With the clocks going back and the temperatures dropping, now’s the perfect time to transform your home with some of our favourite winter faux stem combinations

Get creative

One of my favourite things about faux stems is their versatility. There are so many incredible varieties available year-round, and I’m continually inspired by the naturalistic stems that Chris and I find on our travels.

In winter, faux stems are also the practical choice as they’re able to withstand the fluctuating temperatures and darker days and need very little upkeep to stay looking their best. Architectural stems can also be a refreshing alternative to faux florals when the seasons change.

At this time of year, you can choose to lean into tradition by creating winter combinations with pine and cedar branches or mix things up with more unusual faux stems like our stunning plum Cimicifuga Racemosa Leaf with its rich amethyst leaves or our beautifully unrefined Waxflower stems.

Play with shapes

All the faux stems we offer at The Suffolk Nest can easily be moulded and either bent or trimmed with wire cutters to fit your desired shape and size. I love the textural arrangements that it’s possible to create with just three or four stems, but I also enjoy incorporating a wide variety of different faux stems into a display with a mix of heights and shapes.

The striking geometric form of a faux allium spray, for example, means these stems can be especially effective when displayed in a group of three in a simple stone vase. In contrast, faux dried achillea stems echo the stems we see surrounding fields at this time of year and can provide intrigue when combined with the feather-like texture of our faux brown plume grass.

Warm neutrals and earth tones 

For me, winter is all about getting cosy and enjoying time at home with our family. I prepare for the colder months by creating a warm, inviting space, adorned with scented candles, soft furnishings, and faux stems. Neutral shades and earth tones capture this feeling perfectly, whether they appear in stoneware and ceramic vases or in the faux stems themselves. A winter faux stem combination that meets these criteria could mean displaying the rich brown of our faux cone spray or plume grass alongside the deep burgundy of our faux eucalyptus or hydrangea mulberry and the warm cream of our dried achillea.

Reflect the great outdoors

Seasonal stem arrangements can bridge the gap between inside and out, even when it’s too cold to brave the outdoors world! It also helps your home look and feel different without needing to redecorate. Our faux Talinum spray – also known as Long John – resembles many of the stems I see on my winter walks with its long stem and small, delicate bud clusters. Adding a faux green willow branch can bring height to your display while our faux white Snowberry could have been taken straight from a wild hedgerow.

Festive faux stem arrangements

Christmas is the ideal opportunity to lean into tradition and create winter faux stem combinations that will give you that festive feeling. Seasonal stems all combine well, whether you choose to display pine and fir together or faux cedar and juniper branches with blue grey berries. You could even consider hanging baubles from your stems or adding a few tied red ribbons. If you prefer to try something a little different, I recommend pairing the subtle silvery green of a eucalyptus stem with our faux white Snowberry or Hellebore.