Tips for Using Faux/Artificial Florals in Your Home

As most of you know, flowers are a passion of mine. That said, no matter where one lives, having a garden to cut one’s own fresh flowers is not always possible & replacing flowers on a weekly basis can be cost prohibitive for most. So what’s a flower lover to do when they want to be surrounded by flowers? For me, the answer is going faux, but like with most things, not all faux are created equal. We’re going to look at some of my tips and tricks for selecting the freshest faux florals for the most realistic look.

6 Ways to Make Faux Plants Look More Realistic

Fluff the branches
Find a unique vase
Put filler in the pot to stabilize the plant: floral foam (only if the vessel is opaque) rocks or sand
Cut branches so that florals are 2x the height of the vessel. (e.g. vessel is 12” high, florals should be 30” to 36” in overall height)
Use stems in abundance so that the florals support themselves and help mimic the abundance found in nature
Vary the heights of the stems in the vessel
Bonus Tip: silk with wire in stem and leaves give a more realistic look

Adding a touch of real, natural components to the base of a faux plant is one of the simplest and fastest methods to improve it. Using natural branches, sand, rocks, or moss will provide a hint of natural realism to your artificial plant while also creating a sense of organic texture.

A faux plant’s most recognizable flaw is looking far too perfect. Bring some realism to the table by shaping stems and leaves to slightly droop and follow a less uniform “growth pattern.”

Clean your plants! Dust loves plants, so this tip should apply to all of your plants, even the real ones. The thing is, real plants get watered and misted so the dust isn’t as big of a problem. This means a dusty faux plant is an obvious imposter. Use a blow dryer to blast dust off.

FAUX PINK CHERRY BLOSSOM & DOGWOOD BLOSSOM

If you're still skeptical about displaying an artificial plant in your home, why not ease into it by mixing it in with other, complementary real plants? Not only will this conjure an environment of real-life plants collectively, but it will also make your artificial plant harder to spot.

Fluff the plant. Begin at the bottom by carefully pulling each section/tier, each branch is flexible and can be shaped one by one. Once the branches are separate, start separating the branches from the base, this is known as "fluffing." How to make artificial plant leaves look real: Work down the leaves by creating a slight curve; this will make the leaves more lifelike. Continue this process throughout, and remember to always start from bottom to top.

What to Look for When Purchasing

So what do I look for when purchasing faux flowers? Making a statement when using faux comes down to the same thing when creating the same luxurious space, it’s all about the details!

Real feel silk flowers are the gold standard of faux, they not only look and feel real but they react to touch as if they were real.
An important detail of faux is if there is wire in the stem, so you can bend and manipulate it like a real flower, this will include the leaves.
Selecting color is another important element in making your faux flowers look real, if it doesn’t grow that color in nature, do not include it in your selection.
Limit the number of species of flowers to three but feel free to include greenery in addition to that number.
Do not mix flowers from different growing seasons in one arrangement, this is the quickest way for your arrangement to scream “faux”.
Display your faux flowers only in their growing season and then switch out to another selection from the current growing season.

Speaking of the stem, does it look realistic? If the flower grows on a wooded branch, the stem of your faux should be brown to simulate a wood look and if the flower in nature is growing on a green stem, then your faux’s stem should follow suit. Treat your faux flowers like you would a real flower.

Vases in Your Home

The finishing touch to any interior space is your decor. Even the most beautifully designed homes appear lifeless without hand-picked decorative elements that capture your attention and give the space a pop of personality. Vases are one of the easiest and most satisfying ways to amp up the style quotient of any room. From bringing the outdoors in with fresh flowers and greenery or wanting to wow your guests, we never underestimate the decorative punch of a new vase. Vases showcase anything from beautiful floral arrangements to a few branches. They also add visual and touchable texture to a space and are a great way to bring in sculptural interest. There are so many colorful vases for sale but using your room’s overall colour palette should guide you. If your overall palette is neutral, ceramic vases in soft pastel hues or in natural colours might be a good choice. From contemporary to architectural, here are a few of my favorites (click on photo to be brought to product page on www.mycuratedinterior.com).