Ikea Wish List: MOLGER series

Molger bathroom series

I want the:
- shelving unit
- mirror cabinet
- storage stool.... if there's any space left
- bench.... ditto the last one

Helsinki Hotel Room

Helsinki Hotel Room
Originally uploaded by FJ!!.

The apartment is still stuck in limbo. Oh well, I'm attempting to revive blogging from Flickr to avoid the death of my inspirational juices.

Notice the clean lines, space and separation of living areas (work, couch, sleep), and generous use of modernist lighting on all functional reas (work area, couch, and bedside lamps). Flooring is very breathable. So is the window and balcony window, to create illusion of space in an otherwise cramped area.

Very scandinavian.

a month away?

MKLand has promised us Flora residents that the F block shall be ready by next month. I am preparing for that. Both my wife and I are anxious to move into our new home, as well as anxious about the payments we will need to start our life out there on our own.

Everyone has different degrees of comfort. It certainly does not help me to prepare a budget as though I have RM100,000 in the bank and I am willing to pay RM50,000 for the electricals, fittings, furniture and other homey stuff. So naturally, we went window shopping.

We calculated that the basics will cost us at least RM7000. This includes a fridge/refridgerator unit, a washer, and a dryer. No kitchen yet. And since we already have a bed, some lighting, a steamer, a toaster, a juice maker, and some other stuff, I think we'll be OK in terms of urban survival for the first few months.

The other day I had to pop the question to a friend of mine, who happens to be a consultant for kitchens and restaurants. RM4000 is "a very small budget" for a stove hob-exhaust fan-oven combo. I scratched my noggin. His one cost RM12000, and that was just for a stove hob and the exhaust fan. I scratched my noggin again. I proceeded to ask no further.

Later in the evening, my mom suggested I should just go with a cheap RM50 brandless dual-burner stove top. I was thinking more along the lines of some cheap-ass pasar malam single cookers that have as many holes as a fly has compound eyes. Those are the ones good char koay teow sellers tend to use. I thought it might help my cooking. Mom retorted something along the lines that implied my gas tank will empty faster than I can finish cooking a proper dish.

So....... I don't know. It's hard to compare RM-thousands worth of stainless steel metal and cast-iron grill and a RM50 cooker that simply does its job.

But then, how do you compare washing machines? I guess since I am trained in the ways of electronics and electricals, I have some vague idea. But only for a bit.

I just get really tired and frustrated that Malaysia doesn't have a website that helps me to do comparison tests on electrical appliances and home furnishings and gas cookers of different brands and models. Thankfully, the ESH guy was pretty knowledgeable, but I'd have to take his word for it.

Bah....... one more month to go.

home appliances

It kinda sucks that Malaysia (and a lot of asian countries) don't have review sites on appliances like cookers, stoves, washing machines, and the like. Searching google is like the needle-in-a-haystack thing, since models sold in the West tend to be different than the ones exported to or made locally here.

Anyway, it's great that the salesman from the local ESH in SS2 gave us a very comprehensive run-down on the appliances. Here's a quick summary:

Washing Machines:
Electrolux remains a good brand for washing machine, and hence commands higher prices. Recently over the past few years, the LG brand has become a strong alternative for affordable and feature-rich washing machines. These go for about RM1.6k and above... depending on the load size (which is about 5.5kg to 7kg). To wash bedsheets and table cloths, you probably need something like a 6kg or 7kg load washer. And front-load washers tend to be a bit more delicate on clothes compared to top-loading ones.

Dryers:
Get an electrolux. The ones with more features are more expensive, but they may be worth it. Prices start from RM1.6k.

Fridges:
Japanese brands have been generally known to be offer the most reliable and feature-rich refridgerators for years. I used to own a Hitachi that lasted us eons. It seems now that Toshibas have become a popular choice, and they've got some plasma technology thingy that gets rid of odors and kills germs. My mother-in-law says that's just a gimmick. The recommended size for a couple starting out in a typical apartment unit is about 400litres, which goes for about slightly less than RM2k.

Dishwashers:
Up until that point, I was pretty much set on getting an Electrolux dishwasher. The man told me that Fagor actually offers better features and quality at a lower price. There's only one stand-alone model, and it's made and fully imported from Spain, and sells for RM2.4k.

This means that I have to save a lot of money. Ugh.

drilling holes therapy

I don't know why, but I never liked the idea of drilling too many holes into a wall. I'm always afraid that I'm drilling at the wrong place, or that I won't be able to patch it up the same ever again, or that there's some kind of stigma that I'll somehow degrade the structural integrity of the wall.

Plus, it's my mom's house. My room, but I'm living with my parents now, so... I don't fancy drilling holes into other people's walls.

Is there a way to prepare me for my new apartment, where I may eventually have to drill a hole into a wall to put some shelves, cables, lighting, what have you?

Maybe I should just throw away the stuff I don't need first. My room is becoming too cluttered.

ideas from bangkok

I was in Bangkok recently and having heard that they produce some neat interior decor, I asked the 43places community about where I can shop for interior products. They gave me three suggestions:

- Siam Discovery Centre
- Suan Lum night bazaar
- Chatuchak weekend market

Since I wasn't there over the weekend, I went to the first two places, and it was a very rewarding experience. The Discovery center has some really neat designer furniture and decor, which are matched with high prices.

At one particular outlet, I was drawn to their Eva Solo collection on sale. Actually, it was the Cafe Solo coffee maker that made me drool. It didn't come cheap (RM300+), but it looked like it could last a lifetime in my home.... and sometimes, that's what matters the most.

Anyway, I moved on (didn't have much cash with me). Habitat has just opened a new outlet in the asian region at the Siam Discovery center. They have some really cool stuff from their own production houses, and they do sell stuff made by some great names in the design world.

Other places of note are Fai Sor Kam and Panta, which feature real made-in-thailand designer furniture and decor. It was worth going there to take a look, even though my aim was to go budget shopping in Thailand.

Anyway, when it comes to budget shopping, Chatuchak seems to be the best deal in town. Unfortunately we weren't able to book across weekends, so we settled for stuff at the Suan Lum night bazaar, which was equally interesting.... especially since many of the things sold at Chatuchak can be found here.

Here are some photos I took of the place:



(you can view more at http://www.flickr.com/photos/jaremfan/)

gray walls

Many asian chinese use white as their dominant shade of color in their homes, which is funny cos most whites use colors and wallpapers on their walls. When mom used to buy paint, she would pick out beige-y colors and variations of off-white colors, which to the naked eye, doesn't really make a difference..... it's still white.

White is fine if you have tons of furniture and decor that are colorful and can mix and match very well. White is not fine when you're trying very hard to make large sections of your home look different and create a feeling of space and warmth.

Enter gray. Because it makes my furniture stand out more, and it helps me not to focus on a large bright wall, which has grown to be dull and uninspiring after years of living with that color.

Here's what one person thinks: article

I'll probably mix the gray with a blue. Actually I'm not intending to paint the whole room gray. Just one section. I'll paint the other walls a shade of light steel blue or sky blue or powder blue. I guess even if I don't mix the gray with blue, the blues will reflect off the other walls onto the gray.... though I'm not sure how that will turn out... but I'm willing to try.

I've got a deep red armchair, and I'm planning on getting a white hall rug. I also have a lacquered pine leksvik coffee table, all of which should go well with the blues and grays.

All I need now is that darn apartment.