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Dunno how to look for and choose a good contractor / Interior Designer?

Get yourself equipped first with knowledge before you start looking for one. This will save you lots of regrets later ;)

• 101 on Interior Designers
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Fridge : Mitshubishi MR-V45U

Finally bought a fridge!

The Brand is Mitsubishi and the Model is MR-V45U.

How I decided on this model? First of all as I have just started a family, I think I will start with something medium size. So 3 doors fridge me perfectly.

When I go scouting at various big electrical stores : ie. Harvey Norman, Best Denki, Courts, I saw that there is this model MR-V45T very popular and most of the time either out of stock or display sold. So I ran some searches on the net and found the following conclusion:

1. Mitsubishi fridge is a very trustable reliable brand
2. MR-V45T is popular but have only 2 ticks (energy saving mark)
3. MR-V45U is the new model replacing MR-V45T but have 3 ticks (better energy saving than the T series)
4. Currently there is promotion of $50 Robinson vouchers from the agent.
5. Have the color that fits into my kitchen design theme.

So voila! That's how I decided on this fridge :)

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All about Cotton

FIBERS

Here is a detailed description on types of fibers commonly used in making bedsheet sets.

CARE

All our sheets and towels are machine washable. As they are natural fibers, though, they can shrink or be damaged if improperly taken care of. The rule of thumb is to wash on cool, dry on low.

Wrinkling/Ironing
Our sheets also iron well, if you are concerned about wrinkling. But we realize that the larger sheets are unwieldy and inconvenient to iron constantly. In Italy, the Italians mostly line-dry to take care of that problem. If this is impossible, the next best thing to do is to fold once and hang your sheets over the shower curtain rod. The weight of the water in the fabric after washing will pull out most wrinkles. Another thing you can do is iron directly on the bed. We do recommend that you iron your sheets occasionally to keep them in top form.

Fabric Softeners and Drier Sheets
Fabric softeners and drier sheets do affect towel absorbency power, so avoid them when washing towels or robes.

Other topics/Bleach...
Bleach is not recommended, but very mild bleach can be used.

How to choose Iron

Five items to consider before buying an iron.

1. Heat

The ideal iron should have adjustable settings for delicate to cotton fabrics, an auto-off to turn the iron off after a pre-set time and an option for steam or heat only with no steam.

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2. Steam

Steam is the best wrinkle remover. Look for an iron with a burst of steam feature to help with tough wrinkles, a spray nozzle to pre-moisten fabrics and a clear gauge on the water tank for ease in filling. A self-cleaning feature uses a burst of steam to clear clogs in the soleplate of the iron and will save those iron-colored droplets appearing on your white shirt.

3. Surface

Non-stick soleplates are most often the same non-stick surface as cookware and are the easiest to clean. Stainless steel or aluminum also transfer heat well but may need to be scrubbed to remove built-up starch or sizing.

4. Cords

The easiest iron to use is a cordless rechargeable iron. But if you're purchasing one with a cord look for an extra long cord and a reversible or pivoting cord allowing left- and right-handers to use it comfortably - no excuses!

5. Weight

Depending on where you like to pump iron - the gym or the laundry - irons can weigh between one and a half to three pounds. A heavier iron will cover a greater pressing area but a light-weight iron may work best for light or infrequent sessions.

How to avoid Ironing Mistakes

Ironing clothes can be a tricky job. With so many fabric types, pleats, tucks, seams, etc. getting the wrinkles out can give even the best housekeeper a headache. Find out the top 7 ironing mistakes we make and how to avoid them. Some of them begin before we ever turn on our iron.

1. Letting clothes over-dry.

Clothes are very difficult to iron when they are fully dry or over dried in the dryer. Over-dried clothes can be very difficult to reshape. Try to remove clothes when they are still slightly damp. If you line dry your clothes, bring them inside to iron when they are not quite dry.

2. Overfilling the dryer.

It would seem like stuffing as many clothes as can fit into a dryer would save us time, but more than likely it will only lengthen the time you spend caring for your clothing. An average dryer should be only 1/2 full in order to allow freedom for all clothing to move. If too many articles of clothing are in the dryer, it will create monster wrinkles, and make your ironing much more difficult.

