XIMULA Flexible System for Home Interiors - Part I

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Journey for More Storage Space

You might believe that the home renovation journey is complete the moment the remodel works are done. Well, you are sadly mistaken! This is because our lifestyle is constantly evolving and over the years, certain habits would eventually converge to become shared habits.

And this is what had happened to my partner and I.

Over the years, we have taken up new hobbies and before we realized it, our prized processions have multiplied and inevitably made their way from the storeroom and into our study room.

This meant that we have to start hunting for new ways to free up space again. Fortunately after careful assessment, there is still vertical area in the study room for us to tap into. Hence the quest begins.

Introducing the Flexible System!

For readers who are new to this, a flexible system is essentially made up of long poles that are fixed to the ceiling or walls. As choices of shelves, drawers and even hanging rods can be attached to the poles; a flexible system is extremely customisable and adaptable to changing preferences, needs and space. Hence, a flexible system can be configured as a wardrobe, book shelf, display cabinet or even as a computer station.

In short, the possibilities are endless and limited only by your imagination! ;)

History of a Flexible System

Although the usage of flexible system for home interiors has just recently caught up in Singapore, some of you might be surprised to learn that the flexible system has been around as far back as 1934. Back then, it was known as a ladder or string system. Although the looks and feel have evolved over the years, its fundamental characteristic still remain; High configurability to suit any requirements.

Advantages and Disadvantages of a Flexible System

The two main advantages of having a flexible system is that it is extremely customisable and able to cater to different needs over time. In addition, a flexible system can be easily dismantled, assembled and thus can be reused in another location! Such Take it with you as you move houseconcept means that precious time and money is saved.

On the other hand, the common grouse of using the flexible system is that you have to set aside additional resources to build doors to keep out the dust.

The Choice

After much deliberation, I felt that the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages. Hence, I decided to get a flexible system and configure it as a book cum storage shelf to meet our storage needs.

Introducing....

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Our hunt eventually brought us to the doorstep of BESGLAS. BESGLAS is a local company which offers premium designer doors and wardrobes. Its belief is that although doors and wardrobes are the cornerstones of any home, they are commonly neglected when it comes to design.

Therefore, BESGLAS offers EZI, MOVI and PIVOT door for its premium designer door series. In addition, BESGLAS offers ALUMIX and XIMULA as part of its premium wardrobe series. In fact, XIMULA makes use of an advanced innovative Post System for joinery, which gives maximum flexibility to be fully customisable to meet the needs of the homeowners.

Ximula

Ximula, which BESGLAS carries, is the one of most popular flexible system choice in Singapore. In fact, Ximula is an Award winning system for shelving, storage, wardrobe and workstation needs for both home and commercial needs around the world.

Ximula is entirely designed and manufactured in Singapore and also earned the green credential; Singapore Green Label in recognition of its outstanding workmanship and quality which result in a product that is environmental friendly as it is recyclable. In addition, due to its ingenious technical innovation, Ximula is able to bear high load.

Furthermore, one thing that makes Ximula stand apart from other flexible systems in the market is its extremely sleek aluminium profile which is perfect for small spaces.

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Moreover, its extensive range of interchangeable components, in a huge range of colours and finishes fits a wide myriad of interior design concepts. Aside from its obvious aesthetic appeal, it is notable that Ximula has a wrap around aluminium rust proof bracket to ensure that each melamine shelf or glass panel do not warp under heavy height. In fact, each shelf which is around 12mm thick and can withstand up to 15 kg of weight per lineal foot. Furthermore, Ximula's configuration allows for actual doors to be installed. Here is a simple overview of what homeowners can expect from Ximula.

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In addition, as BESGLAS has published the design specifications of Ximula on its website, it is notably easier for homeowners to plan and decide on the configuration themselves.

The Appointment

On the day of the appointment Jesmine Lee, the Corporate Account Executive, showed me around the showroom cum head office located in Toa Payoh. The place is pretty big and features both Ximula and Alumix and the various designer doors. In fact, I recommend homeowners to drop by since it is a great place to get inspirations from the numerous different Ximula and Alumix configurations. Here are some of the photos I have taken at the head office.

Flexible System Selection

To assist me in deciding the configuration, I brought along my floorplan. Jesmine helpfully went on to explain the general guidelines for each module. Each module can be a shelf, drawer, cabinet made of various materials, varying height and weight. The materials range from melamine boards, glass to melamine board covered with faux leather. However, if the recommended dimensions do not fit our needs, we can request for customisation too.

For the homeowners, here are some guidelines to help in your selection:

- Drawers and cabinets can keep out dust; - Go for doors or black power coated poles if you have a deeper pocket; - Tempered glass panels are recommended as display cabinets and; - Avoid faux leather if your room is humid as mould might manifest.

Apart from the different modules, there are so many dazzling colour combinations to choose from to suit every interior design's needs. In fact, I am really spoilt for choices; there are a total of 17 choice of melamine, glass colors and 9 PU leather finishes to choose from!

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Nonetheless, here are more selection tips from me:

- Shortlist a few color and material selections and; - Take a picture of the selection using your smartphone or camera. By keeping a visual record of the shortlisted color and material, you will able to take more time to deliberate and decide which selection is more suitable.

On-site Measurements

The exact costs can only be determined only after Jesmine has done the actual on-site measurements and verification. This is because she needs to affirm the wall measurements and verify whether the ceiling to floor or wall to floor configuration should be used.

Ceiling to floor walls configuration is recommended if there are structural walls which cannot be drilled and wall to floor configuration is used when there is false ceiling with no structural walls.

Arrangement for Installation

Making arrangement for the wallpaper installation with BESGLAS is pretty straightforward; I just need to ensure the following is done:

- Configuration, selection of materials and colors is done; - Deposit (50% of the cost) is made and; - Date, time and venue of the installation is confirmed.

Do note that the Corporate Account Executive has to be informed at least two weeks ahead of the preferred installation date so that he or she has sufficient time to order the materials and make the other necessary arrangements. Furthermore, installation works on Saturdays will only take place from 10am to 4pm.

Day of Installation

In the morning, my partner and I prepped the study room by removing the existing book shelf from the study room and also cleaned the wall. Since we already have compartmentized our things in boxes, it was a breeze for us.

The installation team was quick to prepare the room for the installation. In fact, the assembly only took around 2 to 3 hours and here is a simple time-lapse video to illustrate the process.

Prior leaving, the installation team took extra care to clear, clean up and restore the study room to its original condition before leaving. This means that we have minimal clean ups to do! Yay!

My Thoughts

The entire journey is smooth and fuss free and I have to thank BESGLAS for it. In fact the team took pains to ensure that I was informed throughout the process even when overseas. On hindsight, I have to say that the dedicated team has truly live up its motto: Every Home Deserves Our Best!

Lastly, stay tuned for my thoughts on the Ximula book cum storage shelf in my next post!

For homeowners who wish to find out more about BESGLAS, here is the address:

BESGLAS: HEAD OFFICE Blk 2 Toa Payoh Industrial Park 01-1401/1403 Tel: +65 6353 3533 Fax: +65 6353 3833

SHOWROOMS 2 Jurong East Street 21 03-45 IMM Building Singapore 609601 Tel: +65 6252 3533 Fax: +65 6899 3533 9 Penang Road 02-13 Park Mall Singapore 238459 Tel: +65 6336 5255 Fax: +65 6339 5255 EMAIL: sales@besglas.com WEBSITE: http://www.besglas.com/ SOCIAL MEDIA: TWITTER https://twitter.com/besglas FACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/besglas