Fake Plant Decor Ideas

Fake Plant Decor Ideas + Tips

1. Statement Neutral Planter

A large planter in a clean neutral is a classic for real plants, carry them over to your faux undertakings. Choose a crisp shade of beige, white or grey to accentuate green leaves. One of the most popular plant options for modern style is anything stone; concrete planters, ceramic planters and porcelain planters all do well to add style to faux plants. (Even better? Choose a concrete or porcelain planter design that’s unfinished. Raw textures unpainted or unglazed bring a touch of authenticity and create an illusion of overall real aesthetic.)

Pro style tip: Invest in a high-quality faux plant. The more care for detail that went into the making of it, the more beautiful and natural the result will be. Do your research before buying faux plants, as the range of types and materials is vast. Also keep in mind that while some faux plants may look better than others, they may not hold up as long (or may only be for indoor use, etc). When the plant itself is of high quality, it will be easier to decorate with.

2. Bright Planters

Bright planters have a place in the faux world, too, but tread lightly when attempting to mix faux greens with bold colors. For example, a planter or vase with an ombre finish will ease into the punch of color, adding a fun spin that still feels natural. Bold pops of color are great options for faux flowers or plants with blooms, channeling the hints of color in the blossoms and each bringing out the other. Pair faux red roses with a speckled-red vase, faux purple orchids with a speckled-blue vase, and so on!

Pro style tip: Choose a plant that looks good as a fake. Some faux plants, no matter how expert the craftsmanship that went into them, just don’t look very good. Again, this has nothing to do with craftsmanship, but instead with the very nature of the species of certain plants, which contain fibers, grains and colorings that don’t translate well to artificial materials. Common types that shouldn’t be purchased faux include Elephant Ear and jewel plants, which contain hard-to-mimic veins, foliage patterns and colors. (Most common houseplants do work as fakes, though!)

3. Scaled-Down Pots

Contain faux plants in minimalist vases or pots. Keep the décor to a minimum, as well, to let the faux plants do their thing (their thing being to refresh a space with simple style!). In the image above, note the use of texture on the shelf and how the pots pop against it. Even the faux cacti themselves offer another textural dimension (sharp needles and soft fuzz). Zooming in a little closer, you’ll notice the rock base – yet another pop of texture, and a simple one at that to add to character and keep with the cacti theme.

4. A Mix of Faux Species

Faux species, when well-made, are indistinguishable from the authentic kind. If you have such quality faux plants, mix them in with real greens to add even more lushness. Just make sure the sequence makes sense, and that you don’t pair plant types that wouldn’t normally grow together in the wild! Some examples of well-chosen pairings? Aloe and crown-of-thorns, jade and basalm, and ZZ plants and spider plants. Doing just a little bit of research on plant species before styling faux varieties can go a long way!

5. Faux Groupings

Everything and anything is better with a little company! Instead of a single vase or planter all by its lonesome, give it a friend. Group faux plants in twos, threes, fours or fives; more greenery in your home means more color, and more color always means more happiness! (Color from plants, by the way, is the best kind for home décor, since it’s natural and even tends towards neutral, allowing it plenty of style opportunity.) Try varying your vases by size, color, texture and material type for a staggered and more unique look.

Pro style tip: Contain faux plants. As beautiful as your new fake plant will look, and as much as you won’t want to hide it, planters and vases are a good idea. While the bottom part of the greenery will be hidden, containers add style, gravitas and an authentic touch. Containers don’t have to be limited to planters and vases, though, as anything with an open neck will work. Try rustic bottles, baskets, glass mason jars, decorative boxes or even a decorative trash can!

6. Dining Centerpieces

Unfortunately, fake plants get a bad rap, and as a result many decorators shy away from placing them front-and-center. We urge you to take the path less travelled; arrange a faux plant as a dining table centerpiece! The more love and pride you show for your artificial greens, the more elegant they will look. (As long as the plant is well-made, you don’t have to worry about the artificiality getting in the way, as well-made faux greens are not discernable from the real things!) To start off, start small, and experiment with different types of fake plants to see which ones work best for your style personality.

7. Unusual Containers

The ubiquitous vases, planter boxes and planters are one thing, but a unique container that’s meant for something else besides plants makes for a stylish approach, as well! Choose odds-and-ends containers, the kind of things you may find in the back of a cupboard or pantry. Antique bottles, empty candle holders, large decorative boxes, old-fashioned canisters (that once contained soup, perhaps!) and mason jars all work beautifully for storage. Make your golden rule to utilize designs that were not designed for plants to begin with!

Pro style tip: Add some décor. Infusing a faux tree or plant with decorative objects is a win-win: your decorative objects get a breath of fresh air, and your greens get style. More important than anything else is to have fun with decorating. Style a plant directly under a hanging art piece you love, next to a chair you love or over a rug you love – just make sure love is the main ingredient! You might also try smaller things, like hanging an ornament on a tree branch. (Ornaments, after all, aren’t just for Christmas and there are actually a wide variety available for every season!)

8. Hanging Tight

Here’s the thing about faux plants: they don’t need water. They also don’t need soil, they don’t need to be replaced, they don’t need a specific amount of sunlight and they don’t need shade. They don’t need anything, because they don’t have actual roots – which is to say, they can be placed anywhere and everywhere. While a real plant hanging on the side of a wall might be a disaster to care for, a faux plant will work beautifully, and more importantly, easily!

9. Artificial & Artsy

Pair a fake plant with an art piece! Technically, a fake plant is a work of art; the amount of master craftsmanship that goes into a quality fake plant is bonkers. From even the most minute details like the way a vein appears on a leaf and how a particular branch bends, everything is accounted for, and the end result makes for a statement piece as beautiful as the kind nature herself produces (if not more beautiful!). With all of this said, bring out the artistry by arranging a fake plant near a gallery of framed art.

Pro style tip: Add fragrance. When the senses are activated, a space becomes all the more beautiful. Infuse aroma in and around a faux plant to really liven it up. Choose a floral scent for faux flowers and a woodsy scent for faux trees – if you don’t have or want to use room spray or candles, a few drops of essential oil works nicely and will last longer than an alcohol-based spray.

10. Outdoor Decor

Finally, the best fake plant décor idea, ever: fake plants outside! Whether you’re blessed with an already-green backyard scene or could use a little more life in your outdoor space, fake plants are the way to go. Invest in a design of high quality that will last in heat and cold, place it in a planter, vase or container with the dimensions to hold it, and sit back and relax as your fake plant décor brings patio and backyard furniture to life – without ever asking for water, soil, time or money in return.

11. In the Hallway

When guests enter your home, the first thing they’ll see is whatever you have placed in the entrance hallway. Fake plants are an easy way to infuse natural green color and a lifelike appearance into this space. Implement one into a hallway setting: fashion a console table or shelf with a faux plant, statement wall décor piece, a decorative object or two and a rug below to create a professionally-designed-looking aesthetic – and warmly welcome guests into your home. (If you don’t have counter space, floor arrangements of planters and pots work, too!)

Pro style tip: Love your fake plants and flowers! A fake plant needs a planter or vase, a decorative item, and love! The whole point of decorating – whether through plants, lamps, furniture, art, and anything else you can bring inside – is to make your space come alive with the joy of the things you love. This isn’t materialistic; rather, it’s an appreciation of the use of space and the representation of objects – how certain objects hold stories and connections to the things in life we hold most dear. If all of this sounds deep, it’s because it is. The goal of design isn’t to mimic what you saw in a magazine, but rather to create what can be truly described as home, where every object, from the furniture to faux plants, inspires.