At a Glance
• Benjamin and Kelly
• Size: 133 sqm / 1,430 sqft
• Location: Chai Chee
• Cost of renovation: $130,000
• Interior design firm: Schemacraft
• Interior designer: Martin
After twenty years of occupancy, Benjamin and Kelly’s home was showing signs of old age and the pair decided to give it the fresh new coat of paint – and many other rectifications – that it needed.
We sit down for a quick chat with them and hear from them about the pleasant experience they had with Martin from Schemacraft.
Qanvast: What prompted you to renovate your home?
Benjamin (B): Our house is twenty years old. We bought it from the original owner sixteen years ago and by the end of last year, we discovered that our home was in quite a bad condition especially when it came to the cabinets, the toilet and the kitchen. Hence, we decided that it was time for a renovation.
Qanvast: Tell us about your search for an interior designer and why you chose Martin from Schemacraft.
B: I submitted a complimentary quote request to Qanvast and Qanvast shortlisted five interior design firms for me. Out of these five designers, I felt like Martin was the one who gave the most design input. He came across as very professional and he could give us a lot of suggestions about what to do with our home. Therefore, we decided to pick him.
Qanvast: What was your main requirement for your home?
B: I wanted a lot of storage. Previously, our home didn’t have enough storage space and this made our home look very cramped. Hence, we wanted more cupboards to keep our things hidden.
Qanvast: Tell us about one requirement that Martin helped to fulfil.
B: We have a large group of friends who come over for regular meetings so we wanted enough seating areas in our home. With that in mind, Martin proposed a bay window which can double up as a storage area.
Qanvast: How did Martin help you to refine your idea for your home?
B: Martin gave us practical advice and let us know when he felt like something wasn’t practical. He also helped us to matched the colours and the shades very well so that we could achieve the modern look which we wanted.
Qanvast: Did Martin help you to source for the furnishings?
B: Yes. Martin accompanied us shopping and brought us to a few places with different price ranges so that we had a wider range of furnishings to choose from. He also gave us a lot of input on which types of furnishings we should get. Furthermore, he spent a lot of his time looking out for and recommending pieces of furniture and accessories to us.
Kelly (K): Martin would share with us if he was aware of any promotions. We managed to get our electrical appliances at quite a good price because he alerted us – and even rushed us down – to a sale that was happening at the shop.
Qanvast: Was Martin a reliable interior designer?
B: Yes, he was. He was a good planner and gave us a schedule so that we would know when the renovation works were being carried out. He also helped us to follow-up with the contractors and was more or less able to keep to the renovation schedule and complete the renovation by the date that we told him that we wanted to move in.
Qanvast: It sounds like you really had a pleasant experience with Martin.
B: Yes, we did. We are very happy with the design and the renovation process – which went very smoothly. Over the course of the renovation, we also became friends with Martin and we are very thankful to him for his help in designing our home. With Martin, we felt like this renovation journey was one we underwent together and not alone.
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