This is where faux house plants and flowers come into their own, they don’t look at me sadly with their guilt inducing misery.  And with the ever increasing choice of faux greenery and flowers we are spoilt for choice, whether you want something small and dainty, or a big show stopper to bring drama to a room, it’s all there.  I have several large faux house plants in my garden room as it gets a lot of sunshine and most real plants can’t tolerate it, plus I can’t tolerate the incessant watering.  The wallpaper is a green palm leaf print and the large faux plants enhance the feeling of a tropical paradise, which is not something I would be able to create with real plants.

Here are my 5 tips for choosing faux house plants and flowers, for an ongoing fabulous display that brings joy, and banishes the guilt.

1.   Choose Hard to Care for Varieties

Shop Artificial House Plants & Flowers >>

If you like to have some real plants in the mix then choose hard to care for varieties for your faux.  Ferns are hard to keep alive as they require moist shaded conditions, which isn’t necessarily where you want to display house plants, so they’re a great option to go fake with. The birds nest fern is a tricky customer (I’ve killed several) so save yourself the anxiety and invest in our Artificial Bird’s Nest Fern instead.

2.   Bring in Some Glamour

Shop Artificial House Plants & Flowers >>

Peachy pink pampas grass stems grouped together in a vase somehow evokes a slightly decadent glamorous look that works for any style of interior.  Not strictly faux as is it’s a natural grass that has been dried but hey it’s the same idea, the wow factor without the effort.  Such an easy way to fill a large vase that would cost a fortune in real flowers, and so beautifully textural.

3.   Don’t Overlook Foliage

Shop Artificial House Plants & Flowers >>

Consider artificial foliage stems – they are great for having around the house to bulk out real bunches of flowers.  That way you are just paying for the flowers and always have delicious faux greenery to fill out your bouquets.  Artificial Trailing Spanish Moss lends a quirky look to your floral display and is also great for softening the edges of a mantelpiece or shelf, or trailing from up high where you can’t water a real plant.

4.   Realistic isn’t Always Best!

Shop Artificial House Plants & Flowers >>

It doesn’t have to be realistic to look amazing.  Our Fabulous Faux Gold Fern Bush makes a statement and is proud to be faux.  Charismatic and dazzling for an eye-catching display, with just a touch of kitsch.

5.   Go Big for Maximum Impact

Shop Artificial House Plants & Flowers >>

We do like a bit of impact with our house plants at Audenza and our luscious Artificial Bird of Paradise Plant is certainly that. It’s big, it’s bold, and no TLC required, just a quick dust occasionally, which is the best bit about faking it. Maximum impact for maximum drama! And no worry that it might suddenly die on you!

To sum up the faux versus real dilemma, just mix it up. It’s a no brainer really, and cheaper in the long run. The more the real and the artificial are mixed up together the less you can tell which is which, and your friends and family will think you have fabulously green fingers and will want to know your secrets.

Any tips of your own to add to the list?

Never miss a post: follow us on Bloglovin’!

Green and gold

Faux Zebra Grass House Plant | Gold Tripod Side Table | Brass Planter with Stand

We’ve gone for the full wall styling here just to show how a few faux house plants and a marble shelf can make a vibrant and exciting vignette of green and gold in your home.   The marble shelf contains a hammered gold tray propped up for lots of sparkle, with a gold plant pot filled with artificial trailing fern and a gorgeous gold pineapple candle holder standing on old books to give it height. So lots of gold for a really luxe look but softened with stacks of faux plants that are a dream for the non-green fingered amongst us. It couldn’t be easier!

Floral extravaganza 

Imperial Glass Bottle Vase | Jewel Glass Vase | Imperial Glass Vase

There are five glass vases on this shelf of varying heights and colour and they are filled, very simply, with whatever is growing in the garden. Branches of magnolia, weigela and lilac for height with flower heads of rhododendrons for the smaller vases. An artificial trailing fern completes the look and extends the vignette for more interest. This floral extravaganza is so easy to do any time of the year and doesn’t take any arranging, they really are just plonked in the vases – simple, quick and gorgeous.

