Modern Luxury
Modern luxury artificial trees are the oversized, densely foliaged specimens supplied in substantial planters - pieces bought to be the focal point of a room rather than to fill a gap in it. They go into penthouse interiors, executive floors, boutique hotels, showrooms and high-end residential schemes where the greenery is part of the architecture, not an accessory to it.
Are fake plants considered tacky?
Cheap ones are, and the distinction is entirely about scale and construction rather than the fact of being artificial. What people react badly to is a small plastic plant in a shiny pot on a shelf - the shine, the uniform green, the moulded soil disc, the size that fools nobody. None of those failings are inherent to artificial planting. A 10 foot specimen on a real trunk in a stone planter provokes the opposite reaction, because at that scale the piece reads as a deliberate design decision rather than as a substitute for something the owner could not keep alive. The rule that holds: one large, well-made artificial tree always looks better than five cheap ones.
What makes an artificial tree look expensive?
Four things, in order of how much they matter. The trunk first, and by a distance - real wood with visible bark carries a piece that would otherwise fail, and a moulded plastic trunk sinks one that is otherwise good. Second, colour depth across the canopy, meaning several greens and some brown rather than one flat tone. Third, the planter, which is half of what a visitor actually sees and is where cheap schemes give themselves away with a high-shine pot or a woven basket doing too much work. Fourth, scale relative to the room. Browse Banyan and Ficus Trees.
How to choose the right size
Deliberately oversize. In this category the usual advice about proportion runs the other way, because a statement specimen should look slightly too big for its corner - that is what makes it read as intentional rather than accidental. Take the ceiling height, subtract about 30 cm, and buy as close to that as the delivery route allows. Give it a clear wall or a plain backdrop, light it from below or from a spot, and keep everything else a metre clear of it. See Large and Giant Trees and Artificial Trees for Hotels.
Frequently asked questions
How do we keep a statement-scale tree clean?
Dust from the top of the crown down with a long-handled feather duster or a vacuum fitted with a soft brush, working along each branch rather than across the surface of the canopy. A cool hair dryer setting clears dust from dense foliage without water. Wipe a stone or resin planter with a damp cloth separately, since grime on the pot undercuts the effect as much as dust on the leaves does.
Can a piece like this be placed outdoors?
Some can. A number of trees on this page are rated for a covered outdoor spot such as a portico or a covered terrace, and this is stated on the product page rather than assumed from the scale or the planter. Open sun and rain exposure are a separate question from a sheltered spot, so confirm the rating before siting a statement tree outside.
What is involved in unboxing and setting up a piece this size?
The trunk arrives sectioned, with the branches folded flat against it to keep the crate manageable, and the planter typically ships separately or already seated depending on the piece. Setup means standing the trunk, joining the sections, then working outward from the centre to shape each branch and separate the leaves by hand - a longer job than a mid-size tree, and worth allowing real time for on a dense specimen.
Does the stated height include the planter?
Yes, treat the figure on the product page as the full assembled height, tree plus pot, unless it says otherwise. At this scale a few inches of difference between foliage-only and full height changes whether a piece clears a ceiling or sits correctly against a wall, so measure against the stated number rather than the canopy alone.
How do we get help specifying a piece for a specific room or lobby?
A number of pieces at this scale are set up to be discussed directly, since the trunk, the planter and the delivery route all need to suit the actual space. Contact us with the room's ceiling height, the delivery access and the look you are working toward, and we will help match a specimen to it before you order.
