1st time wardrobe - help!

[vvn]

One thing I am very particular about my new house is the new wardrobe. Have been looking through lots of wardrobes everywhere else for inspiration, but somehow I feel very attached to IKEA's PAX system. It's very fuctional and pactical. Since it's going to be a built-in wardrobe, I'm gonna get it custom-made anyway so that I can fit all the ikea accessories I have been eyeing on can fit into these wardrobes now, and even later.

Still not decided which one to take though... but basically we have decided on the 100+ 50 +50 combination. Will add on a chest of 4 drawers by the side of the wardrobe to keep folded clothes like home clothes, t-shirts, jeans etc.


PAX 1

2 set of rails in the 100 compartment is for our new and clean clothes. the middle 50 compartment is for our jackets, jeans and stuff that we don't wash after 1 wear and the last 50 compartment is for my long dresses. Top will probably for winterwear, towels, bedlinen. The shelves will be for knick knacks like ties, socks etc.

BUT the drawback of this combi is that the higher rail is set at 2m, a bit too high for a shortie like me (i'm only 1.5m) Would probably be hard to reach to take out or hang clothes. =p

PAX 2

A slight modification from PAX 1, lowered the rails to 1.9m (just nice for me to reach) There is now more space on the top to put my 'clothes that we don't usually wear' But the lower railing is the trousers rails which doesn't exactly save space.

PAX 3

Also has the 'height advantage' but there isn't much space for shelfings etc.

so wondered which is the best?

 

[afsding]

hi, i'm going for the www.closetdesign.com.sg after one of the forumers here recommended in one of the threads.. they can customize for us with their designers just by emailing to them my floor plan and my needs.. i'll go down to their showroom to see their workmanship on monday and will confirm with them if everything goes well..

 

[vvn]

thanks for the website! it's so nice and tempting!

 

[afsding]

u're welcome vvn..
i've signed up with them 2 days ago at their showroom.. it cost me $2946 for an L-shaped wardrobe, something similar to the one featured at the home page of the website.. just that mine's smaller.. (2m x 1.8m)..
there r lots of colour and combination for u to choose there..

 

[andl]

Hi Ding Ding,

Do you have more details on the wardrobe from closetdesign? Like how many drawers and what do they do with the space at the intersection of the walls? I'm interested.

Thanks.

 

[afsding]

hi AndL,

it depends on the size u want.. i emailed to them my floor plan (a small resale 3 room flat - 37 yrs old) and i told them i wanted more space, so they recommended that i do the config as i mentioned above.. the intersection of the L-shape, they designed it for the hanging type, so that space will not be wasted as hanging type can be easily accessed from outside..

their showroom in balestier is not big, but has almost all the features there for u to see and feel.. as for the config, i got 2 set of this - "2 drawers, with 4 shelvings on top", the rest all hanging type and the top space empty, to put all my storage boxes and seldon accessed items like luggages..

 

[afsding]

i forgot to add, the config are all customized.. they can do watever u want.. that is, more of the hanging types, more trays for ties, more shelvings for towels, etc.. tell the designer wat kind of clothes u want to hang and wat other items u intend to store in it.. they will propose something and then u can alter if u want.. its a fun experience for me..!

 

[andl]

Thanks

 

[afsding]

not a problem.. if u decided to sign with them, can let me know ur designer's name..? mine's mic*ael..

 

[coyl]

Hi everyone,

I just DIY (fix up) my own wardrobe last weekend. It was bought from Howard Storage Store or world at Parkway. They only have one branch in Singapore, concept pretty similar to ikea. If you like a well ventilated wardrobe instead of ikea PAX system, you can have a look at this.

My L shape open concept wardrobe is only 1.7m x 1.2m and it cost me about $800. Took about 1.5 hours to install everything, its very simple and easy to install. All you need to do is to install the track on top and hook everything up onto the track. The brand of the wardrobe system is Elfa.
Can visit www.elfa.com to have a look at their storage solutions.I quite like the wardrobe system and it is super flexible.

 

[coyl]

Here's the pic of my wardrobe!

