And So We Think .. Ah! The Walls Have Ears .. Written by : Reiki Sanctuary Date : Friday, August 15, 2008

The purpose of walls, in all houses, is about keeping the inhabitants safe and to control who enters.  Walls are security structure, an interactive demarcation between rooms and an entity to accommodate for a working system.  They limit a boundary and protect the space within.

Walls keep us safe.  They give us a sense of belonging.  They provide us with personal space and freedom.  We just need them.  Within the four walls, a true home is built.  It should be our own mini-world, our own Mother Earth.  It needs to be the kind of place which nurtures and makes us feel safe, and comfortable, yet also gives the freedom to be totally yourself.

We are very fussy with the final finish of the walls.  We want the old paint, from the previous owner, to be scrapped and followed with a good wall plaster.  To us, it is about giving Reiki Sanctuary a fresh bath.  A new spirit.  A new soul.  Basically, it is about the starting point of space cleansing.  It is about going back to basics of the security structure.

If walls have ears, we want to make sure what stays in Reiki Sanctuary stays within.  The walls must create a restful, energizing and healthful environment in a way similar to a holistic and spiritual wisdom and enhancement.  The walls must provide a psychological buffer for a quality life and to attract positive energy.

In many feng shui, walls are always treated with care to invite love and joy.  It is to prepare our bodies and minds for the uninhibited abundance that awaits us. 

We are happy with the painter's work on plastering the walls.

The materials used:

Wall Plaster

Stopping Compound

Stopping Compound is a plaster-based compound used for flushing joints of plaster board.  However, it can also be used as putty to touch up fibrous plaster board that produces a smooth fine finished using street trowel.

A good Wall Plaster should:

*  No visible crack from a distance of 1.5m
*  Unevenness should not be more than 3mm over 1.2m
*  No hollow sound when tapped with a hard object.
*  No mortar stains or paint drips

Finished False Ceiling and Plastered Walls:

Living Room

Living Room

Dining Room

Dining Room

Beam [Boxed up of Aircond Trunks] at Bedrooms Entrance

Boxed Up Aircon Trunk - Entrance to Bedrooms

View of Master Bedroom from Living Area

Bedrooms Door Frame

Study Area

Study Area

[Continue Reading ...]

Renovation - Week 05A Written by : Reiki Sanctuary Date : Monday, August 11, 2008

I guess it is a standard HDB structure for older flats where the ceiling is, in my opinion, kinda low.  Our unit has different ceiling height in each room!  The highest measured is 2612mm and the lowest is 2431mm.  Unfortunately, the lowest is at our Living Room, and next come the Dining Room at 2546mm.

When a tall friend came to view the house, he joked that he could help us changed the lighting bulbs without using a ladder.  Hopefully, with the right ICI Dulux Smartlight paint, it will make the house looks wider and taller.

Fixing a false ceiling all throughout the house is a big challenge for Chiauw.  Not only that she has to comply with HBD regulation, she also have to make sure that the ceiling-to-floor height is maintained.  Thing is, we insist on having the false ceiling as it will hide all the electrical wirings.  We also want to have downlights.  As we are facing the problem to maintain the height, the only possible way is to install halogen bulbs with a dimmer.  Halogen bulb, though it can be hotter, is shorter as compared to energy saving bulb.

The Berker Dimmer and Halogen Light Frame:

Berker Dimmer

Halogen Bulb Frame

False Ceiling works:

False Ceiling Installation in Progress

Completed - Dining Area:

Before:

Wiring at Dining Area

After:

False Ceiling at Dining Area 1

[Continue Reading ...]