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The best artificial flowers to use at home, plus tips on making faux flowers look real, and how to store them the easy way.
Faux flowers can be tricky. Some look incredibly realistic, but they often come with a high price tag. Others are much more affordable, but they’re so obviously fake that they just don’t work. Over the years, I’ve tested quite a few options, and today I’m sharing six types of faux flowers that I actually use in my home. I’ve also included pictures of each one so you can see exactly how they look in real spaces.
Consider the Cost
There are a few things to keep in mind when buying faux flowers, and cost is at the top of the list. It’s important to consider how many stems or bunches you’ll need to create a full, balanced arrangement. Often, one or two stems isn’t enough, so the total price can add up quickly. Faux flowers come in a wide range of prices, so it really does pay to shop around. With a little patience, it’s definitely possible to find beautiful, realistic options that don’t cost a fortune.
Choose Timeless Shades
When it comes to faux flowers, I usually stick with neutral or muted tones. It’s tempting to go for those bright yellow tulips or vibrant pink peonies because they’re beautiful! But in the long run, softer colors are more practical. Neutrals can be mixed and matched easily, they aren’t tied to a specific season, and they pair beautifully with fresh flowers of any color. Of course, rules are meant to be broken now and then…so if those bold fuchsia peonies make you smile, add them to your cart, and enjoy!
The Best Faux Tulips
Tulips are one of the most beloved signs of spring. They come in so many beautiful shades, and they add instant cheer to any space. These faux tulips are the best I’ve ever found, and the price is very reasonable. Each one comes as an individual stem, which means you don’t have to deal with cutting apart a bunch. The stems are soft and bendable, so it’s easy to create that natural, droopy look that real tulips often have. Even better, there’s no need to trim them if you’re using a shorter vase. Just fold the stem to the height you need, and you’re all set.
Faux Peonies That Still Make A Statement
I’ll never say that faux peonies look real…because they just don’t. Peonies are impossible to replicate. But since the real thing has such a short bloom season, sometimes faux is the only way to enjoy them a little longer. These creamy white faux peonies come in a bunch of ten, and while they may not fool anyone up close, they still add a soft, full look to any arrangement. They are a wonderful size, and have that romantic fringed look that is the hallmark of peonies. Tucked into a vase or combined with real or faux lavender, they bring that classic peony shape and texture to your space without the wait.
The Most Realistic Faux Hydrangeas
Like peonies, hydrangeas are not easy to imitate. It’s rare to find ones that truly capture the look of the real bloom. These faux hydrangeas are the closest I’ve ever seen. They have that full, rounded shape and soft petal texture that make hydrangeas so loved. The stems come without any attached leaves, which makes them easy to customize. You can add your own greenery, or keep the look simple and clean. Whether grouped in a vase or mixed with other blooms, they add a classic touch that works in any season.
Sweet Cherry Blossoms
Cherry blossoms are delicate and airy, and they add a beautiful sense of movement to any arrangement. These faux stems are 40 inches long, which makes them perfect for taller vases, or for adding height to a centerpiece. They’re available in both soft pink and crisp white. Both colors are subtle and easy to mix with other florals. When they arrived, the blooms were a bit flattened from the packaging, but a quick pass with a warm blow dryer fluffed them right up. Once arranged in my mom’s pitcher and bowl, they instantly brought a light and graceful feel to our foyer.
Faux Lavender That Feels Just Right
Lavender is one of those flowers that instantly adds a bit of French flair to any space. These faux lavender bunches include 12 stems each, and they come in a set of four—so there’s plenty to work with. Each stem has both flowers and greenery, which gives them a full, lifelike appearance. While they don’t have that unmistakable lavender scent, they do bring the soft, wispy look of the real thing. Tuck them into a small pitcher, a rustic jar, or even a basket for a touch of simple, cottage-style beauty.
Real Touch Faux Roses
These faux roses are a lovely option if you want something that feels just a little more special. The 24-inch stems are long and elegant, and the blooms have a soft, velvety texture that’s surprisingly realistic. They aren’t fully open, which gives them a fresh, just-picked look. Made from real touch silk, they feel as delicate as they look. Each set includes five stems, which is just enough for a simple arrangement or to mix in with other flowers for a fuller look.
How to Make Fake Flowers Look Real
- One of the easiest ways to make fake flowers look more realistic is to mix them with fresh greenery or real flowers. I didn’t do that in the images shared here, but it’s something I often do, especially during the spring and summer months when garden flowers are readily available.
- Another helpful tip is to shape and bend the stems so the arrangement doesn’t look stiff. Real flowers have a natural droop and curve, so take a few minutes to adjust each stem until it feels a bit more organic.
- Also, consider the container. A simple, classic vase or pitcher helps set the right tone and keeps the focus on the flowers. Tucking in a little moss or even a leaf or two around the base can help give the whole arrangement a more finished look.
How to Store Artificial Flowers
Over the years, I’ve stored my artificial flowers in all sorts of ways. My favorite solution is medium-sized plastic bins. While large bins can work, the smaller ones are much easier to move and lift. They also make it simple to sort and separate all the different types of flowers, and they keep everything organized. It’s definitely not a fancy system, but it’s practical and gets the job done.
