This TikToker DIYed a Live Terrarium Desk with IKEA Drawers, and It’s So Charming

From the popularity of “plant parent” content to the rise of aesthetics like cottagecore and fairycore, incorporating bits of nature into one’s home is trendier than ever. Recently, game designer and TikTok user Ziz (@zizmakesgames) shared a video showing off one of the particularly creative ways that she’s brought a bit of outside charm indoors — by creating a DIY terrarium desk using IKEA drawers.

To create her custom desk, Ziz got a piece of live-edge Douglas fir wood cut in half, then spliced it with a simple wooden box underneath. The box and Douglas fir wood rest on two IKEA ALEX drawer units, allowing her to store office supplies and other work essentials below, while leaving the top clear for her keyboard and two monitors. The inside of the box is home to the desk’s terrarium, filled with live plants that are protected by a clear glass pane.

The charming finished product didn’t go unnoticed by TikTok viewers.

“THIS is what a gaming setup SHOULD look like!!!!” one TikToker commented, while another joked: “If the PC plays up, it’s probably the mischievous pixies living in the desk.”

Scroll back further on Ziz’s page, and you’ll find other videos detailing the construction and upkeep of her terrarium desk, from filling the terrarium with small plants and pieces of wood and gently misting them to adding some bug inhabitants, including rollie pollies, a bumblebee millipede, and a jumping spider. And don’t worry about bug escapes; while Ziz provided her creepy crawly roommates with mesh ventilation holes, the box is sealed and watertight.

She also shared how she keeps the wood part of the table from rotting.

“It’s heavily sealed with layers of liquid rubber, geotextile, and sealants,” Ziz explained to one curious commenter. 

So if you’re looking to spruce up your desk, a terrarium could be on the table for you — literally!