How Can I Choose The Best Artificial Plants For My Home?

The addition of some artificial plants to your home or office is an easy way to make it a more inviting and beautiful space. There are so many options out there when it comes to faux plants - you can turn any space into a cosy retreat, modern work of art or even an indoor jungle!

Here are our tips on choosing the perfect fake plants and flowers for your home.

Quick Links:

• What are the benefits of artificial plants over real plants?
• What to look for when buying artificial plants and flowers.
• Difference between plastic plants and fabric plants.
• Types of artificial plants.
• What do I need to style my indoor fake plants?
• Where to Buy Artificial Plants

What are the benefits of artificial plants over real plants?

Faux plants and fake flowers come with a range of benefits that make them perfect for decorating, especially if your green thumb is a little rusty.

For starters, artificial plants require no tricky care, unlike real plants. No need to worry about soil nutrients, watering, pests or light levels - your hardy fake plant can take care of itself! Treat them more like an ornament on a shelf - give them a light dusting every now and then, make sure they aren't near anything hazardous and they'll be fine.

How to clean artificial plants you ask? As mentioned, artificial plants only require light dusting. For larger plants, you simply need to wipe down the leaves with a soft damp cloth to get them looking fresh and vibrant.

Artificial flowers also don't produce pollen or drop petals. You can be sure any hay-fever sufferers in your home will appreciate the choice of a fake flower over the real thing.

Artificial plants and flowers are also a great choice for homes with curious pets! If you know your dog or cat likes to have a nibble at your plants, having real ones can be dangerous as many popular indoor plants are toxic to our furry friends. Faux flowers and plants remove this danger, and because they don't smell or taste interesting, your pets should leave them alone.

Finally, artificial plants are easy to move and store. Anyone who has tried to move a large indoor plant can tell you about how tricky it can be. Leaves fall off, stems get crushed, dirt can spill from the vase and any critters hanging out in there will probably scurry onto your hands - yikes! Fake indoor plants will give you none of these troubles, plus you can store them anywhere they fit and they'll be ready to come back out when you next want to display them, after a light dusting of course.

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What to look for when buying artificial plants and flowers.

When you are buying faux flowers and artificial plants, there are a few things you need to look for in terms of quality and size.

If you just want faux plants and flowers that you can enjoy, pick whichever ones you love best! Look for artificial plants and flowers that will compliment your home and bring you joy - did you know that studies have proven that indoor plants can improve your mood?

If you want your fake plants to look just like real ones, you will need to be a little pickier. Choose fake indoor plants that aren't overly glossy (an 'I'm made of plastic!' dead giveaway) and that have natural imperfections and asymmetry in their leaves and branches. No real plant looks perfect, and neither should your faux flowers and plants.

Avoid gimmicky traits like fake beads of water and unnatural colour gradients - while they might look nice from far away, they won't hold up under closer inspection.

Finally, make sure you choose artificial plants that are the correct size for your planned space. While you can trim back a real plant that will then grow to fit the area, trimming a fake plant can make it look patchy and bare. Get the correct sized faux plant the first time, and you'll never have to adjust it again!

Difference between plastic plants and fabric plants.

When you are considering which artificial flowers and plants you want to buy, you may come across faux flowers that are made from fabric. Commonly used materials include polyester, silk and a hybrid of fabrics called 'real-touch' silk. Here are the most important things to know about plastic and fabric plants:

Plastic Plants

• Plastic allows for finer details than fabric, so if you want a plant with fine grooves, veins or ridges, then plastic will provide them.
• Some plastic plants can be bent into shape.
• Plastic plants can mimic naturally shiny or glossy plants easier than fabric ones.
• Plastic plants can be harder to clean, due to the increased areas of detail.

Fabric Plants

• Fabric plants are easier to clean, as dust can be quickly shaken off them.
• Fabric will mimic the natural movements of a petal or leaf better than plastic.
• Fabric plants can feel more realistic than plastic ones.
• Fabric plants will wear and tear quicker than plastic ones.

Many fake flowers and fake indoor plants will be a mixture of both plastic and fabric, so make sure to take these points into account when choosing your artificial greenery. At Spotlight, artificial flowers come in a range of plastic and fabric mixes.

Types of Artificial Plants To Compliment All Tastes and Styles

You can find fake plants and fake flowers of all types, colours and heights at Spotlight. Here are some of our most popular faux plant types:

• Artificial Succulents - small and easy to display, artificial succulents can mimic the rubbery appearance of the real thing easily. Fake succulents are small enough to place in almost any bare space and look great on shelves, steps and sills.
• Artificial Stems - create a gorgeous green bouquet with any of our elegant sprays and stems. They can also be positioned to hang down from thresholds or spring up from a small pot or bowl.
• Artificial Terrarium - create your own faux mini-ecosystem with our terrarium accessories. They can provide extraordinary detail in a small space.
• Artificial Wreath - while you can jazz up any of these wreaths for Christmas, a natural faux wreath or garland is subtle enough to be displayed year-round if you prefer.
• Artificial Flowers - the colour and delicate petals of faux flowers make them a favourite to decorate with, and many of them come with their own cute vase or bowl for easy display.
• Artificial Plants - choose from the most popular faux plant designs, from exotic monstera and banana plants to thick palms and even delicate herbs.

What Do I Need To Style My Indoor Fake Plants?

While artificial pot plants are easy to care for, you can also style and accessorise them in a variety of ways. Don't like the pot your artificial greenery came in? Don't worry, faux plants are way easier to re-pot than the real thing! Simply choose a new pot and tuck the fake plant inside its new home.

You can also customise how your faux plants gather, bend and hang using floristry supplies like florist wire, stem wrap tape and raffia ties. This is useful for creating fake flower arrangements and getting your fake hanging plant to drape just right. When using fake flowers and stems choose a stylish vase to match your decor theme. Artificial plants and flowers are very versatile and make a great addition to a dining table setting, kids' room, home office, bathroom or any space that needs a bit of colour.

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Where to Buy Artificial Plants?

Ready to create a green space in your home? Check out our entire range of artificial greenery at Spotlight, shop online or head to your nearest store and our staff will help you find the perfect artificial plants for your needs.

Discover more decorating ideas and inspiration as Spotlight and why not try a home decor project such as making a fabric plant holder or making a multi purpose fabric bucket. Find all your home decorating needs and inspiration at Spotlight and create a space you'll love!