Update on our New Home!

I haven't been writing about our new home for a long while, but it is going fine. We signed the mortgage settlement in the end of the year and going to receive the ownership next week. Then on 1/17, our renovation starts!

Our floor plan is now fixed. We will remove the Japanese room (the room with tatami) and expand the living room and the bathroom. It took us about half a year to decide on this since we didn't want to make it complicated but easy place to be.

As I wrote before, my kitchen is going to have a storage for home electric appliances.



Of course we decided on all the floor materials and the fittings to be used. But one thing I haven't decided yet is whether or not to have an accent wall. It is to use color or texture to treat one wall differently from the others in a room to spice up the mood. It's a popular style nowadays applied to living rooms and bedrooms. I can decide on this at the very end, so will see...



Till next time ;)

Please click below and vote for me.

Deciding On Home Equipments - 2

On the weekend, my darling and I again toured the showrooms for our new home equipments. This time, kitchen storage at Sun Wave and toilet bowl at TOTO.

Speaking of kitchen storage, I realized it is better to have a storage for home electric appliances since I now have no place to keep them around... Believe it or not, I keep my rice cooker on the floor X( Also my brand new electric pot is out of use in the box... Anyway, there is a storage with vapor discharge system for rice cooker, electric pot, etc! I think I definitely need it in my new kitchen!!!

TOTO was fun! They nicely display the toilet bowls. Hehe!!!

It is getting cold in Tokyo day by day. Fur boot covers are in style this year! You can simply wear them with your favorite shoes!

Did you get a flu shot already?! I got it last week ;)

Take care!!!

Please click below and vote for me.

Deciding On Home Equipments

In the weekend, my darling and I again toured the showrooms for our new home equipments: kitchen at Sun Wave and bathroom & vanity at INAX. Since there are so many options for each equipment, we cannot decide the specifications at once. Now I have another change in my kitchen... we took many pictures there but somehow we want to see the real thing again, so going there back again this weekend... We cannot grudge the time for our new home, you know!
Can you believe it is already November?!
This week, I am really busy because I have to work on a holiday (11/3) and go Hokkaido (by plane) on 11/4 (PM) and come back on 11/5 (AM).

I hope I can handle all these schedules.

Anyway, I still have more to write about my wedding, so don't get board :P

Please click below and vote for me.

Renovation Ideas: Floor and Fittings

Now we have decided on themes for our new home.

Accordingly, we went to a showroom and looked for warm-looking bright wooden floor and bright wooden fittings.

"Bright, Natural, and Cute" is what I want for my new home!!!

BTW, the color of my kitchen is going to be honey white with cute handles (left bottom image). I double checked the color with the floor sample.

We still have to visit few more showrooms to decide our equipments to install...

The high recently is around 68F (20C), but it is cold in the evening. We might need overcoat soon.

This afternoon, I have a physical checkup which takes for more than 3 hours!!! Once a year but it is a pain...

Bye for now!

Please click below and vote for me.

What Is Your Ideal Home?

In June, we signed the purchasing contract for a condo which will be delivered next January, so now it is time to decide our renovation specifications!

At first, I was for cool-looking home (top images), but my darling said we have to imagine living there starting a family...

Last night, I therefore wrote down some themes for our new home:

- loving home
- cozy home
- relaxing home
- children-friendly home
- caring family
- happy family
- warm sunshine
- warmth of nature
- bright and roomy

A warm-looking home with bright wooden floor and bright wooden fittings might be the one (bottom images)! Will see...

What Is Your Ideal Home?

Please click below and vote for me.

Bye Bye Pack Rat

Can you throw things away?

Me? I tend to be a pack rat myself. I have hard time throwing things away...

I have changed my living place for many times but I always carry everything with me. My clothes, keepsakes, artwork, textbooks, stuffed toys, knick knacks...
Thing is, I always think I will need them later!!!
Thus, I guess half of my living space is used as a storage. In other words, I am paying the rent for the storage!!!

To overcome this situation, I've got a really good idea!

"Take a picture before you throw out!!!"

