A cozy living room features a gray sofa with decorative black and white patterned pillows. A striped pillow adds contrast. A glass coffee table holds a white ceramic bowl with green ferns, perfect to explore how to decorate with fake plants. A tall floor lamp and a potted plant are in the background.
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How To Decorate With Fake Plants and When To Do It

ByLisa

Fake plants is a polarizing topic among the home decor community and many outside of it. Most people either love artificial plants or they consider them a major faux pas. But l am here to tell you, I love faux plants! I do not have a green thumb nor do I have the patience for real plants (my garden excluded). So let’s talk about the dos and don’ts when it comes to how to decorate with fake plants.

Stylish living room with a black leather sofa, white pillows, and a light throw blanket. A wooden coffee table features a small green plant. A lamp and a tall artificial tree highlight how to decorate with fake plants. Text reads: "Decorating with fake plants: when you should and should not.

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Fake Plants: Do or Don’t

In my opinion, it’s a do, but there are several parameters I like to follow. But I honestly I think this answer also depends on if you are good at keeping live plants alive or if you are like me and end up killing almost everything. It also depends on where you are buying them and what you are buying.

I stay away from faux flowers and silk flowers because they always look fake to me but under special conditions like the holidays, they seem to be the right fit. The reality is faux plants are a good idea if you can’t or don’t want to grow living plants. 

A modern living room features a gray sofa with patterned cushions, a gold floor lamp, and a wall-mounted wooden shelf holding framed art. A glass coffee table adorned with fake plants adds a touch of greenery. Neutral tones and minimalist decor illustrate how to decorate with subtle elegance.

Why I love to decorate with fake plants

Adding greenery to your home décor is a great way to liven up a space and add a bit of color without bringing in unnecessary tchotchkes. Large faux plants like olive trees or a fiddle leaf fig are great options to fill an empty corner and add more natural elements to a room. I personally love using fake stems, a faux tree, or fake succulents because they are low maintenance and can be used anywhere in the house. You also don’t have to worry about your pets getting into mischief in the soil. Yes Marvin, I am looking at you, lol! 

A stylish pet crate with a geometric black and white pattern on the interior sits beneath a framed abstract artwork. Decor items and a potted fake plant are arranged on top, offering inspiration on how to decorate with fake plants while enhancing the modern aesthetic.

I even have faux plants on top of Marvin’s custom dog crate. 

Where to find the best realistic faux plants 

My favorite place to find faux stems and artificial succulents is Hobby Lobby. I think they have a more realistic look than than other stores. They are usually more expensive but they look more like the real deal in my opinion and most of them are made with higher quality material. The good news is they are on a bi-weekly rotating sale of 40-50% off so I just wait until they are on sale and stock up. 

A black lamp with a textured base complements the green faux succulent in a white pot, perfect for those wondering how to decorate with fake plants. In front, a photo frame with a zigzag pattern holds a black-and-white picture of a person.

I have purchased a set of small succulents from Amazon before to decorate a small planter and while the quality wasn’t terrible they are VERY small in comparison to the ones I normally get at Hobby Lobby and the color looks a bit unnatural. But in the long run I decided to keep them since I planned to keep them outside and the sun would likely fade them a bit. For reference the large succulent above is from Hobby Lobby and the below are from an Amazon set. The plant on the right is actually real. 

A wooden table on a patio artistically displays a white pot with various succulents, a gray pot with a plant, and a large black vase boasting tall green grass-like leaves. A glass lantern with a candle adds warmth, showing how to decorate with fake plants seamlessly. A lush garden is visible in the background. 

When it comes to an artificial tree, I found the best faux olive tree at Costco! I think it is very realistic looking and is reasonably priced compared to some of the high end good alternatives. Quality faux trees tend to be pricey, but I have see some deals on used trees at thrift stores and online market places. You just might have to spray them down because they are often very dusty. I even found this one on Facebook Marketplace and re-planted it for a new look. 

A potted plant with large green leaves is placed on a wooden floor near a brown leather chair. Offering inspiration on how to decorate with fake plants, a textured white wall and gray patterned curtains are in the background, along with a decorative wooden frame and vase.

