Ikea Hack: DIY Lantern Terrarium

Ikea Hack: #DIY Lantern Terrarium on Thou Swell https://thouswell.com/

A couple months ago, my older sister and I were walking through Ikea and stumbled upon some fantastic (and inexpensive) white lanterns, and Julia immediately thought they would make good terrariums. Fast forward to today, and we finally got ourselves together and assembled it! Terrariums can be a bit tricky since they don’t have drainage or much air circulation, but with my sister’s research we found some helpful tips to prolong the life of your plants!

Ikea Hack: #DIY Lantern Terrarium on Thou Swell https://thouswell.com/

Ikea Hack: #DIY Lantern Terrarium on Thou Swell https://thouswell.com/

Supplies

Ikea BORBY lantern

– Kwik Seal adhesive sealant (waterproof)

– fern and/or other small shade-dwelling plants

– live moss

– potting soil

– approx. 8 inch square of screen

– pea gravel

– spray bottle or mister

– charcoal for decoration (optional)

Ikea Hack: #DIY Lantern Terrarium on Thou Swell https://thouswell.com/

Ikea Hack: #DIY Lantern Terrarium on Thou Swell https://thouswell.com/

Instructions

1. Assemble BORBY lantern. Follow instructions on sealant to prepare surface and sealant, then squeeze sealant into the gaps at the bottom of the lantern, and a little up the sides of the corners. Use a small plastic spatula to smooth sealant into a flat edge on the outside of the lantern. If any sealant gets on the glass, wait until it dries to scrape it off. Refer to sealant packaging for wait time before assembling the rest of the terrarium.

Ikea Hack: #DIY Lantern Terrarium on Thou Swell https://thouswell.com/

Ikea Hack: #DIY Lantern Terrarium on Thou Swell https://thouswell.com/

2. Lay down a thick, flat layer of gravel (up to the door frame), then cover the gravel with the 8 inch square of screen, making sure that the screen is slightly smaller than the lantern to prevent it from being seen.

Ikea Hack: #DIY Lantern Terrarium on Thou Swell https://thouswell.com/

Ikea Hack: #DIY Lantern Terrarium on Thou Swell https://thouswell.com/

3. Pour a thin layer of dirt on top of the screen and gravel, then after knocking out as much dirt as possible from plant roots, place all plants except for the moss inside, away from the door. Mound the dirt around these plants, keeping it from piling too high near the door (to prevent it from spilling out when the door is opened).

Ikea Hack: #DIY Lantern Terrarium on Thou Swell https://thouswell.com/

4. Cover the entire area with moss, breaking it apart to fit together. Then place any decorative rocks or charcoal on top. Mist your lantern thoroughly, and place in a cool spot in your home, out of direct sunlight. Enjoy your new terrarium!

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2 Comments

  1. Stephanie Brown wrote:

    Wonderful! Thank you for this post! I saw the same lantern on IKEA’s website, and wondered if it could be used as a terrarium. You not only answered that question, but also showed how to go about it! Thanks a lot! 🙂

    Posted 8.5.15 Reply