As we freshen up our homes
post-holiday, botanicals are the perfect element to add. There isn’t a single space in my home that doesn’t have florals or greenery. They immediately add organic texture and create an extension of our surroundings.
I’m a huge fan of using fresh eucalyptus, but throughout the year it may be difficult to find on the east coast. My secret is using dried or faux florals. They’re cost-effective and require little maintenance while softening a room’s design with natural color.
DRIED FLORALS
There’s nothing I’d recommend more to bring life into a space than bringing the outdoors in. Dried flowers and grasses are a great way to enjoy the beauty of the seasons year-round. You can naturally dry your own budding stems from your backyard or source already dried florals from places, such as Afloral or Dried Decor. The organic look of a vintage-inspired vase and dried flowers never gets old.
Favorite Dried Florals
Reflect the beauty of the seasons with naturally dried flowers and grasses.
FAUX BOTANICALS
While you might think faux greenery is a thing of the past, don’t be fooled, these aren’t your grandmother’s artificial flowers. The faux floral industry has come a long way in creating the most realistic stems and drop-ins you could imagine. You can find everything from olive branches to angel hair to lavender blooms.
I recently purchased a few pieces from Afloral, Target, and Amazon. Afloral just released their spring collection of a wide variety of floral stems that could fool the eye. I often prefer the faux potted plants by Hearth & Hand or Threshold at our local Target.
Most Realistic Faux Botanicals
Achieve the lush look of nature without the hassle
MAKING FAUX FLORALS LOOK REAL
Faux florals can easily look cheap and fake which is not the goal. However, with a few tips and tricks for styling and shaping your stems, you can create a beautiful lifelike arrangement.
No.1 Fluff and bend. Real greenery has an organic shape. You need to fluff leave, open up blooms, and bend all stems to create a natural shape.
No.2 Vary height. We want to avoid symmetry so cut or bend the stems of your faux florals to alternate the height. Natural flowers do not all grow to the same length, we want to mimic this in our arrangements.
No.3 Work in odds. Gather your items in odd numbers. When styling a vase, I prefer to use a combination of 3, 5, or 7 stems. This keeps the arrangement from looking “perfect” and makes it easy for varying heights.
No.4 Mix and match. Use a variety of floral stems and faux greenery. I prefer to only display one type of stem in each vase, but I do use both florals and greenery throughout a room. This creates balance and keeps things interesting!
Swoon-Worthy Vessels
For the perfect addition to any vignette, add structure and weight with vases, planters and vintage pots.
Ceramic vases, stone planters, and vintage-inspired pots are the most versatile decor item. They look beautiful grouped together or standing alone with a budding branch. I, personally love to group two together, filling one with dried florals and leaving one empty. They work well displayed on a console table, collected on open shelves, or as a centerpiece on the kitchen table.
There are so many beautiful choices it is hard to choose only a few! I can’t wait to see some of these in your own homes!
Until next time, you can follow along on Instagram!
