Roundup of the best fake flowers that look real, 12 places to buy + tricks to make artificial flowers look even more realistic.
So… the other day I passed out and accidentally bought about 8 bunches of fake flowers.
I don’t know how it happened. A complete mystery. I just need spring, I guess.
Like in my blind rage at the last cold snap we’ve had since the sub-zero temperatures shriveled up all my plants outside that I planted in pots during the overly optimistic winter warm front and forgot to cover them, I went down the rabbit hole of reading reviews of artificial flowers (of all things).
This resulted in these gorgeous fake flowers that look real, I SWEAR! I’m a total snob when it comes to plastic fake looking artificial flower stems, but I hate the mess fresh flowers make. And I don’t really have a green thumb to grow them in the first place. So here we are…
Where to find fake flowers that look real
Not all artificial flowers are the same, even from a retailer. From high end to budget stores, some of their products are just hit or miss.
So I’ve rounded up a bunch of my favorite beautiful faux flowers later in this post that I own or have seen/touched in person (because pictures online are often deceiving).
If you prefer a vase of fresh flowers on your kitchen table without having to change them every week, they look A LOT like the real thing.
But if you need a good starting point, these retailers have some of the best fake flowers that look real.
4 tricks to make fake flowers look real
1. “Blow out” your stems
Just as you would when decorating an artificial Christmas treeyour first step should be to bend the stems of your flowers in different directions to make them look fuller.
So they fall naturally into the vase when you make your artificial flower arrangement.
Separate individual stems. Smooth the leaves. Carefully shape all the flower heads with your hands.
Sometimes it even helps to blow out the fake blooms for a few seconds with a blow dryer set on cold. This will quickly create the look of fresh flowers in your artificial flower arrangements.
2. Trim the ends of the stems to match the height of your vase
If you’re using an opaque vase, you can get away with simply bending your artificial flower stems to the height you need.
But if you’re using a clear vase, cut them out with some wire scissors to make them look more like real flowers. Don’t do them artificially dried roses in the glass vase on our coffee table below do they look real?
3. Add a few inches of water
When using a clear vase, fill the bottom with 2-3 inches of water. (Put some hot glue on the ends of the stems to prevent the metal wire inside the water from rusting.)
Be sure to refresh the water every week or two, as the stems can still discolor, but this small detail can make fake flowers look real. To create permanent floral motifs, use clear acrylic fake water instead.
4. Add flavor
Spray a little floral perfume or essential oil on your silk flowers to even fake the scent of the real thing. It’s the perfect way to convince our noses that they might be the real thing.
Realistic fake flowers around our home
These artificial roses on our bathroom shelf they even feel real! I put them in a brass planter I found at a thrift store.
I put these on cream fake lilacs on our dining room table and made them look even more realistic with the stem puff trick.
I’m so in love! They look and feel so real!
I glued two of these absolutely gigantic bay leaf stems on the sideboard too and the drama they create in that little corner is so good!
The best artificial flowers for outdoors
You can see ours the most recommended artificial plants and flowers for outdoors here They are all UV treated and made to last in all weather conditions.
Have you discovered realistic fake flowers lately?
Once I find a good one, I keep it in my stash for years and rotate them room to room constantly throughout the year except for Christmas. (And even then, I’ll occasionally sneak them into our Christmas tree to fill in the gaps and expand our ornament collection.)
Best of all, at least after a week there won’t be any dead, shriveled leaves to clean off the floor.
Frequently asked questions
Artificial flowers are usually cheaper than real flowers. They also last much longer and require very little care other than occasional dusting.
Not all artificial flowers are made for outdoor use. If you want to use fake flowers outside, buy flowers that have already been treated with UV rays or spray them with a UV protection of flowers.
1. Buy good quality artificial flowers.
2. Blow out the leaves and petals and bend the stems to make them look more natural.
3. Place artificial flowers in a beautiful vase or planters.
4. Cut the stems to fit the container; don’t just bend them to fit if the container is clean.
5. Add water to a clear vase of artificial flowers to make it look real.
