At A Glance
- Gabriel and Soo Chin, 30s, sales and customer service
- Home to 2 adults and a corgi
- Location: Compassvale Crescent
- Area size: 116 sqm / 1,248 sqft
- Cost of renovation: $37,000
- Cost of furnishings and appliances: $10,000
- Interior firm: Colourbox Interior
- Interior designer: Cris
Renovating their home is a fun experience for young couple Gabriel and Soo Chin. It’s not difficult to understand why when you work with a capable interior designer. Find out about their renovation journey below.
Qanvast: What was the design you both had in mind?
Soo Chin (SC): The open and airy look, Scandinavian with a touch of pastel. Storage was also important to us, so there were areas where we had to figure on how to maximise space, or conceal the household shelter.
Gabriel (G): We wanted an open kitchen concept and a large countertop so that I will have more space for food preparation. Hence, we made a bar top area here to extend the countertop space. This space up ended up as where we often have our meals. We told Cris to make this area comfortable for seating like adding a footrest and to double the counter for storage as well.
Qanvast: Any bumps along the way?
SC: When we first stepped into the unit, we realised the master bedroom was smaller than we thought, and I didn’t take into consideration the recessed walls and beams as denoted on the floor plans.
The original plan was to fit our wardrobe within the master bedroom, but after taking on-site measurements, Cris advised the walkway may be a little cramp and suggested to hack a wall and create a sliding for the (walk-in) wardrobe and study.
G: For the kitchen, we wanted to add glass door to fend off the smell when we do deep frying, but Cris advised the measurements (which turned out smaller than it is) is not suitable. Hence we scrapped the idea as well.
Qanvast: How did Cris stood out for you?
SC: We did our homework and requested Cris from Colourbox Interior. Having spoken to 5 to 6 designers, he was the whom we had a good first impression on – he gave good design suggestions and we could sense the rapport. The quote by Colourbox was also within our budget.
Cris definitely did not disappoint. He was responsive and constantly gave us updates on the renovation process. Defects or touch-ups were rectified immediately.
Qanvast: Any advice for homeowners?
SC: Don’t rely on floorplan, always come down on site to get the actual feel of the space. Know what you want, and observe how you move around in the house in your everyday living and let the designer know - it will help greatly in the discussion.
It’s important to have the ‘chemistry’ with the designer as you will be contacting the designer almost everyday to talk about the coordination – has to be someone whom you are comfortable with.
Create A Space You Love
Looking to create the same look for your home? Request for free quotes today to get matched with 5 interior firms based on your budget and style. All recommendations made will be covered under the Qanvast Guarantee, up to $50,000.
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