3. Forgetting to shake and smoothe.

When clothing is removed from the dryer, it frequently sits in a basket waiting to be ironed. Take a few minutes and shake out your clothing. Reshape garments, and smooth out seams and pleats. Even if clothing still needs to be ironed, it will be a much smoother process.

4. Not using the sprayer.

Many irons today come with a built in sprayer to dampen clothes during ironing. If yours doesn't have one, purchase a new inexpensive empty spray bottle to use. Dampen the clothing when you are ready to begin ironing. Wrinkles will fall out of the clothing as you iron. If you don't use the sprayer to soften up the clothing, ironing is much more difficult and for some garments, impossible.

5. Using Hard Water.

Tap water may be okay to use in your iron, depending on what type of water you have. People with hard water risk damaging their iron. Read the instructions for your iron, and if in doubt, use distilled water in your iron.

6. Improper use of starches and sizers.

Starches and sizers are a great tool when ironing, but they must be used properly. Spray these products as you iron, but allow them to actually penetrate into the garment before ironing over them. Allowing just a few seconds for the clothing to soak up the starch or sizer, will keep your iron's soleplate from becoming built-up with product residue.

7. Ironing heavyweight fabrics first.

If you have a large pile of ironing to do, try to iron your lightest silk, synthetic, and delicate fabrics first. These need to be ironed on low temperatures. Once the iron heats up, and you've ironed your lightweights, you can move on to the wools, cottens, linens, etc.

http://housekeeping.about.com/od/surfacefabric/a/ironmistakes.htm

How to select ironing board cover

Any cover should be smooth and permeable to heat and steam. Teflon-coated cotton covers will not stick to your clothes and make it easy to clean away any build-up of starch or sizing. The best pad is one made of felt. It will hold its shape better than a foam pad.

How to choose laundry detergent

Many people are as loyal to their laundry detergent as they are to their favorite cola. Some just buy what their mother used and others buy what’s on sale. With so many choices on the market, you’re sure to find one that you like and cleans your laundry.

Liquid or Powdered?

General purpose detergents are available in liquid or powdered form. Both clean clothes well. However, liquid detergents are very effecting on greasy, oily stains and can be easily used as a pretreater. Powdered detergents are usually less expensive to use per load. They are effective on clay and ground-in dirt. Take a look at your family’s needs and that will help you make a decision.

Liquids and powders can both be used in cold water; however, some powdered detergents do not dissolve well in lower temperatures. If this is a problem, use a higher wash temperature or dissolve the powder in a cup of hot water before adding it to the wash. Both types are available in concentrated or ultra forms. Be sure to read the labels to ensure that you are using the correct amount.

Combination products

A combination detergent does two jobs. Examples include a detergent plus fabric softener or color-safe bleach or bleach alternative. Some of these features enhance a detergent’s performance. The best way to determine if you can see a difference is to give them a try and decide for yourself if the extra expense makes your laundry look better. {h3]Specialty Detergents

Detergents that are designed for hand washing or machine washing delicate items are less harsh than regular detergents. Made for light soil and delicate fabrics, they are a good choice in the right situation.

For baby’s laundry and those sensitive to fragrances and dyes, chose a detergent that is free from those ingredients. Scented detergents smell great but may compete with your cologne or perfume – Apple Mango and Chanel No. 5 don’t always go together!

http://laundry.about.com/od/laundrybasics/a/choosedetergent.htm

Cotton & Linen Care

Cotton

Cotton fibers can be weakened by chlorine bleach. Undiluted bleach should never be applied directly to the fibers. Dilute solutions can be used safely on cotton or cellulosic fibers for stain removal and whitening. However, even dilute solutions will weaken fibers causing them to rip and wear out if used too often.

Extremely high temperatures when ironing can scorch cellulosic fibers. The scorching or yellowing occurs as the fibers begin to burn. Burned fibers cannot be revived.

Linen

Linen fibers can be weakened by chlorine bleach. Undiluted bleach should never be applied directly to the fibers. Dilute solutions can be used safely on linen or cellulosic fibers for stain removal and whitening. However, even dilute solutions will weaken fibers causing them to rip and wear out if used too often.

