10 Tips To Make Artificial Flowers Look Beautifully Real

Learn how to make faux flowers look real with simple styling tips that help artificial blooms fool the eye.

Faux flowers can look just as beautiful as fresh blooms when you know how to style them the right way. Learn how to make faux flowers look real with simple, tried-and-true decorating tips.

I have loved flowers in my home for as long as I can remember. Years ago, faux flowers had a reputation, and honestly, some of them deserved it. I still remember a vase of plastic spring flowers that sat on a coffee table all year long. They never changed, never moved, and never looked convincing.

Today is a completely different story.

The quality of artificial flowers has improved so much that some of the stems I use at Tanglewood fool even my closest friends. More than once, someone has leaned in to touch a bloom because they were sure it was real.

If you have ever wondered how to make artificial flower arrangements look realistic, the secret is not just buying better stems. It is knowing how to choose them, shape them, arrange them, and style them with intention.

Let me show you exactly what makes the difference.

Study The Real Thing

The secret to making faux flowers look beautifully real starts with one simple step. Study the real thing. When you look closely at fresh flowers, notice how petals gently curve and how the color changes ever so slightly from bloom to bloom. Stems rarely stand upright, and leaves bend in a relaxed, natural way. These small details are what make real flowers feel alive, and they are exactly what will help your artificial arrangements look believable.

Artificial flowers have come a long way. Years ago, they all looked like the fakes you see in the craft store clearance bin. But today, there are so many options that will fool the sharpest eye. My favorite way to shop for artificial flowers is in person. We are very fortunate in our area to have several decor shops that carry the best blooms. Being able to feel the petals and leaves, bend the stems, and see the color helps me choose the best ones.

There are countless online sources of these flowers. Just make sure the vendor has a reputation for quality. A review will be your biggest helper when you can’t see flowers in person. It’s also smart to check the return policy, because what you see in a picture online might not be exactly what you get.

When it comes to faux flowers, quality matters. And that usually means the best artificial flowers are more expensive. Think of them as an investment. Good-quality, realistic fauxs will last for years.

What To Look For In Faux Flowers

If you want faux flowers to look real in your home, choosing the right stems is everything. Here is exactly what to look for when buying artificial flowers.

• Quality materials: Look for faux flowers made from silk, latex, polyester, or other good quality materials. The better the material, the softer and more believable the petals will look and feel.
• Realistic appearance: Choose blooms with gentle color variation and natural looking petals. If something looks shiny or too bright, it will almost always read as fake.
• Flexible stems: Make sure the stems can bend. Real flowers never stand stiff and straight, and your faux flowers shouldn’t either.
• Wired leaves: Leaves that can be shaped are a must. A slight bend or twist in a leaf makes an arrangement feel relaxed and natural.
• Authentic details: Pay attention to the little things like soft petal edges, realistic centers, and subtle veining on the leaves. Those small details are what make people lean in for a closer look.
• Different stages of bloom: Real flowers are never all wide open at the same time. Mixing buds with fully opened blooms helps your arrangement feel more lifelike.
• Natural color tones: Stick with colors you actually see in nature. Overly saturated or neon shades tend to give faux flowers away.
• Durability: A good faux stem should hold its shape and color for years. I would much rather invest in a few beautiful stems than buy ones that won’t last.

Taking the time to choose flowers with these features will help you create arrangements that are beautiful and believable.

Three Things That Fool The Eye

Every faux flower needs a little attention before it goes into a vase. These three simple steps make the biggest difference in helping artificial flowers look real in your home.

Iron The Leaves

Crumpled leaves can make even the prettiest faux flowers look fake. The good news is that fixing them is easy. If your leaves are wrinkled from being packed tightly, you can gently press them and smooth them out.

• Test one leaf first
• Put a cloth down on an ironing board (I used a dishtowel)
• Smooth it out with your hands
• Cover the leaf with a cloth
• On a low setting, gently iron the leaf

It takes just a few minutes, but the difference is noticeable right away.

