[Answered] When And Where Are The Best Places For Decorating With Artificial Plants And Flowers?

As someone who is passionate about the use of artificial plants, flowers, trees, and shrubs I get a lot of questions that look something like this:

Where are the best places to decorate with artificial flowers?
Where are some good places in my house to place faux plants and flowers?
Are some places better than others when it comes to decorating with artificial trees, flowers, and plants?
Do artificial plants and flowers “do better” in some locations than others?

I thought it might be a good idea to spend a few moments answering some of these questions for anyone who is considering adding artificial plants to their decorating and design ideas.

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Consider Your Lighting Options

One of the most important considerations to keep in mind is how much light the area you are decorating will have. Too much or too little light could significantly reduce the options you have for using live plants or specific kinds of live plants. For instance, if you are decorating an office that doesn’t have any windows or the windows don’t provide a lot of direct sunlight, then geraniums are probably not the best choice.

But what if your client absolutely adores geraniums and has asked to include them as an option in the decoration design? Before you propose adding a larger window or a skylight that could cost hundreds, or thousands, of dollars…consider adding an artificial geranium or two. Taking the artificial route would serve both interests of using the flowers in the design, even though the lighting is optimal for live plants.

Sometimes a hanging basket can add that pop of color to a room with little or no natural light.

These Phalaenopsis Orchids in a cute square vase, are guaranteed to add a unique touch to any home’s décor.

If corner or counter space is at a premium, consider adding a plant that comes in a corner stand.

This snake plant in a corner stand is perfect to incorporate in your indoor or outdoor landscaping plans.

These vibrant Allium Stems will add a fun pop of color to your home’s décor!

Because lighting is often an issue for these spaces, consider artificial plants for your designs in areas like basements, bathrooms, and offices that don’t have windows or have small windows.

Maintenance Might Be A Big Factor

Do you, or your client, have a brown thumb? Do they travel a lot? Are they decorating a second home, like a lake or vacation home? In these situations, artificial flowers and plants might be a much better option than live ones.

Take a lake home as an example. A lot of people use their lake homes on the weekends over the Summer and, depending on your geography, infrequently during the Winter.

In some regions, people go so far as to completely winterize their lake houses during late Fall and don’t even visit until early Spring. This would spell doom for any live plants, since no one would be able to maintain them while the house was winterized.

Alternatively, artificial plants and flowers would be a much better option in these situations because they require no water, heat, or sunlight. Just dust them off in the Spring and they’re ready to go.

Consider this Fern in Sandstone Pot for a natural, outdoorsy feel.

Sunflowers always brighten up a space and these require almost no maintenance.

This cute sunflower arrangement is sure to brighten up any room in your home!

If the design location isn’t going to be used consistently or someone isn’t going to be present to maintain the plants, then consider going the artificial route instead.

In The Case Of A Gift, Consider The Needs And Capabilities Of The Recipient

Giving a plant or flower as a gift? Maybe it’s a house-warming gift or celebrating someone’s birthday or anniversary? Before you choose a live plant or flower, consider the recipient’s needs, rather than just how pretty the gift looks when you purchase it.

Is the recipient able to care for the plant? Your grandparent, who lives in a nursing home, might not have the ability to care for a live plant, but would appreciate the beauty of an artificial flower arrangement in their room.

Likewise, friends or family who travel a lot or just aren’t great with caring for and feeding plants might be much more appreciative of a high-quality artificial flower arrangement or plant than a live one. The key is to consider their needs and ability to care for the gift before you choose.

This rose arrangement would bring a smile to a friend, without adding maintenance.

Full colorful arrangement design with a variety of flowers in a rounded container.

Ferns are a great gift to give to a friend or family member.

This Staghorn Fern Plant In A Cement Pot would be a great, easy-to-maintain gift for a friend.

If the gift recipient doesn’t have the time, ability, or desire, to care for a live plant then think about giving a beautiful artificial plant or flower arrangement instead.

Give The Gift That Keeps On Giving

The last thing to consider when considering whether to use a live plant or an artificial one is the durability of the plant. If you LOVE caring for your plants and are willing to spend the time and energy feeding, watering, and maintaining them, then live plants might be the best choice for you.

Live plants offer a lot of health benefits in the form of clean air and healing aspects. Artificial plants, on the other hand, offer a different type of potential health benefits since they don’t bring any pollen into the home, as some flowers do.

For those who suffer from allergies or asthma, faux trees, shrubs, and flowers offer the opportunity to enjoy beauty while not sneezing and coughing. And the best part? If you properly care for your artificial plants, they can last years (and even decades) longer than live plants, especially if you know how to care for plants during the sunniest months..

If you’re looking for inspiration for your designs, below is a great Pinterest board that can provide some ideas about how both live and artificial plants could be used. For each photo, consider whether an artificial plant might give you just as much beauty with a lot less maintenance.

I hope that helps and gets you started toward thinking about where you might incorporate artificial plants into your designs. Have a tip or example of how you have decorated? Be sure to share it in a comment!