How to pick a Terrarium
The fastest way to pick a terrarium is to match its shape and material to your room’s existing style, not the other way around. A clean geometric glass piece suits a minimalist space, a textured or vintage-shaped one suits boho, and a wood-based design suits a traditional room. Get that match right and almost any terrarium will look intentional rather than random.
We see this go wrong fairly often someone falls for a terrarium online, orders it, and it arrives looking slightly out of place next to their actual furniture. It’s rarely the terrarium’s fault. It’s usually a style mismatch that a minute of thought would have caught. Here’s how to avoid that.
Minimalist interiors: clean lines, no clutter
If your space runs on straight lines, neutral colors, and not much visual noise, look for terrariums with simple geometric glass shapes rather than anything ornate or heavily textured. The Cube Glass Terrarium is a good example, a clean-angled glass cube that reads as sculptural rather than decorative, which suits a minimalist room’s “less but better” approach. Avoid anything with heavy rope wrapping, ornate frames, or a lot of visible hardware, those details fight a minimalist space instead of complementing it.
Boho interiors: texture, warmth, a bit of eclecticism
Boho spaces tend to layer texture, rattan, jute, mismatched vintage pieces, warm tones and a terrarium that fits needs a bit of personality rather than pure geometry. The Coffee Kettle Terrarium works well here, a terrarium built inside a repurposed kettle shape has exactly the vintage, slightly unexpected quality that boho interiors are built around. It doesn’t look like it came from a catalogue, which is the point.
Traditional interiors: wood, classic forms, a sense of permanence
If your space leans traditional, wood furniture, classic proportions, a more formal or heritage feel, a terrarium with a strong wood element usually fits better than an all-glass piece. The Hand-Carved Wooden Bowl Bonsai pairs a live bonsai with a carved wooden bowl base, which sits naturally alongside wood furniture and classic decor rather than looking like a modern insert.
A simple decision tree, if you're still not sure
If style alone doesn’t settle it, work through size and shape instead:
- Is the spot small (a desk, a narrow shelf)?
- Yes → look for compact, single-piece terrariums under 6 inches, cylindrical or capsule shapes work best in tight spots.
- No → move to the next question.
- Is the spot viewed mostly from one side (a shelf, a wall-backed console)?
- Yes → a flatter-backed or single-facing shape works fine, since it won’t be seen from behind.
- No → pick a rounder shape (a bowl or globe) that looks good from every angle, since it’ll be viewed in the round on a table.
- Does the room have strong, consistent natural light?
- Yes → open or lightly-planted terrariums with succulents will do fine.
- No → lean toward closed terrariums with moss and ferns, which tolerate lower light better.
Running through those three questions narrows most rooms down to a size and shape fairly quickly, even before style enters the picture.
FAQ
How do I know if a terrarium will match my room’s style? Match the terrarium’s material and shape to your room’s existing style — clean glass geometry for minimalist spaces, textured or vintage shapes for boho, wood-based designs for traditional interiors.
What size terrarium works for a small shelf or desk? Anything under 6 inches with a compact, single-piece design works well in tight spots — cylindrical or capsule shapes are usually the easiest fit.
Do terrariums work in traditional or heritage-style interiors? Yes, particularly wood-based designs like a carved wooden bowl bonsai, which pairs naturally with classic furniture and wood tones rather than looking like a modern addition.
Can one terrarium style work across multiple rooms with different aesthetics? Not usually as a single perfect fit, but simpler geometric pieces tend to be the most versatile across different styles, since they don’t lean heavily toward any one aesthetic.
What if I can’t tell which style my room actually is? Look at what’s already dominant in the room, if it’s mostly clean lines and neutral colors, go minimalist; if it’s layered textures and warm tones, go boho; if it’s classic wood furniture, go traditional.
Finding your match
Have a look through our full terrariums collection to browse by shape and material, and if you’re not sure what fits your space, our guide to styling terrariums by room covers placement on shelves, consoles, and coffee tables in more depth.
For more styling ideas and new arrivals, follow Wild Roots on Instagram and YouTube.