Now you can simply ask "Am I really going to use it?" and if your brutally honest answer is "No!" or even "Well...probably not", or if the thing is not used for 3 years, then take a picture and throw it away.

You can keep all those pictures in your tiny memory card as keepsakes and view them anytime. You might see them more often than in your storage ;) Also, you can remember that you already threw them away, JIC!

Yes. I'm gonna execute this rule before I move to my new home in March!!!

Dreaming of a cozy home with my darling :D

Please click below and vote for me.

We Bought a Home!!!

On Friday (6/25), my darling signed the purchasing contract for a condo! 3 months ago, we looked for a brand-new home to start with. However, we ended up getting an existing home because I realized it is wise (save more than ten million) to renovate to live in a good location with my favorite room layout and kitchen!!! Also, some existing homes have steady administrative structure and accumulated fund for many years which you can feel safe.

Our condo is a 5-minute walk to the train station. Close to the city, it is located in a quiet residential area, in front of schools and ward office. Our room is on the 10th floor with the night view of the city (Shinjuku). Also, we can view fireworks in the summer. Our dream is to have a drink on the balcony.

To tell the truth, we negotiated in the price and got millions of discount. The seller wants to move out in January, so we accepted that condition in exchange. According to my R.E. database, it was a good deal. He-he ;)

Our plan is to renovate there next January and move in by March, so I have enough time to finalize my ideas for the renovation. Now I am looking for a good remodeling contractor. A lot of research to do... Whew!

Anyway, we are leaving for NY tomorrow!!!

Talk to you later ;)

Please click below and vote for me.

Home Mortgage

These few months, my darling and I have been busy looking for a new home. The reason is simple. We have been renting our room for 7 years which could have spent on paying off our home mortgage!!! Plus, in Japan, you have to pay money every time you renew your contract for the rent. This is so wasteful.

To tell the truth, it is not easy to find a perfect home because the real estate prices are fixed. In other words, there is no property with a good deal. We started off looking for a new house far from the station and ended up renovating used condo near the station. The condos over 25 years don't qualify for a tax deduction for home mortgage, but you have no choice for a roomy house. There is always more to learn...

Anyway, I have one condo under consideration. I have a lot of paperwork to get through...

Good luck to me!!!

Please click below and vote for me.

Sun Wave Showroom

On Saturday, we had a meeting with remodeling contractor. Actually, we are also thinking of purchasing fully renovated used condo.

The meeting was pretty interesting since we realized we can do anything to the room layout, including kitchen!

Thus, in the afternoon, we went to see my new kitchen at Sun Wave's showroom. Sun Wave deals in system kitchens and vanity units made in Japan. The kitchen called amiy was even nicer than in the photo or web! You can add functional drawers (dish washer, oven, etc...) like a puzzle :D

At the showroom, an advisor will help you build up your kitchen that fits your floor plan. Then later, you'll get a quote with 3D image that shows how it fits into your place! How interesting!!!

I thought getting an used condo is not a bad choice, if you can renovate as you wish :D

Anyway, this weekend was so busy that I was overstressed and under-satisfied about everything... I just couldn't stop complaining about trifles and I had a big fight with my darling last night...

I have to rest at some point X(

Take care!!!

Please click below and vote for me.

How Do You Like Your Kitchen?

As I wrote before, I'm thinking of moving, and hopefully, I want to give more priority to my kitchen.

Currently, I have stand-alone kitchen. Which means the kitchen is in a small room surrounded by walls. If I want to watch TV, I need to look at dining room sideways... Therefore, I'm dreaming of owning counter kitchen, maybe the flat one like a table :D However, I hear pros and cons on it. The advantage is that you can join your family while cooking, but the disadvantage is that everything even leftover foods and garbage can be viewed from dining room...

Do you think the stove should be set along the wall to avoid the oil spot? I first thought it should be in line with a sink (like the image on the right), but later I thought it would be too messy with oil spot in this way X(

What do you think?
How do you like your kitchen?

Just for reference, please give me your comments and suggestions :D

Please click below and vote for me.