Tropical

Artificial Forest Fern | Lush Fern Framed Print | Cheeky Monkey Plant Pot | Flamingo Salt & Pepper Shakers

A bit of tropical and a bit of whimsy all snuggled up together creates a white marble shelf that has the look of a Victorian collector’s display. Curios from around the world come together for a touch of the exotic, with a pink toucan money box, a cheeky monkey plant pot and some flamingos for a laugh. Lots of lush artificial greenery and faux gloriosa lily flowers completes the look.

Three different looks – all on a green theme, and all quick and easy to do – just grouping items together with a theme, and stacks of lots of greenery to soften and warm the look.

Jacqui x

Never miss a post: follow us on Bloglovin’!

Photography: Amelia Brooks/ Styling: Jacqui & Amelia Brooks

We are also absolutely delighted to have a couple of our plant pots featured in the book and to be listed in the supplier directory, which is why we were very kindly gifted a copy.  But – I must stress, the gushing that follows about this book, is entirely my own.

So, that said, let’s delve in.  The book is basically 6 chapters that deal with the different aspects of the house plant revival.  The short chapter on health benefits explains how plants act as a ‘pollution sponge’ soaking up toxins in the air and, of course, a grouping of plants will have more impact health wise than a single plant, so another excuse to go wild!

‘Designing with Plants’ is the really exciting bit that helps you to think through the design process; gone are the days of a single, sad specimen standing alone on the mantelpiece, we want groupings that create a visually pleasing display.  It’s a very detailed chapter that really gets to grips with understanding how to treat your plants as part of the overall room design – not mere add-ons. Explaining scale and contrast, where you seek to create a dynamic display, to symmetry and repetition for an easier to achieve, and calming display.

Two examples of scale and contrast (above and below), both completely different in style but providing real inspiration for how to realise your own planting scheme.  Isn’t this a fabulous vignette?  And only 3 varieties of plants but wow what impact, with the gold containers and gold accessories contrasted against black walls and fireplace.

Another perfect example of scale and contrast.  All the plant pots are made from terracotta (apart from 1 cute exception), which unifies the display but the varying plant types and sizes create the contrast of scale.

‘Right Plant, Right Room’ is a big chapter with wonderfully inspiring photos of plant groupings in every conceivable room in the home. From living rooms, to a home office, to the bathroom. This bathroom with lush planting is just the perfect dream like space.  Lots of photos of plants and their particular suitability to different areas of the home – less chance of that oh so distressing dead houseplant syndrome so many of us are familiar with!

The final section ‘The Basics’ contains the all-important information on plant care, a list of plants that are not pet friendly, and are dangerous to animals if ingested, plus info on treating pests.

Throughout the book there many inspiring photos of plant displays that really do make you want to incorporate plants into your home, and even base a whole interior design concept on grouped plantings.  At the risk of sounding gushing this is the definitive house plant book, it encompasses everything you need to know about caring for plants, but more importantly (for me anyway) it’s also a truly awe inspiring interior design book for house plants!

Jacqui x

Never miss a post: follow us on Bloglovin’!

At Home with Plants by Ian Drummond & Kara O’Reilly, published by Mitchell Beazley, £20 www.octopusbooks.co.uk   Photos © Nick Pope

I’ve been nurturing this Aeonium balsamiferum for several years now and despite my haphazard neglect it’s still thriving, and quite my favourite house plant, so had to be the star of this show.

Bit of a jungle boho glam look going on here with plenty of brass thrown in for a touch of dazzle.

Pretty in pink and turquoise and perfect for a bedroom.

Another bit of boho glam but more subdued. I can do subdued but I do find it difficult as I always want to throw everything in!

Take a look at Urban Jungle for plenty more styling ideas for your indoor jungle. Have a lovely weekend.

Never miss a post: follow us on Bloglovin’!

Photography: Amelia Brooks/ Styling: Jacqui & Amelia Brooks

A mood board of feathers, crochet, woven wicker and lots and lots of lush greenery in shades of green and black to give you the look. Incorporate as much or as little as takes your fancy to give your interior the new boho vibe.

How to create a bohemian interior:

1.  Add emerald green – lots of it, in soft velvets preferably.

2.  Lots of lush house plants scattered about, in various shapes and heights are an absolute must for this look.

3.  Add splashes of colour, but the key here is to keep it looking quite natural.  So greens and blues are perfect and then chuck in some black to make it more contemporary.