Form Flower Into Realistic Shapes

Most faux flowers arrive a little squished from shipping or from being tucked into a shopping bag. Before arranging them, take a moment to gently fluff the petals and shape each bloom. Real flowers are never flat or perfectly round, so give yours a little movement and life.

Paying attention to each flower creates a more realistic and effortless-looking arrangement.

Bend Each Stem

One of the easiest ways to spot a faux arrangement is by stems that stand straight up like soldiers. Real flowers lean, curve, and reach toward the light. Gently bend each stem so your arrangement has that same relaxed movement.

This small adjustment gives the entire arrangement a sense of depth and dimension, making it look more like a fresh-picked bouquet.

These easy steps transform artificial flowers, helping them look beautifully realistic in any setting.

Choose The Right Container

Selecting the right container for faux flowers is just as important as choosing the flowers themselves. A pot that is too big makes flowers look sparse and floppy. A vase that is too small makes an arrangement feel crowded and top-heavy.

Choose a vase that fits the scale and feel of the flowers you are working with. The vase you choose is an important part of an arrangement, making your faux flowers look more real.

Cut The Stems To Fit The Container

I used to bend the stems of flowers that were too long for a vase. Doing this created a tangled mess in a vase and made it hard to arrange the blooms. Very frustrating! It’s much better to cut the ends of the stems, just like you would if you were cutting real flowers for an arrangement. Your flowers will sit better in the vase you choose and be much easier to arrange.

Smart Tip For Cut Flowers

Save the stem ends. I pop them into a plastic bag and label it with the name of the flowers. Use florist tape to reattach them to the stems if you need to extend them for another arrangement.

Add Water To Your Vase

This is one of my favorite tips. If you are using a glass vase to arrange your artificial flowers, add a bit of water to the vase. It’s such a simple thing, but it makes your flowers look much more believable.

Use Real Along With Faux

Using real organics along with faux flowers is the best way to create a real look. Try adding real greenery, blooming branches, curly twigs, or even a few fresh flowers alongside artificial ones. One of my favorite tricks is to use real hydrangeas with artificial ones to fill out an arrangement. Real organics help artificial flowers feel fresh.

Keep All Faux Flowers Away From The Elements

Just like any other decor in your home, artificial flowers need a little care. Here are three things to keep them away from…

• direct sunlight
• heat sources
• getting wet

These three are the enemy of real-looking fakes! Your blooms will last longer and look nicer kept away from these culprits.

Cleaning Faux Flowers

Faux flowers can collect dust and dirt. Every now and then, give them a little refresh.

Here’s what works well…

• Use a hairdryer on a low cool setting to blow off any dust.
• Gently wipe flowers with a microfiber cloth or soft paintbrush.
• Deep clean flowers if needed by misting them with a mixture of vinegar and water, then wiping them with a microfiber cloth.
• Air dry artificial flowers.

Putting Away And Storing Artificial Flowers

How you store flowers you are not using makes a big difference in how they will hold up from season to season. Here are a few smart tips…

• Store flowers in a cool, dark place, away from heat and humidity.
• Use airtight containers to keep them dust and pest-free.
• Avoid crushing them by storing them between layers of tissue paper.

A vase of flowers has a way of making a room feel cared for, even when the blooms are faux. With the right stems, a little shaping, and a few thoughtful details, artificial flowers can look just as lovely as fresh ones.

I use faux flowers throughout my home because they are practical, beautiful, and long lasting. And when they are styled well, most people never realize they are not the real thing.

Take your time, pay attention to the small details, and let your arrangements look relaxed and natural. That is the secret to making faux flowers fool the eye year after year.

Frequently Asked Questions About Making Faux Flowers Look More Realistic

If you still have a few questions about using faux flowers, you’re not alone. Over the years, I’ve learned that a few simple details make all the difference. Here are some of the most common questions I’m asked about making artificial flowers look real.

Happy flower arranging, friends…