From drab to fab, turn your home into the stuff that Pinterest dreams are made of — with these Castlery-inspired furniture pieces from our favourite Taobao Singapore stores!
Amidst the stress that comes with house hunting and financial planning, one of the best ways to unwind is probably virtual window shopping and creating design mood boards for your future home. Thankfully, with demand, there is also supply. It’s easier than ever to find these furniture styles in our local stores, and we’re pretty sure Castlery tops the list for many of you — gorgeous and meticulously-made pieces of furniture that tick off nearly every box on your wishlist. But alas, beauty too, has its price.
So if you want your home to look like a million bucks without the million-dollar price tag, you’ve landed on the right page. Read on for our pick of affordable Taobao alternatives to the best-selling Castlery pieces, and get ready to create a showroom-ready home for less!
Using Image Search To Find Your Dream Items On Taobao
While we love browsing mindlessly on Taobao, having a laser-focused game plan instead is sometimes necessary — which is where the trusty image search function comes in.
You may have noticed by now that Taobao removed this function from their desktop homepage. While it’s still available on the Taobao mobile app, it might not always be the most convenient. And if you’re anything like me, I prefer making purchases on my laptop than on my phone because it feels more… legit. #gofigure 🤷
Thankfully, you can still perform an image search on your web browser, but only if you visit certain product pages. Simply use this link to kickstart your image search journey! We’ve also included a quick demo with our first item recommendation to help you out. But first! Here’s a quick cost comparison:
Castlery vs Taobao Singapore: Cost Comparison
| Castlery (Cost) | Taobao (Cost With YouTrip) | |
| Sofa | S$1,599 | From ¥1750 (~S$372.80) |
| TV Console | S$999 | From ¥4290 (~S$914) |
| Dining Table | S$629 | From ¥1319 (~S$281) |
| Coffee Table Set | S$429 | From ¥750 (~S$160) |
| Study Table | S$699 | From ¥1900 (~S$405) |
| Pouffe | S$129 | From ¥198 (~S$42.20) |
| Bedframe | S$1,199 | From ¥1149 (~S$244.70) |
| Bedside Table | S$359 | ¥650 (~S$138.50) |
1. A Roomy Sofa For Your Hosting Needs
Image credits: Castlery (Adams Chaise Sectional Sofa, S$1,599)
If space constraint isn’t an issue and you fancy yourself a host(ess) with the mostest, then a chaise sofa is a perfect choice. Timeless, contemporary, and extremely roomy, these sofas can likely sit an entire family, and then some!
Priced at $1,599, this Castlery piece might be a big-ticket purchase for many. So we took to Taobao to see if there are cheaper alternatives.
When utilising the product image search function, remember that less is more! While you can use the image above, it’d be to your benefit to choose a clearer product image so that you get the most accurate results.
After clicking on the camera icon, it prompted me to upload an image from my computer, where I uploaded the cleaned-up version of the sofa — with great success!
Here’s what I eventually landed on:
Image credits: Taobao
Not too shabby, huh? This piece comes in 4 different sizes and configurations, making it a versatile option for those who either need to upsize or downsize. Our favourite part is of course its price. You get to save as much as half of what you’d spend on Castlery, which also means more money to the piggy bank!
Price: From ¥1750 (~S$372.80)
Login to your Tmall account to purchase yours here.
2. A Gorgeous TV Console
Image credits: Castlery (Harper TV Console, S$999)
There are some non-negotiables when it comes to furniture shopping, and a TV console is one of them. Beyond the functional reasons, a proper console can help build depth in your living space, and if they’re as gorgeous as this piece, they can even be upcycled for other parts of your home in the future.
Image credits: Taobao
The good news is that we found an exact replica of this on Taobao. The not-so-good news? It’s only a 10% off what you get on Castlery. However, it’s worth considering if you’re planning to bulk ship other items from Taobao, so you get to cut back on the shipping fees. Plus, it also comes in a gorgeous white oak variation, in case that better fits your home’s aesthetic.
Price: From ¥4290 (~S$914)
Login to your Tmall account to purchase yours here.
3. A Rustic Dining Table For Cosy Dinners
The dining room may be dying a slow death in other parts of the world, but in a post-pandemic Asian society like ours, the dining space has a bigger spotlight than ever.
Image credits: Castlery (Seb Dining Table, S$629)
Thankfully, there are plenty of dining tables on the market in all shapes in sizes to suit families of all kinds. We love this mid-century classic by Castlery for its take on the timeless dining table and decided to look for a similar piece on Taobao for less.