Extremely high temperatures when ironing can scorch cellulosic fibers. The scorching or yellowing occurs as the fibers begin to burn. Burned fibers cannot be revived.

Basics of Laundry

Learn to sort laundry by color and fabric; choose detergent and water temperature; pre-treating stains and drying methods.

Care by Type of Fabric (24)
Hand-Washing (2)
Definitions (19)
Pet Laundry and Stains (4)
Detergent Selection (3)

Tips for Ironing Fine Linen

Linens enhance and contribute to your table and keeping them looking crisp is easy if you follow these guidelines.
Use a clean iron
Before you begin, make sure that the soleplate of your iron is clean. If you’re using a steam iron, test it on an old cloth to be sure that there are no mineral deposits being left by the iron. Those droplets will cause brown staining.
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Use a well-padded ironing board
Use a well-padded ironing board with a smooth heat-reflective cover.
Start with damp linens
The linens should be damp for easier ironing. You’ll press them until they are smooth but not completely dry and allow them to finish drying in the air.
Starch or Sizing?
If you like to fold napkins into fancy shapes, you’ll need to use starch and a hot setting on your iron to get the crispness you need. For a softer look, use spray-on sizing and iron on a medium setting.
Light or dark colors?
For light-colored linens, iron on the wrong side first, then on the right side to bring out the sheen. On dark-colored articles, iron on the wrong side only.
Prevent mildew staining
Do not fold up just ironed linens - they should be kept spread out for some time to dry.
Prevent more wrinkles as you iron
Place your ironing board near a table when ironing large items such as tablecloths. Roll finished sections of the cloth over the table rather than letting it pile up under the ironing board.

Bedsheet 101

Wash

When in doubt, follow the washing directions on the sheet's label. For most sheets, wash in cool or lukewarm water using half of the recommended detergent. If possible, avoid using bleach as it breaks down obers or use non-chlorine bleach every other washing. Be careful not to over load as sheets will not wash properly. When drying, try to remove sheets when dry and fold immediately to avoid wrinkles. If they have already cooled in the dryer and wrinkles have set in, tumble another 5-10 minutes with a damp towel or washcloth.

Wear

Change bed linens once a week and pillowcases twice a week or more. Have three sets of sheets per bed: one for use on the bed, one in the laundry, and one in storage. Rotate all three sets so they wear evenly.

Tips

# Store sheet sets inside a pillowcase of the respective sheets to keep sets together.

# Buy extra bottom sheets for sheet patterns you love-bottom sheets wear out fastest.

# If you have time, iron pillowcases for a fresh, crisp look.

# Use a mattress pad between the mattress and sheets. Wash pad every three months.

(sources: www.about.com, www.apparelsearch.com, www.ezinearticles.com, www.calcot.com)

For more great linens, check out these Web sites:

www.threadcountzzz.com; www.thecompanystore.com; www.potterybarn.com; www.garnethill.com; www.frette.com; www.llbean.com; www.anthropologie.com; www.abundantearth.com; www.lavenderoelds.com; www.laylagrayce.com; www.dwellshop.com; www.designpublic.com; www.variegatedinc.com

What is Cotton Sateen ?

Those who like soft, smooth sheets on their beds probably love sateen sheets. Sateen is a cotton fabric with a luster resembling that of satin. It is used for sheets and apparel.

Sateen starts with long-fiber, combed or carded cotton. The cotton is then mercerized to bring out a sheen. Mercerization involves soaking the fiber in a bath of sodium hydroxide (i.e., lye) and then in an acid bath. The result makes the cotton fiber stronger and more easily dyed. It also adds a luster to the fibers.

This mercerized luster is one of the hallmarks of good sateen. Sateen should be very soft to the touch, with a high thread count, and should drape well. Sateen fabric uses the satin stitch in construction, which means the threads are mostly on one side of the fabric, giving that smooth look.

One other type of sateen is lining sateen. Sateen used for lining jackets or wraps is usually a heavy, luxurious, yet sturdy fabric. This kind of sateen may be made from silk, wool, nylon, polyester, or any other fabric that would produce the type of lustrous fabric required.

