Plants are one of my favourite finishing touches for a room. Whether they’re real or artificial, I find them a calming addition to any room and a great way to bring a natural element into a home. However, not all of us were born with green fingers! I really struggle to keep plants alive for too long. I can’t count how many orchids I’ve bought and put pride of place on a table, only for it to die a relatively quick death in my care. Because of that, I tend to sway towards the artificial plants and faux flowers, and only have a few real plants that are easy to take care of around my home. Below are a few ways you can use real and artificial plants in your home decor.

Real Plants

Ok so despite me saying I was going to talk about plants that are easy to take care of, a Calathea is not an easy plant to keep alive, but boy is it pretty! I came across this plant in Ikea, and was drawn in by the huge leaves and the amazing colour and stripes on them. I won’t bother trying to give you any tips of how to look after them (thats what Google is for), but I’ve kept two of my three alive somehow, and love placing these big imposing plants in slightly shady corners. 

The only other real plants I can handle are rubber plants and Areca palms. These are both lovely dark green plants, and are relatively easy to keep alive. The rubber plant has amazing big shiny leaves, and the palms are great for adding height to a room. I buy my palms from Ikea as they're a reasonable price and usually really big, and rubber plants you can buy from most garden centres.

Artificial Plants

Artificial eucalyptus stems are one of my absolute favourites to use around my home, I think I have some in nearly every single room. I'm regularly asked where my faux stems are from, and the answer... IKEA! These babies are just £2.50 a stem, which compared to some out there is a complete bargain. The muted tone of the leaves and the thin material make them look much more realistic than some of the other artificial plants available. I like to add them in large bunches to big vases, or just a few stems in smaller decorative objects. This ensures a splash of greenery in every room, and minimises the number of real greenery I have to try and keep alive!

I also like to add bunches of artificial plants when styling my shelves. Placing a small bunch on picture shelves can nicely break up the prints and add some depth. Similarly, faux hanging plants can help to add a little something extra to your picture gallery.

Real Flowers

When I'm not buying and killing plants, I like to treat myself to some fresh flowers to style around the house. Flowers don't have to be fancy and expensive, I buy Sainsbury's flowers for £3 a bunch that have a 10 day guarantee, and I love them! Over summer I chose bright white flowers like these, but during autumn I think I will go for something a little more colourful and autumnal. I like to place them in the centre of my coffee table, or the middle of the kitchen island.

For more tips on styling your home, check out my post 10 of the best styling accessories.

Karly x