Stoney Love

Our first guest on our new dining table! This cheeky baby lizard has been around the house since...

Choosing our dining table had been a hard job when we have thoughts of getting a chandelier. From our love-at-first-sight for a one piece hard wood table, we changed our minds when we thought of how the crystal chandelier wouldn't fit the wooden table. At the end, we decided on a stone table.

Yes, a stone table. I know marble tables are expensive however, I didn't know that they are that pricey! (I mean it's OK just as long as it's under by allocated budget) Then we started looking at another option - Granite.

A trick question: Is Marble or Granite more expensive?

Before research, my answer was Marble is more expensive. Close friends and family whom I have asked also said the same thing, BUT, it is all a perception! Granite is just as pricey as Marble! Plus, since Granite is a harder material, it also means that it needs more workmanship = more $$.

We spent a few weekends going to & fro the stone factory looking and confirming the stones we have choosen, then bringing the samples back to imagine how the different colours would fit the dining area. This process took us close to a month.

Finally! We chose a black granite slab - Russian Volga Blue. Granite is more hardy and not as porous as Marble. I'm quite a lazy person, so the lesser work to care for the better. This selection turns out slightly more costly than the initial marble slab that we have chosen.   XO

And the whole table weighs a whopping 360kg or more!! Had 4-5 men handling the delivery of it.

 First step: Table base

This table is not designed for lifting. You definitely need assistance from these suction handles at all four corners!! 

Cleaning the inside before the final step.  

 Whoa, super heavy! It's 160kg!!

Table is ready!

Well, I'm waiting for the delivery of our dining chairs. It should be ready in mid-Oct. This is how our chairs will look like:

Our dining room is almost done. We bought 6 cream and 4 black ones. The table is a 8-seater, but we bought two extra in case for guests. The extras will be used in our rooms. :)

I can't wait to see how it fits the whole look! 

Look out for my updates!

xxx

Dress Me Up (Part 2)

I'm back to continue the lamp shade. :) After measuring the base circumference of the lamp shade, I realized that 1 meter of organza is not enough. So my head seamstress had to halt this project till we buy enough fabric. *Sigh*

BUT, I've sewn on the crystals onto the shades (recap, I've bought 2 of these floor lamps). I'll show you the process. Just make sure to get working leather gloves, thick needles for upholstery purposes and a ball of strong thread.

Let's start.

I started off by laying out the pattern and colour assortment sequence per pane on the table. After, I measured and placed markings on the shade. For each pane, I had 7 (middle) + 1 + 1 (both ends of pane)

 Tie a knot and start on a new marking. (I'm continuing mine in this picture)

Slot in your crystal beads.

Pull it tight and snug to the frame.

 Make another round.

Secure with another stitch. The shade fabric has 2 layers, note when doing this, make sure that your thread goes in-between the layers to hide the thread. 

 Out on the next marking and repeat the process.

 On the underside, it looks like this. Clean looking with just the stitch.

The end result!

My hands were a little sore from pulling & pushing the needle onto the lamp shade. As this is 2nd hand, the hardened glue on the edges of the shade makes it even tougher. That's why I need the aid of the leather gloves. If not, the needle will go through my hands.

Ok, last step will be to put on the fabric. 

Stay tuned for part 3! 

Shady Affair (Part 1)

I've wanted to put this post up for some time but I was just too lazy to pull these out from my stash of chaos (junk) piled up in my cupboard. The paint work and lots of cleaning was just an excuse, but I finally did it!!

Tada!

I got these during my holiday trip to Spain in July this year. I was so inspired by this lady who did her own Victorian lamps for sale online, so I decided to attempt doing it for my room since my theme is French/Victorian. Hers are very detailed and ornate, hence, commanding a high price. I fell in love with it immediately. Because it is a lot of handy work, the lamp is an art piece on its own. Take a look:

Victorian lamps are all about the shades and the antique body.

