Happy Spring everyone! To welcome in this new season, I love to keep my decor simple with the addition of flowers. Flowers brighten a room and breath life into it in a way that nothing else can. In my neutrally decorated home, flowers add color, interest and contrast. As much as I love fresh flowers, the reality of running to the store weekly becomes time consuming and expensive. You can still get the look of fresh flowers by using high quality faux flowers vs fresh, or even better, a combination of the two!
A few years ago the words faux flowers would send chills up my spine, and my mind racing with visions of cheap, plastic flowers that belonged no where in the home. The past few years faux flowers have come leaps and bounds. I find myself having to touch them sometimes to see if they are the real deal or not. The key is knowing where to look and what to look for. Finding good quality faux flowers will allow you to achieve the “look” of fresh flowers without the hassle or expense.
A few tips on where to look and what to look for …
- Check your local craft store- Hobby Lobby and Michael’s are my favorite { Every store has faux flowers at different price points and levels of quality. Look for the section that has individual stems, not the bunches. Check the price tag. Usually the ones that have a low dollar amount equal poor quality. It is worth speeding a few more dollars on a flower that looks more realistic and will last for years. ALWAYS look for a coupon, they always have them. }
- If you are ever in Southern California, my favorite place to shop for faux / silk flowers is Shinoda. It’s a wholesale store. Get yourself a tax id number and make it happen! You will thank me!!!
- Touch the flowers! You want them to feel velvety, not like plastic.Don’t buy them online. I’ve done it and have been very disappointed when items arrive. You can’t tell the quality without touching it and seeing it for yourself.
- Look at the color variations and sheen {Real flowers aren’t one color, they have different shades on each petal. A good faux flower should do the same. A little sheen is ok, but too much will send reds flags shooting up that those babies are NOT the real stuff and instantly cheapen your look.}
Step inside my house for a Spring tour…
Now that you know what to look for, see if you can pick out the faux flowers in my Spring house.
The Entry Table
All faux except the tulips in the front. All of the flowers where purchased at Michael’s. All vases are from Home Goods.
My Office
Faux hydrangeas from a boutique in Colorado called Cozy Cottage. The vase is from a local boutique called Found.
Side Table
Real ranunculus from Lowe’s in a pot from Home Goods.
Kitchen Table
Real flowers from Trader Joe’s in milk bottles found here.
Dining Table
Real purple tulips from Wal-Mart in a vase from Pottery Barn, on top of a cake stand from Hobby Lobby, similar found here.
Coffee Table
Mix of faux and real. The hydrangeas and daisy like flowers are real. The tulips in clear vase are from Home Goods.
Master Bedroom nightstand
Faux hydrangeas from Hobby Lobby. These have are my favorite flowers ever. They are giant, and look so life-like. Worth every single penny. They are displayed in an antique punch bowl. I just bent the stems and stuck them in there. No fancy placement.
Master Bedroom side table
Real pink roses and eucalyptus from Fry’s Grocery.
My Daughter’s Bedroom
Real pink roses from Costco in an urn that used to hold a candle. When the candle burned out, I scooped out the old wax and use it as a vase.
Room Sources
{ Gold Polka Dot Sheets | Mirrored Night Stands | Headboard {similar} | Lamps | Pillow}
As you can see, you can blend real and faux flowers seamlessly. I hope that you try using real and faux flowers in your home decor this season and see if they brighten your day! Happy Spring everyone!
Also, if you are anything like me, you love reading people’s blogs, but don’t remember to look them up or have the time to find the ones you enjoy. An easy, quick way to stay in the loop with Randi Garrett Design, is to subscribe to my emails below. You will receive email once per week that will provide a link that takes you directly to the posts so you don’t miss a thing. I’d also love to hear your comments on what you like and what you would like to see. I’m working of a few posts already per requests from followers.
Thank you so much for your friendship. Design is my passion and I love sharing it with you!
Click on the links below to be taken to my friend’s fabulous sites for more spring ideas and inspiration. These gals have serious talent that you won’t want to miss!
Absolutely gorgeous Randi!!! And you know I love those little sheep!!!
