I am so happy to see you here! I will have to go back and see if i can retrieve my posts... thought I would make them into a little book for my daughter, with photos. Quick run-down on the bathroom (not travels, no time) - The kitchen has a rather elegant sliding door with beveled glass panels. Painted white, since this was the original colour. GD's new bathroom has the doors I had picked earlier; i thought of polishing them but decided sprayed automobile paint (on a resin primer) would wear better. Especially since it is such a small bathroom, and she is so splashy. I have this finish in my kitchen and it has lasted 15 years now. A tad chipped here and there, but only needs a wipe down once a week. Same finish for the balcony doors, also split like the bathroom. We have a new wardrobe, a study table with built-in shelves, and a small chest of drawers for her odds and ends. I want to re-tile the tiny balcony, more as a little statement. Currently we are looking at Portuguese tiles, though I did think a mosaic with a funky cat might be nice. Let me see the costing. The room will be painted a neutral adobe, with bright white woodwork and an off-white ceiling. This means she can go wild with cushions and covers. Other changes in the flat; We have changed the glass in the master bedroom and living room from small cramped panes to a single pane for each section with a 1" bevel all round. Doubles the cost of the glass, but looks so elegant! The air-conditioning is being re-located. The compressors were all mounted in the bedroom and living room balconies, which looked terrible and meant the balconies (very narrow, only 30" deep) couldn't be used for anything. Not even plants. So they are being moved so that the compressors can be mounted at the rear of the building. two down, one to go. Now we can put in some nice plants, fishtail palms etc. The kitchen counter on one side came out intact and will be reused elsewhere. I am planning overhead storage, cupboards, and a draining cupboard for plates and glasses. Right now there is no dish washer, though a place is earmarked, but for now I will put in a cupboard with steel racks for cups, glasses and plates, all hidden behind pressed glass doors. This is all in the planning stage.... Pictures in a little while, they are mostly on my ipad and don't transfer well to the mac. They come without numbers... so I have to rename the or something. Somebody tell me how to do this!

Hi, I am not a professional but a enthusiast. I have 2 opinions for you. 1. Small Puja Mandir in place of Fridge and move the fridge near the Sink opposite to Dining. This will be probably very Small. But during Pooja, there will be good space. 2. The second opinion is based on questioning the need of 3 bathrooms. You can remove one attached bathroom and make it a big Pooja Room. Further, you can also play with the size of Bathroom and make it extremely small and accommodate both Pooja from outside and a small bathroom or powder behind it * Chosen practicality over Vaastu.

Hi Sir, Since you are done Identifying your needs and limitations follow some referenced tips! Like thinking about three viable plans gives you greater flexibility if some elements are unworkable after talking to your designer/architect. They also help you clarify the mix of elements that are most important and the least to your family and your lifestyle. You also need to separate your interior design and completion of the home budget, which includes new fittings and furniture, garden treatments, etc., from the building budget. Finally, after working out a budget, determine if your expectations are realistic. If certain elements may make you go over budget, tweak and adjust your plans so they are viable. Once you have finalised your top 3 house plans, you should choose someone to make them a concrete floor plan to develop. if not? try these tips to communicate your vision - use software, Pin it, make mood boards and gather sample materials. Good Luck! - Layden Wangmo [senior design consultant] MAD DESIGN

Hey, The first step to any renovation in to remove the old. In case the kitchen counter top is in a -usable condition upon removal then of course go ahead and reuse it. For the plywood, it depends on what you're using and what you're using it for. That is something that onsite consultation will give more clarity on. You're right, there are a lot of western DIY videos that work with wooden furniture. but the thing is, they have solid wood furniture more often than not. When they're sanding away, its not the laminate but the top layer of wood polish and wood lacquer that they are removing. for the sole purpose of repainting the furniture. Often you'll find them using raw plywood without using laminates as well because unlike India, they have a good quality and grain top and bottom surfaces. As a result, polishing does the job for them. There are a lot of things they have which are not as durable as we make them in India as we look more to permanence in this country. (Side Note: a lot of their tiles are also peel and stick) Green living is a commendable thought, and there are a lot more things you can do to ensure a green lifestyle. Reuse is definitely one aspect! All the best and let us know how it turns out! And in case you need design help. please do think of us! Best! CUBSpaces Team +91-9923893771