman's heart.

Before I start to bombard my blog post with delicious looking product photos, let me give a brief introduction of glamourpusslife, an online lifestyle store.

So what is the fuss about?

Glamourpusslife was started by Daniela sometime back in 2007. Glamourpusslife is an import and marketing company which focus on glamorous, fun, flirty and fabulous gifts for Women.

Yup that's right, male readers take note, if you ran out of things to pamper your women, this is the place where you should shop! And for general readers, this is a good source for house-warming gifts especially for female hosts.

Read More

Council for Estate Agencies (CEA)

Some of you may be new to CEA, which is a newly established statutory board under the Ministry of National Development in Oct 2010.


CEA is empowered to administer the new regulatory framework for the real estate agency industry.
 
It aims to raise the professionalism of the real estate agency industry through collaborative efforts with the industry on industry development programmes and protect the interests of the consumers through targeted public education schemes.
 
I have extracted the following most relevant information from CEA for easiler reading. :)

Consumer Resource

(1) Consumer Guide

Consumer Tips for Engaging a Real Estate Salesperson" is CEA's first educational brochure that provides introductory information and practical tips to consumers who wish to engage the services of real estate salespersons in property transactions. The guide is part of CEA's public outreach efforts to equip consumers with essential knowledge that would help them experience a smooth property transaction. Please click here to download the consumer guide.

(2) Public Seminars/Talks  

CEA participates in public educational seminars/talks organised by our partners:  

• HDB - Monthly Resale Seminars
• CPF Board - "Buying Your Next Home" Talk
• CASE - "Considerations for the Purchase of a New Home" Consumer Seminar.

 (3) Advisory for Consumers

A 53-year-old man who is believed to be involved in at least two cases of rental scams was arrested by the Police in October 2011. Please see media release issued by the Police.  

You are advised to:-   

• Verify the identity of your salesperson using the Public Register
• Respond only to advertisements that provide the salesperson's details and registration number
• Report to CEA if you encounter any persons who are carrying out estate agency work but who are not listed on the Public Register.

(4) Reference Information  

• For information on registered salespersons and licensed estate agents, please check Public Register
• For information on engaging the services of a real estate salesperson, view presentation slides here
• For information on buying, selling, renting and financing of HDB flats, please visit the HDB InfoWEB.
• For information on purchase of private residential properties, please visit the URA website.

Read More

Renovation Related eServices from Singapore Government websites

 Renovation Related eServices

The Singapore Government Agencies actually provide a whole suite of eServices for your renovation needs. Here is a list of eServices which are extracted from the respective sites.

	List of Licensed Contractors
	HDB Registered Renovation Contractors RADAC Accredited Renovators Electrical Contractor Sanitary Plumber Air-con Installer Gas Service worker
	Renovation Permit
	HDB - Application Form for Renovation Permit in HDB Flats - Application Form For Electrical Installations/ Extensions And Air-Con Installation Permit in HDB flat
	Other eServices
	- Working From Home

Read More

Furniture for small spaces - Introducing FlexibleLove :)

"FlexibleLove : Expandable Honeycomb Furniture Made From Recycled Cardboard Paper"

A friend of mine just shared with me this awesome eco-friendly site - and their furniture is perfect for small spaces! In fact, her brother has even brought the chair for his new flat and it's really cool.

Quick! Go and check out their site! ;)

However, she added that it can be uncomfortable when she sits on it for too long. Thus, its best to add a thick cushion seat on top. Just a tip for those who is considering to purchase this interesting furniture. ;)

 

 

Read More

Planning Your Finance!

With the launch of the pricest public housing so far, the spotlight has been cast again on DBSS flats. Again, as with any major purchase, you should do your homework throughly prior committing to purchase such a big-ticket item.

HDB has done a very good job in helping 1st timer or even 2nd timer couples work out their finance by providing self assessment tools online.

However, do take note that these tools only provides a guideline.

Taken from HDB site:
To assess your affordability, consider the following:

Available Cash Savings
CPF Monies
Housing Loan (if required)
CPF Housing Grant (if eligible)

To know the costs involved in purchasing a HDB, DBSS or an EC:
Buying a flat from HDB
Buying an EC/DBSS from developer

Online financial tools:
Step by step guide: Financing your flat.
other tools for Loan Eligibility & Monthly Instalment.


Hope you find these tools useful! :)

Read More

Fengshui

For those home owners who wishes to consult Feng Shui Shi-Fu prior renovation, here are some of the websites which you can refer to:

http://www.worldoffortune.com/

http://www.wofs.com/

http://www.wayonnet.com

I have consulted from WayOnNet Group before and their advices seem to work. :)

Read More

Digital Lock Part 3

In my previous post, I mentioned that Samsung as one of the leading digital lock solutions. The another well-known digital lock solution provider is Yale.



The list of the different digital lock is listed under this link.

Digital Door Lock-YDM 3109

I would like to mention that the model that I am using is 3109 series. After over 1 year of usage, the entire family (including my mum who is very extremely resistant to anything that is remotely high-tech) loves it.

We have not experienced any glitches or any problems with this model. :)

One of the main reasons why we have chosen this model is because it has the most sturdy built.

Read More

Mi2ULove Handmade with Love

@ http://www.mi2ulove.com/

Apologies for the lack of posts these few months...as I have been busy setting up a online shop with my likeminded pals to feature some of our handmade stuffs.

-->

Read More

Laundry Services

I have complied a list of Laundry Services which provide free delivery in Singapore (some companies require a minimum order before free collection and delivery applies). This can be a useful template for you to perform comparison on which company provide the cheapest laundry services. :) Note that the prices and information are as accurate as of today’s posting….thus you may need to update the prices as you see fit.

Note: Please rename the file to .xls.

Read More

Stickyjoy

Here is another wall decal/mural shop that a guest has kindly highlighted to me..

Stickyjoy

It is interesting to take note that they also do wall murals...

Read More

Canvas Print on Gallery Wrap

Anzo Creation

I came across this webby when I was sourcing around for good quality canvas prints. The website has a clean layout and most importantly, they have their prices listed!

You can consider getting off high quality digital files off the internet and get them printed. Or, have your favourite photos enlarged.

Canvas prints are elegant and can brighten up your place instantly for a fraction of the price! :)

Read More