Sale! Whirlpool

Built-in Cabinets: Cusm Furniture Shop

Bedroom Closet

Linen Closet

Bookshelves

We've decided to go with the tried and tested. Our current kitchen cabinet supplier will now also do all of the closets upstairs.

Is the finish line in sight? We're keeping our fingers crossed!

Sale! Noritake

Supplier Ratings: Study Room Bookshelves 1

Supplier: RMV Hardwoods & Antiques Shop
Price Tag: Php 28,000
Rating: 0/10 (10 being the highest)

Pros:
None.

Cons:
Everything (which you can read about here). At first they asked to be given a second chance, but when I called them two weeks later, they said they'll give us a refund instead. Apparently, it will cost RMV more to fix things than give our money back.

Another concern is the refund itself. They said it will be available sometime this month as they are first going to try to sell it in SM Southmall (I think). You see, they spent the down payment on materials which is not surprising though we shouldn't have to wait for them to return the funds. It's a good thing that our contact, Ronaldo "Ron" Ulanday, works for one of our expats so it won't be too hard to track them down.

Update: They gave us only Php 10,000 of the Php 14,000 refund and the last I heard from Ron was June 2011. Since then he has changed his mobile number and has yet to contact me for the remaining refund balance.

Window Shopping: Built-in Cabinets 2

 

                        Linen Closet                                     Bedroom Closet

Since the first experiment did not pan out (supplier ratings will be out soon), the search for someone who can do the built-in closets continues. Though we are having a rather difficult time finding a supplier who can really do "built-in." Everyone we've talked to only do modular - meaning, they'll bring the cabinets already finished and just plunk them into place. One concern regarding this method is that the stairway is rather narrow so it will not be easy to bring the furniture upstairs. But we are not experts so we will leave it to the supplier to decide what's best.

One of the things I mentioned in a previous post is that we are allergic to medium-density fibreboards (MDFs). But the cost of solid wood is rather steep so we have had to rethink things - at least for the cabinets. We may still have hope for the solid wood dream with the other furniture items.

We also mentioned that if RMV Hardwoods & Antiques Shop does not work out, we will try Juro Furniture. We're thinking now though that might be a bit risky since they are not based in Manila and cannot come to the house to measure the space. Considering our erstwhile supplier did actual site measurements and the end product was a flop, I don't think we can afford to put our faith completely in a company we cannot vouch for.

So without further ado, here are the new batch of quotations for the closets:

- 1903 Furniture

Showroom: 3rd Floor, Market! Market, Taguig City
Factory: A. Rivera St., Santol Rd., Tabun, Angeles City
Telephone Numbers: 409 6698, 0908 771 7831
Email: joan_idanan@yahoo.com

Price for Linen Closet: Php 21,000
Price for Bedroom Closet: None given.

Specifications: Made of solid mahogany and mahogany plywood in duco finish.

Note: They were recommended by a local website called My Design Folder whose authors are interior designers. They posted pictures of the furniture ordered from 1903 and I really liked what I saw. And as their rates were reasonable, we went over to Market! Market! to inspect their display at the said mall. We also brought the down payment for the linen closet as I was feeling pretty confident about them.

True enough, their display was nice and talking to Joan was pleasant - at first. Things went downhill when I mentioned that there may be a slight problem with the raised door frame as the closet might not fit into the opening. She refused to even consider checking with their carpenters if there was a workable solution. Basically, she had what I would call a "take it or leave it" attitude (and tone).

I didn't feel good about how the conversation ended and was quite disappointed by the turn of events as I was really thinking they were "it." I called her 30 minutes later to tell her to send the quote for bedroom closets and though Joan said that she'll send it the next day, we have yet to hear from her.

When we came home, I checked the floor plan and discovered that the door frame would not be a problem at all. Oh, well. I was thinking of giving them a second chance, but my Mom told me to stay far away and Earl said that there are others out there just as good.

- AGP Furniture & Interiors

Office: Unit 306, 3rd Floor Townes Bldg., 916 A. Arnaiz Ave., Makati City
Factory: 4 Commercial Complex Parkhomes, Tunsan, Muntinlupa City
Telephone Numbers: 843 4161
Email: agpfurniture@yahoo.com

Price for Linen Closet: Php 62,500
Price for Bedroom Closet: Php 107,000

Specifications: Solid mahogany for framing, exposed panels in plywood, and body in duco finish.

Note: They were also recommended by My Design Folder. While they are not currently in our budget range, we'll ask them again for a quote once we start searching for a sofa supplier.

- Cusm Furniture Shop

Office & Factory: Blk.15, Lot 2, Real St., Villa Eusebia Subdivision, Pulang Lupa, Las Pinas City
Telephone Numbers: 828 5156, 828 5153, 0922 815 6206
Email: cusmfurniture@yahoo.com.ph

Price for Linen Closet: Php 8,400
Price for Bedroom Closet: Php 19,800

Specifications: Carcass - 3/4" thick plywood (for linen closet) and tanguile plywood (for bedroom closet) both with white laminate & PVC edgebond. Doors will be made of ribbon grain tanguile plywood w/ solid wood edging in wenge varnish finish for the bedroom closet while the linen closet will be made of plywood in duco white finish.

Note: They are also our kitchen cabinet supplier, and while we like the work they've done so far (the kitchen is not yet finished), we are on waitlist.

Cabinet search weary, I sent an email to Ardel Claveria of My Design Folder to ask if she knew anyone who can do real built-in cabinets and here's her reply:

Hi Nicole,

Typical finishing contractors can help you out with your built-in requirements.

I can refer you to Arch. Robert Santos who does interior fit-outs. Here are his contact details:
mobile - 0905 590 0165 or 0921 431 9218
email - geminix.c.x@gmail.com

Hope this helps. :)

Ardel

This then gave me an idea - what about Rabacon? I've decided to ask both Maricel and Arch. Robert for a quote just in case it will take Cusm Furniture longer than expected to get back to us.

By the way, if anyone has tried the suppliers mentioned in this post, please feel free to share your feedback.

Events: March - April 2011

Here's a list of events based on the online calendars of the SMX Convention Center, SM Megatrade Hall, and the World Trade Center:

Manila Now

Date: March 3, 2011 - March 6, 2011
Time: 10am - 8pm
Venue: SMX Convention Center
Description: In the ASEAN furniture circuit, the Manila Now Philippine International Furniture Show (PIFS) stands as one of the must-see furniture shows of the region.
Website: http://manilanow.ph

Worldbex 2011

Date: March 16, 2011 - March 20, 2011
Time: 10am - 8pm
Venue: World Trade Center
Description: The 16th World Building and Construction Exposition is an international fair that provides a platform for exhibitors to interact with significant customers and key decision makers from the Philippines and all over the world. It will also showcase a wide range of products and services representing the entire spectrum of construction industry.
Website: http://www.worldbex.com

Homeworld Warehouse Sale

Date: April 1, 2011 - April 3, 2011
Time: 10am - 8pm
Venue: SM Megatrade Hall
Website: http://www.megatrade.com.ph/events.php

Manila F. A. M. E International 2011

Date: April 16, 2011 - April 19, 2011
Time: 11am - 4pm
Venue: SMX Convention Center
Description: Manila F.A.M.E International is the second longest-running trade platform for home and fashion lifestyle products in the Asia Pacific and the only Union des Foires Internationales (UFI) recognized trade fair in the Philippines.
Website: http://www.manilafame.com