 

[anviateo]

Hi Vnn & Everyone.

i would reconmand u gals to engage a carpenter to MTM ur wardrode as per ur request cos we tend to use the wardrode for a long time. Ik** wardrode will likely last a few yrs only from my exprience.
Interested pls email me cos have a gd carpenter to reconmand.(email: [email protected])

Reagrds
Ann

 

[koikoi]

hi dingding,
thanks for sharing...
I like the L-shaped concept on the homepage...
with the sliding doors, the clothes will not get dusty.... i also no need to used a lot of thirsty hippo... hehehehe

 

[afsding]

hi babumummypapa.. the guys just build up the false wall for my L-shaped closet yesterday.. i'll take some pictures on the progress later today.. n maybe can share more in this forum..

 

[koikoi]

thanks dingding...
wait for your pic.

 

[vvn]

hey hey dingding, i got my wardrobe already. my contractor decided to help me plan and build my wardrobe to save their pain of hearing me whine.

do show us your pictures!

babu - yup the one on closet desgin is very nice concept for walk in. but remember it looks nice because the inside of the wardrobe is not cluttered and have only white color clothes. if u are a messy person by nature, may be translucent or opaque doors are better than clear glass - just stuff everything inside and no one (not even hubby) will know!

 

[koikoi]

Hi charly,

thanks for sharing.
will take note of that...
u hubby not sharing ur walk-in ah??

 

[vvn]

ha ha no lah! I am the one doing laundry and usually throw all the unfolded clothes into "my section which he doesn't see". we didn't do walk-in just normal sliding door wardrobe and a chest of drawers by the side. *share pictures when my home PC is ready*

 

[koikoi]

okok i can't wait to see too..
cos i not sure if we want to hack the other bed room... still thinkin...

 

[vvn]

i got a gd idea from some other forumers, instead of hacking. use sliding doors or something so u have the flexibility of keep 2 rooms or 1 room.

We converted the connected bedroom into study and dressing area as hubby gets up much earlier and he won't wake me up with the 'door'. If there isn't a door then i surely will be woken up. may be u can try that too, to have 2 instead of 1 big room. in any case when u want to sell of ur flat it's easier.

 

[afsding]

hihi charly, did u engage closet design too..? i'm going to my house later.. will try to take some pictures and post here.. but its only false wall.. they will come again after my re-wiring and plastering and painting is completed, to install the internal system..

i dint choose the sliding door type because my bedroom is very small and cramp.. i chose the bifold door type instead, so that i can have a bigger "opened" space..

will try to post tomolo, or tonight..!

 

[vvn]

dingding, nope. was contemplating using them but my contractor offered to helped me. in the end the cheaper cost tempted me into keeping with my contractor. i didn't do walk in, just the normal wardrobe with sliding doors.

hey bifold doors are good idea, they have the flexibility of normal doors but save space like sliding doors.

mutlply down but my reno photos is up there...

 

[afsding]

charly, indeed closet design is on the high side.. just hope that the workmanship and internal system (end result) is worth the price..

mine also not walk-in.. cant afford the space..

 

[afsding]

here's the pic for the build up of the false wall..

 

[koikoi]

charly,

thanks for your idea.
Will tell my dear abt it.
Do you have any photo to share?
Closet Design is really ex..
so muz check if contractor can do anot...

ding ding u got photo to share too?

 

[vvn]

Hi babu,

these are my reno photos. not sure if u can visualize, but it's the doorway to my main bedroom + adjoining room. main bedroom door frame is on the left (we kept the frame in case we need to put it back in the future) and the other one with door is the study (next time becomes baby room so need to keep the door)

 

[vvn]

 

[fatez]

Pei Sei kind of messy have not really pack my stuffs in yet..

 

[koikoi]

Hi Charlyn,

Thanks for sharing.
It's good huh. can visualise roughly.

so almost done or left carpentry work?
wat's your theme?

 

[vvn]

babu,

oh i moved in already. But I don't have camera on my lao kok kok phone so that photo borrow hubby's phone to take. haven't uploaded the move in pictures yet but will do soon.

there's no theme... probably 'ikea' bah, everything except for my wardrobe and the existing built-ins cabinets and cupboards by previous owner i bought from ikea one.

 

[koikoi]

oh...
just move in only??
ok do share your pics...

ding ding,
how's your wardrobe coming along?
rem to post your pic huh... still interested in the design although ex... muz see budget now...

 

[afsding]

hi babu.. my walls have just finished plastering today.. still have to wait for wiring, pipings, painting, before the closet design guys come to install the internal system.. shld be 2 more weeks then can start to "see" something inside those false walls..

 

[koikoi]

okok...
i'm still waiting for my keys...
got time to wait for u...
so u oversee there or ur hubby??

