dinkdongs
🏠 warm & cosy modern home inspired by local cafes | 5-room resale flat
This foyer almost didn’t happen: Design process, challenges & costs
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We’ve reached the final area of the house tour, and saved the best for last: our curved glass block x terracotta wall foyer! The space that makes the strongest first impression, and leaves a lasting memory… but this foyer almost didn’t happen because of the many obstacles that came with the design… Keep reading for our design process, challenges and the cost breakdown! 
First off, the design process: The reason why we wanted a foyer area from the get-go was because there was a large unusable space between the doorway and the living room. We also liked the idea of a transitional space between the outside and the inside of the house, and were inspired by other homes with tiled entryways. To add even more visual interest, we wanted to incorporate lots of curves to the space (: 
Why glass blocks? Timeless, classic, and reminiscent of retro hdb void decks 🤩 But for practical reasons, we love that it allows light to pass through. So that the foyer looks bright and warm upon entering the house. The wave effect also creates a unique texture and filters the light that passes through from the living room windows so the light is not too harsh. (We were deciding between glass blocks and ventilation tiles, and eventually eliminated the second option as the cleaning and maintenance would be a nightmare!) 
With that being said, using glass blocks to create the curved wall also comes with a number of challenges: - they’re rather expensive at $8 a block, and the cost really adds up when used to construct a wall to ceiling height - not all contractors are comfortable working with glass blocks, especially when its a curved design - glass blocks are fragile >> we had several cracked glass blocks delivered to the house and had to repurchase. A number were also scratched in the process of laying it (contractors didn’t handle them properly initially), and as a result, some rows had to be deconstructed and redone It was kinda telling how our IDs weren’t super enthusiastic about this glass block wall, but we really wanted to see our vision through to the end, so we pushed ahead… 
Another big obstacle: the curved design. - the math >> we wanted the terracotta tiles on the floor to complete the curve of the wall, so it formed a sort of semicircle. Mr and I personally did a lot of mathematical calculations to plan out the arch of the curve prior, as we wanted to make sure the glass block wall’s curve would match up with the curve on the floor. - last min change of plans >> we initially wanted to use as little blocks as possible and do a 6x8 laying pattern. But during the actual construction of the wall, the contractor advised to add an extra column and do 7x8 instead, so that the curve would be more pronounced. Hence, the entire process took longer than expected and we spent more than expected…😅 
- tiling complications >> usually, creating a curved pattern with tiles wouldn’t be an issue because it’s just a matter of cutting the tiles accordingly. BUT, our vinyl flooring made everything more complicated… because vinyl floors are joined with clicks (and not laid by grout) and are also made of a different material, the floor tiles/vinyl around the curve was at risk of expanding at different rates due to weather/temperature changes over time and, god forbid, popping up. Thankfully, floorxpert (vinyl company) agreed to accommodate and do it anyway, and the aluminium band in between the tiles and vinyl will mitigate this issue — so glad the band is not too thick and ugly too! 
Okay enough with the negatives, one thing that worked without hiccups was our cement screed settee 🥰 I had a very clear vision of a raw, unfinished-looking floating bench at the entry way for wearing shoes and preparing to go out. So glad it turned out exactly how I imagined! And what’s more, this sturdy thing can withstand up to 300 kg and seat up to 3 pax! 
It looks so good curved too! 
Ok one last “issue”: the curved wall creates a very awkward gap at the corner which is almost impossible to clean… so the Mr suggested for the contractor to seal up the corner. It was a good suggestion for sure 👍🏼 
Here’s how it looks from the back 👀 I absolutely love this angle of the glass blocks too! 
Aside from the foyer being a design statement, our entryway also has typical features like a shoe cabinet, niche, and top carpentry to hide the db box. 
And last but not least, a fit check mirror before we head out (; 
31 May
