Artificial plants have a bad reputation in the world of interior design. To some people, they are only slightly better than weeds in the plant kingdom hierarchy. And frankly, the faux plants of yesteryear deserved this bad rap. They were made of thick plastic and looked about as real as you’d expect (that is to say: not real at all).

Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Fortunately, those days are long gone and the faux plants of today are realistic, long-lasting, and absolutely beautiful. They look so real that you might even find yourself watering them – whoops!

So, if you want to infuse your home with some greenery and decorate with indoor plants but aren’t sure real plants are for you, consider some faux alternatives. Still not convinced? Read on to get some of your burning questions answered and learn a little more about why it might be time to change your tune on faux plants being a faux pas!

Is it ok to decorate with faux plants?

The short answer? Yes! Like we said, faux plants don’t have the same tacky reputation they used to. (No shabby plastic plants here!) Some people prefer real house plants (we love them too), but artificial plants can be better for certain homes.

What’s so great about faux plants, anyway?

1. They’re Low Maintenance

Not everyone has a green thumb. If you’ve struggled to keep your plants alive, and often find yourself overwatering or letting them dry out, listen up! With faux plants, you get all the beauty without the worry. Plus, no more asking the neighbors to take care of your plants while you’re on vacation—you can have your tree and not water it, too! With a faux option, you’ll never have to stress about it dying on you. How’s that for freedom?!

2. They’re Durable

While real plants can be delicate, faux plants are as beautiful as they are durable. Real plants also demand a certain amount of sun, the right amount of water, and protection from pests and diseases. When a real plant has been around a few years, it can feel like a miracle. On the flip side, our faux plants are made out of durable materials. So not only do faux plants last for years, they also maintain their good looks the whole time.

3. They Look Good

One of the best benefits of faux plants today is how real they look. Unless you really know your way around the garden, you probably can’t tell the difference with the new, better materials used today.

At Modsy, we partnered with the leading manufacturer of artificial plants, DW Silks, to add some of the most-popular and long-lasting faux plants to our catalog. We’ve dubbed them our So-Real-You-Can’t-Tell-They-Are-Fake-Line. No one will ever call your striped agave an imposter!

4. They’re Versatile

Perhaps the best benefit of faux plants is that you can put them anywhere. When you are a parent to real plants, you have to accommodate your photosynthesizing babies by giving them the right spot and sunlight amounts to thrive. In contrast, faux plants thrive no matter where you put them, regardless of your environment!

ARe fake plants more expensive than real ones?

To be totally honest, they can be! If you look through the faux plants in the Modsy catalog, you’ll quickly realize that high-quality fake plants can be a bit of an investment. But just remember: these are for the long haul and can last for years and years when properly cared for. And hey—if you have a track record for killing plants, investing in some artificial plants might just be a better use of your money. After all, a faux plant is a one-time purchase, while replacing a dead plant every couple of months can really add up!

So, should I get real or fake plants?

Ah, the heart of the matter: is real or faux the way to go for you? This totally depends on the person. But here are a few things to consider:

Maintenance

Real plants require more work than faux ones. So, consider how much maintenance time you’d like to put into the greenery in your home. If semi-regular dusting is all you can muster, faux is the way to go. Same for if you travel a lot for work, as it can be difficult to keep up a consistent watering schedule.

However, it can be rewarding to care for something and watch it grow. If you don’t mind putting in some facetime with your plant babies and digging your hands in the dirt, maybe you should give real plants a try! (Just be sure to dig into our houseplant care guide before you get started!)

Environment

When comparing the merits of real vs faux plants, consider your home’s environment, specifically the lighting and temperature. Some plants need certain living conditions to thrive. If your house doesn’t get a lot of natural light, certain plants might not be happy there. If your home’s air is super dry or you like to keep things cold, but you love the look of tropical plants, you may run into problems.

Think about what types of plants you’re drawn to, then do some simple research to see if they’ll thrive in your home’s environment. That can help determine where your real plants go in your home or if you should opt for faux plants since they can go anywhere!

Household Dynamics

The presence of kids or pets in your home can also be a big determining factor in if you get real or fake plants. Certain plants are poisonous or simply irritating to the digestive system if ingested, so you want to be conscious of the real plants that you do bring into a home if you have a pet or toddler who might get into your plants. And if you have a kiddo who loves to explore or a dog with an out-of-control wagging tail, plants can easily tip over. With real plants, the dirt can spill and scatter all over the place. That may drive some people nuts while others may see that as simply par for the course.

So, your family dynamics and personal preferences can affect your choice of plants, and even the types of plants you get if you decide to go for the real deal.

Skill Level

Do you have a green thumb or have you killed every houseplant you’ve ever owned? While you can certainly level up your plant care skills, if all your plants die, maybe go faux. No shame in that!

Do fake plants make you happy?

We’re big believers in the idea that bringing plants into your home decor can add to your happiness. But do fake plants have the same effect? Well, that depends on you! We dug into this idea in episode 5 of our podcast, The Render, when we talked with an expert on environmental psychology. There’s an old adage that “plants make people happy.” (In fact, the hashtag #plantsmakepeoplehappy has over 7 million tags on Instagram!) But the reality is, there’s no magical happiness chemical given off by our leafy friends.

The psychological benefits of house plants tend to come from the happy, satisfied feelings created from caring for a living thing. It can also come from the positive associations we have with the beauty of the natural world. (Which is probably why plants are a great way to add feng shui to your home.) With that second point in mind—if you find plants beautiful but can’t care for a real one, faux plants will likely still activate that psychological response and increase your happiness.

What it boils down to is having a more beautiful home, filled with things you love. This, in turn, makes you happier. So, can fake plants make you happy? That’s up to you!

Here’s Everything You Need to Know About Faux Plants