How to Make a Faux Floral Summer Centerpiece

Up to this point, I have focused my flower arrangements around live florals, but today I am creating a faux centerpiece.

Faux florals have come a long way over the years, and these days you can find beautiful artificial flowers that look just like real ones.

My very sweet mother-in-law recently asked me to make her a flower arrangement for the July 4th holiday using red, white, and blue flowers. She wants to display the arrangement on the dining room table at her Lake house. I was more than happy to do this for her and wanted to make it extra special. I went to several stores, compared florals, searched high and low for the perfect vase and created an arrangement I am proud to present as a gift to my dear MIL.

2Y4kzLLIR2Wyn6SjazYXywFinding the perfect vase was a challenge. I wanted a white vase, in a particular size and having it footed was a bonus and textured..the ultimate find! White vases in July are hard to come by in retail stores, as Fall items are beginning to arrive. If I wanted to make a Fall arrangement in a pumpkin vase, this would have been a whole lot easier! But I’m up for a challenge and didn’t want to settle for anything less than what I had in my mind as the perfect vessel. My search paid off as I came across the ultimate find on clearance at 75% off!! The last white vase in the store was sitting there waiting for a new home and I snatched it up! You can find similar vases online HERE, HERE, and HERE. 

jbYTrc4WQQONXh8pkjAcLwWhen making a faux arrangement you can use craft foam or styrofoam HERE as opposed to instant foam. I cut an inch off the bottom of the foam to make it flush with the container. When I create arrangements using real flowers, I leave the foam higher than the vase, but making the foam flush with the vase worked better for this arrangement.

I went to several stores to find the nicest florals. The ones I used in my arrangement are from Michaels, it had the prettiest stems with perfect shades. I didn’t want to use traditional July 4 red, white and blue colors, but wanted deeper hues so the arrangement could be used all year round.

XwJwtBY1RA6nbCowhIOjXgIf you are new to creating floral arrangements, I suggest buying clusters of flowers already put together. All the guess work has been done for you and pretty florals are combined with coordinating flowers for a lovely prepared bouquet.

I found clusters of florals with deep blue hydrangeas and large white dahlias. Using wire cutters HERE, I removed each stem and placed them into the top of the foam at varying heights.

9GSTrDyxT6GJtlbJlfr3hQBeautiful bright, deep red roses I purchased individually were the perfect addition to the centerpiece.

P+CEWnkqSI+SXVJD9D8hSQUsing 5 of these roses and placing them at varying heights around the container balanced the arrangement perfectly.

dIXoHcegTOK98EjJgQyBxQI placed the large white dahlias throughout the centerpiece on all sides.

YJsTRT9SGB4ts02ck7wI added small sprigs of blue filler to give the piece dimension and height.

GgzXDRiSOsXmcQTkDGwUsing a variety of fillers with deep hues adds to the interest of the centerpiece.

fullsizeoutput_a31fBuying clusters of faux florals and cutting off individual pieces, which is what I did with the white filler too, creates a full and beautiful arrangement.

fullsizeoutput_a319 I placed small flowers around the bottom of the vase to hide the white foam along with green leaves draping over the vase.

If you notice your foam moving a bit in the vase, use a glue gun HERE to secure the foam piece to the bottom of the vessel.

fullsizeoutput_a330The arrangement turned out beautifully and my mother-in-law was very happy with her gift 🙂

fullsizeoutput_a320The arrangement doesn’t have to look symmetrical on all sides but should be full from all angles especially if used on a table where it can be seen from all sides.

fullsizeoutput_a31bIf the centerpiece will be placed against a wall, you can focus the details on the front of the piece to create fullness.

fullsizeoutput_a31eI hope my mother-in-law will enjoy this centerpiece for years to come in her Lake home.

If you are looking for high quality florals, check out Michaels or these HERE, HERE, HERE and these gorgeous peonies HERE. Hope you all are having a fabulous summer and enjoying the weather to the fullest!

Denise

XO

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8 thoughts on “How to Make a Faux Floral Summer Centerpiece

  1. Denise your centrepiece is lovely, but I’m looking at your shutters in the background, as that is my next project after the kitchen is done, (still ongoing, will be done this week.) Do they fold to the side? I have not looked around yet to see what is available. My concern with the stationary ones, is they will block too much light.

    1. Hi Joni, thank you for the sweet words. Yes that is a problem I have with our shutters. Part of me wants to remove them all – which will allow more light to enter the room and another part of me wants to hinge them so they fully open on the sides. As of now…neither is being done 🙄 I removed all the shutters in our family room due to light limitations, check out this post https://happyhautehome.com/2018/06/28/window-trend-for-2018-let-in-the-light/

      1. Yes I remember you posting about that. But in your Centerpiece blog it looked like the shutters were hinged to the sides, but it could just be me in my exhausted reno state I’m starting to see things…..must get to bed early tonight.

      2. Home renovations do have the ability to suck the life out of us but in the end it’s all worth it 🙂 Our shutters open in the middle but with so many windows next to each other they overlap. If I hinged them together they would all open to the sides and I would have clear access to the windows…if that makes sense?

      3. Yes thanks….somewhat…I haven’t actually even been to the shutter store yet, so don’t really know what the options are. And yes, I’m hoping that the installer will be done tomorrow, he is doing the glass doors which I am anxious and excited to see! I’m please with it all so far, esp the countertop and the colour scheme. It certainly makes my kitchen look lighter and brighter.

      4. I’m so happy for you Joni! A bright fresh and clean looking kitchen makes all the difference!! I do love white shutters especially with thick slates and I’m sure yours will be beautiful.

  2. So lovely Denise – I bet your Mother in Law is thrilled! ❤️ Thanks for the excellent tutorial. I don’t usually use foam, but you’ve inspired me to give it a try more often! 🙂 Happy Summer my friend!

    1. Hi Barbara! Foam is great for florals, it can create a uniform and symmetrical design if you are looking for that, and it keeps flowers in place. Good luck, would love to see your next floral arrangement!

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