Low-maintenance decor: Tips for incorporating artificial plants into your home design

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Have you found yourself lusting over the lush houseplants featured in your favourite interior design magazines or on social media and dreamt of having the same in your home?

Perhaps you've already attempted adding plants to your home but discovered keeping them alive is no easy feat.

Rather than spending big on live plants and stressing over every drooping leaf or worrying about watering schedules, why not invest in a low-maintenance yet just as impressive option? Yes, this solution does exist and it is found in artificial plants.

If the suggestion of fake plants has you rolling your eyes and envisioning very obviously plastic stems and poorly attached leaves, we get it. Artificial plants of decades gone by really don't scream high design.

However, modern artificial plants are seriously impressive - often indistinguishable from their real counterparts, they make it possible for even the worst plant parent amongst us to enjoy a greener home.

The key, like most things, is to invest in quality. This means buying artificial plants from a reputable supplier that uses premium materials and manufacturing to create plants that mirror the real thing as closely as possible.

Faux plants, just like real ones, can bring a much-needed touch of softness, texture, colour and interest to the rooms of your home.

Instantly able to lift a dark corner, create a relaxing mood, boost a design aesthetic or even cover up an imperfection in the floor or wall, plants can do it all.

If despite the realistic nature of modern artificial plants you worry about how to decorate with them and pull off an Instagram-worthy, designer look, we're here to help.

Decorating with artificial plants is not only easier than you imagine, but ensures you enjoy a low-maintenance, visually stunning addition to your home that remains looking outstanding all year long.

With a few simple steps, you can keep your plants looking lush and keep everyone guessing as to the secrets of your plant growing success.

While they are a great option for dark corners, don't limit yourself to only placing artificial plants in low light as a means of hiding their faux origins.

Just like a real plant, faux plants catch the light and look beautiful when placed in a sunny spot. Unlike a real plant, however, you won't need to worry about sunburn or extra watering in these hot spots.

Choosing artificial plants doesn't have to mean ditching real ones and vice versa. In fact, using a mixture of real plants and faux ones can create an even more impressive result, particularly in floral arrangements.

Try to also use a mix of plant sizes, leaf shapes, colours and textures where appropriate for maximum impact.

Artificial plants should be thoughtfully planted in a beautiful pot just as you would with a real plant. This adds further design appeal while also helping to add to the illusion of a live plant.

Using potting soil around the base of the plant is another way to add to this. Where you are using artificial plants underneath a stairway in a dedicated garden bed, for example, spreading pebbles or mulch can also be beneficial.

Hoping to use plants in your bathroom to create the feel of a tropical oasis? What about a statement tree in the lounge or on the balcony?

The trick to incorporating artificial trees is to use them anywhere you would think to place a real plant or even in places where you wouldn't due to concerns over their survival. Some can even be used outdoors and are made to withstand the elements.

Aside from a decent dust now and then, your artificial plants need nothing from you to remain at their best.

In a world that's increasingly busy, opting for low-maintenance artificial plants means being able to sit back and enjoy the lush greenery in your home without any of the hassles of live plants. It's a genuine win-win.