Is It OK To Decorate With Fake Plants?
3rd May 2022
Decorating With Artificial Plants
Decorating your house with indoor plants gives it a classy touch besides adding a refreshing look to your environment. Whether you're a plant parent or not, you might like to add plants to your home décor to create a fresh and peaceful atmosphere. Moreover, it is not necessary to use natural plants to decorate your home.
Why?
Because faux plants can effectively serve the same purpose with several other benefits. That said, they can brighten up a dark corner and add life to a dull interior. However, people are still not sure if it is the right choice. In this article, we'll explore the pros and cons of using fake plants, as well as some tips for plant decorations.
Benefits Of Fake Plants
The popularity of faux plants is not baseless. People enjoy several benefits of making fake plants a part of their home's interior.
Easy Maintenance
Natural plants sometimes become challenging to maintain since they require proper care. Explicitly so, if you want to keep them indoors, providing sufficient sunlight can become a problem. Also, the shedding of these plants can create a mess in your house that needs to be frequently cleaned.
On the other hand, faux flowers are free from all these worries. They neither need sunlight nor water or shade. Also, you don't have to worry about trimming since they do not grow. This means they are the most suitable indoor decoration if you are a plant lover.
Long Life
Who doesn’t want a long lasting and stunning home decor? One of the most prominent advantages of faux plants is their long life. They can stay the same for years. All that is necessary is to keep them clean and protect them from damage. You can even alter their placement, rotating them every now and then to rejuvenate the look of the space.
Cost Efficient
Yes, you read that right.Fake plants are more cost-efficient than real ones. But their initial purchase cost can be high, so how is this statement justified? Although some faux plants are expensive to buy, they don't need costly maintenance. You do not have to add fertilisers, pesticides, or other natural materials to them frequently to maintain their look. They remain the same forever. Regardless of a sometimes high initial cost, they are cost-efficient in the long run.
No Need For Specific Placement
When you place natural flowers indoors, you must ensure that they are appropriately positioned to receive sunlight in the required amount. An increase or decrease in it can make the plant die. Due to this factor, you cannot keep them in any place you want; you will need to be selective about their placement.
However, if you choose to decorate your home with fake plants, you can keep them at any place you want, whether near a window or on the walls. They are not place-centric and can survive any place you want.
No Seasonal Dependency
Faux plants are free from seasonal limitations. You do not have to wait for their blooming season and replace them afterward. Instead, you can keep various plant species at your home without worrying about their growth or appearance.
Disadvantages Of Fake Plants
Besides these compelling benefits, it is not a one-fits-all solution. There are several drawbacks to decorating with fake plants. Have a look at some of them.
Questionable Feng Shui
Feng Shui is a popular Japanese concept of creating a balanced environment surrounded by effective energies. It is based on essential natural elements, including fire, earth, water, and wood. Since natural plants contain these elements, they create good energy in the environment.
Similarly, some plants are associated with luck, prosperity, and fortune. Some may say that fake plants lack these qualities. Some may feel the presence of faux plants without proper planning can create an unnatural feel in the home environment. Lots of people still feel fake plants make them feel generally happier than having no plants.
Some Aren’t Eco-Friendly
The surge in global warming has raised concerns about using eco-friendly products. One of the significant reasons for adding plants in interior decoration is dealing with environmental pollution. Although artificial plants do not play any role in fighting environmental pollution, they may increase it.
Some faux plants are made of cheap-and-nasty plastic which is considered one of the foremost causes of pollution. It hardly decomposes and emits poisonous gases upon burning. The increasing trend of faux plant decoration means more plastic wastage in the environment that ultimately threatens marine life and other creatures.
However, a good quality artificial plant shop will manufacture plants using materials that have been sourced sustainably. Artificial plants also require no water to produce, farm and maintain. They also don’t continually consume nutrients throughout their life.
