Category Archives: General

6 ways to make your rooms look bigger

Posted on 7 Sep 2015 | Comments Off on 6 ways to make your rooms look bigger

Like money, we will never complain that there’s too much (room) space at home, and these local homes that have found ways to make rooms look bigger at pocket-friendly prices.

Space is a form of luxury on our densely-populated sunny island. With shrinking square feet in new homes, we take a look at how these HDBs and condominiums effectively incorporate design, colours and nature to make a small space seemingly larger at pocket-friendly prices.

1. Natural Light

Let natural light seep in to create depth. Take a step further and replace the curtains with blinds or shades if you need privacy.

If your house isn’t blessed with a good layout in capturing solar energy, opt for glass partition to allow light to permeate and light up the darker corners of the room.

1 V1

2. Mirrors

A common method is to make use of mirrors and other reflective surfaces to create the illusion of a bigger space.

Opt for large full-length mirrors or position smaller mirrors opposite windows or in front of a light source to amplify the lighting.

2

3. Trade overhead lights for smaller lamps

Top-down lighting can be harsh and draws attention to one space. Instead, set up smaller lamps at different corners of the house to spread light around the area and draw the eye around the room. Then select warm lightings to add on to the cosy factor.

3

4. Show some legs

…for your furniture that is. As boundaries between rooms blur, reduce the chunk by choosing less bulky furniture with their sleek legs and contoured body.

4rf

5. Get rid of clutter

Clutter is the nemesis of space. Minimise the sight of clutter with multi-purpose furniture or hidden storage display; or try disposing off your unused items for a cheaper alternative.

5ff

6. Light-coloured walls and floorings

A no-brainer; light-coloured floorings and walls are common ways to make the room feel airy as opposed to dark colours. If pristine white isn’t your preferred choice of palette, add a dash of colours in your furniture or try pale-coloured wallpapers or tiles.

6ff

Comments Off on 6 ways to make your rooms look bigger

Posted in General, Landlord, Renovation, Tenant

Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

Court throws out claim of secret will

Posted on 6 Sep 2015 | Comments Off on Court throws out claim of secret will

The youngest child of late Chinese businessman Lian Seng Peng has lost a bid to have a secret handwritten will by his father recognised, after a High Court judge found the surrounding circumstances to be “suspicious”, reported The Straits Times.

The elder Lian died in December 2012 at the age of 93, leaving behind $7 million worth of assets, the bulk of which is a home in Siglap.

Under a will prepared by a lawyer on 18 December 2010 and witnessed by the family doctor, he left the house to his wife while his other assets were to be shared equally by his six grandchildren.

Last year, Mr Lian’s only son Lian Kok Hong sued his sister Bee Leng and niece Hui Ying, executors of his father’s 2010 will.

Kok Hong, who runs a chemical company, had previously stopped both women from distributing his father’s assets according to the 2010 will, claiming that he was holding on to the final will.

The will was dated 10 June 2012, but amended to 10 August 2012 and counter-signed by Mr Lian.

Kok Hong testified that he visited his father in August of that year along with five of his employees. He revealed that they had with them the draft will that was given to him by his father in June. They also took photos of him signing the will in the presence of two witnesses – Zhu Jintian and Goh Tay Sin.

Under the August 2010 will, Mr Lian left each of his six grandchildren $100,000 and instructed that the home in Jedburgh Gardens be sold. The proceeds of the sale were allegedly to be used to establish a charity fund – $1 million would be donated to a school in Mr Lian’s hometown in China and S$1 million will be donated to Thong Chai Medical Institution.

In her decision, Justice Judith Prakash rejected Kok Hong’s claim and ruled in favour of the 2010 will.

She noted that the circumstances surrounding the 2012 handwritten will were “sufficiently suspicious” and that Kok Hong failed to prove that his father consented and knew the terms of the will.

“To me, the plaintiff’s account has all the hallmarks of a deliberate attempt to set up the execution of the August 2012 will in such a way that its validity could not be questioned later,” she said.

Justice Prakash noted that Mr Lian had unequivocally stated in an April 2012 video that even if he wrote a will, he would not show it to Kok Hong. She found no explanation for Mr Lian’s change of heart when he allegedly gave the draft will to Kok Hong two months later.

Comments Off on Court throws out claim of secret will

Posted in General

Tagged , , , , , , , , ,