As much as we adore the effect of fresh flowers in the house, we can’t say the same for our bank balance. Displaying good blooms on the regular costs, but there’s a way to mimic the effect without racking up a serious floristry bill: faux flowers.
Now, hold your horses, what’s that look for? Faux can be just as fabulous as fresh but with added longevity and the guiltless freedom to fill your house with out-of-season blooms if you like. Gone are the days of dust-magnet silk roses and tatty daisies: the new gen of artificial flowers will have you feeling like they’re the real deal.
Yes, they won’t emanate the same heavenly scent, but the list of pros is lengthy. They’re excellent for allergy sufferers, won’t wilt in the sunlight, they’re eco-friendly and kinder on the wallet as they’ll hardly need replacing.
Another big plus is that you can use faux stems as decor in areas where you wouldn’t normally display flowers, like the WC or bathroom. While it feels somewhat cruel to confuse bees by placing faux flowers in outdoor window boxes and gardens, indoors is another story. They can be displayed pride of place, or act as a blur of colour and texture to inject interest in corners and spaces in the home.
Make it forever spring in your home and see our favourite artificial flower arrangements below.
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Petite Iris Germanica Arrangement
Irises are a sculptural, natural phenomenon which have been the subject of numerous iconic still-life paintings by artists such as Georgia O’Keeffe, Cezanne and Van Gogh. The ideal faux floral arrangement for smaller spaces, this perennial set of blooms features three eye-catching violet irises.
Buy now £79.00, Bloom
Faux Green Amaranthus Stems
You can’t go wrong with some delicately formed faux greenery when it comes to decorating your home. These high-quality Amaranthus stems bring the outside in, without any of that pesky maintenance.
Buy now £18.00, Kiss My Pampas
Abigail Ahern Hydrangea Paniculata
Welcome moody magic in the form of fauxtanicals, courtesy of interiors expert Abigail Ahern. The brand has these hyper-realistic richly coloured hydrangea stems for sale by the stem, allowing you to build the look into an existing artificial arrangement or display multiple ones of the same en masse. You’ll need 10 to achieve the look we’ve showcased here.
Buy now £4.00, Abigail Ahern
Bloom A Jug Full of Dancing Oncidiums
Channel rustic vibes with this bright arrangement bursting with dainty oncidiums - that’s one way to see off ghastly weather. The design comes secured in a vintage-style galvanised metal milk churn with foliage to act as a filler.
Buy now £126.00, Amazon
Blooming Artificial lazy days bouquet
Mood lagging? One look at this sunflower-themed bouquet is enough to lift your spirits. The just-picked look is designed to remind you of lazy summer days when the air is warm and the days stretch well into the evening. The bunch contains 14 stems in an array of sunshine tones.
Buy now £72.25, Blooming Artificial
Abigail Ahern Eucalyptus Trailing
So often faux flowers are cheerful bundles of roses, so it’s refreshing to find this dramatic Eucalyptus on Abigail Ahern’s digital aisles. Designed to fall like a tassel, it’s perfect for adding to hanging baskets as well as arranging in a big dramatic floor vase, as shown. If you want to mimic this look, you’ll need at least a dozen stems.
Buy now £14.50, Abigail Ahern
Duyone Artificial Poppy Silk Flowers
Enjoy the simple pleasures of a bunch of poppies with this arrangement of six stems in a cheerful coral hue. The silk petals sit on wired stems so that you can position them exactly as you like. If you’re setting them in a vase it’s best to get two or three bunches to achieve a fuller look.
Buy now £29.48, Amazon
Dunelm Artificial Allium and Foliage in Vase
For those who still need convincing on faux flowers, the best advice we can give is to keep it simple. Dunelm has nailed the brief with this elegant look that puts rich green stems inside a chic glass vase. The fresh look is perfect for adding to bookshelves and bedside lamps, offering a pop of colour at a price we just can’t believe.
Buy now £16.00, Dunelm
Artificial Flowers Fake Flowers Silk Rose Bouquets Decoration with Ceramics Vase for Table Home Office Wedding (Red Bud)
Faux flowers aren’t just for the home; they can brighten up the office or bring down the floristry cost in weddings too. Ranunculus is a bridal favourite but if you want to deck your entire venue with the blooms, you’ll find the estimate could run into the thousands. Save the real stuff for your bouquet and head table, and fill out the rest with faux, like this gathered bunch of silk flowers. They’ll look just as good in the wedding snaps, but for a snip of the cost.
Buy now £28.31, Amazon
Veryhome Vintage Artificial Peony Silk Flowers
Flowerheads hotly anticipate peony season (a short window between April and June) to get their hands on the romantic, fragrant petals. Buy faux and you can enjoy the look all year long. This peony bouquet dupe mixes hydrangeas and grass in with the star of the show to give it a realistic effect. They look so good you’d have to touch them to see they’re not real.
Buy now £10.99, Amazon
BLOOM Artificial Double Phalaenopsis White Orchid
A show-stopping style that will never wilt or die? Head to Bloom; its range of artificial flowers and plants is seriously impressive. For standout style, we’re into this sculptural orchid look, set inside a decorative base that requires zero maintenance aside from light dusting. That’s our kind of gardening.
Buy now £71.21, Amazon
Blooming Artificial Highland spring bouquet
The unusual look of blue flowers is precisely what makes them so distinctive. Admire the beauty of Scottish wildflowers year-round with this stunning display from Blooming Artificial. In the mix, you’ll find thistles, blue delphiniums, wild foliage and the odd cream-white roses.
Buy now £86.95, Blooming Artificial
Ett Hem London Peachy Maxi Bunch
Perhaps the most realistic bunch of artisanal faux flowers that we’ve ever come across has to be those by Ett Hem London. Though they produce a variety of themed floral arrangements, our favourite option for spring simply has to be the Peachy Maxi Bunch, which features poppies, peonies, pom pom dahlias, ranunculus and globe chrysanthemums. Each flower is equipped with a wire stem, making customisable arrangements easier than ever.
Buy now £90.00, Ett Hem London
