A quick tips for easy and low cost home design threats, for only around RM 80 for 50sqft get an chalkboard paint and start input some refreshing touches into our home space!

Here are simple chalkboard DIY ideas to put a memorial mark in our home while expecting the lockdown to be lifted in near coming days.

Tips One
chalkboard painting 3 feet wide on one of the wall in the living room. Do some doodling while feeling bored, it makes an conversation starter among family members too!



Tips Two
buying a chalkboard wall sticker and paste it on the bathroom door or somewhere in kitchen for casual fun kid drawings and daily household notices.



Tips Three
buying a chalkboard panel at online platform and hanging it on an study corner as you would for art painting. Accompanying with a cup of coffee, this makes your reading session feels GOOD!

Why don’t create some creative activities with the kids? – let the kids doodling something on the wall. 🙂



This post has been edited by ehwee: Jun 21 2020, 01:28 PM

Hi all,

I was quoted by several contractors as stated below. I am not sure what is the market price for flat plaster ceiling. I hope someone could clarify this matter as on why the price (RM/sqft) is quite high compared to others. The recent post stated only RM 3.30/sqft is the normal rate nowadays. Please help me really clueless here! sad.gif Am i being ripped off? Please do advise ya. Thank you in advance

Contractor #1
Flat plaster ceiling include painting @392sqft - RM 2,080 [RM5.30/sqft]
3 L-box (for Aircon units) - RM 240
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Total RM 2,320
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Contractor #2
Flat plaster ceiling with 3 L-box (for Aircon units) @430sqft - RM 2,150 [RM5.00/sqft]
Painting plaster ceiling - RM 500
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Total RM 2,650
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Contractor #3
Flat plaster ceiling with 3 L-box (for Aircon units) @430sqft - RM 2,200 [RM5.10/sqft]
Painting plaster ceiling - RM 500
========
Total RM 2,750
========

Contractor #4
Flat plaster ceiling @412 sqft - RM 1,854 [RM4.50/sqft]
3 L-box (for Aircon units) - RM 540
Painting plaster ceiling - RM1,800
========
Total RM 4,194
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HI Ehwee,

I wonder is it wrong to have dark grey theme for condo unit 1300sqf with 10' ceiling (after plaster)?
Is it not common for most ID do handle this kind of design theme? Please Correct me if i'm wrong so i can learn something new while looking for an ID for this job.
And i really like this kinda of color theme - Dark + Light Grey + Wood + Concrete surface - with right lightings and furniture for it.

1. 4 Bedrooms - 1 going to convert to 2 person 1 table workroom with bookshelf and cabinet.
2. 3 Baths - 1 going to convert to non full length stand alone bathtub.
3. A long living hall to fit 6 person dining table behind sofa.
4. U shape open kitchen. (Beside living hall).

This is for own stay. And thanks for reading this

Yes the RM 3.30 / sqft is for flat plaster ceiling only without L box and ceiling painting.

The quotations you received looks OK generally , as it's depend on the actual discussion and design requirements you ask from the contractor.

This post has been edited by ehwee: Jul 7 2020, 05:32 PM

There is no right or wrong on having dark theme for small condo. Ultimately it's still a personal preference, if you really like cozy, warm living environments, you can definitely choose to have dark painted wall, black tile, grey sofa and warm timber dining table and some nice spot and wall lights.

Dark theme is nice also as long as you comfortable with it. Especially in city region, a dark and cozy home can make us feel more stress free and calm down after coming back home from daily fast and competitive working day!

Most people still prefer bright environment due to several reasons. Examples, bright lighting environment for safer if you are living with older parents. Study and kitchen area are better and workable in brighter light condition. Toilet try avoiding dark environment due to slippy floor and safety.

Other than these places, by all means you can opt for dark theme for living, dining and bedrooms.

Dark theme is especially good for tv showtimes though

Your attached dark theme pictures with warm timber flooring look good, hahaha👋

This post has been edited by ehwee: Jul 8 2020, 11:47 AM

Thanks for your replied
Ya, what you saying is true. I do believe is depends on personal and nothing wrong with this theme.
Although my unit is only complete end of this year, i do hope to find an ID who have strong sense of dark theme for the entire house. I do feel it can easily goes wrong if not careful.

Cheers~


This post has been edited by alexloon: Jul 7 2020, 10:46 PM

alexloon some tips for you for dark theme home design, types and lighting design scheme play an important roles in dark theme, as you will need different combination of lighting selection of ceiling downlight, spot lights, wall wash light, floor and table lamps just nice enough to highlight and light up the main spots you need.

how to find a good balance between lighting selections to achieve desirable brightness in different space in a tricky thing to really take care.

