Make Faux Plants Realistic With 4 DIY Hacks
Confession time, I do not have a green thumb! As much as I’d like to have a bunch of thriving house plants around, it’s just not the case. But, I don’t let my lack of plant care skills keep me from adding some greenery to my home. Instead, I use faux plants. Honestly fake plants have come a long way, and when done right they can be pretty convincing. So here are my tips on how to make faux plants realistic.
Plant Tip #1 Choose Carefully
Not all artificial greenery is created equal. So do a little shopping around before you commit. I’d recommend having a certain type of plant in mind to make things easier. For example, if you know you like the look of an olive tree, then you can start looking at different options from various stores. It’s always nice to see the plant in person. Though if you can’t, checking the reviews online is also helpful. Another trick to test how real a plant will look is to compare it to a picture of the actual plant. That way you can see if the coloring or shape is drastically off. Obviously, they won’t be a perfect match.
Speaking of olive trees, I love the one we have in our living room. I got it from a shop on Etsy. It’s definitely on the pricier side but I LOVE the way it looks and the quality. Here is a link if you’re interested. I’ll link to a more affordable option here as well. Other places I like to shop for artificial plants are Target and IKEA! I put them all over my house, like on the floating shelves in my son’s bedroom.
Plant Tip #2 Add Some Dirt
There’s nothing like some real soil to make your greenery look more realistic. If you’re going to add soil to a large pot for a tree or other kind of plant, there’s no need to fill the whole thing with dirt. Simply place the tree inside a larger pot (prop it up on wooden blocks if needed), and fill in the spaces between the tree and the pot with crumpled-up paper. Here’s the pot I used for our olive tree. Then cut a piece of cardboard into a donut shape with a slit on one side. Slip the donut around the tree and into the pot. Now you’ll just have a few inches to fill with soil. You can use rocks or moss as well.
Now I know I’m not the only one to use this trick, but have you ever seen someone do this outside? Like I said, no green thumb here so I’ve got to do what I’ve got to do. Because even though I live in the Vegas heat, I still want some greenery midsummer. You can see where I’ve used the fake plant real soil trick in my outdoor space in this blog post. But shhh, it’s our little secret!
Plant Tip #3 Fluff The Branches
After you bring your new plant home and pot it in some real soil, the next step is fluffing the branches. Take a minute to separate the stems and any leaves clumping together. That way it will look more natural and beautiful. If you’re simply putting a few stems in a clear vase, I would add a little bend to each stem. Typically stems are moldable so you can create that natural-looking bend without worrying about breaking it.
Plant Tip #4 Place In The Right Space
Once you have your plant looking all magical, you’ll need to decide where to place it (if you don’t already have that planned out). For the most realistic look, place your plant in an area with a lot of natural light. Obviously, plants need the sun to grow so if your artificial plant is in a room without natural light, it’s a bit of a giveaway. Honestly though, don’t let this tip keep you from putting greenery wherever you like. I’ve broken this rule myself before too. It’s all about creating a space that YOU love!
How To Make Faux Plants Look Realistic
There are my four tips for making faux plans look realistic. What did you think? Were these tips helpful? If you use any of these artificial plant hacks, let me know on Instagram. Your secret will be safe with me! While you’re there, make sure you’re following me on Instagram and TikTok to see what other DIY projects I’m working on. Stop pinning. Start doing.
