Is Faux a Faux Pas? 7 Reasons to Style with Artificial Plants

Most people turn their nose up at them. I know I did for quite some time.

Fake plants. Faux flowers. Artificial greens. There’s something hardwired in us as humans that makes us desire something real. We want to be authentic. And when there’s a bowl of tulips in a pool of gelatin pretending to be real  in the corner, it feels a little icky.

But faux plants don’t have to be a faux pas. I have—wait for it—turned over a new leaf, and found not only am OK with faux, but find them surprisingly delightful and helpful.

If you find yourself a little hesitant to explore the faux world, I hear you and I see you. Here are 7 reasons I ultimately entertained—and accepted—artificial. Stems crossed, they’ll do the same for you too.

1. These aren’t your grandmother’s flowers. 

There’s a memory lodged deep in my brain of a relative’s home. Plastic covers on the sofa, and a faux plant on the countertop—rigid and impossibly green. It’s not even that it wasn’t real; it’s like it wasn’t even trying. When I think about faux plans now, that’s always the image that comes to mind—something that isn’t original or beautiful. But despite my memory, the faux plant industry didn’t stop at my great grandmother’s table. There’s a world of sources now that look and feel authentic. Shopping for faux is like shopping for a good wardrobe. There isn’t just one option—there’s a spectrum of sources in all quality levels, materials, and styles. You have to explore to find the best one for you.

2. You can upgrade anything with a new vessel.

Don’t forget: the vessel does the heavy lifting. Choosing a quality vase or beautiful pot changes the story—immediately elevating the experience. Take the extra time to find a base you love, and you’ll be much happier with the full composition. 

3. They can be works of art. 

Sometimes it isn’t just accepting the premise, but re-writing it. Artificial greens aren’t a faux pas or a cop out, but an opportunity for an art installation—especially when it comes to branches. Take your material, get creative, and design a silhouette that’s striking and memorable to you.

4. Mixing and matching is encouraged.

This isn’t a scenario where you have to be one or the other. There’s plenty of gray area. If you have a trio of herbs on the windowsill that thrive, perfect. If you love to change out your entry arrangement on the regular, bully for you. I personally prefer to mix and match, incorporating faux with real. Like high and low design, you become the company you keep. Fake plants often end up feeling more real in the company of their authentic counterparts. If you want to go halfsies and aren’t sure where to start, I prefer to go with artificial in places that aren’t interacted with often (i.e. an arrangement on a sideboard) or with types of plants/branches that don’t tempt touching (i.e. you’ll always smell a bouquet of peonies, but you’re probably not fondling a ficus.)

5. They’re economical—and lasting.

There’s a practicality undercurrent to this whole thing, too. Fresh greens take maintenance—time, money, care. And while that might work for the lifestyle of some, as the mom of a toddler and a small business, adding fresh flowers and pruning to my weekly budget and schedule feels wildly impractical. So I’m left with two options: go bare or go faux. In this case, something is indeed better than nothing.

6. You don’t have to battle the elements.

Is this window north facing or south facing? Would you call this direct sun if it’s bright half the day? Am I over-watering it? Under-watering it? I feel like my battle with plants is always intense and unresolvable with strewn leaves on the battlefield. Faux plants, on the other hand, never mind that botany wasn’t part of my life curriculum. They maintain their posture and pleasantries no matter what window I place them in.

7. You can always walk it back.

We’re not talking marriage here. Try out an arrangement or two and see how you like them. If you can’t find products you love, no harm done. You can always go back to your aspirational green thumb days. So many design choices feel expensive and permanent, where dipping a toe in the water is indeed a big step. With this, the risk and investment is super low and the upside potentially pretty great, so why not give it a try? You can always walk it back.