In Singapore, such lamps are hard to find, even if you can find one, it may not be the one you like and it cost a lot. Else, it will be a replica where they use cheap materials to produce which I didn't like the effect too. Naturally, I was in a fix. Where to find all these materials? First things first, I had to find the lamp body. So since I was in Europe, might as well look for it. 

I was in Paris earlier and dropped by the Saint Ouen flea market. I read that they sell lots of old antique French furniture there. It was an eye opener, however, it was a disappointing trip. Don't be fooled by the word "Flea Market". It's pretty pricey! It'd be best you brought along a local who can show you around and speak the language, if not, I think the chances of being cheated is high.

I ended up not buying anything, not only it is expensive, I'm unsure if the item is genuinely antique or not.

Then, in one of the day trips in Segovia-Madrid, I found it! It wasn't that antique looking, but it is made of brass. The design is Victorian enough and it doesn't cost a fortune.

Phew!

Lamp DIY Check List:

• Brass Body (bought!)
• Victorian lamp shades
• Beads
• Fabric
• Laces & Embroidery

Now on to the question, "Where to get Victorian lamp shades?" Well, I'm still looking out for these. I hope to get it in Singapore or Malaysia. Last choice will be from the internet (straight from lamp shade suppliers) because you usually have to buy a minimum quantity.

Basically, the rest of the items should be easy to get unless you want exotic laces/ fabrics and ready made embroidery patterns. 

*Sigh* I'll keep you posted when I find the treasure. X'O

Monkey Business (Part 2)

The scaffolds are off!! My electrician came to fix the support for the chandelier and my feature wall is finally done! :)

My contractor really did a great job in concealing the wire. The wall that I painted the wallpaper paint is where the hacking & plastering took place. The wire went all the way up, he cut two holes in the ceiling board and plastered it up. I was afraid that they will use the conduit along the ceiling board, it's good that they didn't use that method. Smart!

View from 1st floor

View from 2nd floor

Scaffold removing process:

It's tricky at the top as they need to turn in different angles to get the metal planks & long pieces of wood down. You don't want these to bang and hit your newly painted walls right? 

This time, the scaffolding took half the time to be removed. The aftermath is another tiring job... Cleaning! 

X'O

Monkey Business (Part 1)

Ok, my scaffolding came on the 31 Aug. I was thinking that it was the metal type but it's wooden scaffolds. Initially I thought that it wasn't that stable... Boy, I was wrong. It's really solid. What really impressed me was that the people who put the scaffold together were old uncles. They are really fit!!

See the wallpaper paint that was done halfway on first floor? That's what I got the scaffold for. To continue all the way up and to install a chandelier. 

I always thought that we have the luxury to see and wait before deciding what to do. When the construction was going on (laying of floor tiles), we thought, " Shall we do the extension for the 2nd floor or shall we not?". After much "thinking" (after when the construction ended), we decided to scrap the idea and install a chandelier instead.

Word of advise - get all your hacking and dirty works done way before your painting, doing the final stuff and having all your new furniture in your place. I was so worried that our new floor tiles would be scratched by the debris from the hacking to conceal the wiring and worst of all, the DUST & Wood shavings (from the scaffold)!!! OMG, it was everywhere and I had a hard time cleaning it up! I hate the mess and I'm highly allergic to super dusty places.  X(

Ok, that's me now painting the wallpaper paint. I'm not the least afraid of heights, but I'm afraid if I fall. There's safety gear, but it's just a safety line attached to my hips and onto the scaffold. At times I have to stand at the wooden joining at the edge to reach difficult places.

My mum took a picture of me from first floor. I feel like a monkey, climbing up and down the scaffold. The hardest part was the top extreme edges of this panel. That being said, I had a good work out of sit ups, yoga and squats today.

Stay tuned for the final picture of result when the scaffolds are removed!   ;)

French Connection

Some of my French style, small furniture has arrived. I'm so excited!

The best part is, I got them at a very good price and they look good too!