Design Proposals

I am very happy with the new software I'm using. Because at just one click ...8 Price Groups will be generated! It just makes it so much easier to help our clients make their budgeting decisions because the materials that we carry are divided into 8 Price Groups - Group 1 being the most economical and the price goes up to Group 8, the highest. Customers just have to choose the price range that suits their budget!

This set costs RM21,659 and uses a combination of Group4 High Gloss Venato Season White+Group6 Crystal Gloss Finoline Imora Red +Group2 Pigment Matt Season White materials, and includes LG HiMacs Arctic White Solid Surface.

If using other price group materials, the price will change as follows..

CHOICE OF MATERIAL

Group1-LAMINATE $14,482
Group2-PIGMENT MATT $16,550
Group3-LAMINATE FINOLINE $19,094
Group4-HIGH GLOSS PIGMENT $20,902
Group5-ASH,OAK,TEAK,WALNUT,MAPLE $22,834
Group6-BEECH,OAK,MAPLE,CRYSTAL GLOSS $23,703
Group7-MAPLE,TEAK,WALNUT $26,633
Group8-ZEBRANO,WENGE $30,176

This set costs RM22,401 using materials from Group 1 Rosa 338 and Group 4 High Gloss Severo Season White and includes solid surface LG HiMacs Arctic White.

If using other materials, the price will change accordingly.

CHOICE OF MATERIAL

Group1-LAMINATE $18,439
Group2-PIGMENT MATT $20,874
Group3-LAMINATE,PINE $24,229
Group4-HIGH GLOSS,PIGMENT MATT $25,919
Group5-ASH,OAK,TEAK,WALNUT,MAPLE $27,691
Group6-BEECH,OAK,MAPLE,CRYSTAL GLOSS $27,348
Group7-MAPLE,TEAK,WALNUT $30,177
Group8-ZEBRANO,WENGE $34,809

This set costs RM 36,802 using Group 4 materials consisting of High Gloss Venato Mocca colour combined with High Gloss Venato Snow White and LG Hi-Macs Arctic White.

The pricing changes according to materials chosen :

CHOICE OF MATERIAL

Group1 - LAMINATE $26,523
Group2 - PIGMENT MATT $30,077
Group3 - FINOLINE LAMINATE $34,456
Group4 - HIGH GLOSS PIGMENT $36,802
Group5 - ASH,OAK,TEAK,WALNUT,MAPLE $39,167
Group6 - BEECH,OAK,MAPLE,CRYSTAL GLOSS $39,116
Group7 - MAPLE,TEAK,WALNUT $42,853
Group8 - ZEBRANO,WENGE $49,112

Design for Kelana Jaya

Today, I'm putting up makeover pictures of a sub-sale unit. There are 2 major areas to renovate for any sub-sale property - the kitchen and the bathroom. However good condition the property is in, the kitchen and bathroom tiles will definitely be out of trend if the property is a few years old - yes, colours have trends and trends change every few years.



Again I must emphasize that to make the home beautiful takes much more than just the amount of money spent on the renovation work. The result of every work delivered depends a lot on the effort that the home owner contributes too. In this case, he has done a superb job in shopping for the MATCHING SOFT FURNISHINGS and keeping the home NEAT. I had written earlier on what makes a good renovation result at http://meridiandesign.blogspot.com/2009/05/you-are-wasting-your-time-and-money-if.html

The Living Room
This unit is quite a large and long one. Frequently this type of layout will be rather dark in the centre where the sun doesn't come in. Furthermore this balcony opening faces North, so there is no direct sunlight. To bring in the natural sun, avoid putting up heavy drapes but use sheer ones instead. The owner has indicated his preference for earthy and cozy colours - colours that relaxes you at the end of a busy workday. I used a mixture of Nippon Terrace Stone and Bramble Beige on smaller walls - greyish organic greens, earthy enough without too much brown and a little green because green is a calming and relaxing colour. The rest of the house is in Daisy White.
Tips :
There are many new shades of white available nowadays, just make sure not to choose lily white, apple white, lilac white, barley white, etc if you what something different. I normally do not use Pearl Glo paints unless the customer specially requests for it because
1) glossy walls are not trendy
2) glossy surfaces brings out all the flaws in the wall - never choose this unless your walls are fully skim-coated.

The Open Kitchen

The original kitchen was a closed up one with a hole opening, as was the trend a few years ago. We updated the look be opening it up and covering all the walls in glass, hence removing the need to change all the tiles. I proposed a combination of glossy black and wood grains. Black is a strong and sombre colour, to add brown wood grains would make it friendlier to live with. Unless the set is very small, it's always better to have a combination of 2 materials and colours.

The Guest Bathroom

The common bathroom was completely made over. The very outdated blue tiles were removed, new cream ones plus some very large mock stone pieces put up.

