When “Faux” Is No longer a “Faux Pas”!
Recently, a patient and friend of mine brought over a beautiful arrangement for my office desk. I said, “Oh my gosh. They're beautiful!” Then she relayed to me that they were “faux.” “What? You’ve got to be kidding”, I said. I couldn’t believe it – now I’m hooked. No more washing out dirty vases or waiting for my favorite flower to bloom – thanks to “And-so-she-designs”!!
Read why it’s time to go “faux” by our guest blogger, Michele Weiss, who left the corporate world of clinical research after 18 years and followed her passion and creativity!
7 Compelling Reasons Why You Should Go Faux With Your Floral
Today’s faux floral can actually be pretty fresh. Yeah, yeah… just stay with me here and keep an open mind. We see alternatives and use substitutions every day.
How about vegan leather and faux fur? Or eyebrow microblading and false eyelashes?
Ok, so here’s what you need to know.
For years people have shied away from using artificial flowers. They were tacky, cheap-looking and could never live up to the beauty of a real flower. The idea of faux has been associated with an old dusty arrangement that should no longer exist in someone’s home, or any place else for that matter.
Faux magnolia leaf
Faux Peony Bloom
Fast forward to modern-day and you’ll see faux floral has vastly improved. Leaves are now variegated, petals have realistic graduation of color, and stems and branches can bend to provide a natural look and feel. The slight imperfections of mother nature can be replicated to allow for a much more authentic floral experience. Sometimes there just isn’t a good substitute for a particular flower and it can’t be duplicated without it looking super fake. But, when a faux flower is a really close representation of its natural counterpart, watch out!
I’ve seen some folks water a faux orchid, smell an artificial peony, and attempt to change the water in a faux hydrangea arrangement.
I’m always in search of the highest quality faux blooms that are as realistic as they come. Personally, I love monochromatic floral arrangements. There is something wonderful to appreciate in the clean and modern look that’s achieved when you repeat the same flower over again. I also feel that a room reaches a finished status when you add a floral arrangement of any kind.
While there will always be a time and a place for fresh flowers, you shouldn’t overlook the benefits of integrating faux flowers into your decor, and here is why.
Tulip arrangement (Tulipina) by and-so-SHE designs | andsoshedesigns.co
1. Faux floral is long-lasting
The first-day loveliness of those freshly arranged flowers you purchased from the farmer’s market or grocery store will fade fairly quickly. And if you don’t tend to them every day, the deterioration will progress even more rapidly. When you go faux with your floral, the life of your bouquet or arrangement can easily last for years with very little maintenance required.
Fresh flower bouquet in need of a water change
2. Faux flowers don’t require water changes
Fresh flowers need their water replaced every day to maintain freshness. You also need to ensure the water stays free from debris, trim the stems, and use a water preservative. By contrast, artificial flowers can be arranged in a “water illusion,” which gives the appearance of water without daily maintenance.
Dropped petals from a fresh flower. What this doesn't show is the pollen that can drop and stain your counter surface.
3. Your home will be cleaner
Your home should be a peaceful, lovely place for you to dwell, unwind, and recharge. Who wants the added chore of cleaning up debris from wilting flowers, discarding the flowers when they’ve died, and washing out the vase after they’re gone?
And don’t forget, real flowers have a tendency to attract gnats and other critters. Faux floral only attracts joy. Plus, going faux means no cleanup. That’s one less thing on your to-do list.
No one wants tissues all over their home no matter how decorative the box.
4. Faux flowers are immune-system friendly
Bringing home a fresh bouquet of springtime flowers can be blissful, but it can also trigger sneezing, watery eyes, and an itchy throat. Pollen is one of the most common environmental allergens present today. Even if you don’t personally suffer from allergies, one of your guests might. Going faux keeps your home allergen-free and achieves that same blissful feeling without adding a box of tissues to every countertop.
Sweet Benji should not be chewing on this fresh flower stem.
