Olive trees seem to be the rage right now in home decor. Although many people worldwide love olive trees, taking care of them is a difficult task.
If your heart is set on a potted olive tree but don't want to deal with the hassle and maintenance of growing it indoors, then a faux olive tree may just work wonders for you.
Out of all faux indoor trees, faux olive trees are the trendiest. They look amazing and can really spruce up space; however, the retail price of most of these trees is expensive.
But here's some good news for all those faux olive tree lovers!
You can easily DIY a life-like fake olive tree for a fraction of the retail price, and the best thing is that it can be hard to distinguish from the real one. You'll definitely love it more than any store-bought fake olive tree version because you've poured your heart and soul into making it.
Why make a fake olive tree?
You might be thinking, "why would someone make a fake indoor olive tree?" Not only one, but there are several reasons why people prefer to make a fake olive tree. Read to know:
- Less Expensive
Buying original or artificial olive trees can be expensive. Also, the retail price for a good-looking tree can go up to $400-$500. Faux olive trees can easily be created at a significantly lesser price at home, and it's exactly what many people want for their space.
- Custom Look
You can easily customise the fake olive tree as per your requirements. It can be tall or short and have a full or minimal appearance to fit a specific space in your home.
- Zero Maintenance
This is the most significant benefit of making an artificial olive tree. This tree isn't messy and needs no maintenance from you -- you don't have to water it, control temperature or lighting; it just sits there and looks great! You can also easily carry it around if you want to change the location.
Now that you know why people choose to make a faux olive tree, let's waste no more time and break down what you need to get started DIY-ing your own olive tree!
Materials to use:
- Pot or container
- Tree branches proportionally sized for your pot\
- Styrofoam
- Faux olive tree branches
- Green or brown floral tape
- Hot glue, Gorilla glue, or other strong glue
Optional Materials:
- Quikrete, soil, or newspaper to affix around the branch in the pot
- Craft paint the colour of the branch to paint over floral tape
- Moss to put on top if you use newspaper or grocery bags
How to create a DIY Faux Olive Tree
Step 1: Choose carefully
Start by going on a little hunt to find a tree branch with a good-sized trunk and several smaller branches. Look for a decent size of at least 7 feet tall that would make sense with your ceiling height. If there are leaves attached to the branches, pluck them out.
Step 2: Go shopping
Remember, all artificial greenery is not created equal. So, start looking at different options of fake olive tree branches from various stores and choose some that fit your purpose. Also, buy an inexpensive basket and a block of styrofoam.
Tip: If you have a spare basket around your house, you can use that as well. You can spray-paint the basket to make it a little extra interesting.
Step 3: Create a base
Use your drill (with a large drill bit) to create a right-sized hole in the styrofoam to fit the tree branch. Make sure that the styrofoam holds the tree branch reasonably tight. Put the foam inside the basket and use glue and newspaper or grocery bags to hold the foam tightly. If your foam is tight enough, you may not need extra materials to secure it.
Step 4: Add the fake branches
Once the tree stands firmly, check it over to see whether you need to remove some branches of the tree or not. If you're happy with how the tree branches rounded out the tree, get prepared to add the olive tree branches. Use a very small drill bit and start drilling small holes into the tree branches to insert the olive tree branches inside them. Try to drill at an angle so the stems would sit in better and angle upwards.
Alternatively, you can also use green or brown bouquet tapes to attach the branches if you don't have access to a power drill or drill bits.
Step 5: Don't stop until you have got an olive tree
Every once in a while, step back and look at your tree. This way, you can know how the tree is filling out and if some spots are left behind that need your attention. Once your olive tree looks all natural and magical, put a little bit of moss on the top of the foam up to the edge of the pot. Adding moss makes the DIY fake olive tree look a bit more real and covers up all the ugly foam and newspaper. Alternatively, you can fill it with dirt to make it look even more natural!
How to decorate indoors with a faux olive tree?
You can put a faux olive tree in the same location as you'd put a real one. Some of the most common places people like to put their fake olive trees are
- Office space,
- Living room,
- Dining room,
- Study room,
- Master bedroom and
- Any place of your choice
Final Thoughts
This DIY fake olive tree hack is a simple, quick and affordable one that any homeowner can do. If you are in the mood to give your home a makeover and are looking for high-quality pots and artificial olive trees, look no further than the one-stop web shop of Designer Vertical Gardens. Our products are made from environmentally friendly recyclable materials. They are a perfect choice for homeowners and gardeners who want to adorn their spaces with natural-looking and long-lasting products.
To learn more about our products, call us at 1800 960 565.