OUR BIGGEST FEAR:
FINDING AN ID WE COULD TRUST
Our biggest fear was finding an ID that we could trust and who can help us make our dream home come true.” so said Philena and Jun Cheng from @gohinghome. Finding the right ID “is like a hit or miss”, and even scarier when the ID you hired keeps overcharging you, not settling the outstanding issues in the home renovation project or worse has a criminal record!
TURNING TO THE INSTAGRAM HOMEOWNER COMMUNITY
With these issues in mind, they turned to the community of home accounts on Instagram, where they found many couples facing similar renovation issues. One plus point is that these home accounts have always responded almost immediately to offer their suggestions and ideas, providing them peace of mind. Even when they were undecided on items to purchase for the home, Philena would create a poll on Instagram to gauge the response. Now, the couple feels it is their turn to share their recent renovation experiences with other families, choosing to pay forward what they have received by starting their own home account.
RENOVATION THEME
The couple wanted a Muji theme for their new home. Inspired by the Japanese Zen religion, the Muji theme relies on minimalist styles like clean lines and monochromatic colours to highlight simplicity. It focuses on the shape, colour and texture of the furnishings and fittings that showcase subtle and yet interesting design features. Muji themes may spell simplicity for homeowners, but finding the right furniture and fittings posed a big challenge for Philena and Jun Cheng. On top of that, both partners being very particular about their selections, the materials acquired had to match perfectly or they would not be perfect for the home. They decided that the walls and other fittings were to be white, which made it easy to match almost anything they purchased.
IMPORTANCE OF A BIG KITCHEN
A love for cooking since she was young, Philena had the final say as to how the kitchen would turn out. She wanted an L-shaped kitchen, spacious and big, where all the appliances and fittings and other items were neatly tucked away, creating an overall sense of calmness and stability. “The kitchen is a very important space for me, having a kitchen that was big and suited our needs was essential for our home.”
OVERCOMING THEIR FEARS
Like any other couple or families wanting to renovate their homes, money was one of their biggest obstacles. This included the home loan, renovation loan for which they are thankful that they managed to pull through these tough times. However, their next fear was finding the right ID.
A responsible and trustworthy ID, one who would be accountable and punctual in their work; one who would not resort to overcharging and not carrying out the required finishing touches when needed to. It was not easy for the young couple in their search for that perfect ID. After 2 failed sessions with other IDs, they were blessed to find Jason from Icon Interior, who also happened to have previously renovated her father’s apartment.
WORKING WITH JASON
Philena says that working with Jason is “smooth like butter”. Trustworthy, reliable, and punctual were the key words she used to describe the working experience she had with him. Having to travel from the west of Singapore to the east where their new home was situated and after making many surprise drop-ins on the renovation process, she was convinced that they had truly found a gem in Icon Interior. Jason even went further to win their trust by responding promptly to their queries on the pace of the renovation, clearing the renovation mess to receive new furniture that had unexpectedly arrived before the renovations were completed. To which Philena chipped in that the list of positive things about Jason and Icon Interiors was so long that it could not be contained in this video.
FAVOURITE MEMORY
The gym. The couple enjoy their home gym where they can work out at their own pace and comfort and to which Philena believes that it was worth every cent they paid for. For their friends and family, it is their mahjong sessions that happen in the new home to which they nicknamed her the “God of (Mahjong) Gamblers”.
RENOVATION REGRETS
Jun Cheng cited the bathroom tiles in the common bathroom which appeared to be “slippery” when wet and perhaps more time could have been spent selecting the most suitable tiles for this place. A word of advice from the couple: bring home samples of floor tiles so that one can get the right feel before making that huge and often irrevocable choice.
Jason’s workmanship of the gym mirror so impressed Philena, that she would have gladly paid for Jason to work his wonders with the master bathroom mirror instead of having the ready-made one installed.
BIGGEST LESSON LEARNT
The couple’s faith has helped them appreciate this new abode of theirs. They believed that God has provide them with the necessary help and assistance when it was needed. She advises others to be prudent in their expenditure and to make that “every dollar and cent counts”. Despite their 10-year age difference, the couple believe in doing it all over again and spending what is necessary on their home and Philena hopes that she can retire early to enjoy this beautiful house they now call HOME.
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