3 Expert Tips To Choose Artificial Flowers & Plants

Choosing the perfect material should be your main priority. This will dictate how realistic your artificial flowers and plants will look and can sometimes even determine the type of flowers you can buy - some just simply can't be found in certain materials.

You'll need to consider exactly how much you're willing to pay for your flowers, and how long you will want them to last. More durable materials will last you longer and will be safe for outdoor use, but they will initially cost you a lot more money than the flimsier materials.

Want something super realistic? => Silk

• Silk flowers are probably the closest you can get to the real thing. They'll usually have quite a lot of detail that distinguishes them from other types of artificial flowers and makes them look so realistic.

• The fabric also often mimics the natural behavior of flower petals, which gives them an added realism.

• This is a great option for bigger flowers with relatively large petals, where it would be otherwise very easy to tell that they're fake.

• However, silk is usually only ever used as a flower material - stems and leaves are made from plastic or latex, so it's very unlikely to find a silk plant that's just foliage.

• Also, silk flowers can get very expensive. Though there are similar fabric alternatives, like polyester or cotton, they all fall at a very similar price point, and buying them in bulk may put a bit of a strain on your wallet.

Want real-touch flowers? => Latex

• Latex plants and flowers are usually described as real-touch or fresh-touch as the feel of the material often mimics the feel of a fleshy stem or petal.

• They are made using molds taken of real, living plants in an attempt to give them the details and imperfections you'd find in real plants.

• Only a limited range of flowers is available in latex, as only lilies, orchids, and roses look convincing enough.

• Keep in mind, these flowers are unsuitable for individuals with latex allergies - you don't want to have a nasty reaction just from holding a bouquet of flowers!

Only want something small? => Foam

• Foam flowers are the perfect choice if you want flowers with quite small and dainty petals.

• While they're not the most realistic looking, they can be easily integrated with other artificial or real flowers to make them look nicer.

• They come with wired or taped stems, and usually don't have any leaves, so they're only really used for small details rather than as main flower composition pieces.

• Foam flowers are usually quite cheap, though the cheaper you go, the worse they will look. Also, the color fades in some really cheap versions, so be wary of surprisingly low prices!

Just need something cheap? => Plastic

• Now, plastic flowers and plants are usually considered the worst quality out of every other material, but that isn't always the case.

• If you're prepared to pay a little more than the absolute cheapest prices, you can actually find some relatively realistic and high-quality plants - even the more premium prices are usually much lower than silk or latex plants.

• Plastic is a pretty popular choice for foliage without flowers, especially if the leaves have a naturally waxy appearance in real life.

• These plants and flowers are usually better off as side or filler pieces, rather than the focal points of your decoration.

Knowing the exact materials and how you're going to arrange your artificial plants is great, but you need to make sure that whatever you choose will work with your home's existing color scheme.

• If you have a generally muted and monochromatic color scheme and want your artificial flowers to bring some life into the room, definitely go for bold flower colors. Try to choose colors that will work well together - for example, having different shades of pink and red together works way better than trying to combine purple and orange flowers. Above all, make sure the flowers are different enough to your general color scheme, avoiding whites and pale pinks in cream rooms, and blues and purples in darker rooms.

• If you'd rather stick to your muted color scheme, we recommend either white flowers or lots of green foliage with no flowers at all. Both of these colors are very natural and won't stand out too much from monochromatic color schemes, making them perfect for modern homes. This also makes them very universal, so if you ever change your décor, you won't have to get rid of your artificial plants.

• A great way to make your artificial flower decorations more exciting is to allocate a specific flower color to each different room. For instance, have predominantly pink flowers in your living room, blue flowers in your bathroom, yellow flowers in your kitchen, and so on. Of course, you can choose different colors to the ones we suggested to fit in with your specific décor. This decorating style will give each room a different character and feel, which is great for individuals who prefer more eclectic décor styles.

• Alternatively, if you want a more cohesive look throughout your home, stick to just one color or shade set in every single room in the house. This won't work too well if every room in your house is decorated differently though - the colors and styles may end up clashing.