Parrot on a PorchA Journey Toward the Little Mansion Dream

We do not need a twin bunk bed yet in our new house since we just only have one child at the moment. There is a room that has been allotted for him already but we’re still co-sleeping now so we’ll just leave the room as it is first. Perhaps, we’ll make use of it as a storage room of his clothings, other baby stuffs and toys for the mean time. But even though we don’t see the immediate need yet, I’m currently looking at Mom’s Bunk House now basically just to have an idea of what type of bunk beds for kids that we might implore in the future.

The bunk beds wood are the best choices to maximize space when kids are sharing rooms with each other. The Twin Over Twin style is the most common as it’s sleek yet it can occupy two individuals. Other styles include the Twin Over Full and the Full Over Full which are the more wider and bigger as it can accommodate more occupants. These are the perfect beds for kids as they also have security features that protect the child from falling from it. The ladders are designed is such a way that they can easily climb up to the top of the bed.

The wide selection of beds at Mom’s Bunk House is truly impressive. As it is a family-based company, they certainly know and can relate exactly to the needs of a family in terms of comfort, functionality and space-saving requirements.

April is slowly winding up. It’s already the 21st of the month and before we know it, it’ll be May soon. This thought actually tingles me. Somebody close to my and my son’s heart will celebrate his birthday and aside from that, it’s also the tentative month we’re anticipating LM’s full completion and hopefully, the big move. I do not have the latest updates yet regarding the ongoing state or progress because we weren’t able to check on it last weekend. Hopefully, this weekend, we’ll get to see as well as have a new word from the developer on the next steps.

We’re set to check out our favorite furniture shop nearby. That’s where we bought the bed frame, closets and a few furniture we’re currently using. We have already canvassed last year the ideal sofa and dining table sets that we would like to have but we’ll also check for they might got new models or better designs that would suit the house. We’ll also go through the ongoing rates and check if there’s a need for the husband to apply for a cash advance should additional funding will be needed. If ever we’ll find one that we like, we’ll just probably reserve it or if not, we’ll just hope that it won’t get sold so soon. We can’t buy yet since we don’t have an ample storage space for furniture at the moment.

Last Friday, we dropped by Little Mansion to check how everything is going. The house isn’t 100% done yet but from the looks of it, they’re already on the finishing stages. I’ll detail later on the recent development and additions.

Remember my post about our Ideal Cabinet System? Well, we are not having exactly the same design but it’s close enough, somehow. I like how ours turned out actually. This is just the initial frame and there are some more additions to be made on both sides.

What’s important is that we have ample storage spaces for all our stuffs and other trinkets…and mess. That’s one thing that my older sister reminded me before. Make sure to allot storage areas especially that we have a kid and also to anticipate family additions in the future. No, there are no birth announcements soon from us. But we just deem it necessary to also think of the future especially that it will be our home for the next decades and perhaps, for life. Glad we didn’t pursue with the original bedroom layout plans. Otherwise, we would not have this huge space for the customized cabinet that we requested.

Now that the Little Mansion is nearing its “finishing” stage, we’re ready to take into action the interior design plans that we’ve thought of and as recommended by a creative aunt-in-law (she took up Interior Design in college). We’ll be prioritizing the bedroom furniture as it’s included in the package and needs to be finished ahead. What’s great about this is that we’re given the freedom to “design” or layout how the customization of the cabinet will be like having in mind the dimension of the space allotted for the said furniture. I have a copy here of the design draft but I’ll be sharing it next time once I have scanned it.

But just an overview, here’s the model we’ve drawn inspiration from a bit. It’s a cabinet system from Ikea, actually. If only this is not too huge and shipping from abroad isn’t that costly, I would have ordered a similar one.

And here are just some of the details:

I only have a few pairs of shoes and so is the husband so a few plastic shoe boxes with zipper enclosures on the top level would just be perfect. Then the lower shelves could be used for our folded daily home clothes. I do not own that plenty of bags, too, so instead, that portion could be perfect for bed linens or towels. I also love how the rack hanger is designed. The slideable pants hanger is simply brilliant. Certainly, that part is reserved for the husband’s slacks, pants and our jeans. I like how it’s made to just occupy half of the compartment’s width. The other half’s intended for long clothes like dresses and coats. And of course, the storage with compartments are perfect for our accessories like sunglasses, belts and other trinkets that we have.

I tend to become disorganized and messy with things at times so I really need a cabinet system that’s as organized and tailored as this.

I’m thinking of having this for a coffee table.

But with a mischievous toddler in the house, I can just imagine myself summoning the little one for feeding and letting the fishes have their own cup of coffee, too.

Freshome notes:

This coffee table is a great conversation piece. The base is a fully functional aquarium, with an opening on the surface for easy access feeding.  Everything you need to get started (except the fish) is included with the table: florescent light (built into the table base), water pump, water filter, blue gravel and plants. $500 from Opulentitems.com.

