How To Style An Artificial Indoor Tree Look More Real

Need to bring a little life to a room? Why not try a real looking faux tree? This post will show you how to style an artificial indoor tree to look more real. 

Have you ever thought about breathing a bit of life into a room in your home by adding a tree? I do not have a green thumb when it comes to indoor greenery so I’m talking about the faux variety. Today let’s talk about what to look for in a tree and how to style an artificial tree to look more real.

I recently added an artificial ficus tree to our living room and my whole room looked much nicer!

We decided to tuck the tree into a corner of our living room by a window and that gave it even more credibility!

Artificial trees have come a long way over the years with their natural looks that are very much like their real counterparts. And they often look so real it is almost an insult to call the fake trees! Now they have been elevated to the faux category!

WHY BUY AN ARTIFICIAL INDOOR TREE

There are a lot of reasons to buy an artificial indoor tree. Here are just a few…

• an artificial tree does not need watering like live plants or trees
• it will not die (a big plus for people like me who buy real plants and consider them long lasting cut flowers)
• if you have pets, faux trees don’t drop leaves that could be harmful to them
• you will not be spending time pruning, repotting, or sweeping up dropped leaves or spilled soil
• they are great if you have kids or others with allergies
• they look beautiful even in a room with low light
• and they look good for years

There are lots of reasons to look for a faux plant to add an organic vibe to a room.

Now, let’s talk wh about what to look for in an artificial tree and how to style or “fluff” a tree so it looks very realistic.

5 THINGS TO LOOK FOR IN A FAUX TREE

I would consider artificial indoor trees accent home decor. Its main role is to add lots of life and an organic feel to a room. So we want it to look as real as we can! And we can help with that!

There is a big difference between artificial trees! So let’s weed out the ones that will never look good and choose the ones that are worth the $$$!

Here’s what to look for in a faux tree worth putting in your home!

CHOOSE ARTIFICIAL INDOOR TREES THAT ARE SHAPED LIKE REAL ONES

When you look for an artificial tree the first thing you should look for is one that has the overall shape of the real thing.

Look for a nicely shaped tree that isn’t too bushy.

INDIVIDUAL LEAVES SHOULD BE THE RIGHT SIZE AND SHAPE

One of the most important things to look for when considering a faux indoor tree is that the leaves on the tree look real.

Make sure they are the same size and shape as ones on a real tree.

Our tree is a ficus and the leave are an excellent representation of the real plant. Some leaves are darker and fully grown and some are lighter and smaller because they look like they sprouted not long ago. This is a sign of a more realistic looking tree.

Also, the backs of the leaves have veins that mimic real leaves.

Here are a few other tips…

• stay away from fake water droplets on leaves as well as overly glossy shiny leaves.
• if you are worried about leaves fading in sunlight you might want to look for trees marked uv resistance.
• today, leaves can be made from many materials like plastic, plastic with a foam coating, silk, or polyester. Look for the material that gives the leaves the most authentic look.

BRANCHES AND STEMS SHOULD BE PREPOSITIONAL

It’s also important to get branches, stems, and leaves that have been wired and can be bent and curved to look like a real outdoor tree.

Stay away from trees with straight stems that cannot be bent. These trees will never look realistic.

Also, choose branches that look real and have varying shapes and thicknesses. And look for trees with slimmer stems that contain well formed leaves.

We want branches to fool the decerning eye.

THE TRUNK OF A FAUX PLANT SHOULD LOOK VERY REALISTIC

Another giveaway that a tree is fake is a poorly designed trunk.

Most real indoor trees have slender trunks or small clumps or splits of even more slender trunks. Look for the same when looking for a faux indoor tree.

HOW TO STYLE A FAUX INDOOR TREE

You don’t need to be a horticulturist to style an artificial tree to look more realistic. You just need a few savvy tips that are easy to do!

Most trees come in a big box and the branches and leaves are often scrunched together close to the center.

I was surprised by how nice our tree looked right out of the box. It needed a bit of help but the branches and the leaves were in good shape.

Here are a few easy tips I used for styling our artificial tree to look more realistic.

START WITH THE SHAPE

The first thing you want to do to “fluff” your faux tree so it looks more realistic is to separate side the branches and make sure the center branch is straight. Doing this will start shaping your tree.

SHAPE THE BOTTOM BRANCHES, STEMS, AND LEAVES

After you have shaped the main branches then begin at the bottom and pull the bottom branches out a bit from the trunk and shape each individual stem and the leaves.

It’s important to work around the tree as you shape it.

It’s a good idea to look at a few pictures of a real tree to determine what the branches, stems, and leaves look like.

The branches, stems, and leaves should point in several directions and not all face the same way.

Many branches come out from the main trunk on one side or the other so use that as a guide.

Work your fingers down the branch bending the wire in it and then work your fingers down to the leaves bending the wire in them also. This will give your plant a gentle curve and a natural look. You can arch some stems and branches more than others as they would look on real trees.

If you decide you don’t like the bend in the branches, stems, or leaves they can be easily straightened out and you can start over.

If you feel there are too many branches on your tree you can remove them with a pair of wire cutters. But remember you can’t put them back!

Take your time making sure each leaf looks perfect.

CONTINUE WORKING FROM THE BOTTOM UP

Work up the tree by repeating the process above. As you get to the top of your tree notice what the real tree looks like. Do the branches come away from the tree or do the top branches stay upright.

Work on bending the branches, stems, and leaves the way they naturally go.

STYLE THE TOP OF THE TREE

Before you style the top of the tree decide on the front of the tree.

Style the top of the tree so it looks best facing the room.

Our ficus tree had one longer stem at the top of the tree. So I gently bent the branch to the left, still quite upright, and gently curved the stem and leaves.

FINDING THE PERFECT POT

The right container completes the look of a faux tree. Choose one that fits the size of the plant. Remember the Goldilocks rule: you don’t want a container too small or too big. You want to find a pot that is just right. And it’s worth trying out a few containers to find the best one for a faux tree.

The right container can also add texture to your living spaces.

Here are four popular containers for trees…

• a large ceramic pot
• baskets
• a pottery planter
• cement urn

Our tree came with a lovely pottery container that worked perfectly for its size. And instead of a covering that looked like dirt, it was covered with faux moss. A nice designer touch.

GIVE YOUR TREE A SECOND LOOK

Now that you have shaped and styled your tree it’s time to give it another look and make sure it is exactly the way you want it.

Reposition branches, stems, and leaves to look pleasing, and pay special attention to the top of your plant.

HOW TO CLEAN AN ARTIFICIAL INDOOR TREE

Like all things in our homes, an artificial plant will get dusty. So giving your tree a regular dusting with a feather duster (my choice) or other cleaning tools like a swifter is a good idea. Just be gentle so you don’t reconfigure your tree.

POPULAR ARTIFICIAL TREES

There are so many different kinds of artificial trees but these are very popular right now…

• fiddle leaf fig tree
• ficus tree
• palm tree
• faux olive tree
• faux monstera
• traveler’s palm tree
• areca palm tree
• paradise palm tree

Now that you know how to choose and style an artificial indoor tree to look more realistic here are a few you might like…

GREAT ARTIFICIAL TREES TO CHOOSE FROM