Image credits: Taobao
This Taobao version piece comes in 5 different sizes and a variety of wood tones. Plus, you can also choose to purchase a selection of chairs to go with your table at discounted prices, making for even greater cost savings!
Price: From ¥1319 (~S$281)
Login to your Tmall account to purchase yours here.
4. A Coffee Table Set For Hosting
Image credits: Castlery (Vincent Coffee Table Set in Oak, S$429)
In smaller spaces, modular and sleek furniture pieces are a must-have. This coffee table set from Castlery fits the bill, allowing for both pieces to be used in more ways than one.
Image credits: Taobao
This alternative set from Taobao may not have the same graceful curves, but it still offers the same sleekness and modularity that is quintessential to the Japandi design philosophy. Along with variations in its table length, you can also opt for a darker, walnut shade. Tables can also be purchased separately!
Price: From ¥750 (~S$160) for a set
Login to your Tmall account to purchase yours here.
5. A Study Table For The WFH Life
It’s 2022, and if you’re still working from your couch or dining table, it’s high time you get yourself a proper study desk for work. Research has consistently shown that having a dedicated workspace can do wonders for your productivity and mental wellbeing.
Image credits: Castlery (Seb Desk, S$699)
Thankfully, there are plenty of tiny home-approved options on the market that come with storage compartments to keep your space clutter-free.
Image credits: Taobao
This Taobao alternative comes with a couple more drawers for you to store all your work paraphernalia, and comes in two different sizes, depending on how much space you can afford.
Price: From ¥1900 (~S$405)
Login to your Tmall account to purchase yours here.
6. A Fancy Pouffe, Just Because
When it comes to building your home’s personality, it’s really in the small details. For instance, ottomans and pouffes provide a nice visual respite while being 100% functional — use it as a stool or footrest, leave it at the foot of your bed, or even turn it into a coffee table.
Image credits: Castlery (Julian Pouf, S$129)
While it may seem like second nature to choose one that blends in seamlessly with the theme of your home, we think that going against the grain with a pop of colour might do the trick instead.
Image credits: Taobao
Thankfully, Taobao is a treasure trove for such home decor! For this particular stitching detail, take your pick from 5 luxurious colourways. Otherwise, you can also opt for 3 other stylish designs.
Price: From ¥198 (~S$42.20)
Login to your Tmall account to purchase yours here.
7. A Sturdy Bedframe For the Zzz’s
As you can already tell, the home is more than just a space; it’s a place for you to live out every little moment, and that means you should ensure that each space serves its intended purpose — and the intimate yet humble bedroom is no exception.
Image credits: Castlery (Hudson Bed, S$1,199)
A place for rest and reflection, your bedroom should always set the tone —with your bed being the vessel. Personally, while I like rustic bed frames, I always make sure that it has elements of softness to balance out the dark, woody undertones.
Image credits: Taobao
Here’s a great alternative for those who want to keep things simple and do away with any brass finishing.
Price: From ¥1149 (~S$244.70)
Login to your Tmall account to purchase yours here.
8. A Bedside Table For Your Bedtime Essentials
An underrated piece of furniture, a bedside table is a must-have whether you have 2 or 10 bedtime rituals.
Image credits: Castlery (Seb Bedside Table, S$359)
After all, wouldn’t you want to have all your necessities at your disposable at dawn and dusk?
Image credits: Taobao
This one by Taobao maybe a little taller, but that also means that you’ll have more space to tuck away your bedtime reads, supplements, skincare, and everything in between.
Price: ¥650 (~S$138.50)
Login to your Tmall account to purchase yours here.
In Taobao We Trust
For those with tight budgets but who want to make their forever home look as beautiful as can be, we hope this guide has been useful! But above all, remember that there isn’t a right way of shopping for furniture — for some, the intimacy that physical retail outlets bring still reigns over its younger online cousin, and to which we say: go forth and embrace the romanticism in furniture shopping!
Don’t forget to check out our comprehensive Taobao shopping guide while you’re at it — including the best keyword and shipping guides to navigate Taobao with.
At the end of the day, just remember that if you need a helping hand in the penny-pinching department, YouTrip is here to help with our wholesale exchange rates and exclusive YouTrip Perks offers and promotions! For more great tips and articles like this, join our Telegram(@YouTripSG) and subscribe to our free weekly newsletter here or down below!
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Don’t forget to check out our comprehensive Taobao shopping guide while you’re at it — including the best keyword and shipping guides to navigate Taobao with.
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*All currency conversion rates are accurate to the nearest 10 cents on 20 Feb 2022 SGT 01:30. Bank card prices are calculated based on 3.25% foreign currency transaction fee.
