These IKEA greenhouse cabinets are taking over Instagram - everything you need to know about the stylish trend

These aesthetic greenhouses are taking over Instagram – and it's easy to see why

 IKEA greenhouse cabinet
(Image credit: Robin Schouten)

We have just found the chicest way to showcase our ever-growing family of houseplants, and it is with the help of IKEA'S glass FABRIKÖR cabinet. Crying out to be used for IKEA hacks, green-fingered influencers and home decor experts have already fallen for this stylish IKEA greenhouse cabinet trend – and after seeing the results, we're certain to follow suit. 

And if anybody knows about IKEA greenhouse cabinets, it is Robin Schouten, the Netherlands-based influencer and creator of the @IKEAGreenhouseCabinet. To date, Robin has attracted 96.4 thousand followers who regularly admire the organic beauty behind her inventive IKEA transformation. 

Robin's process began in May 2019, when she decided to use furniture from the Scandinavian powerhouse to turn her home into a lush verdant kingdom. She posted her journey on Instagram and has since inspired thousands of plant lovers worldwide. 

IKEA greenhouse cabinet

(Image credit: Robin Schouten)

When she first started, Robin shared there were only around '10 photos' of people who had previously turned their IKEA cabinets into a greenhouse – but this was enough to inspire Robin to try it for herself. That same year, Robin's noticed a widespread response to her greenhouse tip – thus prompting the creation of the IKEAGreenhouseCabinet hashtag, which has since gained almost fifteen thousand posts. 

'You can grow any plant in it you want. Some people are using it mainly for cacti and succulents; people are using it for vegetables. I have mostly aroids like Anthurium and Philodendrum because they need high humidity. But pretty much anything goes,' Robin shares. 

Following the FABRIKÖR, plant lovers have turned to the DETOLF, the RUDSTA, and the MILSBO cabinets to design their indoor greenhouses. Robin, along with many others, has built on the glass-fronted structures by adding a mixture of humidifiers, fans, and grow lights which creates the ideal climate for houseplants to thrive through every season. 

IKEA greenhouse cabinet

(Image credit: @vinny.aroids)

What do we need to remember before creating an IKEA greenhouse cabinet?

Before we rush to recreate this look in our homes, Robin offered her advice on keeping our plants as healthy as her widely admired collection. 

'Don't just follow one tutorial, really do your research. I've seen people just copy and paste someone's greenhouse, and that person has only had it two months. You can't know if it works,' Robin explains. 

'Think about the plants you're going to put in it and the room you're going to put it in. Mine is a shaded corner, so it gets no natural light, and it includes grow lights. But someone with a bright house might not even need grow lights.'

IKEA greenhouse cabinet

(Image credit: @vinny.aroids)

See: Five cool ways to style the IKEA RUDSTA – the cabinet taking Instagram by storm

'Mould is the biggest issue with the cabinets. The most important thing for the cabinets is airflow. Get a fan, it is so important, and open up the cabinets a few times a day,' she adds. 

We have a feeling these cool cabinets will continue to take over our Instagram feeds for a long time to come. 

Megan Slack

Megan is the News and Trends Editor at Homes & Gardens. She first joined Future Plc as a News Writer across their interiors titles, including Livingetc and Real Homes. As the News Editor, she often focuses on emerging microtrends, well-being stories, and celebrity-focused pieces.


Before joining Future, Megan worked as a News Explainer at The Telegraph, following her MA in International Journalism at the University of Leeds. During her BA in English Literature and Creative Writing, she gained writing experience in the US whilst studying in New York. Megan also focused on travel writing during her time living in Paris, where she produced content for a French travel site.