5. Faux floral is a safer alternative for your fur babies
Most people don’t realize that many flowers can be toxic to their pets! A bouquet of tulips, hyacinth, and daffodils might look fabulous on your coffee table, but could be troublesome if you have a dog at home. And if you have a cat, it won’t be possible to safely brighten your kitchen island with fresh lilies. Pets can become very ill if they ingest these kinds of blooms.
Even though artificial flowers aren’t composed of natural materials, they will be a lot less enticing for your fur baby to snack on. Faux floral is a great alternative for decorating your home while keeping your pets safe.
6. You get more bang for your buck
An average bouquet of flowers from your neighborhood shop costs between $30 - $45. Maybe that number is a little less if you’re picking some up at the grocery store. Either way, you’re bound to get 7-10 days of enjoyment once you get them into a vase. Let’s say you bring in fresh flowers 2 - 3 times a month. Over the course of a year, you’re looking at spending $720 on the low end of the range.
Styled magnolia arrangement (Maggie) from and-so-SHE designs | andsoshedesigns.co
A really good faux floral arrangement will run you between $200 - $700, depending on the object of your desire, and lasts years. I’m not saying that you should never purchase fresh flowers again, but you could significantly cut down on this expense if you invested in one or more faux floral pieces to display as part of your decor. Maybe just splurge on fresh flowers for special occasions or staycations when you’re around to really enjoy that experience.
A high-quality faux floral arrangement may seem like quite an investment, but not if the goal is to have it look as realistic as possible and be a part of your home’s decor for years to come.
7. Faux flowers are perfect for difficult to reach places
Restaurant with beautiful faux floral decor from floor to ceiling
You see artificial botanicals even when you don’t realize it. Remember that restaurant where you had that fantastic meal last week and you were commenting on the design and decor? I’ll bet the leaves or greenery cascading down from the ceiling fixtures were fake. Honestly, how could they possibly water it on a regular basis? But it looked good, right?
Perhaps you have a hard-to-reach place in your home or office. Maybe it has an empty decorative vase or something else to fill the space. Consider going faux with a vining plant or even something with blooms for a pop of color. It will bring an element of warmth and make the space feel more inviting. And the best part is that, outside of an occasional dusting, you won’t need to climb up high to regularly maintain it.
While the beauty of fresh flowers can never be replaced, today’s faux floral can be a fantastic alternative in many situations. If an artificial alternative looks real, saves time and money, and prevents health issues and vet visits, you shouldn’t hesitate to incorporate it into your decor.
Bio:
Michele Weiss has always had a thing for flowers. She remembers watching her Mom lovingly arrange the flowers that her Dad would bring to her each week, which left behind a lasting impression.
Then, after she and her family moved into a new home in 2018, she started to create gorgeous fresh floral arrangements to make the home feel warm and inviting, but had a tough time keeping them alive due to her busy schedule. After unsuccessfully searching to find faux arrangements to replace the real ones, she recognized the opportunity laying in front of her. It was then she decided to leave behind her corporate job to start her own company, and-so-SHE designs, a luxury online retailer which sells custom faux floral arrangements for homes, businesses and events.
Michele’s goal is to shift the way people think about faux flowers by only creating arrangements that are stunningly realistic. Gone are the days of fake and frilly faux flowers most folks remember in their grandmother’s spare bedroom. Through and-so-SHE designs, the new faux floral arrangements now include an elegant peony display on the coffee table at their friend’s house which forces one to ask, “Wait, are you serious? That’s not real?”
Fun Fact: As for business name, Michele struggled to come up with something catchy that had to do with flowers or floral. She thought about her story and every sentence started with “and so she.” And so she quit her job, and so she decided to create the life she truly wanted, and so she lived happily ever after… Michele's husband, Kevin, finally asked, “Why don’t you just call it ANDSOSHE?” And so it came to be... A place for simple and elegant flowers, female empowerment and support, and most importantly, happiness.
Link to my blog: https://www.andsoshedesigns.co/blog/and-so-she-designs-the-business-philosophy-the-woman-behind-the-brand-and-what-she-believes-its-all-about