Acrylic glass sheets, often known as plexiglass or Perspex, are one of those materials you don’t realize you need until you try them. The first time I used one, it was for a quick home fix, and I was surprised at how professional it looked with almost no effort. Lightweight, durable, and crystal clear, acrylic is so much easier to handle than glass. Once you’ve worked with it, you’ll start looking around your home thinking, “What else can I upgrade with this?” Here are seven projects I’ve either tried or seen others pull off beautifully—proof that acrylic can make ordinary things look high-end without the high-end price.

As a pet-loving designer and DIY enthusiast, I recently took on the challenge of creating a custom-cut acrylic box to house our fishes. Store-bought aquariums didn’t fit the space I had in mind, so I designed a minimalist, safe, and easy-to-clean enclosure using custom-cut acrylic sheets. Here’s how I built it, along with practical advice if you’re considering something similar for fish or reptiles.