Artificial plant decor has a reputation for being tacky and unrealistic. Historically, these products were designed with poor quality materials and craftsmanship. However, today artificial plants have improved tremendously, making it difficult to tell them apart from living plants. Since low-quality products are still available, there are a few things to look for when buying artificial decor.
When your objective is to have realistic-looking plants, try to find plants that mimic live plants. Although, this can be a challenge when using plants with only green foliage because it’s difficult to re-create the texture, look and feel of leaves.
But, in general, look for silk plants with durable plastic and latex materials because they have the most realistic detail. This includes plants with all green foliage or those with flowers too. Make sure the leaves and flower petals vary in shape, size, and color instead of being the same. Also, ensure plant stems, bark, and moss look realistic with variations in color that mimic the actual plant. These details provide a more authentic appearance.
Try to find artificial plants that come in quality containers. But if you don’t, simply upgrade the pot. Often pots for faux plants come in cheap containers unsuitable for decorating. This can bring down the appearance of your decor. It’s not uncommon to find a quality-looking plant with an unattractive container. In this situation, purchase the item but put it into a better quality, decorative pot. This is beneficial for two reasons. One, the artificial plant can be placed inside of a larger container. Then non-faux elements, like rocks, can be placed around the base of the plant to give it a more realistic look (see above). Two, it allows you to find a pot that fits your decor.
Finally, having real-life-looking plants may not be your goal. There may be instances when you just want fun or colorful decor for your space. Even then, you want products that last. Therefore, we would still recommend plants with quality materials and craftsmanship. This would still include pieces with silk, durable plastics, and latex, as well as vibrant varying colors.