Hi, I hope the question I'm asking is allowed in this thread.

In the layout below, I have trouble trying to arrange my kitchen layout. I do not wish to separate out my kitchen to dry and wet. And here are the spaces/items required:

1) Cooking hob
2) Kitchen sink (1 part large OR 1 part medium w/ 1 part small)
3) Food preparation place (Chop chop chop)
4) Fridge
5) Rice cooker (cannot beside cooking hob to prevent it from being oily
6) Dining table for 5

So I would really appreciate if sifu can give some advice and input on how to arrange all these in the kitchen (maybe can take 1 row (2ft) from dining room and dining table in dining room.

ehwee When i'm doing some drafting on art board, i do realized lighting, furniture color and decoration on wall are critical (for dark theme) and i stop there for half day staring at it... i guess this is where ID should come in and do the magic. Showroom unit and bare unit are 2 different world, it just a walls but is complicated dimensions and now i understand why ID like to put wallpaper, because it make thing easier - which i don't prefer.

When i'm looking for an ID - I do intent to see what items they selected to put on displayed or used in the room (size, color and texture) no matter in 3D or showroom because it does take effect to show what is the taste of the ID in client/visitor eyes. < Anyway, tht's all i know how to look for an ID....

This is an example work i've done to plan the theme as house owner. Thanks for your time to reply and advice. Cheers~

Hmm, most common arrangement for most people will make the yard into cooking area so you will have more working space at kitchen area, something like this.



Yet if you want something different and don't mind little bit of small walkway around the area as a result, this is what I suggest you can consider.



Cheers!

Sorry if this question deemed inappropriate. If I am looking for ID designer, what kind of budget am I looking at? I have a double storey house 32*65 and contemplating whether to look for ID designer or go for contractor

mascot123 It's depend if you looking for id consultation firm, design & build company or freelance id, they provide different scope of design services. May be you can take a look at this lowyat tread to get some clues.

https://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopi...r+vs+contractor

Shall you wish to know about my design services and charges, do welcomed to pm me for sure.

Cheers.

alexloon you can consider make one of the wall timber feature wall, paint the ceiling in slighting darker grey colour, it will look even better, don't you think so??




Attached thumbnail(s)

Thank you so much for your idea and suggestion! Actually I'm looking for layout without using yard as kitchen, but I can imagine some layout using your suggestion with just placing kitchen stove somewhere in the kitchen area instead of yard. Thanks again!

My condo is about 1300sqf. Im budgeting 120k to hire an id designer for renovating. Not sure is it enough or not? Any advice?

Any suggestion on the living room TV placement? Red wall in attachment is new extension wall. Suppose TV location is on the left side wall going in from main door. but due to feng shui issue, sofas not able to put in the middle of the living room cos sofas backside facing main door.

120k for 1300 sqft home is about RM 92 per sqft which is suffice to say enough, yet still depend on what you actually plan to do.

Normally if without doing structural extensions then the cost is around 45 - 100 sqft ranging from simple reno to quality furnishing works.

This post has been edited by ehwee: Aug 1 2020, 05:49 PM

Do you seek fungshui Master help on position of TV, some master might indicate specific position for tv also.

If the master said your sofa back cannot facing main door, that means your sofa have to position in a way facing the main door.

That mean the tv have to either put at middle of living area or put at the front of the sliding glass door next the entrance.

May be you can seek master advice whether there is a possibility to shift the main door from right to left side. This way might help you to get a better orientation and position for tv and living sofa arrangement.

This post has been edited by ehwee: Aug 1 2020, 05:48 PM

Oh ok. Tq.
I dont do extensions. But will do hacking on the dining area. Tend to remove the wall and do open kitchen concept, want to have island in the dry kitchen. Im worried the hacking work will b expensive.

Hi ehwee,

May i ask for advices, i am on tight budget for 40k.

1) i am doing plaster ceiling from living, dining and walkway. I have been quote from rm6k to rm11k.
Which price is right? Without those hidden charge. I send them the same sample pictures.

My ground floor.



Design



2)from picture how can i arrange/add my kitchen cabinet to be an excited place.



3)what is you estimate best tight budget for garden room. Any suggestions?

Thankyou.
I am aware of costing budget discussion.
I do not know if the budget is enough. I am preparing to move in next year.

This post has been edited by ikram_p: Aug 1 2020, 10:28 PM