We have started canvassing for a sofa that will complement and bedeck our Little Mansion’s living room since last year. It was quite taxing at first because the husband and I were having contrasting preferences but thankfully we came to agree after reading and digesting the tips we’ve collated from the internet. These helpful Sofa Buying Tips indeed saved us from having endless debates and further nerve-wracking discussion. It is then that I realized that buying a living room furniture set is not as challenging as it sounds. Although there are several factors to consider, it’s just as if one is looking out for a new wardrobe only putting a little emphasis on the quality and durability. But unlike clothes and apparels, it’s not every other day, weekly or on a whim that we buy and change sofas. So it’s advisable to invest on one that will suit the family’s needs and will last for a very long time.

Here are the helpful points that influenced our decision when we selected the perfect sofa for us:

1. Determine a reasonable budget. Do note that the price will be determined by its size.

2. Assess the size depending on the need. In the same way, figure out the correct dimension that will just fit right in the intended spot in the living room. For a single or couple dwellers, a two-seater might be enough. A longer sofa that can seat four to six people is ideal for a family. Have the measurements handy when shopping.

3. Get familiarized about the different type of sofa frames. Bear in mind that a good frame of common lumber (pine or oak) held together by screws and bracket dowels is more durable than a frame made of particle board, plywood or plastic.

4. Be particular with the coils and springs. Feel the springs through the upholstery. These should be close together and firm.

5. Consider the upholstery. Leather upholstery will cost more than other types. Fabrics provide more options in terms of color, designs, etc.

This exhibit is very apt for those who are currently building, planning or even just dreaming about their homes’ interiors.

Venue:
SM X Convention Center
Pasay City, Philippines

Show Dates:
March 03-07, 2010
(Wednesday to Sunday)

* Exclusive to Trade Visitors: March 4 – 5 (Thursday and Friday)
* Open to Trade Buyers and the Public: March 6 – 7 (Saturday and Sunday)

If you are on the lookout of any of the following, then pre-register now to avail free entrance:
* Furniture for the living room, dining room, bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, garden and office
* Occasional furniture, tables and chairs
* Reproduction and period furniture
* Upholstered furniture
* Avant-garde furniture
* Other items of furniture

Home Furnishings and Accessories
* Lamps and lighting fixtures
* Decorative accessories
* Gazebos and trellises
* Artificial plants, planters, jars and pots
* Antique reproductions

More information about this exhibit are available at Manila Now’s site.

Okay..now it’s crunch time. I haven’t met the required number of tasks I’ve scheduled to finish by this hour. Well, I got hooked and didn’t notice of the winding time as I just browsed nonstop for furnishing ideas for the house and researching tips on losing abdominal fat. I may be as skinny as a bamboo to the envy of many but the bulging tummy isn’t just right and unpleasant.

I may have lounged too long at home decorating sites but I feel accomplished. I found the exact design I wish to show our contractor for the kitchen cabinets. Also, I got some more bedroom cabinet inspiration. With the tons of clothes that we three have, it’s a requirement that we have ample spaced yet compact closet.

Wooden Cabinets with Glass Doors (photo snagged from Brandon Barre)

Cabinet from Deco-Designing

I have always reiterated that while I call our future home Little Mansion, it’s not actually a grand and luxurious dwelling similar to the ones situated in exclusive villages. We just call it a mansion simply because it is the home of our dreams. And for you to have an idea how little it will be, I’m going to share a replica of how our kitchen will look like. The other on the right is the service area or commonly referred to as the dirty kitchen.

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This is actually a picture of Little Mansion’s adjacent unit’s kitchen. Ours will be deviated a little as ours will be made somewhat similar to kitchen cabinets Richmond styles at OldRiverCabinets.com. We requested to have them customized by having glass display cabinet doors instead of such enclosed wooden ones. I’ve seen a lot of custom kitchen cabinets Richmond elegant designs and that’s what we submitted to the developer for them to make use of as a pattern. What I love about our developer is he’s so flexible. As long as there’s no major reconstruction to be done with the structures, he’s amenable to every preferred styles and designs we tell him.

Aside from the kitchen cabinets, we also requested for custom cabinets Richmond in the bedrooms upstairs. Our aunt who has interior design background drafted the style that we wanted and hopefully, they will be able to build it as is.

Whoever invented this type of bed is a genius. These are specifically for those who have space and closet problems in their bedrooms just like us. Since we’re just living with the in-laws temporarily, we don’t have enough space to store all our stuffs: clothes, bed and bath linens, tons of toddler toys and even the brand new and unused kitchen stuffs and appliances gifted to us on our wedding. Apart from having just a small bedroom, we also have limited closets. These Storage Beds address this dilemma. As the name suggests, it is a space saving trundle only the lower part is specifically made for storage purposes. (Pictures via http://www.time4sleep.co.uk)