Renovation Journey: Screed Creed

At a Glance

• Donn, working in the events industry
• Size: 89 sqm / 958 sqft
• Location: Jalan Tenteram
• Cost of Renovation: $40,000
• Cost of Furnishing: $20,000
• Interior Design Firm: Butler Interior
• Interior Designer: Alvin

Having clicked with Alvin from Butler Interior – man to man – Donn knew that he could trust Alvin with his home to avoid any renovation horror stories.

Taking some time out from his busy schedule, Donn sits down for a chat with us about his smooth renovation journey with Butler Interior.

Qanvast: What were some things that you were looking for when hiring an interior designer?

Donn (D): Firstly, the designers’ portfolio has to be something that matches what I want. Following that, I assessed the interior designers based on my comfort level of working with them and their quotations.

Qanvast: What gave Alvin from Butler Interior an edge over his competition?

D: Out of the three interior designers that I met up with, Alvin was the best at giving me design advice. I had a preconceived idea of what I wanted to do with the home and Alvin was able to improve upon my idea. I felt like the other two designers were just giving me template designs that weren’t tailored to my requirements.

Qanvast: What kind of improvements did Alvin make to your initial design?

D: There were a couple of changes. Initially, I wanted an industrial style home with concrete screed flooring throughout the entire place. However, Alvin advised me to tile up the entrance of the home so that if I were to come in with wet or dirty shoes and the flooring gets dirty, it would be easier to clean.

I also toned down slightly on the industrial design of the home to make the place look a bit more minimalistic. At first, I was thinking of doing up a wall with some piping frames but I felt like there was already a lot of exposed piping around the home so it would be better to have a clean design.

Qanvast: What were your considerations when planning the layout of your home?

D: I wanted the layout of my home to fit my requirements. For example, there was no need for me to have the walk-in wardrobe which was done up by the previous homeowner. Therefore, I decided to hack that room and use the area as a dining space where my family and friends could gather.

Qanvast: What were some customisations you made to the built-in carpentry to fit your requirements?

D: As I am quite tall, I wanted the heights of the kitchen cabinets to be taller so that I do not have to bend down to open the drawers. Alvin had to make adjustments to the standard dimensions of his built-in carpentry so that it would be suitable for my height.

Qanvast: How was it like working with Alvin on your renovation?

D: It was a painless experience. I’ve heard many renovation horror stories from my friends and thankfully, Alvin was a good interior designer that I could rely on. He understood that I was busy with work during the renovation period and waited for me to give him the go ahead before he did up certain features. He was really accommodating in that sense.

Qanvast: Were there any hiccups during the renovation and how did Alvin rectify them?

D: Yes. Some of the plugs were faulty when I came and tested them so I asked Alvin to get his electrician to repair them. Alvin also had to fix some of the cabinet doors because they were not done properly.

Qanvast: Were there any occasions when Alvin went the extra mile for you?

D: Yes. My windows were done up by an external contractor and they were quite badly done. When the contractors hacked the walls, they did a bad job of it and did not help me to paint over the hacked portions.

Even though it was not his responsibility, Alvin got his painters to come down and help me to touch up the paint. He was quite kind in that regard.

Qanvast: What advice would you give to homeowners who are looking for an interior designer?

D: They need to take the time to meet as many interior designers as possible until they find one whom they are comfortable with. Even though it may be tiring to search for an interior designer, homeowners should not settle for just any designer.

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