TIPS :

A point to note here, when buying tiles be careful of not getting lower grade tiles which are cheaper but the sizes will not be equally same. Also, buy tiles from the same batch so that all the colours are even. Always buy around 3-5% extra so that in cases of miscalculation or breakage, the workflow is not interrupted. Do not immediately buy the toilet bowl until the plumber can confirm the outlet piping size, otherwise you'll end up with a toilet bowl that cannot be fitted in.

The plaster ceiling of the master bedroom is in 2 levels, providing some depth. We did a fake wall on the left side of the wardrobe to give it a built-in impression. This method may waste a little space and cost a little higher but the result is always much nicer than using an end panel.

This view from the balcony captivated my colleagues from Sibu, Sarawak when they accompanied me to this unit during the renovation work. They do not have such a high look-out point back home.

The total renovation costs for this home is as follows :

Convert closed-up to open concept kitchen
and kitchen cabinets - RM17,500
Master bedroom wardrobe - RM6,600
MBR bath renovation - RM3,500

Common bath renovation - RM7,600
Skim coat and Painting to ceiling, wall and doors - RM6,800
MS grille - RM1,200
Electrical, plaster board, misc. - RM9,600

Curtains - RM4,900

Total renovation costs RM57,700

Design for Kota Damansara

After working on so many glossy kitchens, this set of contemporary country look kitchen is a welcome change with its beautiful textured door facade.

Open Kitchen

We reclaimed the yard's toilet and converted it to an extension of the kitchen, hence it's become larger. A brick wall was put up and whitewashed for that rustic look. To create a rustic look, I would recommend buying lower grade bricks rather than premium grade bricks as these are "too perfect". Lower grade bricks ( or what our worker calls the longkang bricks! ) come with chippings and crack lines and these are what give them character.

White is a beautiful colour, the favourite colour of the lady owner. The husband's favourite colour is orange, the colour of energy and adventure - which really reveals his personality as someone who loves the outdoors with backpacking and diving as his passion. I spent quite some time admiring the unusual collection items from his off-the-beaten-track travels!

This island unit has slightly higher than normal skirting, with light illumination below to give it a "floating" illusion.

The Baby's Room

The condominium management did not allow any hacking through walls and did not provide any air-cond ducting for all other rooms other than the master bedroom. It's not a very friendly arrangement, so we created fake walls and ceiling to hide all the unsightly air-cond ducting.

The baby's room was totally in pale blue and pure white, giving the environment a cool and light look.

The Living Room

The living area was done in earthy colours for a warm and cozy look. No renovation was done here except for painting.

The Master Bedroom
I came at baby's feeding time, so it wasn't convenient to take pics of the room and the connecting bath. We don't want to disturb the little angel, do we?

The total renovation costs for this home is as follows :


Foyer shoe cabinet with umbrella compartment - RM1,335

Convert yard toilet to extended kitchen

and kitchen cabinets - RM28,790

Kitchen accessories - RM3,310

Master bedroom wardrobe and dresser - RM9,890

MBR bath renovation - RM11,310

Painting to ceiling and wall only - RM2,800

MS grille - RM4,600

Create additional room for study - RM2,370

Electrical, plaster board, misc. - RM9,899

Total renovation cost - RM74,304

* This time, I did not break down my costs into too much detail but just a general description of the work done in this home. This should be helpful enough to help you plan your renovation budget. - Lola

Design for Subang Alam

The lady owner of this house loves the rich and warm colours of autumn so much that she wants to replicate these colours in her kitchen. Being a serious cook and someone who bakes often, she puts full emphasis on this kitchen.


Before

After

This kitchen costs RM21,530 (granite top not included).

What People Say...

"Your pricing is very reasonable considering the whole package of personal ID and project management services provided by Chee Hoong and Lola . The construction workers team that you assembled have dealt with my project with great skills.

I found Meridian by chance browsing through the internet. It was a blessing that you guys turned out to be real professionals to deal with.

I had used other contractors before for my old house. Bad experience, I must admit. Poor workmanship, cheap materials. Poor project management with lots of delay. No after sales service at all. They never come back ever again to attend to my complaints.

Did Meridian help me? Yes truly. It was a hassle free project for me. Chee Hoong took care of everything and willing to listen to any of my suggestions and preference. After sales was really good and prompt. I have confidence that this project was a worthwhile investment after all. ID suggestions and colour matching by Lola was great. We are very happy.

Any time! I am sure to recommend your services to any person who ask me. I will just tell them to let Meridian to become the whole project manager rather than to source out their projects to various contractors. Your service is unbelievable!"

Comment from :
Dr. Hoe Kah Siong
Consultant Anaesthesiologist
Prince Court Medical Center, Kuala Lumpur


“I was reading some forum in which Lola was actively participating in the discussion. Though she is an interior designer and have own business in interior design and work, her reply and feedbacks in the discussion seems honest and sincere. That’s when I sent an e-mail to her asking if she is interested to work for my new apartment. And it all started from there on.

