Exquisitely crafted artificial flowers bring joy and beauty into the home all year round
Fresh flora and foliage bring interiors to life, but there are times when fresh cuttings are not seasonally available without paying a hefty environmental price. This is when the top tier of faux flowers and foliage come into their own, bridging the gap between winter and spring when English gardens start to bloom again.
Fastidiously observed and meticulously crafted, artificial stems have become increasingly realistic in recent years. Thanks to advances in construction techniques and materials, it is now possible to replicate intricate details and subtle minutiae, so a growing number of leading florists, interior designers and discerning homeowners are embracing these long-lasting and versatile products.
Desirable details
The finest faux stems are almost indistinguishable from the real item, and informed choice of material is key, as designer Abigail Ahern explains: “Our fauxs are made from a range of different materials, like silk, fabric or paper, to best emulate the structure and movement of real flowers. Many of them are hand-painted and finished to capture the subtle nuances of fading petals or gnarly branches and make them look as near to the real thing as possible.”
Bramble & Velvet founder Belinda Sadek says: “The buzzword of the moment is ‘real touch’ – a technique of coating the petals and leaves to make them feel, as well as look, real – these are the crème de la crème of faux flowers.”
“The innovations are in the type of varieties on offer; the advancements are in realism and breadth of choice,” says Danielle Le Vaillant of Cox & Cox. “We’re seeing new material combinations like resin and paper – assortments that will create a realistic stem now that we have meadow flowers – and exotic flowers on the market.”
“Roses are difficult to replicate,” says Caroline Beaton of Victoria James Floral Designs. “Few stems are realistic enough to mimic the natural movement and drop of the head that you get with a real garden rose, or the unique colouring of the petals. I like to use roses with hand-painted and hand-curled petals, giving each stem a unique character.”
Perfect placement
Safe around pets and children, with little chance of spillages, faux flowers have many advantages over freshly cut displays. Tolerant of dark, hot, cold and exposed areas, they can brighten up any spot in the home.
“A small bouquet on the coffee table wor