4.  Pattern is your friend! Think aztec type prints – the image below is a great example of the sort of patterns to mix in – and don’t be afraid to mix different patterns all together.

5.  Last but not least – you need texture! So add natural materials like rattan and wicker, natural flooring with rugs (this Jute Circular Rug would be perfect) and add lots of interest with fringing and crochet.

If you add all of those elements, you’ll get a harmonious and welcoming boho vibe, redolent of the 70’s, but with a modernist twist.  But of course, you don’t have to add them all. You can always just take a few bits from this look, to give a hint of bohemian.

Image Credit: The Jungalow Blog

If you are a big fan of bohemian interiors then take a look at The Jungalow Blog for lots of ideas and inspiration for a truly bohemian outlook which glows with energy. The images make you want to inhabit this world of the exotic and dream of sun drenched climes.

Get the Look: Faux Areca Palm Tree | Pink Tibetan Sheepskin Rug | Rustic Wooden Bar Stool

Jacqui x

Never miss a post: follow us on Bloglovin’!

Photography: Amelia Brooks/ Styling: Jacqui & Amelia Brooks

I have some lovely little Moroccan tea glasses that I use to show off individual flower heads but they can get a bit lost being so small but by popping one into a brass terrarium they suddenly take centre stage and it really shows off the blooms.

As a terrarium they make a lovely display for small plants like sempervivums which can be nestled on a bed of moss or gravel. They need lining with plastic first to make them waterproof and it is advisable to use plants that don’t need a lot of watering.

As a candle holder it makes a perfect table decoration for parties inside or out and it has a hook so you can hang them up outside from a bracket for extra atmosphere (although it can’t be left outside). Or hang it up inside for a change from a hanging plant.

There are plenty more ways to style these pentagon brass terrariums, and I’m sure there are more uses for them as well, but my favourite is as a display case for whatever large bloom I have to hand so I can admire them in their brief flowering.

Jacqui x

Never miss a post: follow us on Bloglovin’!

Photography: Amelia Brooks/ Styling: Jacqui & Amelia Brooks

1.   The first golden rule has to be to make sure the plant suits the situation – ferns will frazzle on a sunny window sill whereas sempervivums will relish the sun. So ‘right plant right place’ is essential for a successful display. I have caused, through neglect, the demise of many a house plant in my time, though not spider plants and ivy as they appear to be indestructible and always come back from the brink, however sad they look.

2.   Group different sizes, shapes and textures of plants together for a stunning display.  Spiky aloe vera against a mound of mind-your-own-business, contrasted with trailing ivy, makes each plant stand out more and makes for a more interesting vignette. Think about the textures and shapes and how they complement each other.

3.  Add height to the display for visual interest.  There are lots of ways to do this from tall urn style pots (fill the bottom with gravel or polystyrene) to standing containers on a pile of books or an upturned teacup to raise them up. Incorporate a hanging planter, of which there are so many lovely ones to choose from at the moment, to increase the visual display and area of interest.

4.   Colour co-ordinate the plant pots to enable the plants to take centre stage. Shades of white and grey are the simplest and most effective combination, and very restful on the eye, but I am currently in love with a mixture of warm metals and black planters which gives a rich warm glow to the house plants, and a bohemian feel.

Hammered Copper Plant Pots

5.    Tailor your selection of house plants according to the time and effort you are willing to put into their care. Accept that some plants need more nurturing and might be early casualties if you are new to house plants.  Sempervivum, cacti, spider plants and ivies are hard to kill and are great for novices and make for a simple to maintain, but interesting, display.

Metallic Burgundy Plant Pot

6.    Incorporate faux plants to give added lushness without having to tend to them. My garden room gets a lot of sun and ferns don’t do well in there, so I have a few faux ferns mixed in with the real house plants, which means I can have a stunning display without the casualties! And less time consuming!

I like to think of my houseplants as an ever changing display (rather like cut flowers) and as they grow they will need to be rearranged.  For impact group several small ones together with a couple of taller architectural ones.  At the moment my favourite has to be an aloe vera with its tall spikes surrounded by trailing ivy and a Boston fern for its lush fronds.  Keeping to shades of green and relying on texture and shape for interest, rather than flowering plants, makes for a more cohesive display with the odd seasonal flowering house plant thrown in for a hit of colour and scent. I buy pots of hyacinths and repot them into a pretty container and that way you get a couple of weeks of added interest for a few pounds and then plant them in the garden when they have finished flowering. The main thing is to have fun and experiment with different combinations.

