Most homeowners have a never-ending list of functional elements for their wardrobes but skip out on the aesthetic appeal just to save a penny or two. If you’re guilty as charged, fret not as we have some good news to share: your plain wardrobes can easily achieve high-SES elegance with a little Pinterest inspo and Taobao hacks.
We’ve rounded up 7 best TaoBao items to get your hands on to zhng your plain old wardrobes to give them new flair, and make dressing up a whole lot more exciting.
1. Angled LED backlights
An example of a well-illuminated wardrobe.
Image credit: Toke & Chen
What do Naomi Neo’s and Jamie Chua’s wardrobes have in common beyond their expansive sizes? The answer is built-in illumination. And though our plebeian selves don’t have the funds to get the job done professionally, you can actually achieve a similar wardrobe glow-up with the help of a couple of LED light strips.
Finding LED strips that fit your wardrobe’s interior to a T might be tricky, but Taobao is thankfully here to save the day. More than just a regular LED light strip, this Taobao store sells quadrant-shaped LED lights with 90-degree backs that will slip right into any right-angled corner of your cupboard. No one will even be able to tell those lights weren’t built-in.
The light strips also have 3 light settings allowing you to toggle between warm and white lighting.
Image credit: Taobao
These right-angled LED strips come in various lengths, from 0.31m to 1.51m, and are priced from RMB16 (~S$3.10). PSA: the longest LED strip costs less than $12!
2. Holographic iridescent glass film
Image credit: Martha Stewart, Designboom
Tempered glass wardrobes are commonplace in many of our bedrooms for its durability and modern look, but its plain glass doors are sure as heck not serving up the vibes we envision for our Pinterest-worthy bedrooms.
The film is also super sticky and waterproof to ensure it stays put for a long time.
Image credit: Taobao
Luckily for you, glass makes the perfect base for this quick and easy holographic film hack. Transform any glass wardrobe door – or even wardrobe mirror – into a trippy futuristic portal with this iridescent holographic window film. The film starts at a mere RMB12 (~S$2.33) for a 38x100cm piece and RMB32 (~S$6.20) for a larger 100x100cm square, and comes in two undertone options for you to jazz up your wardrobe in minutes.
Not only will this addition bring an extra dimension to your space, but it’ll also fit right in with any colour scheme.
3. Funky wall mirrors
Image credit: Taobao
A wardrobe is never complete without a full-length mirror to clock in that daily fit check. Instead of going for a run-of-the-mill rectangular full-length mirror, switch that up for a fun, irregular shaped wall-mounted mirror instead.
This Taobao store sells a plethora of fun-shaped mirrors such as wavy, arched and bear-shaped mirrors from RMB58 (~S$11.20) that are lightweight and easily mountable with some double-sided tape. You won’t have to worry about drilling any holes in the wall – a perfect trick to style up rental rooms as well.
It’s no Ultrafragola mirror, but for S$11, we’re not complaining.
Image credit: Taobao
4. Mini pegboards
Image credit: Taobao
Pegboards are an ingenious way to inject your bedrooms with a dose of Scandinavian minimalism whilst keeping all your barang organised. If your wardrobe doors are made of solid wood, you might want to consider fixing a couple of pegboards on the doors to drastically improve their functionality of them.
This Taobao store sells long and narrow pegboards priced at RMB206 (~S$40) that will easily fit the dimensions of any wardrobe door and transform it into a multi-functional piece of accent furniture. These also come in various colourways from white and black to natural pine or green.
And if adhering something on your doors is out of the question, we recommend decorating the wall adjacent to your wardrobes for a little standing vanity set-up. As for the installation, it’s nothing our handyman dads, brothers and husbands can’t handle.
5. Art deco crystal handle
Image credit: Taobao
Changing out your wardrobe pulls is one of the quickest ways to make a great impact on the overall look of your furniture without too much effort. While you’ll find a million different handles on Taobao, we’re gravitating towards these Art Deco-esque gold brush handles for that understated glam.
These handles start from RMB32 (~S$6.22) and come in a variety of lengths and natural gem options from rose quartz to onyx to leave you spoilt for choice. All you need to do is swap out your existing handles or drill and secure these new handles to any surface of your wardrobe for an added dose of elegance.
6. Rattan vinyl stickers
Image credit: Taobao
There’s so much to love about rattan wardrobes, but we can’t all afford to shell out a thousand bucks to replace our existing setups – especially if your wardrobe is built-in. What you can do, however, is use some visual trickery to recreate the boho look in your room.
As long as you have a smooth wardrobe surface, you can stick on these Taobao rattan decals that cost less than S$15 for a 0.45m by 3m roll. It won’t have the same texture, but appearance-wise, it’ll look exactly like the real deal without all the dust accumulated.
7. Sophisticated acrylic dividers
Image credit: Girl Meets Gold
Here’s a hack to make your wardrobe look more visually appealing despite the overflowing mountain of clothing your hoarding has accumulated over the years. Acrylic partitions are sleek in design and super effective to create dedicated spots for your clothes.
This Taobao acrylic shelf (RMB12.80, ~S$2.48) has a clip-on attachment that doesn’t require self-adhesive tape, which makes it convenient to detach and reconfigure according to your preference.
Image credit: Taobao
Adding on to acrylic wardrobe accessories, this Taobao acrylic bag divider from RMB24.90 (~S$4.83) will keep all your precious Celine and Chanel handbags in perfect condition and easily accessible at any time.
Bonus: Pull-down clothing rod
Those who are blessed with height can skip this recommendation, but <160cm buddies, this one’s for you. No more suffering on your tippy toes tirelessly reaching for clothes with this handy, good-looking pull-down telescopic clothing rod (RMB238, ~S$46.20).
Image credit: Taobao, Pinterest
Simply pull the middle rod down and the entire clothing rack folds down to a more accessible height. On top of that, the rod is easy to install and comes in a range of sizes depending on the width and depth of your wardrobe. Colour-wise, the rack comes in both black and champagne gold to keep your wardrobe looking classy.
Best Taobao items to buy for your wardrobe
These days, it’s not enough that our wardrobes just store our clothes, they need to look good for us to be inspired to dress well too. Even if you’re on a tight budget, this list of Taobao items under $40 will help you level up the aesthetics of your wardrobe for you to flex it on TikTok.
For more Taobao furniture recommendations:
- 5 Taobao Home Furniture Horror Stories
- 11 Extendable Taobao Furniture To Maximise Space
- This Resale HDB In Hougang Used Taobao For Almost Everything
Cover image adapted from: Innovate Building Solutions, Prism Boutique, Taobao
Drop us your email so you won't miss the latest news.