I adore fresh flowers. There’s nothing quite like the color, fragrance, and charm they bring to a home. But sometimes, using faux flowers is the more practical choice. They last longer, require no maintenance, and can be used in ways that fresh flowers simply can’t. Over time, I’ve found a few favorites that bring beauty to my spaces all year long, and I hope this has helped you feel more confident about adding artificial flowers to your home too.
Faux Flowers Shopping Guide
- tulips (Make sure to click the color dropdown menu to see all the colors.)
- peonies
- Real Touch peonies (I don’t own any of these, but I’ve seen them, and they are gorgeous.)
- hydrangeas
- cherry blossoms (The stems featured in our foyer are white, but they are also available in pink.)
- roses (White is currently sold out. Here is another option.)
- lavender
- lemon branches
- similar stoneware pitcher #1
- similar stoneware pitcher #2
- similar stoneware pitcher #3
- Vintage Liberty Blue Transferware Pitcher
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Ann,
Thank you for this! You are always a reliable guide and your taste is so lovely – you never steer us in the wrong direction! I am a gardener and love fresh flowers but somehow I have developed allergic asthma in my retirement years. No more fresh flowers inside for me.
Thank you for giving me a push to buy good quality faux blooms. A note for anyone who may need it: AFloral has some options which include uv protection. If your porch gets a lot of sun, these blooms won’t fade out the first year
I completely agree about AFloral. Their stems are gorgeous. They are just very pricey, so I didn’t include them in my post. Enjoy your faux flowers!
Have you seen any faux Boston ferns that you would recommend?
Thanks for a very helpful post! I am wondering if you have every seen any quality faux lupine? I love this beautiful flower but have never seen a good faux version.
Hi Theresa…no I have never seen faux lupine. I did a Google search, and nothing looked very nice. I’ll keep looking!
I love all your choices for faux flowers. I live in Texas and everything is hard to grow due to excessive heat and then excessive cold. I am about to investigate faux for outdoors, as water is such a valuable resource. Thanks for your suggestions.
Amanda G
Wonderful post. Thank you. I love your pitchers and containers. Lots of good information.
I love faux flowers to brighten up these grey winter days. Good quality can be very expensive so I am always on the lookout for them when I am thrifting and have found some great ones.I love to arrange the yellow ones in a blue pottery pitcher with some real fern fronds and the white ones with boxwood in a low vintage green vase.
I loved your post! I just bought some faux magnolia flowers at Walmart and they are beautiful. They were $3.49 a bunch. Hit or Miss at Walmart, but when you luck out it makes your day. I agree the clear plastic containers are the best for storing flowers, you can see right at a glance where everything is.
loved this information and the links to good flowers. My forsythia wreath from your post looks great on the door. I have white branches of blossoms in a big urn on my kitchen counter and put out some new blue and white toile pillows on the blue couch for spring, in place of the cozy snowflake ones. I got the pillows on Amazon, (Maison d’Hermine ) and they are good quality and a beautiful blue. I mention them because I know you like blue and white.
I agree a little yellow brings spring into the room. I have some faux daffodils that look very real and I pull them out every spring. A good investment.
This is a lot of good information so I thank you! I have purchased the tulips & they turned yellow on me. Maybe storing them in the plastic container is the answer. I am going to try that. I love the daffodils so I am going to give them a try. I mix faux with real blooms all the time & I think they make beautiful arrangements. Flowers always make a room “happy”. Thanks again for all the tips!
I just received the white tulips you suggested and they are beautiful & look so real. I put them in a wide mouth mason jar on a tray on my coffee table. So cute! Thanks for idea!
Do you use any fragrance in your storage bins with your flowers? Mine seem to get a musty smell after storage for a year! I’ve washed and rinsed them to no avail. Thank you for the lovely ideas!
Hi Linda…I don’t use any fragrance, but that’s a very good idea. A few drops of essential oil on a tissue would probably take care of the musty smell. If you try it, let us know!
Thanks for all the tips to add Spring to my home and the storage boxes are exactly what I need. Good tried and true sources for the faux flowers is much appreciated.
They all look so pretty.The tulips are my favorite.
Thank you Anne! This was very helpful! Can’t wait to get my order.
Beautiful flowers!
I love this subject. I had decided to add a few greenery pieces to some white Pottery Barn crocks that I have had for many years that sat on racks in my basement pantry with unused kitchen utensils in them – what a waste!! I had planned a trip to Hobby Lobby to check it out, and decided to look on-line to see what they had. I picked out a few items – greenery for the crocks, white tulips, and a couple of small wreaths to use as candle rings to put around battery candles in a couple of places in the house. I was not happy with the price I came up with, so decided to look around. Joanne Fabrics was having a sale, and free shipping for that day, so I picked out all my pieces at a fraction of the price. I ordered them yesterday morning, and they were shipped that same day. I know that for years faux pieces were looked down on, but these were such a bargain, and I already have all the containers, and by not spending a small fortune – how bad could they be? I’m looking forward to putting the white tulips in my living room – when you buy fresh to get enough to make a nice presentation the price is higher, and they only last a few days, so I thought I’d give them a try.