Sateen has been a popular fabric since the early 1900s. Being made of cotton, it is much cheaper than silk satin, and is also more durable, as well as being machine washable. In the early 20th century, sateen was often used for women's undergarments because of its durability and smooth feel.

Sateen sheets have become popular as people want more luxurious fabrics in their homes and have found that sheets with a higher thread count are more durable. They are more expensive, however, and a set of 400 thread-count sateen sheets for a queen size bed can run anywhere from $80 US Dollars (USD) to well over $100 USD.

Shoppers who like crisp, ironed sheets should probably look for percale in stores. Percale sheets are more like a traditional cotton fabric and some prefer their crisper feel. They are also less expensive than sateen, in general.

Sateen is a useful, durable fabric that will probably continue to be popular in the textile industry.

How to wash Egyptian Cotton Bed Linen

Washing Egyptian Cotton Bed Sheets & Towels
Egyptian cotton is considered to be one of the finer types of cotton, as it refers to a long staple fine cotton usually grown in northern Africa. Due to the long staple fiber of Egyptian cotton, bedding made of this fabric is durable as well as silky smooth. Long staple cotton is less likely to become rough, pill and exhibit surface balling, all which detract from the longevity of a fabric. Hand picked long staple Egyptian cotton is even more durable as hand picking, rather than mechanical picking, leaves cotton fibers straight, long and intact.

Egyptian Cotton linens become softer and more luxurious with washing. You may find that your bed linens are more likely to wrinkle, until they have been washed a few times.

Washing your bed linens
Always wash your Egyptian cotton sheets in a separate load than your regular laundry, as zippers, hooks and buttons have a tendency to damage cotton linens. Bed Linen should be washed in warm water (no higher than 40C), using a gentle detergent followed by a cold rinse. Quality, pH balanced detergents, such as Tide, are recommended when laundering fine cotton linens. Chlorinated bleach is not recommended as it will damage quality cotton bedding fibers over time. If necessary, non-chlorinated bleach can be used with white and ivory cotton linens. Removing cotton sheets promptly after washing will reduce wrinkling.

Unlike man made fibers, cotton will benefit from line-drying, leaving them almost wrinkle free and smelling fresh. If you wish you may also tumble dry on a low heat. Use the cool down cycle at the end to reduce wrinkles. Shaking your linen before putting it into the tumble dryer will also help reduce creasing. Remove sheets while they are still slightly damp and hang to finish drying.

After remaking your bed, smooth your cotton sheets by hand to minimize wrinkles. Ironing is a matter of choice but not usually necessary for cotton sheets. However, some people prefer to iron their cotton sheets for a crisper appearance.

A little known, but very important fact, is that Egyptian cotton is the best type of cotton fabric for allergy sufferers. This is due to the fact that good Egyptian cotton is hand-picked from organically-grown harvests.

Removing cotton sheets promptly after washing will reduce wrinkling. Shaking linens out prior to placing them in the dryer will reduce wrinkling as well. When machine drying, use a warm temperature setting, remove sheets while they are still slightly damp and hang to finish drying. After remaking your bed, smooth your cotton sheets by hand to minimize wrinkles. Ironing is a matter of choice but not usually necessary for cotton sheets. However, some people prefer to iron their cotton sheets for a crisper appearance.

Washing bath towels
We would recommend washing your towels before use. This helps to “break them in”, which makes them softer and more absorbent. Several washings are needed before 100% Egyptian cotton towels are at their maximum absorbency and softness.

Launder towels in warm water (no higher than 40C) and a gentle detergent. You should note that the use of fabric softeners will impair the absorbency of the towel.

A natural fiber such as cotton will benefit from line drying, leaving them smelling fresh and wrinkle free. If you wish you may also tumble dry on a low heat. Use the cool down cycle at the end to reduce wrinkles. Shaking your linen before putting it into the tumble dryer will also help reduce creasing. Remove from the tumble dryer promptly after cycle.

