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jburzell

Live palm tree or silk (faux) tree for staging?

12 years ago
last modified: 12 years ago
Our company provides quality home staging & our goal is to help homeowner's sell their home for the best price in the shortest time by enhancing the features of the home & creating a design that appeals to a broad range of buyers. Some stagers routinely use silk/faux plants - others use live plants. Do you see the difference? If it was your home up for sale which option would you choose?
Silk/faux palm
Live palm

Comments (14)

  • PRO
    12 years ago
    last modified: 12 years ago
    I would use a real curly leaf ficus tree- it looks like a fig leaf. I just purchased one that was 7'2" with three trunks grown together for $66. It makes a beautiful statement for any room and is easy to maintain. It takes about two weeks for the leaves to open up; after two weeks you can gently wipe the leaves off with warm water which also helps the leaves to relax. Turn the tree once a month for maximun sun exposure. Do not place the tree near a draft, the tree needs to be watered twice a week.
    HomeScapes Home Staging San Diego thanked Wendt Design Group
  • 12 years ago
    Live is best.
    HomeScapes Home Staging San Diego thanked apple_pie_order
  • PRO
    12 years ago
    For staging live is okay for occupied homes but if the home is vacant - silk always. Live plants wither and die because they are left unattended while the house is on the market.
    HomeScapes Home Staging San Diego thanked Pro Staged Homes
  • 12 years ago
    Live if someone will be around to take care of it - live looks better than silk but nothing looks worse than a dying plant.
    HomeScapes Home Staging San Diego thanked Rebecca Hite, Realtor, Huntington Properties, LLC.
  • 12 years ago
    If you are lugging stuff around, use silk. Silk doesn't need watering or die on you. If I happen to be living IN the home and OWN the plant(s) then live plants definitely. Nothing can turn a potential buyer off than dying plants.
    HomeScapes Home Staging San Diego thanked User
  • 12 years ago
    Silk plants look dated and are dirt magnets. I would forgo plants if live are not an option.
    HomeScapes Home Staging San Diego thanked saratogaswizzlestick
  • PRO
    12 years ago
    If you are going with silk, you have to have a watering can that pours out silk threads.
    HomeScapes Home Staging San Diego thanked Mark Bischak, Architect
  • PRO
    10 years ago

    You can get a higher quality replica palm that will last longer and you can reuse on other houses.... They are lighter and more durable to move around, no water, no risk of a mess..

  • 10 years ago
    One word - faux. It cheapens looks.
  • PRO
    10 years ago

    The real stuff!

  • PRO
    10 years ago

    There is a difference between a cheap fake and a high quality hand made replica plant. The most expensive hotels and casinos use artificial plants all the time that look very real. For me you would get more value out of something that can be reused and not cause a risk of a dirt stain on a rug or the mess of watering.. trimming, etc. Is it a one use and throw away for a live?

  • PRO
    10 years ago

    Seriously Ive been merchandising model homes for years and the look of real palms and fake greenery is long out of trend. Clean and less cluttered is very effective. Not every corner needs a do dad

  • PRO
    10 years ago
    last modified: 10 years ago

    The hottest plant right now in interior design if you want to go with one is the Fiddle-Leaf Fig. Next would be Bamboo and Reed, Boxwood (topiaries) or walls, ornamental grasses etc. Modern and clean lines.. the palms are a bit dated, like the old traditional Ficus tree. Just from our research.. and that's what I do all day at Treescapes.


    This is one we sell, it is not fake or fabric looking.. it's shown here in the grow pot.