I will suggest partition out the current family area into half horizontally. This way you can access to the water tank at the roof level also allow additional multi task area for your family general usage.

Here is the layout I suggest, hope it inspire you for some better ideas




Attached image(s)

Hi, I am wondering if this sort of kitchen layout is ideal?

The apartment comes with built in cabinet already, so I cannot modify that bottom area.
To accommodate for the fridge and an island, this is the layout I have in mind.
My only concern is that the back of the fridge is not against a real wall. So I'd need to put in a thin wall behind?
I am also thinking of having a cabinet on top of the fridge, to make it looks nicer.

It’s here in KL. This is an old townhouse lot which I’m considering taking up but I’m trying to get a feel of the extent of renovation works required. Also picking your brain for unconventional design decisions.

of course a wall mounted one will be better to keep the area looks clean and modern.

You can do a timber tv panel to cover the staircase for even better design approach.

divider is an option depend on if your preference, can do / not do

Here is my simple design idea sketches for you, cheers!




Attached thumbnail(s)

Really like the idea of having separate fridge in dry kitchen and wet kitchen.

Thanks a lot :-)

Yes, I think this is a practical and effective design solution base on your needs.

cheers!

This post has been edited by ehwee: Dec 14 2020, 05:40 PM

Enjoy the home design journey then !!

I've been reading online about contemporary, modern and minimalist interior design but I still don't really understand the difference between them, especially contemporary and modern, which seem to be the same?

modern and contemporary are the same in many ways, just how you define them only differently based on each one preference in fact.

Take at look at our Visual Guides for Home Design Themes here



You can read through many more of our Home Design Tips over our online platform below:

Home Interior Design Tips !

Hope you enjoy them

This post has been edited by ehwee: Dec 16 2020, 02:19 PM

If follow a strictly design/art history viewpoint:

Modern
Refers to designs from a specific time period and source location in design and art, specifically the early 20th century (1900 to 1950/70) when the Modernism movement in Western art culture reached its peak. Design sensibility tends to favour very straight, angular shapes, with an emphasis on functionality over form, and integration with nature/outdoor design. It's a pushback against previous era of Art Deco and Victorian/Edwardian design ("Classic" design) which is very fancy and full of ornaments and symmetry. At the same time it's also a pushback against how at the time industrialisation made many people stuck at home/office and have "lost" connection to the outdoors. So design wise Modern design tends to favour neutral colors but warm tones and incorporate wood/natural stone, as well as deliberate asymmetry. There's also a sense of how outdoor type materials (wood and cement) and elements like big glass windows and open entrances is mixed into the indoors to give the illusion that outdoor and indoor are one big open living space.

Minimalist
It's a philosophy that's not directly tied to design. It's a mindset that emphasis on living with purpose, with no materialistic tendencies or the need to get anything "extra". Design wise it's very zero ornaments, everything is clean and neat. If it doesn't have a specific function then it is removed entirely (like decorations such as flower vases and paintings).

Contemporary
It has no specific reference or philosophy, but refers to what is trendy and current. It's the most diverse and most customisable meaning because it refers to what's in trend and favoured, depending on the time period and culture. It can incorporate and mix many elements from multiple design styles. It's also the one that will go "outdated" fastest what's contemporary 20 years ago would not be contemporary now.

====

Note that this is the perspective from art history, but as a client it is more important that you choose based on your personal taste. Modern-minimalist-contemporary has shared elements and so are often blended.

This post has been edited by DragonReine: Dec 16 2020, 06:12 PM

hi
just curious
if plan to find ppl renovation
ask for floor plan and ID normally how they charge?
cause got relative is work as build house those
but not sure if ask to find floor plan and ID normally cost how much

I try not to discuss about renovation costs on this thread, as there already many other threads on this topic.

So I will discuss mainly on home design related topic here, hope you understand.

shall you wish to know how we charge, can visit our online platform and message me too.

Here is the link, thanks.

GetIDonline Home Design Package

ok noted
thanks

Hi TS,

I would like to seek your comment on the color matching question.

Currently my master bedroom is all come with default colour - white. I would like to paint my master bedroom and could not come into any ideas or decision. The feeling that I want after the bedroom is being paint likely to be cozy and chilling. When close bedroom light also easy can fall into sleep surround darkness. Lol.

Any comment or ideas you can share to me ?

Hi ehwee and others,

Would appreciate your opinion.

Below is my standard 20x70 DSL house. About the positioning of the TV, if I put it as per standard position like the 1st picture below, the distance between the sofa and TV seems to be too close.

