Furniture Hunting

We've made another stop to our favorite shop again Kedai Kaki Lelong (www.kkltrading.com).  We love going there now and then to see what new stuff they have.  

If you are looking for 2nd hand furniture, visit the one in Ara Damansara.  If you are looking for kitchen ware such as plates or bowls, visit the one in Section 19, PJ.

This time we went there to look for a pedestal for our daughter's room.  However, we left with more than a pedestal, we bought not only the pedestal but a table leg, wooden shelves, plates, decorative girll and a decorative wooden organiser.

Heaps of wooden organisers, good for TV remote controls
Bought : 1 piece

Heaps of wooden shelves
Bought : 3 pieces

Office desk, thought of getting it for my craft room
Did not buy

Beautiful blue and white bowl, orange sauces and Chinese plate
Bought

Tile for decorative purpose or for hot plate
Bought : 1 piece

Tile for decorative purpose
Bought : 3 pieces

The decorative organiser, washed and cleaned

Metal pedestal for our daughter's room

The decorative grill that will be used for our patio
Bought : 2 pieces

The metal pedestal and leg from Kedai Kaki Lelong
Table top is made by Hubby
Our daughter's study table

The wooden shelves from Kedai Kaki Lelong
Put up in our kitchen

Tiles

Choosing tiles for our home was not an easy task.  We spent many weekends visiting tile shops, comparing tile prices and quality.  We were so spoilt for choice, from ceramic to homogeneous, different types of grades, colors and sizes.  I roughly knew what color tile I wanted for the hall, dining and kitchen.  When it come to bathroom tiles, it was a little more challenging.

We bought our tiles from Super Ceramic Tiles in Jalan 222, Petaling Jaya.  We were serviced by a very friendly, approachable and experienced sales lady.  I strongly believe in good customer service and this lady sets a good example of how customer service should be.  She gave us advise on the tiles, gave us suggestions on design and so many more advise.  Their prices are reasonably priced too.

We used the same tile for our living and dinning ~ 60x60cm, color : Off White, price : RM6.50 per piece.  For the kitchen and domestic helper's room ~ 60x60, color : Ash Grey, price : RM7.00 per piece.  For the kitchen wall ~ 20x40cm, color : White with Grey stripes and for the wall boarder and floor insertion ~ 30x30cm, color : Vivid Pumpkin (basically it's Orange color).

We used the same tile designs for all three bathrooms (didn't want to spend too much time thinking of which bathroom has which tile color).  For the bathroom wall ~ 20x40cm wall tiles, color : Black (RM3.00 per piece) & White (RM2.70 per piece), for the bathroom floor : 30x60cm, color : Black, price : RM5.40 each.

For the porch, we used Terracotta tiles ~ 30x30cm, price : RM3.60 each and for the boarder ~ 30x60cm, color : Black

To lay the tiles, we had hired help of Indonesian tilers and price paid for their labour was about half of what the contractor wanted to charge us.

Trying to match the kitchen wall tile with a boarder

More options to choose from

Trying to match the kitchen floor with an insertion

Part of the tiles that arrived at our home

The Indonesian tilers tiling the dining area

The Indonesian tilers tiling the dining area

Dining area all tiled up

One of the hired help cutting the tile

Trying to match the Terracotta tile with a boarder

The kitchen wall tile ~ finally decided on a orange color tile

The kitchen floor tiles, with orange insertion

The Master bathroom with white insertion

The Master bedroom with pebble wash at the shower
area to avoid 'mishaps'

The Children's bathroom 

Tiling completed for the Children's bathroom
and with pebble wash at the shower area

The Guest bathroom, also with pebble wash 

The entrance landing with Terracotta tiles
and orange insertion

House Tour : Dining & Kitchen

Our Dining area is split one level up and it's an open area.  From the Dining area you ware able to see the Hall, Foyer and outside of the home.  Dining area then leads to the Kitchen which is an open concept yet closed in a sense that you are not able to have a full view if you are sitting in the Hall or Foyer.  Unfortunately our Kitchen does not have a wet or dry kitchen.  However, we have tiled our back lane with left over tiles and made a wash area where if we entertain, the dishes can be washed outside.

We have chosen different tile colors to indicate Dining and Kitchen area.  White matt tiles for the Dining which is also the same color as the Hall and charcoal grey with orange insert for the Kitchen tiles.

Kitchen cabinets were custom made by Kitchen Palace.  We chose the color white for our cabinets as we wanted our Kitchen to look bright.  The home appliances were bought during Home Deco fairs.  They were display sets and we have got a certain discount off them.

Here are some photos of our Dining and Kitchen area before and after renovation.

Before renovation, original Kitchen with it's cabinets

Before renovation, the dry kitchen on the left and wet kitchen on the right

During renovation, the kitchen being extended all the way to the back

During renovation, the old cabinets removed

During renovation, the sink area

During renovation, the sink area, wall is tiled with
white tile and trimmed with orange

During renovation, the kitchen wall has been screed

During renovation, the kitchen wall is given a protective coat 

Installation of Kitchen cabinets

Our Kitchen being put to use

During renovation, white tiles being laid at the Dining area

During  renovation, white and grey tiles to 'boarder' off the  two areas

During renovation, the kitchen with charcoal grey tiles and orange inserts

After renovation, the Dining area on Christmas 2012 morning

Kitchen Cabinets Wishlist

When we first designed our kitchen, we had a look and compared with so many places like Ikea, the internet and other kitchen solutions.  We compared the designs, the quality and of course the price.  In the end we settled for Kitchen Palace (http://www.kpinterior.com/v1/).

In our minds, we had already set for a white open kitchen with simple lines.  Meaning that we didn't want our cabinets to have all the frills, just straight lines.  We didn't want a traditional nor a modern kitchen.  We wanted something in between.  We didn't have much space to play with in our kitchen.  If we fitted in too many cabinets, our kitchen would look small and we would not have like the open space that we wanted.

We designed the kitchen in mind that we will entertain friends our friends there.  Being Malaysian, all our gatherings involves food.  And honestly, we designed our kitchen based on one of Ikea's design at their store.  So in the end, did we imagine how our kitchen would turn out to be?  Is our kitchen what we expected it would be?  Yes! and Yes!

The only pending thing for us  to do in  our kitchen now is to fix the Penisular's countertop.  We've made the the countertop already, just need to sand it down again, varnish it and secure it.

The Penisular and the wood for the countertop sitting on the floor

Hubby fixing the wood for the countertop

Ikea's model kitchen that we like

Our own kitchen : similiar

Kitchen Cabinets

Our kitchen cabinets was installed in two days but minus the counter top which came in two weeks later.  The two installers were efficient, organised and most importantly clean.  Unlike other contractors who would just do their work and then leave their mess behind for the owner to clean, these two men were constantly sweeping away everytime they saw or cut wood.

The two installers installing the kitchen cabinet

Kitchen cabinets installed minus the counter tops

A semi functional kitchen, counter tops are installed BUT minus the fittings for the sink

Cooking and washing area

The cooking area with the cooker and hob

The Peninsular without it's counter top

I can't recall the material that we use for the kitchen cabinets. The counter top is Corian, black color with some other smaller white material. As for the kitchen cabinet, it's white in color, flat without any design but it you go closer, from the side, you can see that it's a little wavy.

The cabinet material ...

A close up of the cabinet and it's handle

Hubby fixing the counter top for the Peninsular

The sink minus the fittings ~ waiting for our plumber to fix it

My tin collection displayed above the cabinets

The Peninsular's counter top which Hubby will be fixing

The oven and microwave