Pro Tip: When planting artificial floor plants you can use real dirt or rocks in the planter for a more natural feel. You can also fill your glass vases with water to make artificial flowers look real. It also helps to mix natural plants in with your display to keep people guessing.   

A green succulent plant in a marble-patterned pot showcases how to decorate with fake plants, surrounded by smooth pebbles for a natural touch.

When to decorate with faux stems

Decorating with with faux plants is a great way to add greenery to a space without having to commit to being a full time indoor gardener. I like to add a mix of faux foliage to every room especially those that don’t get enough natural light for growth. While my small succulent loves the sun filled guest bathroom, my snake plant seems to be struggling. While I love having real plants in the house, I really don’t like caring for them. My garden is a totally different story but that’s not a year long commitment, lol!

A decorative table features a black lamp, a white vase, and a chic leopard-print frame holding a photo of a couple. Learn how to decorate with fake plants using the stylish black pot adorned with white geometric designs for added flair.

For best results I always mix up my silk plants in planters with a different shape and size or in a variety of vases made from different materials, colors, and textures. I frequently use them on a bedside table, on an end table in the living room, or as a decorative item on the coffee table. Faux plants are also a great idea for short term rentals since consistently watering can pose a challenge. 

A cozy living room features a brown sofa with two patterned pillows, one geometric and the other textured. On the side table, a lamp complements a potted plant, showcasing how to decorate with fake plants. A round glass table with succulents adds charm to the foreground.

A good faux arrangement on a console table or an accent table can really give an added bonus to a room. 

A modern interior features a light gray wall, wooden stairs with a black railing, and a white cabinet with a dark wood top. A textured basket sits on the floor, while a potted plant—perfect inspiration for how to decorate with fake plants—and wooden decor piece rest on the cabinet.

When to stick to the real thing

Do not, I repeat, DO NOT buy fake plants, stems, or flowers at the Dollar store! They are cheap for a reason, they are a dead giveaway and do not look real at all! And under no circumstances should they be used in planters or pots on the front porch or any other outdoor space. Just don’t! The best fake plants will cost more than $1 but their more organic feel will go a long way to adding to instead of detracting from your decor. 

Three potted plants, including basil and ferns, sit on a patio. Above them is a decorative metal sign with the letters "BBQ" mounted on a textured exterior wall. For those wondering how to decorate with fake plants, these vibrant green additions offer an effortless touch of nature.

If you can’t splurge for better quality faux stems, skip the faux greenery or stick to fresh flowers from the garden. You can also decorate with branches or pampas grasses to give an natural feel to a space without waxy plastic leaves. 

A modern interior with a white and wood cabinet is elegantly accented by a potted fern, a small artificial succulent, and a framed geometric print. A large textured panel is mounted on the wall above the cabinet, showcasing how to decorate with fake plants seamlessly.

Just remember, the good fake plants will cost more but they will last you years! And if you have a black thumb it will definitely be cheaper than buying real plants you know will die. 

Common Mistakes with Faux Plants

Aside from cheap fake plants, the biggest mistake I see people making with faux plants is they forget to dust them! Faux plants definitely collect dust and need to be cleaned just like your furniture. I usually use my feather duster for small amounts of dust on the leaves, but I have also been known to take my plants outside and hose them off or run them under the kitchen sink sprayer. How you clean them is up to you, just make sure you do it 😉

A wooden and slate cutting board stand behind a green succulent in a textured black pot, illustrating how to decorate with fake plants. A marble mortar and pestle sits atop a stack of colorful books, while the text "Garrison Street design studio" graces the lower left corner.

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A cozy living room features a black leather sofa adorned with two white pillows and a knit throw blanket. A wooden coffee table, complemented by a small plant, sits in front. For those wondering how to decorate with fake plants, a tall faux potted plant adds life next to the gold-accented floor lamp against the white paneled wall.

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Top view of two artificial succulents: one large, dark green plant above a text banner and a smaller, light green plant nestled in a clear bowl with pebbles. The banner reads "How to decorate with fake plants" alongside a website link.

This post, How to decorate with fake plants and when to do it , appeared first on Garrison Street Design Studio.

 

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