Decorating Guides
Designing Nemo: 30 Fish Tanks Make a Decorative Splash
Bring an otherworldly glow and a calming vibe to your home with the living art of an aquarium
It takes a dedicated person to maintain a fishtank. I’m not talking about a child’s softball-size guppy bowl or a little flower vase containing a single beta fish. I’m talking about a large, teeming saltwater tank stocked with exotic, vibrantly colored fish and coral.
The aversion to the upkeep on this scale is understandable. It’s like adding a part-time job to your busy schedule. Architect John Black says when you're planning for a large fish tank, an important consideration is the monthly maintenance cost. He designed and installed a 9-inch-deep, 16-inch-high and 110-inch-long tank in Manhattan Beach, California, that he says costs about $500 per month just for cleaning the tank and caring for the fish and plants. (A maintenance-cost estimate for a koi pond he’s designing under a glass floor is $1,000 a month.)
Of course, not all tanks have to be so grandiose. Small and midsize tanks can be easily managed by diligent homeowners, especially when family members split the duties, and the benefit of having a serene, undulating, colorful piece of liquid artwork is priceless.
Not to mention, you can color coordinate the intensely shimmering blues and greens and rainbow of tropical fish with your home’s decor — and vice versa.
The aversion to the upkeep on this scale is understandable. It’s like adding a part-time job to your busy schedule. Architect John Black says when you're planning for a large fish tank, an important consideration is the monthly maintenance cost. He designed and installed a 9-inch-deep, 16-inch-high and 110-inch-long tank in Manhattan Beach, California, that he says costs about $500 per month just for cleaning the tank and caring for the fish and plants. (A maintenance-cost estimate for a koi pond he’s designing under a glass floor is $1,000 a month.)
Of course, not all tanks have to be so grandiose. Small and midsize tanks can be easily managed by diligent homeowners, especially when family members split the duties, and the benefit of having a serene, undulating, colorful piece of liquid artwork is priceless.
Not to mention, you can color coordinate the intensely shimmering blues and greens and rainbow of tropical fish with your home’s decor — and vice versa.
Home bar areas are popular spots for aquariums. The cool blue lights and flickers of swimming color are a more sophisticated alternative to a neon sign or lava lamp. This design also knocks down the notion that fish tanks have to be rectangular. Cylindrical styles, which offer 360-degree views, are becoming much more popular.
A large cylindrical tank in a well-trafficked spot makes moving through an expansive space feel less isolating.
The homeowner of this 9-inch-deep, 16-inch-high and 110-inch-long tank wanted it to have the “appearance of a piece of artwork hanging on the wall,” architect John Black says. A structural engineer designed the steel-column support system that's attached to the exterior wall of the above floor. This allowed the massive tank to be suspended 48 inches from the floor, putting it at eye level. “It was interesting to see how people at a dinner party tended to line up along the tank to look at the beautiful saltwater fish,” Black says.
The tank is gorgeously framed in teak to match the woodwork of the room.
Budget: $11,000
Maintenance: $500 per month
The tank is gorgeously framed in teak to match the woodwork of the room.
Budget: $11,000
Maintenance: $500 per month
A well-planned aquarium can work with any decor style — yes, even a desert-inspired one. Here, a serene horizontal tank surprisingly elevates the rustic Southwestern interior.
A strategically placed tank on a bookshelf helps break up the clutter and relax the eye.
A swath of electric blue steals the show in a stark white living room. Aquarium colors are easily built on, as evident in the planter pot's dollop of blue.
Meanwhile, blues, greens and yellows in aquariums work wonders in rich, wood-filled spaces.
This towering rectangular aquarium also helps soften the abundance of wood.
In home theaters the cool glow of an aquarium provides just the right ambience.
Nothing punctuates modern decor more than the powerful statement of an imposing wall that captures ocean life.
Even a simple contemporary dining room is enhanced with a crystal-clear fish tank.
Putting tanks near water features and pools is a no-brainer for eye-catching design.
A low-slung tank spanning the length of this pool brings new meaning to swimming with the fishes.
With that in mind, one of the best places for a fish tank is near the bathtub. Relaxation has never been more swimmingly serene.
Here, a plant-filled aquarium is in perfect harmony with its outdoor surroundings.
But consider any room in the house for a fish tank. The calming effect is great for kitchens, too.
Here, art and aquarium complement each other on opposing walls.
Adding water plants to interiors is difficult. With an aquarium they instantly become part of the decor scheme.
A simple fish tank in this kids' room adds a bit of wonderment and color.
Sleek and refined, an aquarium is a smart way to break up an overwhelming wall of cabinets.
A saltwater aquarium warms up this clean and crisp kitchen.
A window-style aquarium adds playfulness to an otherwise stiff wine cellar.
Masculine living room decor softens just the right amount with shimmering ocean life.
This metal-drenched kitchen would feel cold without the reflective colors cast by the hanging aquarium.
Even moody spaces benefit from a splash of underwater color and light.
With an otherwise boring white workstation, marine life brings this room to much-needed life.
The calming effect of aquariums can help rejuvenate the mind, making them highly sought-after in home office spaces.
This indoor-outdoor space shows that even in the most luxurious areas, aquariums can still stand out.
"Tank" is an understatement for this lavish, enormous aquarium. That's because when it comes to designing fish tanks, the ocean's the limit.