It's the question I'm asked more than any other, usually with a slightly nervous smile. "But will it look real?" I understand completely. Nobody wants to spend good money on flowers, set them on the coffee table and watch every guest spot them from the doorway.
The good news is that you don't have to take anyone's word for it, including mine. There are a handful of simple tests that tell you straight away whether an artificial arrangement will pass in your living room. These are the ones I use myself on every stem that comes into my studio.
The short answer
Luxury artificial flowers look realistic when four things come together: real-touch petals with a soft, matt finish, colour that varies across every bloom, the right leaves and stems, and natural arranging with a convincing finish in the vase. Check an arrangement up close and from your sofa, in daylight and lamplight. If it passes all four, nobody will know.
My eight tests for realistic flowers
Run through these with any arrangement, in a shop, at a friend's house or when you unwrap your own.
01
The touch test
Gently hold a petal between your finger and thumb. A luxury real-touch bloom feels soft, slightly cool and a little waxy, with a gentle give, just like a living petal.
The giveawayPapery, stiff or plasticky petals, or fabric that frays at the edges.
02
The colour test
Look into the heart of the flower. Real petals are never one shade: they deepen towards the centre, soften at the edges and carry faint veins and blushes.
The giveawayOne flat, even colour from edge to centre, or a tone that's a little too bright to be true.
03
The leaf and stem test
Check the greenery as closely as the flowers. The right leaf should sit on the right stem, with matt undersides, natural veining and stems that thicken and bend where they would in nature.
The giveawayIdentical leaves in a neat row, visible moulding seams, or stems that look like green pipe cleaners.
04
The shape test
Nature is never symmetrical. Look for blooms at different stages, from tight buds to full heads, turning in slightly different directions and rising to varied heights.
The giveawayEvery flower the same size, facing forwards, in a perfect dome.
05
The vase test
The finishing is where most faux flowers give themselves away. Clear resin that reads as water, moss at the base of an orchid and visible roots all persuade the eye.
The giveawayFloral foam peeping over the rim, or stems standing in an empty glass vase.
06
The light test
Look at the arrangement in daylight by a window, then again in the evening under a lamp. Good petals stay soft and matt in both.
The giveawayA plastic sheen that catches the light, or colours that turn flat and dull after dark.
07
The distance test
Sit on your sofa and look across the room, then walk up and lean in over the coffee table. A realistic arrangement convinces at both distances.
The giveawayA piece that looks lovely across the room but gives up its secret the moment you get close.
08
The believability test
Choose flowers that feel natural indoors, like orchids, hydrangeas, roses and peonies, in quantities you'd actually find in a vase, softened with greenery.
The giveawayForty roses crammed into a tiny vase, or flowers in colours nature never made.
Real flowers are gloriously imperfect. The secret to unreal flowers is copying every imperfection.
Get up close
Here are a few close-ups of my arrangements. This is the level of detail I look for before any stem makes it into a piece.
Spot the difference
Put a budget bunch next to a luxury arrangement and the differences jump out. Here's what to look for.
| Budget faux | Luxury artificial | |
|---|---|---|
| Petals | Shiny fabric or thin plastic | Soft, matt, real-touch petals with a gentle give |
| Colour | One flat shade | Layered tones, veins and blushes |
| Leaves | Identical, glossy, clipped on | The right leaf for the flower, matt and veined |
| Stems | Uniform wire tubes | Natural thickness, nodes and curves |
| Arranging | Fixed in a symmetrical dome | Arranged stem by stem, to grow naturally |
| Finish | Foam or an empty vase | Resin water, moss and visible roots |
| After a year | Faded, dusty, heading for the bin | Looking just as it did on the day it arrived |
Buying online? Here's how to check
You can't hold a petal through a screen, so look for these instead.
- Close-up photographs. A maker who's proud of their detail will show it. Zoom right in on the petals and leaves.
- The words real touch. If the description doesn't mention what the petals are made of, ask.
- Proper dimensions. Height and width for the whole arrangement, the vase size too. Then measure your spot.
- How it's made. Look for careful arranging, resin water and made to order, rather than mass-produced stems pushed into foam.
- What customers say. Reviews that talk about how real a piece looks in person are worth their weight in gold.
"My arrangement is even more stunning than the pictures online. I have recommended Demmerys to all my friends too."
A Demmerys customerMake it look at home in your living room
Even the most beautiful flower can look out of place in the wrong spot. Match the scale to the space, so a generous arrangement for a large room and something low and wide for a coffee table. Take your colours from your cushions and throws, and place flowers where they'd naturally be, near a lamp or a window rather than lined up on a shelf. I've shared my favourite pieces for every spot in the best luxury artificial flowers for living room decor.
If you'd like to know more about how I choose, colour-check and arrange every stem, it's all on my luxury artificial flowers page.
Giving Mother Nature a run for her money
See the difference for yourself
Every arrangement I create in my design studio is made to pass every one of these tests. Browse the collection, or tell me about your living room and I'll design a piece that looks as though it grew there.
Shop arrangements Commission a bespoke pieceYour questions, answered
Can people tell that luxury artificial flowers are fake?
With real-touch blooms, careful colouring and natural arranging, most people can't tell until they touch them, and some not even then. The giveaways are almost always in the finish: a shiny petal, a clumsy leaf or foam showing in the vase.
What does real touch mean in artificial flowers?
Real touch describes petals made from a soft, flexible material with a slightly waxy, cool finish, so they feel and move like a living flower rather than fabric or hard plastic.
Which artificial flowers look the most realistic?
Orchids, hydrangeas, peonies and roses are the most convincing in real touch. Orchids especially, because their smooth petals suit the material beautifully, and they look natural in any room at any time of year.
Do artificial flowers look fake in photos?
Cheap ones often do, because shiny petals catch the flash. Luxury real-touch flowers have a matt finish, so they photograph just like fresh blooms.
How can I check an arrangement will suit my room before I order?
Measure the spot and mark the height and width with masking tape or a piece of card. Sit where you normally sit and check the sightlines. If you'd like to see a piece in more detail first, just ask me.
Sharon x
