Design Preview: Slice of Nature

My personal aesthetic is filled with bright colors, sunshine, nature, and greenery. I have always gravitated towards bold, contrasting colors in my personal spaces, and find that they make me feel more alive and present. I love natural light as well, and coupled with plants and nature, I find that these elements define my personal aesthetic well.

I had an east facing room when growing up, and waking up to the sunlight streaming into my room was magical. Over time, I added suncatchers that splashed rainbows across my walls, filled every possible surface with plants, and featured bright colors like yellow, orange, and pink whenever possible. This aesthetic, whatever it is called, makes me feel at home. 

I have always loved nature, specifically animals, and even more specifically reptiles. I finally got my first reptile during the pandemic, a leopard gecko, which turned into an expansive hobby and passion. I now have around 15 reptiles in my “mini-zoo,” and teaching people about them has become one of my favorite things. I love getting to help dismantle the stigma around reptiles, and educate people about them. My personal aesthetic was heavily influenced by my love of nature and reptiles, and I would say that some natural element is prominently featured in my personal aesthetic.

My vision for this project draws upon my aesthetic, and emphasizes my love for nature and wildlife. I have kept reptiles for many years, and my favorite part about keeping them has been designing and creating their terrariums- they are truly tiny slices of nature. I will be creating a planted terrarium with a self-sustaining ecosystem intended for two chameleon geckos (Eurydactylodes Agricolae). These terrariums, called bioactive terrariums, at their foundation consist of a substrate mix, live plants, insects such as springtails and isopods, and the inhabitant of the terrarium. The insects, colloquially known as the CUC (“clean-up crew”), eat dead leaves and most notably the inhabitant’s waste to “clean” the enclosure. This creates a self sustaining environment that needs little to no cleaning. 

When exploring ideas for this project, I thought about various aesthetics that could fit it. Two “opposite” aesthetics would be minimalist and a city aesthetic. In a minimalist aesthetic, I would keep the terrarium and decor very straightforward and intentional with little deviation. I think it would be interesting in theory, but it would not be great for the reptile as they thrive with lots of “cover” and plants to hide in. 

A “city” themed terrarium could also be really cool, and be an interesting juxtaposition of aesthetics. I might explore that in the future, but for now I think sticking to a nature inspired aesthetic would be the best course of action. These are some sketches of what my terrarium would look like in those aesthetics.

I will begin this project by gutting the existing enclosure I have of the already built background, as it does not fit the vision I have in mind. I will begin by applying spray foam to the back and sides of the enclosure. Once this dries, I will carve it down to the shapes I want. Then, I will cover it with silicone and press coco-fiber into it. Once that dries, I will put the leca in the bottom of the enclosure to create a drainage layer so water doesn’t stay stagnant, then weed cloth, then the substrate mix. 

I will then place the branches and cork bark to create what is called the “hardscape,” then I will plant the plants into the substrate. I will then apply the moss slurry to the background, and I will plant the arboreal plants. Then, I will install the lighting, put in the isopods and springtails, and finish with a layer of leaf litter. Lastly, it’s a matter of waiting for the enclosure to establish itself and grow in. 

Materials: 

-Terrarium

-Spray foam or Gorilla Glue

-Coco-fiber

-Planters 

-Substrate mix (peat moss, topsoil, play sand, coco-fiber, and other natural additives)

-Rooted plant cuttings and plants 

-Moss

-Springtails and isopods

-Leaf “litter” (dried leaves) for the isopods 

-Cork and branches

-Weed cloth for a barrier between substrate and drainage layer

-Leca clay balls for a drainage layer

-LED light 

-UVB light

Timeline: 

March 17th- March 23rd: Clean out enclosure, spray foam background, carve background

March 24th- March 30th: Finish carving and silicone background, set up substrate/drainage layer, set up hardscape, plant 

March 31st- April 6th: Planting/maintenance

April 7th- April 12th: Maintenance/final touches

April 13th- April 15th: Maintenance/final touches

Citations: 

All pictures are mine.