Artificial Plants That Actually Look Real: What to Check
Artificial plants have a bad reputation earned by plastic ferns from twenty years ago. The current ones are a different product — and in a Nairobi flat with north-facing windows, a dark corridor or a landlord's tiled floor, they solve a problem a real plant genuinely cannot: greenery where nothing will grow.
Where a fake plant beats a real one
- Dark corners. No light, no plant. A faux tree fills the corner permanently.
- Rentals and travel. Nobody waters your plants while you are upcountry for two weeks.
- Air-conditioned offices. Dry air and no natural light kill most real foliage.
- Homes with small children or pets. No soil to dig, nothing toxic to chew.
Height is what makes it read as real
The single biggest giveaway is scale. A 40cm plant on a table looks like decoration; a 150–190cm plant in a corner reads as a tree and the eye accepts it. The 190cm Artificial Fiddle Leaf Plant with Vase and Pebbles and the Artificial Olive Plant, 180cm or 220cm are both in that range.
| Spot | Height that works |
|---|---|
| Beside a sofa or TV unit | 150–190cm |
| Empty corner of a large room | 180–220cm |
| Entryway or hallway | 150cm, slim profile |
| Console or side table | 40–80cm, in a vase |
Three tricks that sell the illusion
- Spread the branches. Plants ship compressed. Ten minutes of bending each branch outward is the difference between "shop display" and "plant".
- Hide the base. Pebbles over the pot base — which is why models that ship with pebbles look better from day one.
- Keep it out of direct sun. Ultraviolet fades artificial leaves unevenly, and a two-tone plant reads as fake instantly.
Dusting: the only maintenance
Artificial leaves collect Nairobi dust like everything else, and dusty leaves look dead. Wipe broad leaves with a barely damp cloth monthly; for feathery stems like cherry blossom, a hairdryer on cool blows dust off without bending anything.
Seasonal stems
Dried and artificial stems change a room faster than furniture. Around the festive season, the 52cm Red Berry Branch and the 3 Piece Artificial Christmas Flowers in Silver and Red go into the same vases you use the rest of the year.
Frequently asked questions
Do artificial plants look cheap?
Small ones often do. Height and spread the branches properly and most people do not look twice — scale is what sells it, not price.
How do I clean artificial plants?
A barely damp cloth on broad leaves once a month; a hairdryer on the cool setting for feathery stems. Dust is what makes them look fake.
Will they fade in the sun?
Yes, in direct all-day sun. Keep them a metre back from an unshaded window and they hold colour for years.
What height should I buy for a corner?
180–220cm for a large sitting room, 150–190cm beside a sofa. Anything under 120cm in a corner reads as an afterthought.
See the range
Browse the new home décor arrivals and vases and centrepieces. Send us a photo of the corner on WhatsApp and we will tell you what height fills it.