Washing Cotton Bed Sheets: Percale Sheets, Cotton Sateen Sheets and Egyptian Cotton Sheets

Cotton percale refers to a closely woven, high thread count combed cotton fabric. Thread count refers to the number of horizontal and vertical threads used to create one square inch of fabric. Most people think percale refers to the fabric content, however, it really refers to the weave of the fabric. Cotton percale sheets typically have a thread count of 180 or more and can be easily home laundered. Cotton Percale is known to wash well and last for many years.

Cotton sateen is generally made from combed thread, but uses a finer thread than cotton percale. It is woven differently and generally has a higher thread count than percale as finer threads are used. Cotton sateen sheets have a tendency to lose their sheen after the first washing, due to the type of construction of a sateen weave. However, ironing cotton sateen sheets after washing will immediately smooth the fibers and restore the luster and silkiness of the fabric.

Egyptian cotton is considered to be one of the finer types of cotton, as it refers to a long staple fine cotton usually grown in northern Africa. Due to the long staple fiber of Egyptian cotton, bedding made of this fabric is durable as well as silky smooth. Long staple cotton is less likely to become rough, pill and exhibit surface balling, all which detract from the longevity of a fabric. Hand picked long staple Egyptian cotton is even more durable as hand picking, rather than mechanical picking, leaves cotton fibers straight, long and intact.

Egyptian cotton that has undergone a mercerization process is the most durable type of Egyptian cotton. Mercerization is a process whereby a cotton yarn or fabric is passed through a controlled heat atmosphere (termed singeing) and then treated with a solution of Caustic Soda (sodium hydroxide). This process burns any fuzz off of the cotton yarn and ultimately results in cotton that has a higher luster and dye affinity. Subsequently, repeated washing is less likely to lead to fading, in color or luster, of your mercerized Egyptian cotton sheets. A little known, but very important fact, is that Egyptian cotton is the best type of cotton fabric for allergy sufferers. This is due to the fact that good Egyptian cotton is hand-picked from organically-grown harvests.

Always wash your cotton percale sheets, cotton sateen sheets and Egyptian cotton sheets in a separate load than your regular laundry, as zippers, hooks and buttons have a tendency to damage cotton linens. Take care to always use a gentle wash cycle with a cold temperature setting, and a mild detergent. Quality, pH balanced detergents, such as Tide, are recommended when laundering fine cotton linens. Chlorinated bleach is not recommended as it will damage quality cotton bedding fibers over time. If necessary, non-chlorinated bleach can be used with white and ivory cotton linens.

Removing cotton sheets promptly after washing will reduce wrinkling. Shaking linens out prior to placing them in the dryer will reduce wrinkling as well. When machine drying, use a warm temperature setting, remove sheets while they are still slightly damp and hang to finish drying. After remaking your bed, smooth your cotton sheets by hand to minimize wrinkles. Ironing is a matter of choice but not usually necessary for cotton sheets. However, some people prefer to iron their cotton sheets for a crisper appearance.

To Buy List

1. Hasegawa tatami mat
- $79.90 + 10% discount
- lookout for June & Dec 09
- at Takashimaya

2. Electric Cooker

3. Sofa

4. Bedroom set

5. TV Console

6. Home Theater System

7. Kitchenware

8. Kitchen Towel

9. Shoe Cabinet

Unconventional Regulator on Crestar Ceiling Fan

What is this?

Normal fan regulator will have the following :

0 - OFF
1 - Lowest speed
2 - Speed higher than 1
3 - Speed higher than 2
4 - Highest speed

But my Crestar ceiling fan having the following instead :

0 - OFF
1 - Highest speed
2 - Speed lower than 1
3 - Speed lower than 2
4 - Lowest speed

Called up Crestar service center, was given the answer that this is their intended design. What a stupid designer to come out with this!

If any of you Crestar Fan designer see this, please change the design OK!

Problem with my new Washing Machine Electrolux EWF1090

Eeerrghh!

Just bought a ELECTROLUX EWF1090 8kg Washer and one of the button is spoilt! And I had chosen Electrolux as I thought that this is a Brand that is so trustable...uurgh

And the worse is I keep calling the Electrolux customer service and the phone line is busy all the time. Left my number in the mailbox but nobody returned my call!

What a Great Expectation :(