Recycled and Reused Dining Bench

The two Dining Benches for our Dining table is another project that Hubby did.  The bench is made out of Kempas Wood and the legs are made out of two single 2ft louver.  The bench itself is about 7ft long and can easily sit 3 adults.  So our Dining table has two chairs on each end and the two dining benches on the left and right.

These louvers are from old colonial bungalows which was built circa 1880s.  It would therefore make these louvers about 100+ years old.  Kudos to Hubby who comes up with these creative and innovative ideas.  Who would have thought of  making louvers as bench legs.

You can read more about the louvers that we made as an air-conditioning compressor cover in my other blog post here

Like all other wood projects, we had to clean, scrape and sand down the wood.  Once all this is done, these woods were given a chemical treatment.  We would normally varnish our woods but for these benches, we have decided to leave it with it's natural wood color.

One of the four 2ft louvers that we bought

A close up of the louver with it's before clean up condition

Another one of the four louvers

Child labour? Nah ... they just love scraping the old paint out!

Left : A 'clean-up' louver
Right : Paint scraped out and waiting to sand down

Fixing the louvers to the bench

A close up of the wood and the louvers

For extra support and for decorative purpose,
we used the Ikea bracket for shelves 

Completed : The dining bench with louvers as it's legs

The Dining Bench in use!

Recycled and Reused Louvers

For this blog post, I will be taking a detour from the House Tour and would like to share with you on some of the wood projects that we have been up to.

Hubby had his eyes set on some louvers that we saw at a lumber yard that recycles old wood items like doors, windows and woods.  These louvers are made out of Chengal wood and is easily about 100 over years old.  Just lifting a 2ft Chengal louver is heavy enough!

What is a louver you ask?  Well, according to Wikipedia, a louver (American English) or louver (British English) is a window blind or shutter with horizontal slats that are angled to admit light and air, but to keep out rain, direct sunshine and noise.  The angle of the slats may be adjustable, usually in blinds and windows or fixed.

In Malaysia, you can find louvers in old colonial houses like those in Kuala Lumpur, Penang & Ipoh.  However, in newer houses, you'll not find them anymore as modern louvers (if any) will be made out of metal.

So Hubby had this idea of covering the air-conditioning compressor area with the 4ft louver we purchased.  He also had the idea of making the smaller louvers as bench legs which were 2ft each for our dinning bench.

An old colonial house with the louvers above the window shutters

Another picture of the colonial louvers

We were deciding on which louvers to choose.
Initially we thought of the louver lying on the floor with the hold in
middle.  We thought of adding in a Nyonya glass but decided against it
as it would be too much work to do.

So in the end we decided on this louver, 4ft and perfect
for the air-conditioning compressor area.

This is the louver that we bought for the air-conditioning compressor area.

Once we brought it home, we had to take out the planks,
sand each one down as well as the frame.

The planks which had about three or four coats of paints over the years.

After sanding down the frame, hubby varnished the frame
and gave it some chemical treatment.

In the end, this is the varnish color that we choose. 

The planks were also varnished and fitted back.

Here is Hubby fixing the louvers onto the air-conditioning compressor area.

Before : The air-conditioning compressor area is empty and open.

After : The air-conditioning compressor area is now covered up with the
beautiful restored and recycled louver.

After : Another after picture of the facade.

House Tour : Landing

Before you enter into the bedrooms, you'll find yourself in the landing area.  Normally, the landing area is for catered as a family hall.  Older houses have bigger landing area thus where the TV area is.  Unfortunately, newer houses don't have that luxury.  

Initially we have decided to put a comfortable rattan chair with a lamp and a small bookshelf for light reading.  However, now sits an old beautiful cupboard that I inherited from my Granny.  Above this cupboard, I place my altar.  Unfortunately this area is still in the cleaning up process, so no 'AFTER' photos can be show just yet.

We'll just leave you with the photos when they did the flooring and hopefully you'll be able to visualize the size of this landing.

The original landing with built in cabinets

During renovation, the right hand of this picture is the entrance to the 
Master Bedroom,  left hand side is the entrance to 
the Girl's and Boys' Room

The timer flooring in the process of installation

House Tour : Back Room

Normally, most double storey homes in Malaysia has a small room downstairs at the kitchen area.  This room would normally be converted into a store or a room for the domestic helper.  In our case, it is for our domestic helper.  This room is just nice to fit one single bed and a cupboard.

Initially we contemplated of making do without this room and this would make our kitchen larger.  After much thought, it was necessary to have this room for the privacy of our domestic helper.  The room is tile the same ash grey color as the kitchen, minus the orange insertion.

Here are some of the pictures before and after the renovation.

Before renovation ~ the original

After renovation ~ the ash grey tiles

During the renovation

After the renovation ~ from a different angle

During renovation ~ walls knocked down

House Tour : Backyard

We extended our home all the way to the back and therefore, we do not have a small little garden behind.  However ... we do have a back lane, which by right is public or government property.  Our back lane is protected by two gates at the end of the each end house, so in a way it gives us a little security.

We had excess tiles from our renovation and therefore decided to tile the back lane as we foresee that we will be using the back lane often.  We also made a washing area at our back lane.  This is to facilitate when we entertain and the washing of the dishes can be done outside.  Our laundry is also hung behind and lots of wood work projects is done at our back lane. By the way, we had mix reaction when we tiled the back lane, my mother's was that we were helping out the local city council by tiling their area (sarcastically).  Our neighbours welcomed the idea as it kept our back lane clean and some of them were considering doing it.  Our relatives and friends thought that it made our back lane look clean and tidy.

The back lane during renovation ~ securing the floor  before laying tiles

The back lane from a different angle during renovation

Tiles laid and the counter top for the sink made

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

House Tour : Hall

Once you walk into our  house, you'll land yourself in the foyer and on the right would be our hall.  As of now, it's a little empty as we've not found a sofa that we were able to fall in love with.  I have something in mind, but don't want to rush into buying the sofa.  So for a temporary solution, we've put the outdoor teak two seater as well as some rattan chairs in the hall.

As usual, the hall portion like every room in the house is still in progress.

Before renovation, view from the dining area, you'll see the hall on your left
and the foyer on your right

Before renovation, the hall looking into the dinning area

The mess during renovation

Floor has been screed and ready to be tiled

Christmas 2012 ~ Us with our temporary furniture set up 

During renovation, view from dining area looking into the hall
Little Rascal wants in on the action

After renovation, Carolers at our home ~ Christmas 2012 

During renovation, floor of the hall has been screed, ready to be tiled

Dining area on Christmas morning looking into the hall area