Thanks Wendy! I totally thought of you when I put my sheep out! xo
im a new follower on Blog Lovin. I found your beautiful blog via the spring Tour. I’ve used Faux forever but the last few years Faux has gotten a bad rap. Mine are made by the company that does The Breakers in Palm Beach. My husband was able to get them, FREE, when they moved their warehouse. Wholesale prices upwards of $750 ten years ago. My friend is a floral designer who taught me how to work with real and faux arrangements. She calls it giving them life when you open up the leaves and flowers bending them in all different directions because they are shipped flat. Another trick for less expensive ones are to make a tea bath w/leftover tea bags and soak the flower heads in the bath. For some reason it makes them look more real. Yours are lovely! Your office drapery treatment, swoon.
Nice to meet you Pamela! You scored on those flowers! Thanks for the terrific tips! Have a lovely day. xo
Ok, this was such a fun game. Yours are STUNNING! And, I am totally ashamed I don’t have faux- I am totally going to up my game! #fauxreal
Thanks Kell! You definitely need to invest in some. I loved your spring family room!
Gorgeous Randi! I especially love the blue and white against your black entry table!! Every spot is stunning and you know I love faux!! Tam xo
Thanks Tam! I thought of you when I was putting those together! My mom loves blue and white too so I love the combo from her. My wedding china is blue and white.
Wonderful idea for a post Randi! I have faux flowers, but I haven’t been using them. I’m going to get them out. xoxo
Thank you Jen. Fresh is definitely my first choice, but faux is not a bad option! xo
Randi, your spring updates are so beyond gorgeous!! And I’m so honored to be doing this spring tour with you my friend…happy spring!!:)
Bree you always have the nicest things to say. It was a pleasure to do this with all of you talented girls. I love how everyone’s styles are so different and inspiring! Have a wonderful day! xo
You had me at flowers Randi! I too think that flowers make a room and love mixing faux with real (and dried:-).
Janet thank you for stopping by and I totally agree with you. Flowers make a room! Loved your mantel! xo
This was fabulous Randi… I thought I could totally pick out the real from the faux. I was totally wrong several times! Brilliant!!!
Tana thank you! Glad I fooled you! Haha! This was so fun to do together. xo
LOVE your entry console table with the blue and white jars and white flowers!! Seriously stunning Randi!!
xoxo
Shauna thank you! It’s nice when you can use what you already have! I loved your post too, the leopard and floral combo had my heart skipping beats! xo
Beautiful post Randi! Love all your ideas. Your home is STUNNING! xoxo
Jeanne, thank you sweet friend! This was such an inspiring group! Have a lovely day! xo
Randi! So many incredible images of your home! Those pale pink roses are seriously heavenly!!! Beautiful work, my friend ??
Mollie thank you so much! What a fun link up this was!!! Can’t wait for the next one. xo
Hi Randi! I just discovered your blog and find it beautiful and full of inspiration! And I loved this post as I was myself searching for a way to solve a problem: I love fresh flowers but it can become very expensive as time goes by if I want to have several bouquets around the house… and my husband hates faux flowers. My mother-in-law recently solved my problem as she offered me preserved roses. These are natural fresh flowers that are preserved and can last for years. Briliant! They look exactly like fresh roses you just picked. So I’m very glad of them and highly recommend them!
Xo
Claire
Claire thank you so much for stopping by! I’m so glad you found my blog. I will have to find some of those preserved flowers and give them a try! Great idea! Enjoy your weekend! xo
I’m swooning over everything Randi!! Love your Spring tour and you’ve covered one of my favorite topics…Flowers! Everything is just eye candy…gorgeous! xo
Laila, thank you! You are such a doll. I love that we both have a love for blue and white vases! xo
Randi, this is all exquisite!! (as usual!)
I, too, have been the one that ordered online and was sooooo disappointed! But you found such gorgeous faux flowers. Can’t even tell they’re faux! I love how you incorporated them throughout the house. Thanks for all the tips! xoxo…
Thanks Summer! This was such a fun group of gals to share spring inspiration with. Have a great weekend! xo