[Amrik Singh]

Dry Wall partition is done by installing thin GI Sheet formed 'C' Channels (4 inch x 1 inch or so) fixed on the Roof Slab, Floor and vertically in between. Any Windows etc. are also fomed of the same. Gypsum board is fixed on one side and conduits for electricals are fixed. The board on the other side is fixed stuffing Insulation material like Rockwool, Mineral Wool Fiberglass etc. Make sure that these are stuffed in Polythene bags and sealed / stapled and are tightly fitting so as not to sag later. This not only provides Sound insulation but Thermal insulation too. All joints are filled with Filler Putty which is also applied all over to bring a smooth texture prior to Painting.

[One]

Originally Posted by Red Liner

I have this feeling that room will just be used like a storage unit for all the crap we don't use every day. I hope to ensure it doesn't turn out like that.

You are thinking on the right direction. If you build/ design it out well right in the beginning instead of keeping it empty, you will avoid it being a storage room.

Originally Posted by Red Liner

This then turns out to be a guest room or a meeting room even, if I want to meet and entertain friends while my family is out lounging in the living room.

Keeping this in mind, you have lots of options to design it (including thinking of it like an entertainment room with let's say a good home theatre system or even better, good 2.1/2.2 system if you are into audio. An L shaped sofa turns into a great sofa bed if needed.

Originally Posted by Red Liner

So now, I have to start thinking on the angle of this weightless wall. So I am thinking a gypsum/dry wall (are they the same??) partition wall with sound insulation thrown into the inside and then paint the whole thing to match the rest of the walls in the house so it looks seamless.

Another option which you have is to not create a wall at all but to create functional full wall furniture (like a wall unit, wadrobe etc. including possibility of the unit to be useful from both sides) which acts like a wall. Where this helps is increasing space significantly over a wall. For example, the portion of the "wall" facing the door can be a full ceiling height book library. This has advantages of looking good when you enter the house and gives good sound insulation if done the right way. The inside part of this wall can be a wardrobe/ wall unit etc. Plenty of permutations here keeping in mind that if you go for a wall, it will be the first thing you/people will see when they enter the house (other options include a huge idol and temple facing the door or an ornate carving)

Originally Posted by Red Liner

Picture of layout attached. The pencil marked space is the extra room. We are removing the dining room space.

Am not sure if this is something I would have done but then that's what opinions are all about (Also, from the picture it looks like there is a kitchen counter with two bar stools which doesn't seem like a good place in front of the main door and possibly shoe storage area in the entrance lobby)

Originally Posted by Red Liner

If you guys still feel a sliding mechanism is interesting considering the space and layout, I will enquire costing.

My opinion is, whatever you do, it might be important to have function over form and then choose the best form even if expensive. What this means is :
1. Do not let the design dictate your daily behaviour. Have seen lot of people make choices that they think meets a narrow use case but then regret later. E.g. keeping kitchen counter in light granite because it looks good but forget maintenance is harder especially with our kind of cooking. Or black kitchen sinks which match dark granite but are not as easy to maintain as stainless steel. Another example is selecting dining chairs fabric which looks good but it's not easily cleanable when food spills on it. In your example, I would think if the use case you are thinking of is what aligns with your regular life and not rare occasions. It should be useful and fun daily.
2. Once one is convinced of the function, trying to extend budget so that it feels great even after 5 years.

Keep your thoughts coming in, would be nice to see your journey as you proceed.

[Red Liner]

Originally Posted by One

Another option which you have is to not create a wall at all but to create functional full wall furniture (like a wall unit, wadrobe etc. including possibility of the unit to be useful from both sides) which acts like a wall. Where this helps is increasing space significantly over a wall. For example, the portion of the "wall" facing the door can be a full ceiling height book library. This has advantages of looking good when you enter the house and gives good sound insulation if done the right way. The inside part of this wall can be a wardrobe/ wall unit etc. Plenty of permutations here keeping in mind that if you go for a wall, it will be the first thing you/people will see when they enter the house (other options include a huge idol and temple facing the door or an ornate carving)

Am not sure if this is something I would have done but then that's what opinions are all about (Also, from the picture it looks like there is a kitchen counter with two bar stools which doesn't seem like a good place in front of the main door and possibly shoe storage area in the entrance lobby)

Keep your thoughts coming in, would be nice to see your journey as you proceed.

