Using faux florals and stems around your home is a great way to add to your decor. They can add height and texture to a space and are a nice break from taking care of a real plant. But a big component in that is knowing how to make faux florals look real when you style them in your home. If you buy more expensive ones they will usually look pretty good but they can really add up. There are a lot of budget faux florals that can really rival the designer versions – you just have to know what to look for and how to work with them. Here are my tips and tricks!


Look at the branch color
It may seem obvious but look for ones that have a realistic branch color. There are many that have all sorts of others colors that do not look natural.
Make sure they can be adjusted
It’s really important that the branches can be bent and adjusted and will also stay where you position them. Just because they can move a bit doesn’t mean they will stay put. Thats why its really worth your time to test them out a bit in store. Once you have them home take the time to separate the branches and the flowers/leaves so there is spaces between them and they are not lying flat. And even bend each branch a bit it make it hang a little.
Break them apart
If you have the kind that is wrapped at the bottom you may want to break that apart a little bit so you can separate them and lower how they lay. That way they won’t be trying to stick straight up.

Adjust the height
A really important factor is making them the right height to fit in the vase or pot you are using. Once you figured out the best height you have two options. First is to mark it and cut it with wire snips. Or the other option is to just bend the bottom where you want it to sit and that way if you want to reuse them with something else they are not permanently cut and you can adjust them again as needed.
Have some sparse spots
This may sound odd but sometimes if they are too full they just don’t always look natural. Try removing a couple leaves or flowers here and there to leave some gaps and see if it opens things up a bit. This has been one of my favorite tricks I’ve used.
Use a vase or pot with a wide opening
Having some space for the branches to lay is a really good shortcut for getting them to look right. If you have a wide vase they will almost just fall where they need to go with minimal fussing. A more narrow opening will require a lot more attention to get them to sit nicely.
Arrange in odd numbers
Whether it’s 3, 5 or oven more…. its a good rule to use an odd amount of stems. It will get them to sit in a matter that will fill the space so its visually appealing. Using an even number can lead them to fall to one side or the other leaving it looking almost split in half.

With fall right around the corner this is a great way to add some color and texture to your space! Just spending a few minutes finding the right stems and a little time working with them will make it a great addition.
Shop faux florals and stems below