Some May Notice The Difference
On the one hand, real plants can freshen up your mood and are a sight for sore eyes; on the other hand, fake plants can sometimes be spotted in the crowd and noticed to be fake. Some people care about what other people think when it comes to having artificial plants in their homes, but most are happy with the positive atmosphere they provide.
Some Can Fade Over Time
Natural plants do not fade away (they can die however). Instead, they (usually) grow more beautiful over time. The dead leaves on real plants are shed on their own and replaced by new, fresh and shiny leaves that make them appear even more attractive. The colours of newly hatched leaves and flowers are brighter.
On the contrary, fake plants can fade over time, especially if you place them near sunlight, heat, and are of poor quality. Not only can poor quality fake plants look artificial but they can also diminish the look of everything around them. It's worth investing in quality artificial plants that will not fade over time, so they enhance the look of your space.
The Need For Cleaning
Although fake plants are considered easy to maintain, it is important to keep them clean to make them appear attractive. Reaching all the tight spaces on them is not always easy. Also, you may need special cleaning equipment if freshwater is not available, to keep them dust free. This does not mean that decorating with fake plants is a non-practical idea… after all, a quick wipe with a clean, damp microfibre cloth and they’re back to looking new again!
Practical Tips For Faux Plant Decoration
Buy Real-Looking Fake Plants
What is the point of faux plant décor if they do not resemble the real thing? You can only make your décor appear suitable if it looks natural. Otherwise, it might spoil the whole idea of decorating a home with plants. Always buy good quality plants that give a realistic look considering their size, colour and shape.
Combine with Real Plants
It might sound odd, but it is really a fantastic idea. Using a creative combination of artificial and natural plants can level up your decoration game. If you’re not quite ready to go full-on artificial, then this can be a great way to ease into it and see if you like them.
Focus on Proper Placement
Placement is the key to an attractive home interior. It matters how you utilise the available space, especially if you decide to spruce it up with plants. Tall plants look better outdoors or on the terrace and balcony. In comparison, you can place small plants on window sills, near stairs, and side tables. Also, vines look great in the kitchen. Placing plants in groups can look great too. Two to Three plants of different heights which are placed together in matching pots is a great way to make them appear as thought they’re a family and all belong together.
Add a Topping
There is no requirement for you to fill up the whole pot with soil and dirt. There are a variety of materials you can use as the topping. Everything from Coconut fibre, pine or bark chips, polished river stones, gravel or even artificial soil! These are all great options that we use in our installations, so we recommend you do too.
Frequent Cleaning
If you want to maintain an excellent appearance in your home, make a habit of cleaning your faux plants often. Don't allow the settling of dirt and dust on your trees or flowers, over time this can make them challenging to clean. Frequent cleaning can save you time and effort in the long run, where you don’t have to do an occasional “big clean” to get them back to looking new again.
Repot Your Plant
Are you bored with the same look? No worries. You can simply change the plant's pot, and it will create an entirely different look. By planting your artificial plant in a new pot, it will give it a new lease on life and change the vibe to suit your current décor. Using a different pot also means you can vary the height of the plant. Using a taller pot and propping the plant up can make it look much taller!
Best Faux Plants To Have
With a wide range of faux plants available on the market, you must be wondering which fake plants to choose to keep at home from. It’s easy to decide, once you have settled on your interior theme, budget, and personal likes. The following are some of the most popular faux plants that people like to buy.
• Yucca
• Succulents
• Snake plant
• Ferns
• Trailing and hanging plants
• Jade plant
Still Not Convinced?
It is perfectly OK to decorate with fake plants. For indoor decoration, faux plants are a more convenient option if you don’t have the time or patience to care for real ones. Also, a combination of real and fake plants is a surefire way to make your home feel like a real beautiful place to be. The key is to maintain a simple and natural look, and avoid excessiveness. If you don't know where to start, you can find some of the best faux plants here at Artificial Plant Shop, or by simply reaching out to one of our experts.