Thank you for writing back One. I like this idea of doing a double sided utility wall. I do wonder how much space a wardrobe fit out on the inside will take away. The library on the outside is also a very interesting idea. I do have a ton of books from a 100 years back, and was thinking of a "antique" style book case for them all.

The door facing is exactly like you said - something ornate is coming there. Using the corridor space as a library is quite interesting. We were planning on just putting some decorative art on that wall since its a corridor space. Ofcourse, another option is to just mount shelves on that wall in some kind of irregular fashion and throw the books on it. I was thinking carved acacia wood slabs. Cleaning them off dust is going to be a royal though.

The kitchen counter will most likely not have any bar stools in front of it. We don't use them anyway. We have a very compact redesigned shoe rack in the foyer entry along with a poof to sit on.

The third issue is finding someone good and professional who doesn't charge a bomb to get this kind of work done. Absolute nightmare. I was quoted 80k for just the bare wall of this size. Does that sound right or daylight robbery?

[keroo1099]

Originally Posted by Red Liner

Thank you for writing back One. I like this idea of doing a double sided utility wall. I do wonder how much space a wardrobe fit out on the inside will take away. The library on the outside is also a very interesting idea. I do have a ton of books from a 100 years back, and was thinking of a "antique" style book case for them all.

A wardrobe is usually 2' (600mm) deep and a bookshelf will be another 10-12", which eats up 3' of space. You could divide the length and provide a small wardrobe on the inside and the remaining can be a bookshelf/curio facing the outside which means loosing only 2' of floor area.

[Red Liner]

Follow on question in home improvement. I need to install mirrors in many places around the house. I see 1/4; 6mm mirror thickness is good. Modi guard or Saint Gobain or Asahi? Or Someone else?

[nirmaljusdoit]

Originally Posted by Red Liner

Follow on question in home improvement. I need to install mirrors in many places around the house. I see 1/4; 6mm mirror thickness is good. Modi guard or Saint Gobain or Asahi? Or Someone else?

All three are equally good !

[Red Liner]

Originally Posted by nirmaljusdoit

All three are equally good !

Oh, I always thought there must be some difference between the 3. So is it just down to pricing between the 3 to make choice or is there something more?

[nirmaljusdoit]

Originally Posted by Red Liner

Oh, I always thought there must be some difference between the 3. So is it just down to pricing between the 3 to make choice or is there something more?

Nothing of that kind, I have used all 3 in my home renovation recently

[One]

Originally Posted by Red Liner

Thank you for writing back One. I like this idea of doing a double sided utility wall. I do wonder how much space a wardrobe fit out on the inside will take away. The library on the outside is also a very interesting idea. I do have a ton of books from a 100 years back, and was thinking of a "antique" style book case for them all.

The internal dimensions of the entire room are something which might need some thought. An internal carpet area lesser than 11x9 might be claustrophobic or look open based on how certain tricks are done. For example, you could have two entrances from the living room facing side and two single sliding doors on the outside part to bring space in (simple sliding doors and not the earlier types we discussed)

Or you might choose to go with laminate which is full mirror types (I have used a cheaper option called acrylic sheets which are like mirrors but cheaper on one wall wadrobe to make the room look bigger. Acrylic sheets have their cons which can be addressed in case you really like them.

You could have a less shallow cupboard instead of a wardrobe or a wall unit with a mix of doors and open decorative shelves or do something which keroo1099 mentioned.

Your books seem special, I wonder how you maintain them. If open, need dusting, of closes and not ventilated, risk faster aging

Originally Posted by Red Liner

Using the corridor space as a library is quite interesting. We were planning on just putting some decorative art on that wall since its a corridor space. Ofcourse, another option is to just mount shelves on that wall in some kind of irregular fashion and throw the books on it. I was thinking carved acacia wood slabs. Cleaning them off dust is going to be a royal though.