 

[saliva]

Hi ding,

is the false wall for the built in wardrobe?

How much did u pay to erect the false wall? (made of cornice/L-box kind of plaster?)

 

[afsding]

hi babu.. i'm a guy..

i'll go to the site every alternate weekday to see the progress cos i work in tuas and stay in pasir ris (now) and my resale flat is in c'wealth..

zenie, yupz, the false wall is for the built in wardrobe and the material is similar to L-box with plaster.. it will be painted and treated like a real wall by my painters.. the price of the false wall is included in the package..

 

[koikoi]

Hi ding ding, so sorry huh...
wah you travelled so far to work ah?
C'wealth is good huh.
We failed to get during the balloting.
and my FH not interested to get resales.

 

[afsding]

its okie.. i understand most of u are girls here since this is supposed to be singaporebrides.. hahaa..

i like the location too, only thing is that the resale i got is very very old liao..

 

[koikoi]

total how much is your reno??
u paying for the location lor...
no choice...

 

[afsding]

total ard $23k.. its a total overhaul.. havent include the closet design (near to $3k) and furniture, appliances..

as for the price of my flat, i got it at below valuation.. condition was quite bad, thus the need to do the major reno..

 

[koikoi]

for reno 23K?
how many rooms? 5 room??

the closet, furniture and appliances can add up to a minimum of $25K at least...

 

[afsding]

haha.. mine's only a 3-room flat.. if 5-room resale overhaul, will be at least $30-40k bah..

i tried to save on furniture and appliances but still spent abt $18k liao..

 

[koikoi]

aiyo...
3 room 23k??
faint... so scare of my reno bill...
better do it now...
when 7% GST comes, u pay even more...

 

[vvn]

heyo babu and guys,

finally my multiply is working, here are the reno photos. my done up house photos will be up soon soon sonn...

http://charly906.multiply.com/photos/album/54

 

[vvn]

wow... ding ding your house sure will be brand new and last a long time since u are doing an overhaul. So really hack all the tiles, rewiring and piping?

23k actually sounds quite reasonable, especially if you have a lot of carpentry. i paid 10K above valuation and another 10k for my minor renovation, so might as well dump in abit more money to do everything, right?

for furniture and electrical etc, I don't know if you guys are particular about the brands etc. But hubby and I decided to go for 0% installment plans. Electrical stuff from Best or Harvey Norman. Furniture all except my mattress buy from ikea. We spent at total of 7k for EVERYTHING in the house, including detergents and locks and extension cords and ladders that kind of things that sometimes you forget to budget for. (i didn't buy TV and aircon though)

but the installment plan is a 12month one, so every month we spent like 500 to pay. eats into our savings. the irony is that bulk of the saving is meant for better furniture in the near future! Hopefully ikea stuff will last until the day I want to buy new furniture bah!

 

[afsding]

hihi babu and charly.. yupz, i'm doing all the hacking and laying of tiles, re-wiring, pipings, etc.. not much carpentry though..

i also bought many items using 0% installment plans.. most furniture from furniture mall, electricals mainly from courts and aircon from all best at IMM..

i spread over my installments over 2 yrs (since it is interest free) and put most of my savings into reno..

 

[vvn]

Ding ding,

interest free installments like the best thing to poor ppl like us hor?

but there's a catch one. A friend of my colleague bought a computer using the 0% installment plan for 3 years, but he forgot to pay/ pay late a few months and they started charging him interest. and it was the compound interest kind that he paid almost 7k for his computer in the end. scary!

 

[koikoi]

hey dingding and charly,
me and hubby also plan to have 0% installment plan... hehehe so that can buy good furniture and do reno properly... if all hard cash, think ah long muz lend me some money... hehehhe

 

[afsding]

seems like we all having the same ideas.. i never really save money since young, hahaa.. only few yrs ago then start, so savings not much lor..

charly, thats really scary, $7k for a computer..! better make sure i set a few reminders to pay bills on time..

 

[koikoi]

will they send us a letter to remind us?
i tried HN installment plan...
din do much...the bank charge me...
see my friends go courts, very troublesome...
must go down to the branch every mth...

 

[vvn]

babu,

dunno. But i guess none of us want to find out what will really happen the hard way, yah? courts so troublesome! oh well... at least best and HN those places dun need, every month just debit from your credit card, but if u forgot to pay credit card bills also quite sad especially when their rates are so high.