Jacqui x

Never miss a post: follow us on Bloglovin’!

Photography: Amelia Brooks/ Styling: Jacqui & Amelia Brooks

As you may know, our decorating style isn’t for the faint hearted, so if we were to do this look it’d be full on and OTT. It’s the perfect trend for colour loving maximalists to go wild… But there’s also plenty of ways to bring in the look without feeling like your home’s been overtaken by rainforest.

Get the look: palm wallpaper | tropical inspired homewares | ‘pampas’ cotton fabric.

Key ways to incorporate the tropical trend in your home:

House plants– Group different sizes, shapes and textures of greenery together for a stunning display. For instant impact and ease of maintenance mix in some faux house plants, and if you want a splash of colour you can’t beat an orchid or two nestled in there, or a pot of scented hyacinths for a spring like feel.

Quirky animal pieces– no jungle is complete without it’s wildlife; think parrots, monkeys and gold insects for a dash of humour and eccentricity.

Colours– needless to say green features pretty heavily here, add blush pinks and plenty of brass and golds to bring a lux vibe.

Rattan is a great way to balance all of the colours and metallics and add some natural texture.

Palms and tropical motifs– House of Hackney do some seriously gorgeous tropical prints for both wallpaper and fabrics.

And remember– pineapples are a girls best tropical friend!

Get the look: tropical inspired home accessories | palmeral ‘marlborough’ chair | coconut grove wallpaper | palmeral wallpaper.

Personally, we love this look… it’s exuberant, flamboyant and a little bit eccentric. Everything interior design (to us) should be and a great excuse to have fun with your decor. But what do you think? Will you be bringing in a few quirky elements or going the full Caribbean hog?

Hollie x

Never miss a post: follow us on Bloglovin’!

So this is the perfect opportunity for my pair of roaring lions to take centre stage and wow the audience! I bought them a few months ago at a vintage fair just because they make me smile, despite missing a few teeth each! The jungle always makes me think of Africa so I have included this lovely carved lady as she is from my childhood years in Kenya and looks statuesque as she watches the lions.

Take a look at the Urban Jungle website for more jungle animal and plant combos to make you smile. Have a good weekend.

Jacqui x

Never miss a post: follow us on Bloglovin’!

Photography: Amelia Brooks/ Styling: Jacqui Brooks

Terrariums, and all things green indoors, are back in fashion and this lovely book, ‘Terrariums: Gardens under Glass’ written by Maria Colletti and published by Cool Springs Press is a step by step guide with lots of inspirational ideas and photos. Maria Colletti is a horticulturist with many years experience teaching all types of terrarium planting so the wealth of plant knowledge is extensive. Being an American book the stockist list is very limited if you live in the UK, but a timely article in November’s issue of ‘Homes & Antiques’ has a good supplier list for terrariums and plants. Moss and charcoal seem to be the most difficult things to get hold of but I managed to get some reindeer moss and charcoal on Amazon that was really good. I absolutely love moss – I don’t know why – I haven’t analysed it, but anything with moss is a winner for me and there is so much info in this book about moss and how to treat it.

I always think of terrariums as being the traditional Victorian style Wardian cases but almost any glass container can be used – who would have thought of using a cookie jar, or a fish bowl? There are desert style gardens, tropical gardens and water gardens, all in miniature and so many ideas to try.

Inspired by the book, I planted the pentagon brass candle holder below with small succulents and moss and think it looks really pretty and was so quick to do, but can I keep it alive?

What I really want to have a go at the Japanese inspired arrangement below. During my holiday to Cornwall earlier in the year I visited a Japanese garden and nursery and bought several bonsai trees and I’m itching to do something creative with them and really like the idea of creating a garden scene with them. Watch this space!

Jacqui x

Never miss a post: follow us on Bloglovin’!

Images 1,2,3,4 & 6 from ‘Terrariums: Gardens Under Glass’ by Maria Colletti. Published by Cool Springs Press

Image 5: Photography: Amelia Brooks/ Styling: Jacqui & Amelia Brooks