How to make a fake plant look less fake

Fake plants have come a long way in the past few years, but even the best of them could benefit from some improvements out of the box.

Pay attention to scale: Whether it’s fake or real, a plant will look more appealing if it’s in proportion to the room. For instance, a 7-footer might look too tall in a room with low ceilings.

Place the plant near natural light: Not only do streams of light give fake plants a pretty glow, but the placement suggests that your specimen is real, requiring sunshine to look as great as it does. “The light lets you see the details in the leaves,” Gross said.

Fluff it like you mean it: Many of the plants get woefully flat during shipping, and I’ve found that they require some almost aggressive twisting and turning to look full.

Dust diligently: This is the one job required of you when you have an artificial plant.

Dusting regularly—start at the top and work your way down—will help the leaves gleam and look that much more real