During evaluation I did not compare prices much with another two contractors I engaged for the project. Each one has own advantages but I was more concerned on the quality of work and the after sales service that I will be getting. At that point of time I cannot gauge any of these from the quotations, but after several discussions with both Lim and Lola, I am confident in them. And I was right. 1 year after the project I am still getting the after sales service from them, with no hassle or hidden cost. I am a happy customer now.

My dealing with other contractor did not go beyond asking for quotation, so I do not know how they will fare against Meridian Design. This is where personal touch matters most whereby some big ID consultants tend to be very calculative and charge you for every single change or improvement you need to do during the project. I did not experience this with Meridian Design. Even well after I have moved into my new apartment, I am still getting the after sales services from them without hassle. I am sure I will not be getting this kind of service from many other companies as a business aims to make money and naturally they tend to be calculative and difficult. The fact that Meridian Design is a small family business with a lot of personal touch appeals to me most.

Meridian Design helped to make my choice of dreamed living space a reality. I am sure everybody will have their own idea on the most suitable living environment tailored towards the needs and lifestyle of the particular person. From the planning stage, I discussed my needs and lifestyle with Lim & Lola, and they produced the most suitable design fulfilling my needs. All the details are discussed promptly minimising any design error that can be costly to rectify. I have a friend who engaged an ID for his new place. The design errors made by the ID costs my friend quite a considerable sum of money, as details like the distance of the sink to the shower screen, lighting points and socket positions are not discussed explicitly during the planning stage. I am glad that through his experience in ID, Lim has advised me accordingly on these details and avoided the costly design error. I remembered how it took us 30 minutes just to discuss the perfect location of the mirrors in the bathrooms.

I definitely recommend Meridian Design to my friends and family. As ID process can be rather pressing and costly affair, it makes perfect sense to ensure that we have a reliable partner to work with. For me, ID is something very personal, and there is no one design already in the market that can fit your specific needs and lifestyle. Customisation is the key and to do this one will need to get an experienced, reliable and trusted company to do it right first time. And Meridian Design has done this for me and I trust it will do the same to my friends and family.

In one word, Meridian is Reliable.”


Comment from :




Fadli Baharuddin
Manager, Business Development
PETRONAS










“As a Singaporean, I am not familiar with other IDs here in Malaysia nor done any price comparison. I selected Meridian because they are sincere, with genuine attitude, very patient and willing to go the extra mile to accommodate changes.

Meridian had helped in my home renovation by offering good ideas on design, are adaptable to changes, and are ready to provide cheaper solutions and alternatives where possible.

Yes, I will definitely recommend Meridian to my friends as I appreciate their patience and sincerity. In one word Meridian is Trustworthy.”




Comment from :


















Chan Tau Chou
Field producer
AlJazeera Network
http://english.aljazeera.net/programmes/101east/2009/06/2009625976753600.html












“Meridian was recommended to me by my friend for its good rapport and excellent customer service. Their price is not the cheapest nor the most expensive – I would say middle range, but it was worth every cent!

I have not engaged any contractors before but my close family members had warned me to be careful in choosing one. Some had the bad experience of engaging contractors with weak finances and bad cash flow management or work quality issues.

Meridian helped us by providing a complete package – a one-stop solution that includes both structural works and interior design concept consultation.
Would I recommend Meridian to my friends and family? I’ve already done that in Lowyat.net forum! Because I want to share the same satisfaction that I’ve already experienced! And how would I describe Meridian? Meridian’s service was worth the money spent!”

Comment by :
Mohd Ridzuan Ahmad Hariri
Bank Executive





“Even though your price is above average, I chose to engage Meridian because they are easy to deal with, listen to customers’ needs and gave great ideas. Your service is value for money!

I had used another contractor to renovate my house before Meridian came in. The discussion process was difficult and mistakes kept happening even though clear instructions had been given. He seemed to prioritise profits instead of customer satisfaction, non-negotiable on money and disappeared with the money paid!

Meridian came up with brilliant ideas, generous with goodies, were very detailed, with excellent on-site workers. Now the kitchen is one of the best areas in the house. I will certainly recommend Meridian to my friends and family due to their excellent service, consultative advice, value for money and their flexibility. Nowadays, discounts, flexibility and free goodies are very important. They can even help you to design the whole house! Meridian is awesome!

However these are what Meridian has to improve on : be punctual on every appointment and get more selection of materials and colours.”

Comment by :
Yourdadisangry , a member of Malaysia Real Estate Forum http://www.realestate.net.my/forum
Our commitment
Yourdadisangry, thank you for bringing out points for us to improve on. We treat and value every feedback as constructive and I am emphasizing that our workforce learn the importance of time management and customer care. It’s an uphill task as contractors are from the old school but we’ve taken the first step by enrolling the management team and supervisors for training.


Lola Lim
Designer and Director, Meridian Interior Design Sdn Bhd