Everything you Wanted to Know About Decorating with Faux Stems
When finalizing any space, one of the best designer tips is to add greenery. Something about greenery can make a room feel complete and welcoming. Of course, nothing beats the real thing, but that is not always feasible depending on where you live and how much time you have for maintenance. Greenery can be difficult to manage and expensive; thankfully, faux stems are an amazing alternative. There are some great options out there, too! Here are the top tips for decorating with artificial stems and the best places to search to give your space that designer look.
Why You Should Be Using Faux Stems in Your Decor
There are many reasons why you should be using faux stems in your home. Faux stems are functional, durable and can almost look like the real thing when chosen properly. Here are seven reasons why you should consider adding them to your space.
Long-Lasting
Faux stems leave you with the ease of a fresh look year-round. No matter the season or lack of sunlight, these arrangements will keep their look for years to come.
Hypo-Allergenic
This is a big one! Allergy season is the worst, but luckily faux plants and faux flowers don’t have pollen. Say goodbye to sneezing! However, keep in mind that dusting faux stems every once is a while is necessary. No one wants dust allergies!
No Maintenance
Faux stems hardly need upkeep besides an occasional dusting. No green thumb required! You can rest assured that days of pruning or watering are gone. If you leave home for a vacation, watering plants will be the last thing on your mind.
Bug-Free
I love a foraged branch but they often come with little tiny creatures that you may not like. Faux stems are a great way to incorporate beautiful florals and greenery without any need to worry about unwelcome guests like bugs or spiders.
Interior Design Look Without The Hassle
Quality has drastically improved in the fake plant world, so your options are incredibly lifelike and realistic. Faux branches and stems come at a much more affordable price than a lot of real plants when you consider their longevity.
Place Them Anywhere
Another point of ease! You can put faux stems anywhere in your home and they become the focal point. There’s no need to find the best lighting because faux stems will stay green in light or darkness.
Elevate the Look of Your Space
Faux stems promise to elevate the look of your space. Rooms come alive with a vase with greenery or stems. It can be used for shelf decor, table centerpieces, entry or bedroom styling, kitchen island creations, and much more. When you’re stuck on decor, no matter the season, faux stems can be a great go-to.
What to Look for When Purchasing Faux Stems
Not all faux stems are created equally. Some simply look like rubber or waxy. These don’t really lend too much to your home decor. But if you use a good faux stem, some may not even be able to tell that it’s fake. There are a few key points to consider when choosing your faux stems, whether you’re shopping online or in person.
Variety of Colors
A few questions to ask yourself when choosing the perfect faux stem arrangement: Are the back and front the same color? Is the stem a different color than the top? Are there berries or another adornment that could have a change in color throughout the stem? When a stem has these features, it will make the faux version look more life-like by adding dimension. In the same way you would layer different patterns and textures for accent pieces, artificial plants are the same.
Bendable Stems
Being able to shape faux stems and artificial branches is crucial to creating a more realistic look. Bending every single stem is key to utilizing faux stems to their full potential. Creating more free-form shapes lends to a realistic look and bendable stems allow you to do this with ease!
Height
Not all artificial flower stems need to be tall, but having a few taller stems throughout your home is a great way to fill vertical space, especially for a console table or dresser styling. Artificial flowers and stems can easily work as a centerpiece, so the bigger, the better to keep a clean look.
Favorite Faux Stems
I have a few favorite places I love to check out when searching for a new arrangement. All of these are tried and true places to purchase the best green stems.
My Favorite Stores:
- Amazon – Amazon has the perfect price point for so many new arrangements. A tip is to look for products that have 4+ star reviews. A lot of times, there are photos showing the product in person within the reviews.
- Afloral – Afloral always has the most unique pieces and you can always find what you’re looking for.
- Etsy – Many Etsy shops have some unique and fun pieces. Also, supporting small businesses is always a plus!
- Pottery Barn – The price will be a little bit higher, but they have many best sellers and their quality is amazing!
- Hobby Lobby – They always have tons of bi-weekly sales you don’t want to miss out on!
Statice / Amazon Eucalyptus / Pampas / Dried Olive Branch / Sedum / Pottery Barn Eucalyptus / Wisteria / Palm
You’ll notice all these stems are natural looking for the environment here in Coastal Carolina. Using stems that are more natural to the habitat where you live further creates a more realistic look. Mixing dried stems with greenery adds texture and interest to your space. These are stems that are go-to’s for CASS designs as well as used throughout my own home.
Where Should You Use Faux Stems in Your Home?
Faux stems can be utilized in so many places. Whether it’s in the bathroom, on the kitchen counter, or even outside, they can add so much life to any area of your home.
Living Room/Entryway
Place some faux stems on your coffee table, side table, or entryway console. If your living room has a fireplace or fireplace mantle, adding some faux flowers or plants will liven up the space.
Kitchen
A small bouquet of faux flowers would be a sweet addition to a coffee bar in your kitchen. Have a large island? Add a big faux stem arrangement for visual interest. Incorporate faux flowers as a centerpiece to a kitchen table.
Bathroom
Utilize small faux flowers or plants in a bathroom. Add a small vase by the sink or on a bathroom shelf. If you have a corner bathtub, consider adding some faux eucalyptus for an overall relaxing vibe.
Outdoor Decor
Yes, faux plants can be utilized outside as well! If you want beautiful-looking florals all year long (with low maintenance), faux stems are the way to go. Make sure you buy weather-resistant faux stems so they can last longer. Add them to planters, outdoor coffee tables, and even in pots next to your front door, for a maintenance-free fresh look. You can even use faux greenery in vases or planters on outdoor side tables and outdoor dining tables to give a cozier feel (even if you don’t have a green thumb!).
How to Style Faux Stems to Make Them Look Real
To keep those arrangements looking nice and fresh all year, here are a few key pointers to remember.
- Use water if you have a clear glass vase. It may sound silly but trust me, it looks more realistic if you do this! It gives the illusion of freshness.
- Be sure to bend the stems and fluff. It creates a sense of symmetry without worrying about perfection. Make sure there is white space between the branches that aren’t perfectly matched. Remember, the point is for these to look realistic; most plants vary in various directions.
- Use paper or plastic to fill vases for added height. This is an easy fix if your stems aren’t long enough.
- Vary the height of stems. This often can mean bending the bottoms to create an illusion that the stems are all of the different heights. No two stems from nature are the exact same length, so the same rule applies here, and dimension follows.
Greenery is always essential to create that designer look in your home. It’s totally worth it to invest in quality faux stems to elevate any space for a finished natural look. You can keep them forever and swap them throughout different seasons and is honestly one of my favorite things to decorate.