But if I would to rotate it 90 degree as per the 2nd picture, the distance seems to be better and the passage way from entrance door to the staircase is better too. but in this option, the back of the TV rack is a sliding glass door. Shall I remove this door and make it a brick wall with 2 small vertical windows at the side? then i'm worried that in the future if i have long or big furniture to move in, the main door might be too small.

any other suggestions for a better solution?

thanks a lot in advance



Attached thumbnail(s)

Hi TS,

Here's a challenge to to do some ID works for a small condo 678sq ft.
Since the room is very small, need your advice for the Master Room design to fit a big wardrobe, working / dressing desk and Queen Size bed with some storage shelf too.

Thanks a lot & Happy New Year 2021.

Hi Ehwee,

Thanks for doing this.

Am wondering if you have any suggestions on how to do the lighting. I am planning to do plaster ceiling at the living area except the kitchen. The kitchen will just put a round surface mounted right.

The plan is below, plan to have 5 downlights, and one pendant just above the dining area. I also plan to put a ceiling fan in between the sofa and TV. There is a shoe cabinet just after the entrance. Is it sufficient lighting, or do you have any other suggestions perhaps including other form of lighting.



The kitchen has a glass partition looks like this, so light from the kitchen might also light up the dining table area. Its a rather small 750 sqft 2 BR

Hi,

This is my living room wall where I am going to place my tv (duh), cabinet and shoe cabinet.



Initially wanted to do a normal tv wall with acrylic, glass or melamine or laminate.
Then decided on a design to use porcelain slab for tv wall and the rest laminate .


But the socket placement proved to be a challenge as it is starting from 2700mm and ends at 3500mm.
Laminate/porcelain slab is 2400mm. From there I will have balance of 180mm for a floating cabinet 530mm off the ground.
Tv is 680-710mm off the ground. Meaning there is only a balance of 180mm between the edge of the tv and edge of the laminate.

Another problem would be that the console cabinet would either be going over the socket or be on top of the socket which would be too high.
Spent weeks/months looking for a suitable design to get around this.

Another problem I have with this is that the tv wall will be bigger than the seating area meaning the tv will be off center (to the left) and that means that the sofa will have to be a bit to the left in order for it to be center with the tv.

After searching high and low online for inspiration I found this design that I love very much.



It is flushed. Everything is neat and tidy and tucked away. Everything is floating.
Plus there is space below the tv to tuck away extra chairs as my sofa is just a 2 seater.
My living room is quite small so it would be nice to have extra chairs available that can be tucked neatly nearby.


I thought I could follow the design above and put my decoder in the mirror cabinet.
I thought the issue would be opening a socket for the console.
Only later on I realized that I wouldn't be able to get signal from the remote to the decoder.

So back to having a decoder console hanging under the tv.
However like many designs that I see online, they are not practical (in our country) as we have astro decoder, tv box, etc.
They don't leave a space for decoders. I am guessing they leave it on top of the cabinet (floating or on the floor).

The other issue is that the prices for laminate wall is pretty expensive. Prices quoted ranges from RM7000-11000 for this job.
So I thought I could follow another of my favorite floating design that uses drywall I think.


Advantage of this design is that it should be much cheaper than laminate and also I am not limited by the size of the laminate which 2400mm.
With drywall I could have the hanging wall much longer and closer to the ground to perhaps 350-450mm.
Enough space for tv console compartment under the tv in 1 floating design.
However after 1 day I decided against it as I have a baby.
Drywall is very weak. If my baby decides to throw something against it or touch it, I will need to fix it and then repaint.
It will have some spots unless I paint the whole wall.
Too much work. Too much risk. So I decided against it.

So back to the drawing board with laminate.
One guy told me that he has a longer laminate of 3000mm which would be perfect as I can have it at my desired length anywhere between 2500-2600mm.
After meeting him, he said better to squeeze in the tv console/decoder in between the tv and end of the laminate. He said 150mm for decoder.
So it will look like this



Is the design good?
Price quoted is RM7000.
Is it reasonable?

colors are actually a very personal preference. The colors person A like might be the colors dislike by person B.

So it is better you pay a visit to the paintshop or get a paint color chart from your contractor to see and feel the colors on your deep heart.

As a rules of thumbs, if colours be categaries into warm, cool and neural colors.

Warm colors consist of orange, red, yellow, and combinations of these and similar colors. They're often used to make large rooms seem cozier.

Cool colors are typified by blue, green, and light purple. They can calm, soothe and chilling.

Neural colors are mono tone colors like white, grey, black and greyish earth tones. They appear more soothe and steady.

That's my advices for you, hope it help!

Is there such thing as a wood vinyl wrap service on existing doors and frames? Current have a bare unit with grey painted doors, wanted to change it into something wooden looking without changing the doors entirely