You know we’re suckers for fresh flowers — our vases are typically bursting with blooms! But sometimes, artificial flowers are a better option. Think a rental Airbnb where you need a zero maintenance option, party planning on a budget, or styling an allergy-friendly home. Or perhaps you simply love faux flowers because with the rising cost of living, it’s an investment that can bring you long-lasting joy without the constant expense! Whatever the reason, today we’re delving into how to style artificial flowers at home.
Artificial flowers have come a long way from the waxy or obviously fake blooms of the past. Modern faux florals can look so realistic that even the most seasoned green thumbs need to touch the petals to be sure! Plus, as we’ve mentioned they’re low-maintenance, long-lasting and perfect for adding a pop of colour to any space. Here’s are our top faux flower styling tips and tricks.
Related article: What are the birth month flowers and their meaning?
Related article: How to style a vignette: Tips to styling arrangements in your home
1. Choose quality faux florals
The top trick to styling artificial flowers is to find flowers that don’t look… well, fake!
If you want to pull off faux flowers in your home, skip past the dollar store and find high-quality and life-like options instead. The best and most realistic fake flowers we’ve come across are from Prestige Botanicals, a relative new-comer to the world of high end home decor. But in just 4 years, their stunning products are getting rave reviews and now they are available in Australia and New Zealand, too. The biggest difference between their products and others is they are skilfully created by hand (taking up to 3 months to complete!) and their ‘real touch‘ technology so they look and feel realistic.
When shopping for quality artificial flowers, look for blooms with realistic textures, natural colour gradients and fine details. Avoid overly glossy or plastic-looking petals and stems.
2. Embrace the beauty of imperfection
Real flowers aren’t perfect and your artificial arrangements shouldn’t be either. Whether you buy a bouquet of artificial flowers or loose stems, we suggest shaking up the arrangement a little. Bend stems slightly, vary the heights of blooms, and also add asymmetry to mimic the natural growth of flowers.
You can see how Kaitlyn of @_desertcottage_ did this on her console styling above. This styling trick will give your arrangement a relaxed and organic feel. For an extra dose of realism, you could also add natural elements like fresh foliage or twigs.
3. Style artificial flowers in a vignette
Now that you’ve created a realistic arrangement, it’s time to style it! There are so many ways you can decorate your home with artificial flowers but our favourite way is to incorporate them into a vignette.
What’s a vignette you ask? Just a fancy word for a styled arrangement us interior stylists like to use. The idea of these curated arrangements of decorative objects is to be a visually appealing focal point or tell a story within a space. Check out this article on how to create a vignette for the 1-0-1 on how to build up a styled arrangement with ease.
Tips to creating a vignette with faux flowers:
- Create a colour story: pick up on the colours in your floral arrangement and repeat these across your vignette. For example, on the console table below, you can see how the blush tones are repeated in the candle and undertones of the artwork. This visual continuity will instantly elevate the look.
- Select the perfect vase: play around with different vases or vessels to find the best fit. Larger, rustic vases are our choice as they add an organic element, adding to the sense of realism, and are also a decor piece in their own right.
- Develop a theme: your vignette should evoke a feeling or tell a story. Think about this when selecting the final pieces to tie your vignette together. ‘Cosy autumn vibes’ is the theme of the coffee table arrangement above and you can see how he achieved this by repeating the shapes of autumn leaves as well as earthy tones and textures.
4. Make your faux stems the feature
Another popular way to style faux flowers is to simply make them a feature in your space. For example, a large vase of stems on your kitchen benchtop or on a table in your entry.
To pull off this look, think BIG! Big bunch of artificial flowers or stems. Big vase. Big blank space around.
This will create the impact you desire while providing ‘breathing room’. Again, it pays to experiment with different vases or vessels to see what looks best in your space.
5. Sprinkle smaller arrangements around your home
Finally, you can dot smaller artificial floral arrangements around your home to add a sense of life and pops of colour.
Where to place artificial flowers in your home:
- Living room: add faux flowers or stems to your coffee table, bookshelf or console.
- Kitchen: use smaller arrangements in kitchen shelf styling or you could also add artificial potted herbs to a windowsill.
- Bedroom: add a touch of romance with soft, pastel blooms on your bedside table.
- Bathroom: choose tropical leaves or single stems for spa-like vibes.
We hope this article has given you some ideas on how you can use faux flowers to add a burst of colour and interest to pockets of your home. Do you have other tips on how to style artificial flowers at home? We’d love for you to share your tips and tricks in the comments!