Looking at the floor plan, your main door seems to open inside (the house). So am not sure if you can put much with depth on that wall. I don't like depth based stuff in foyers especially entrances because they reduce physical width of the foyer and visually also impact it the feel.

Originally Posted by Red Liner

The third issue is finding someone good and professional who doesn't charge a bomb to get this kind of work done. Absolute nightmare. I was quoted 80k for just the bare wall of this size. Does that sound right or daylight robbery?

Is this for both the walls. What is the total area based on which this has been quoted? I can then ask here.

My experience with folks has been mixed tending to the side of positive with heavy oversight from my side. All my friends who went with recommended interior decorators had positive experiences because the output was exactly what was planned in advance. I couldn't pay extra 20-30% that they charged, instead I use that money, if needed on better materials.

I think it is the blue wall below which can be a library from outside. There are multiple options in the other wall mentioned above which can be used to make the room bigger visually.

[1985Darkkid85]

Originally Posted by nirmaljusdoit

UPVC door will need to have toughened glass as any glass with possibility to walk through needs it to be installed compulsory for safety.

Fenesta is at the premium end of the market at 1200 rs per square foot. Other brands should be around 750-800 for 3 track sliding door of 5 mm toughened with stainless steel mesh.

Windows should be around 650 Rs per square foot for 5 mm plain glass with 2.5 track sliding with SS mosquito mesh.

Total cost of installation and material for 4 windows?
Does it drown out the noise from the neighbors, where they use R.E and also the yamaha rx bikes at night?

Cheers,
R

[Amrik Singh]

Originally Posted by 1985Darkkid85

Does it drown out the noise from the neighbors, where they use R.E and also the yamaha rx bikes at night?

Cheers,
R

For Sound dampening you may have to go for double glazed units. Mind it - it dampens only, not sound proofing.

[1985Darkkid85]

Originally Posted by Amrik Singh

For Sound dampening you may have to go for double glazed units. Mind it - it dampens only, not sound proofing.

What's the option if I want to seek full sound insulation?

I can't bear the cacophony of the voices from loud Neighbors, their bikes and their kids wailing at odd times of night.

[Shreyans_Jain]

Originally Posted by 1985Darkkid85

What's the option if I want to seek full sound insulation?

I can't bear the cacophony of the voices from loud Neighbors, their bikes and their kids wailing at odd times of night.

Wherever there are windows, some amount of noise will always filter in. If you want serious sound insulation, you will have to go the home cinema way. Brick up the window, apply heavy insulation pads on the walls, put in a noise insulating celing and a thick insulating door. Carpet the floors as well. That’s the only way. You’ll then have to manage the air inside the room with a forced ventilation cum air conditioning unit.

Sound insulated rooms are very much possible but they are an expensive proposition. You will need professional help from home cinema specialists.

[Amrik Singh]

Originally Posted by 1985Darkkid85

What's the option if I want to seek full sound insulation?

I can't bear the cacophony of the voices from loud Neighbors, their bikes and their kids wailing at odd times of night.

Your query has been very well answered above. Other option is to have your own Music in the room which should overcome the external noise.

[Red Liner]

Guys,

Thank you for all your responses. After a lot of deep thinking we realised that closing that space off completely with a solid structure does not make any sense, especially in an apartment. Plus, we understand that guests coming and staying over is going to be relatively rare for the near future.

Instead, I have decided to go with Wooden Moveable partitions like these:
https://www.woodenstreet.com/cluster...-walnut-finish

This will allow me to close that space off, or open it when I deem necessary. It will also ensure and force us not to convert a fully closed off room into a garbage storage area which is typically what happens to unused rooms. Now I can close this space off to hold meetings without messing with any of our personal areas.

Okay. Next lol.

I am exploring engineered quartz counter tops for the kitchen. Which brand should I look at? What kind of prices per sq ft? There are a whole bunch of brands that seem to be available. I understand this is calculated per slab of approx 49 sq ft.

Any feedback or suggestions on how to go about this? I visited Kalinga stones dealer in Bangalore as a first shot and got a quote. Would like to see other brands as well, but what is the qualitative difference between them?