Do you travel too often to properly care for plants in your home? Are you green with envy when scrolling past Instagram-worthy fiddle leaf fig, knowing you don’t have enough natural light to grow one of your own? Or perhaps you don’t have a green thumb but would still like to decorate your space with verdant potted plants.
Whatever the case may be, you are in luck. Gone are fake houseplants of yore with too-glossy leaves. Learn more about today’s improved iterations, including how to style artificial plants in your home.
Artificial plants are commonly made from plastic or silk. Due to widely varying degrees of appearances, you’ll want to select material based on the type of faux plant you are looking for. For example, silk may be more suitable to some types of greenery, but plastic is arguably the best option for plants in the succulent category. Whatever the case may be, the more real they appear, the more of your budget you should expect to be spending. And remember, fraying silk never looks good on any type of plant.
How To Style Artificial Plants
Like real plants, artificial plants offer a dose of natural inspiration that help brighten your mood and interiors. Here are some other styling considerations to spruce up your space:
Use artificial plants to create focal points, fill empty spaces, or add texture and contrast to your room.
Use pots, baskets, vases, or planters that match your decor and fit your plants. You can also use moss, rocks, or soil to cover the base of your plants.
Use different heights, angles, and layers to create interest and depth. You can use shelves, tables, stands, or wall hooks to display your plants.
Use artificial plants to enhance your existing real plants. You can mix and match artificial and real plants to create a lush and natural look.
How To Make Artificial Plants Look More Real
It may seem odd, but one of the best ways to make an artificial plant look more real is to, well, treat it like it is real. Incorporate these easy tips to keep everyone guessing:
Use Real Dirt
Though dirt can get messy if you’re not careful, using real soil at the base of potted plants will help trick even the most discerning eyes. Just remember that even if an artificial plant doesn’t need to be watered, super dry dirt can be a giveaway that your greenery is fake.
Dust Them Often
As real plants grow, they tend to change shape or even color; artificial plants will remain the same, meaning they’ll be prone to collecting dust just like any other furniture in your home. Dust plant leaves frequently enough to keep them looking lustrous.
Place Them in Sunny Areas
Aside from poor quality, nothing gives away a plant’s faux nature more quickly than keeping it stashed in an area where a real plant would not be able to grow. You can get away with placing certain types of artificial plants in darker areas, but any plants mimicking varieties that need an abundance of sunshine should be kept by windows or in rooms with a decent amount of natural light.
Common Types of Artificial Plants
Not sure what type of artificial plant is the best fit for your home? Here are a few of the most commonly purchased varieties:
Snake Plants
Broad, sword-shaped leaves with variegated patterns give the snake plant its name. It goes well with minimalist or modern interiors.
Birds of Paradise
A tropical plant with dark, glossy leaves, it makes an exotic statement in any room. The real version tends to need sunlight, so keep this in mind when considering placement.
Fiddle Leaf Figs
Currently one of the most popular plants, this large tree is beloved for its broad, oval-shaped green leaves that are shaped like fiddles.
Succulents
Available in a vast variety of shapes, colors, and sizes, succulents are ideal as fake plants since they already have leaves that look artificial.
Ferns
Classic and delicate, ferns complement most interior styles well.
Eucalyptus
With a gray-infused green coloring, eucalyptus plants offer a sophisticated look to homes; the real plant is known for its medicinal properties and is often placed in bathrooms and showers.