rose gold footed bowl with floating candles and petals

7 Terrarium Ideas That Don’t Require Plants

Terrariums are growing more and more in popularity every day. They can be seen in the hippest of cafes, in the pages of the latest home and garden magazines and are a must-have for any modern, eclectic apartment. Hanging from ceilings or arranged on shelves, terrariums are one trend we know won’t be going anywhere anytime soon.

We have also noticed a new trend emerging, and that is the use of the terrariums for things other than plants! They are being used to house food, as decorations, for lighting and to display much-loved objet d'art. We can’t get enough of this super chic trend, so we have put together a list of seven ways to use your terrarium that don’t involve plants of any kind.

7 Terrarium uses that don’t require plants:

 

Food Display

First up, is use of glass cloches or terrariums as a food display. Whip up some yummy treats and arrange them in a way that inspires. You could fill your terrarium with all kinds of edible goodies, from chocolate truffles, cupcakes and cookies to fruits, candies or even a cheese platter. Try lining 3 or more cloches on a bench and fill with your favorite snacks for a bold look. Each cloche can contain different fruits, nuts or home baked good. Our glass cloche is ideal for this kind of project. It has a glass base, small ventilation holes to prevent dreaded fogginess and is crafted from recycled materials.

Glass Cloche Terrarium


Special Occasion Centerpiece

Using a glass cloche or glass dome as a centerpiece for a special occasion is high on our list of favorite uses for a terrarium. This DIY look is easy to update from holiday to holiday. For example, fill the terrarium with ghostly treats and scary decorations for Halloween, fill with color-coordinated ornaments for Christmas or fill with hearts and chocolates for Valentine’s Day.

Glass cloche with ornaments for a decorative centerpiece

 

Interior Display

Sticking with the glass cloche variation of the terrarium, use it as part of an interior display on a mantel or table. Place a much-loved object inside, like a figurine, statue or candles in varying sizes.  Set amongst a display of plants, books, vase of fresh flowers or a lamp.

Try piling up a cluster of battery-powered fairy lights inside the terrarium. This adds a whimsical, magical feeling to any room and sets the tone for those cozy evenings or intimate dinner parties.

glass cloche terrarium filled with fairy lights

 

Hanging Flowers

The use of hanging glass terrariums for flowers is a fantastic idea for decorating your next special occasion. Try hanging the terrarium from the ceiling to add an extra decorative touch to your indoor space or hang outside on a tree branch to warm up your outdoor space. We love the look of a single rose on display in the glass terrarium or a cluster of colorful buds. With our wide selection of hanging terrariums, you can’t go wrong choosing from diamond, teardrop, pyramid and cube shapes.  

round hanging terrarium filled with stones and flowers


Floating Candles

Another way to use a hanging terrarium is to fill them up with tea lights instead of plants. Hang them inside or out and set them alight at sunset to add a whimsical mood to a special occasion. If you’re not so keen on having naked flames hanging around the place, use fairy lights instead.

 

Decorative centerpiece bowl

Use a terrarium bowl for much more than just soil and plants. When not in use for terrarium duties, use as a decorative bowl for the center of a dining or coffee table. Fill with decorative balls, pine cones or fruit. Our Rose Gold Footed Bowl would be perfect for this home decor DIY.  

rose gold footed bowl

 

Aroma Bowl

A new use for an unused terrarium bowl is an aroma bowl. To do this, fill the bowl with water, add a few drops of your favorite essential oil, and then set sweet-smelling flowers and candles afloat in the water. This will give off the most divine smell for a few days and look beautiful at the same time.  

I hope we have inspired you with our unconventional and fun ways to use terrariums. If you’re after terrarium supplies, make sure you check out our range at 46 & Spruce. We’ve got everything you need to give these ideas a go, plus many more!

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