Ok, so here's her new built in cabinet and study desk!
I had a hard time drawing the designs for the carpenter. For the first set of drawings that I gave him, I actually drew the height of the room at 105 inches. Then he came for discussions and measurements, and I vaguely remember that he said the height is shorter. So I measured again, updated my drawings (because I made some changes too) to 103inches. But when he came for the final measurement he said that he would it is only about 101.5 inches. So it is actually quite challenging doing the design and direct communication with carpenter.
It mostly turn out as expected. There were 2 surprises, and here's how they were resolved. Firstly, the trimmings of the desk, which look slightly pinkish in the photo above, is indeed pinkish/lilac, and not the dark purple that I requested. The carpenter explained that the trimming is not laminate, but is PVC, which is the usual material for trimming for table, as it can bend for the round corners (which I requested), safer for bodily contact, and does not scratch easily. So I have came to accept it, and it blends in quite well with light and dark purple. BTW, the colours were chosen by Lynn, highly sanctioned by me of course.
Secondly, see the frosted glass with interior-orange cabinet, it has dark purple thick exterior trimmings in the picture here, but it wasn't when it first came. What came at first was with orange thick exterior trimmings, same colour as the interior. What I drew/expected was frosted glass doors only with no trimmings at all, and behind the frosted glass is the bright orange interior. The idea is that the orange will not be on the outside, but will be seen through the frosted glass. The carpenter explained that it is not quite possible to have no trimming (anyway he thought I wanted exterior orange trimming). Thus I decided if it is changed to dark purple, then I can accept. So, he took the doors (there is another one on the other side) back, change the exterior laminate, and came back to fix them the following week.
The work was completed 2 Saturdays back (2nd Jan), and I took the whole of last weekend (9 and 10th Jan) setting back the items and making protective covers for table top, for both Lynn's room and the study room.
Here's a close up shot of what Lynn places in the orange cabinet behind the frosted glass, and on the open shelf behind the bed. There is a power point and a drop down storage space behind the bed and beneath the open shelf, thus hiding wires from view.
The compliment for my efforts came unexpectedly from Lynn yesterday, when she commented that she likes her new room! I felt so happy. My vision of her having her own study desk, like her older cousins, finally came true. Thus, when I saw her at her desk doing her homework (周记), I took a picture of it. And the 2 pictures below of her arranging aqua beads were taken on Saturday.
(The lights is a led-strip-light, lined along a U-turn shaped grove built underneath the overhead-L- shaped-open shelf)
Here are the populated overhead open shelves. The room and the house need a new coat of paint (that will be for this year!)
This is the white board cum pin board that she requested for. She asked her daddy to print a copy of her school time table and place it on the board. We highlighted 3 items- art on Monday (bring art supplies), CCA on Thursday morning (bring apron), and music on Friday last period (bring recorder).
The purple flower is actually a scotch tape dispenser (new). The scissor is also a new addition specially for her new study table. And she actually placed her 2 perfumes in this stationery box on her desk too. I wonder where's her diary (see first picture on top) when I took this close up picture of her stationery box.
Here's the other side of the room. I was not sure if I should put up this set of hanging cabinet, because that would mean 3 sets of cabinet (there is already a 5 doors built-in wardrobe for clothes) in this room. I was afraid that it will look overwhelming. It turned out ok, due to good positioning of the furniture and bed. Now there is ample storage space for Lynn and WK's mum. There is a rather adequate "open space" in the middle. Also, finally I can access the window without climbing onto the bed!
See this picture taken on 2nd Jan, when the hooks are still unoccupied. See the pictures further down, which show Lynn's other bags (such as tuition and piano) hanging pretty and neatly on the hooks.
Here's a final photo of her reading her story book yesterday before bedtime. This coming weekend, we should get her a chair, and she wants a diffuser too.
An unexpected pleasant outcome of this renovation is that my mum's room is also revamped! It suddenly occurred to me that instead of throwing out the 2 pieces of furniture from Lynn's room, I should throw out the bulky and rather useless dressing table set from my old home.
After rearranging the furniture, now this room is not only roomier, my mum has more storage space, the triangle table can be move around easily (next to the bed for example), and (again) we can access the windows!
I put up some 3M hooks for her clothes and bags (next to the window). There is an empty photo frame (red), which I intend to put this year's Chinese new year photo of my mum with her children and grandchildren.
Finally, here's the study room. It was WK who wanted to make this built-in book cabinet. Again I designed it, to mirror the cabinet which was already there. It was a bold decision to make light colour; hopefully it will not turn out to be a decision that I will regret!
There are 4 power points on the wall of this open shelf.
This display cabinet has glass door, to keep out dust.
Medal display, purchased from overseas.
Spent $6k ($3.8 for Lynn's and $2.2 for study) on this renovation, actually really heart pain. I think I will not want to spend large sums on the home again for the next few years.
This weekend, I will put up the CNY deco, and rearrange some stuff in the living room. Looking forward to weekend at the start of the week, haha!!
Hopefully, the painting materialize this year, and my house will look like new again!
