5 Secrets to Faux Fall Floral Arrangements That Don’t Look Fake

Faux florals get a bad rap, and I really don’t think they deserve it! Yes, I love fresh flowers, but I’m also a big fan of fake greenery done right. And in fall and winter especially, faux is sometimes the only practical option anyway. The faux fall floral arrangements that look fake almost always come down to a few fixable mistakes, and I’m going to show you how to avoid those with these tips!

The good news is that you don’t need any floral arranging experience. Once you know what flowers pair with the right vase, the arrangement basically comes together on its own!

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Faux Fall Floral Arrangement Tip #1: Avoid These Giveaways

There are a few things that make greenery look fake:

• No color variation within the stem – nothing in nature is one flat color
• Too shiny – it makes it easy to spot plastic
• No slight imperfections – too perfect, and it looks manufactured

With that in mind, now you know what to look out for!

Faux Fall Floral Arrangements Tip #2: Start With the Stems

If you want to create a gathered, natural-looking floral arrangement, mixing a few different stem types is the move. These ones are great for fall:

• Dried Stems
  • Pampas, wheat, or dried eucalyptus make a great neutral addition to most color schemes
• Berry Stems
  • Bittersweet or winterberry add texture and a pop of color
• Leaf Stems
  • Maple, oak, or generic fall leaves in orange, burgundy, or rust
• Floral Stems
  • Mums, cosmos, or dahlias are perfect for a more traditional fall look

Faux Fall Floral Arrangements Tip #3: Pick the Right Vase

Here are some quick vase “guidelines”:

• The vase should be roughly ⅔ the height of the tallest stem
• The plainer the vase, the busier the arrangement can be, and vice versa

As for the size, shape, and finish of the vase, these tips will help you pick the right one:

• Tall narrow vases are great for tall stems like pampas or branches
• Wide-mouth vases are best for full, layered arrangements because they give stems room to spread naturally
• Short vases are good for low arrangements on coffee tables or mantels
• Textured, earthy vases, like ceramic, terracotta, or rustic finish, do a lot of the fall work on their own before a single stem goes in

Faux Fall Floral Arrangements Tip #4: Style Stems by Vibe

Okay, this is the most fun part: styling the flowers! I put together a few fall themes and color schemes to get you started, but go with the flowers and greenery you love!

Warm & Traditional

Moody & Sophisticated

Netural & Organic

Faux Fall Floral Arrangements Tip #5: Don’t Stress About It!

I totally get that arranging florals can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be! Here are a few simple, stress-free tips I swear by:

• Just like in styling a shelf or bookcase, choose odd numbers. Three or five of each stem type feels most natural.
• Vary heights even within the same stem type. Cut some shorter so they don’t all land at the same level.
• Turn the arrangement as you go, because what looks full from the front can be bare from the side.
• Don’t overfill – negative space inside an arrangement looks intentional, not unfinished

The best part about faux fall floral arrangements is that once you find a combo you love, you can use it year after year. If you’re looking for ideas on where to display yours and what to style around it, my mantel decorating post is a great place to start!

And when yours is looking good (which it will), be sure to tag me on Instagram so I can see your amazing work!