While it’s difficult to resist the allure of stunning skyviews and natural illumination, installing a skylight is something most Singaporeans can only dream of; and for those living in HDB flats, having a window to the heavens is a particularly distant fantasy.
However, Singaporean homeowner Joycelyn manages to recreate the look by installing a faux skylight in her 3-room BTO flat. With its seamless design and voice-control operation, Joycelyn’s faux skylight looks all sorts of amazing – and we have to admit, it might just be better than the real thing.
Taobao faux skylight dupe for under S$100
Taobao faux skylight dupe.
Image credit: Taobao
While she initially discovered a company on Instagram that specialised in faux skylights – which we’ll delve more into below – Joycelyn was deterred by the steep $1,000 price point and eventually opted to purchase a Taobao skylight dupe for ~S$61 instead.
“In addition to being more affordable, I bought the Taobao dupe as I wanted to test the concept of having a skylight in my hallway,” the BTO homeowner elaborates. However, upon receiving the skylight, Joycelyn realised that there were a few things about it that she didn’t exactly fancy.
300x600mm Taobao skylight, compatible with the Mijia app.
Image credit: Joycelyn
The Taobao skylight was framed by a ridged cornice design, and came with a laminated blue sky background. “I wanted a more seamless look, and the light blue sky background didn’t fit the cream-coloured theme of our house. I was looking for a skylight with a glass background instead, one that would look more like an actual window,” Joycelyn explains.
Ended up purchasing the real PeseTech skylight
Ultimately, after giving the Taobao dupe a shot, Joycelyn decided to purchase the original PeseTech faux skylight instead.
@joycelyncjw Replying to @Anggun here’s where i got my skylight. #renovation #btoreno #housetour #techreview
On top of having a sleek white frame and realistic window-esque glass light panel, the PeseTech skylight came equipped with a variety of impressive features.
In particular, Joycelyn enjoys toggling her skylight between different light settings – such as moonlight, sunrise, noon, sunset, and dawn. “The different ambiances that the skylight provides really help us to transition into a relaxed mood when we come home after a long day,” she tells us.
Different light settings on the PesTech faux skylight.
Image credit: Joycelyn
Other useful functions include the Google Assistant voice control – which allows Joycelyn to verbally adjust the light intensity and ambiance – as well as the ability to schedule daily light settings, so that the skylight’s ambiance automatically changes at different times of the day.
300x1200mm PeseTech faux skylight, switched on and off.
Image credit: Joycelyn
When switched on, the PeseTech faux skylight perfectly emulates the experience of gazing through a window up at a real sky.
Even when it’s turned off, the darkened glass panel manages to resemble the gentle glow of moonlight in a nighttime sky, making the PeseTech skylight a more realistic option than its Taobao counterpart – and a worthy investment despite the $1,000 price tag.
Installing a false ceiling to seamlessly attach the PeseTech skylight
@joycelyncjw Replying to @eiiipeeee you can opt for the surface mounted skylight instead! 🩵 link in bio. skylight from @pesetech #housetour #techreview #btoreno #skylight #renovatingourhome
For Joycelyn, obtaining her dream faux skylight was one matter, and installing it was another. In order to achieve a seamless window-esque look, the homeowner was required to install a false ceiling in her BTO hallway.
While the Taobao dupe was relatively light and could have been installed by a single person, the PeseTech skylight was much heavier, and required at least 2 people for the installation process. “Our height clearance was about 20cm. The PeseTech skylight is quite heavy, so it requires additional frame support to be attached to the ceiling,” Joycelyn warns.
Lopsided skylight due to installation issues.
Image credit: Joycelyn
The first installation didn’t go as planned. With the heavy weight of the skylight causing the entire structure to lean toward one side and posing as a potential safety hazard, Joycelyn’s interior designer liased with her contractor to add more support to the false ceiling in order to stabilise the skylight.
“We were lucky to have professional electricians who were able to install the skylight without issues. After the partition contractor added the support, everything else went well,” Joycelyn informs us.
Installing the PeseTech faux skylight.
Image credit: Joycelyn
Cream-coloured, Taobao-furnished home
@joycelyncjw we finally moved in! #bto #renovation #3rm #btoreno #housetour #3roombto
Despite encountering a slight hurdle during the installation process, Joycelyn has no regrets getting a faux skylight for her home. While allowing her to configure the “sky” and set the ambiance in her living space, Joycelyn’s skylight also effortlessly integrates into the rest of her cream-coloured home.
Furnished with cream-coloured Taobao products, in accordance with the popular China design trend 奶油风 (“cream-coloured” home).
Image credit: Joycelyn
Seamless bedroom doors from 8Doors and full-length hallway mirror.
Image credit: Joycelyn
Another interesting feature of Joycelyn’s home are the seamless doors which lead from the skylight-illuminated hallway into the bedrooms. A growing trend in China, the seamless doors work together with the full-length mirror at the end of the hallway – which reflects the light from the PeseTech skylight – to create the illusion of a spacious and uncluttered home.
Faux skylight in 3-room HDB BTO
Image credit: Joycelyn
Ultimately, for inspired homeowners looking to add a faux skylight to their own homes, Joycelyn recommends going for the PeseTech skylight instead of the Taobao dupe – even though she does admit that the latter is a good option for those on a budget who aren’t willing to let go of their faux skylight dreams.
“The quality of the PeseTech skylight is good, and it comes with a warranty as well. Their customer service officers are able to communicate in English unlike Taobao sellers, and when I had trouble connecting to the skylight via Bluetooth, they were quick to reply with the steps to reconnect it,” she concludes, assuring fellow homeowners that the $1,000 investment is well worth it.
P.S. If you’re planning to purchase the PeseTech skylight, apply code “joycelyn” at checkout for 10% off.
For more interesting homes:
- These homeowners built a slide into the staircase of their HDB flat
- This 3-room condo looks like a pastel KTV studio
- This hardcore pawrent gave her dog its very own bedroom
- This Singaporean turned his BTO into a mini Legoland
This article was originally published on 31st July 2023, and updated on 31st July 2024.
Cover image adapted from: Joycelyn
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