Faux florals have come a long way, and those artificial-looking greens and blossoms from years past–you remember, the ones with the funny smell–are a pale comparison to today’s options. Real-touch florals may not be real, but you’d be hard pressed to tell the difference! Between their incredibly realistic details and the wide range of options for individual stems, we’re all about these fabulous faux florals. Today, the pros here at Third & Main are walking you through the ins and outs of real-touch florals, including all the reasons we love them.
What are Real-Touch Florals?
The name is a big clue. Real-touch florals, also known as natural-touch flowers, life-like flowers, high-quality artificial flowers, or realistic flowers, are artificial flowers made with a range of polymers and fabrics. But unlike poor imitations that are clearly plastic, today’s real-touch florals are designed to look and even feel real. That’s accomplished through a careful selection of materials and hand assembly to create buds and inflorescences (i.e. the entire flower head, including elements like stalks and stems). Some real-touch florals, like anemones, peonies, tulips, calla lilies, poppies, and irises, are made in specialized press molds, and still others are made with composite materials like silicone, latex, or polyurethane. The range of starting materials and techniques is specific to the flower being made, and again, the goal is always the most realistic look and feel.
Why Real-Touch Florals?
The appeal isn’t just that these faux florals look real, from their textures to their vivid colors. It’s that they give you the best of both worlds–stunning floral designs that will never fade, die, or need to be thrown away. You aren’t limited by what’s in season, and if you have no green thumb, no worries! Real-touch florals also lend themselves beautifully to home decor. You can bend or even trim the stems to achieve the perfect effect, without the mess of water, floral tape, or other requirements that come with live floral design. They’re a wonderfully low maintenance option, with no need for water or sunlight, and they’ll look as good next year as they do today.
Tips for Styling Real-Touch Florals
We’ve included six fabulous stems of real-touch tulips in our spring contemporary box, and we’re committed to keeping a selection of real-touch floral varieties in stock in the Third & Main shop all year long. Now, here are our tips for styling these beauties!
We’d love to see how you style your real-touch florals, so snap some pics and tag us @mythirdandmain!