The cube-shaped, bulky, and immobile nature of fish tanks can make it hard to incorporate into your home’s interior. However, there are a multitude of benefits to having your own home aquarium that includes reduced anxiety and increased aesthetics, and installing one can add a special touch to your abode.
Whether it’s merging an aquarium with your furniture pieces, or having one built into your walls, these 8 inspiring home aquariums will show you how to seamlessly integrate them into your house.
Coffee table aquarium
Image credit: Hipcouch, idecorator
By making your home aquarium double as your coffee table, your fish tank will be the focal point of your living room and act as the perfect conversation starter for all your guests.
There are also plenty of benefits to having a home aquarium that’s not hidden in a corner of your home, like reduced anxiety, depression, and stress. They also provide fantastic entertainment and learning opportunities for children.
Kitchen island aquarium
Image credit: @thepaluchteam_remax, Kolenik
A kitchen island already has numerous merits – it provides additional tabletop food preparation space, doubles as a dining area, and is a great extension of an open kitchen. But some people go the extra mile to make the most of their island by including an aquarium underneath.
As long as you don’t let the fish see their counterparts being cooked, you’ll be set!
Built-in “wall art”
Image credit: @lmidinc, Benjamin Von Pidoll Architektur
If you’re looking for a way to curb your family members’ bad habits of being glued to their phones all day – especially during meal times at the dining table – look no further. With your very own aquarium-in-a-wall, watch your precious aquatic animals swim back and forth behind large glass panels from the comfort of your dining table or home bar.
These in-wall home aquariums also take up no additional floor space despite being incredibly spacious for your fishes.
Image credit: @aquarium_home_ideas
In-wall aquariums are a practical way to prevent inquisitive children from sticking their fingers into the tank, or from colliding directly with them. At a raised eye level, they’re also a nice focal point for guests, as their eyes will no doubt be drawn straight towards the large tank upon entering the house or room.
However, this design is not without complications. Not only does it require a large surface area of your home’s walls, the walls need to be able to support this heavy weight as well. In addition, due to the limited access area, it may be a slight hassle to maintain the tanks.
Decorative wall planters
Image credit: Essential Stockist, ebay
If you’re looking for an unconventional fish tank but you’re on a budget or would like something with slightly lower maintenance, you may want to consider a wall-mounted fishbowl.
Attached to a simple wall hook, this miniature fish tank can be filled with some aquatic plants, orbeez, or small pebbles – as well as one or two small fishes – and hung anywhere in the house.
Glass partition
Image credit: @oceansaquarium, KOZÉ Studios
Why build a wall when you can build a tank in its place instead? As an in-wall room divider, these innovative fish tanks completely eliminate the need for your wall, and even act as an additional decorative feature to your home.
However, much like the built-in “wall art” mentioned above, there are similar difficulties in setting up this type of tank, so you might want to be mentally and logistically prepared before diving into it.
Aquarium window
Image credit: @oceansaquarium, aquariumpump
Since fish tanks can be built into walls – why not take the opportunity to transform them into windows as well?
Don’t throw this idea out of the window without considering it, as these window aquariums can save you tank space while giving you a spectacular view, be it of your neighbourhood or into another room.
Image credit: Aquadecor
If you happen to be up for the challenge and the cost, you may want to take inspiration from this aquarium. It extends across one window up to the home’s ceiling, letting natural light in while giving you your very own breathtaking views of your neighbourhood amidst a school of fishes.
Shower feature wall
Image credit: kornelia, If It’s Hip It’s Here
With this unique shower feature wall, say goodbye to dreary showers or dully sitting on your porcelain throne for minutes or even hours on end – yes, we’re looking at all you toilet texters.
An aquatic feature would be a cool addition to your bathroom, as it’ll be a centrepiece while adding personality to what might have otherwise been a vacant wall. This is especially so for a monochromatic bathroom, where a distinctive set-up can get the job of livening up the bathroom done.
Staircase feature
Image credit: Galeri Cupang Bagus, Елена Качайло
If you have a maisonette or a landed home with 2 floors, you can elevate your railings by replacing the bannisters with an aquarium that stretches the entire flight of stairs. These households surely have, as they’ve capitalised on their available space by installing their home aquariums as the base of their handrails.
Image credit: AQUARIUM OFFICIAL
And if your staircase is much longer than a few short steps – don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. This tank acts as a long and narrow railing up a whole flight of stairs in which the fish can swim freely, maybe even following you up and down the staircase.
Home fish tank ideas
If you’re looking to amp up your interior design, fish tanks can be the perfect addition – especially due to the variety of designs and ways they can be incorporated into your home decor.
However, as all decisions go, this comes with many pros and cons, and we hope that we have cleared the air regarding some considerations about which design would best suit your preferences and needs.
Read more of our articles here:
- Guide To Rearing Chickens At Home In Singapore
- How To Pet-Proof Your HDB
- Things To Know Before Knocking Down Walls In Your New HDB Flat
Cover image adapted from: Hipcouch, @aquarium_home_ideas
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