Joanna Gaines’ Faux Flower Styling Method Makes It Surprisingly Easy to Achieve a Designer Look on a Budget

Joanna Gaines recently shared an Instagram video of herself styling a mantel at Magnolia Market using faux flowers from her new spring collection. If you’re anything like me, you probably paused the video 17 times trying to figure out exactly what she did – and how she made it look so effortless. How does she do that?

Well, it may not actually be effortless, but there is a method behind the magic. The genius of Joanna’s approach isn’t just that she’s an interior designer (though that certainly helps). It’s that she uses flowers in a way that feels natural and intentional – not like a last-minute craft store clearance grab. Everything looks balanced, considered, and meant to be there.

The good news? You can absolutely recreate this look on your own mantel (or on a table, console, or bookshelf). You just need to understand the formula she’s working with. And yes, there is a formula. But don’t worry – there won’t be a pop quiz.

Start with Quality Faux Florals

While you can recreate this look with real flowers when they’re in season, in winter you’ll likely need to rely on faux stems. Not all artificial blooms are created equal, though, and once you know what to look for, the difference between good and bad becomes obvious.

Joanna’s Magnolia collection features faux florals with realistic stems, subtle color variation, and textures that genuinely mimic fresh blooms. When shopping for your own, look for flowers with multiple shades within each petal. A rose that’s one flat color immediately reads as artificial – that uniformity just doesn’t happen in nature. Softer gradation, such as darker edges and a lighter center, feels far more convincing.

Good options include faux eucalyptus, peonies with layered, dimensional petals, or classic white hydrangeas. Cotton stems are a Magnolia favorite – instantly farmhouse chic and versatile enough to work year-round.

For a more budget-friendly take on the Magnolia look, Target’s Hearth & Hand with Magnolia line offers a range of faux florals. Their White Sedum artificial plants feel fresh for spring, as do these White Cosmos.

Pro Tip: Don’t overlook the stems. Faux flowers with bendable wire-core stems are far more realistic and versatile than stiff plastic ones, allowing you to shape and arrange them naturally. We’re not looking for the next Barbie accessory!

Vary the Height

One of Joanna’s signature moves is using varying heights to make the display really pop. This is a non-negotiable if you want your mantel to look styled rather than like you just lined a bunch of trinkets up in a row.

Start with your tallest element, which can be anything from a large faux floral arrangement to framed art leaning against the wall, or even a tall candlestick. From there, everything else should graduate down in height, creating a flow that guides the eye across the mantel.

Target sells this Hearth & Hand Candlestick Set at a highly budget-friendly price.

A typical Joanna-style mantel might have:

• One tall element (18-24 inches above the mantel surface)
• Two medium elements (12-15 inches)
• Several shorter elements (6-10 inches)
• Low, horizontal pieces that ground everything

Master the Art of Odd Numbers

A weird design principle that actually works is to group things in odd numbers. Three candlesticks are better than two. Five small vases look much more interesting than four. It’s one of those rules that seems like it doesn’t matter, but once you see it both ways, you realize it’s actually true.

When styling the mantel, arrange things in groups of three or five. It’s not necessarily about making sure there is exactly that many of everything, but you’re trying to create visual groupings that your eye will read as cohesive clusters. For example, a tall vase with your faux flowers, a medium candlestick, and a small stack of books might form one group of three even though it’s technically multiple objects.

These bookends from Hearth & Hand at Target are neutral colored and marble; in a word, gorgeous *Chef's kiss.*

Pro Tip: The exception to this rule is when you’re centering something symmetrical, like a large mirror or artwork. In this case, you can flank it on either side with matching pairs. But even then, vary the heights of the elements so it doesn’t feel overly formal.

Avoid the Overcrowding Trap

I’ve seen way too many mantels that have all the right elements, but they feel overwhelming due to the amount of stuff; there is simply too much going on. Joanna’s styling always includes breathing room.

Pro Tip: If you’re looking at your mantel thinking, “maybe I should add one more thing,” you’re probably wrong. Step away, you’re done.

Make It Seasonal (or Don't)

One of the best things about working with faux flowers is that you can create a base that works all year round, and swap in seasonal touches when the mood or holiday strikes.

Joanna often keeps core elements, like white faux hydrangeas, eucalyptus stems, or neutral vases on her mantels year-round, and adds in seasonal accents.

• Spring: Add in some fresh tulips, pastel accents, or cute little egg decorations.
• Summer: Arrangements heavy on the greens, lemons, or limes in bowls, or even light linens.
• Fall: Pumpkins, of course, but you can also add cotton stems, warm-toned flowers, wheat, or dried grasses.
• Winter: Clippings from evergreens, pinecones, white and silver accents, or cozy textures.

The Final Joanna Touch

Once everything is styled, there is one last step that Joanna does, and it makes a huge difference: she tweaks. She steps back, adjusts, moves something a quarter-inch to the left, and looks again.

If Joanna Gaines does it, so can you! Fuss a little with your mantel arrangement. Bend a faux stem a little, shift a candle, angle a frame differently.

And then, I hope you read this, STOP. At some point, you have to declare it done and walk away. You could probably make small tweaks forever (especially if you’re a perfectionist), but there’s a point of diminishing return where you’re just moving things around without actually improving anything.

Pro Tip: If you’re having a hard time seeing it objectively, take a photo. If you like it, you’re done. If something feels slightly off, fix the one thing bothering you, and then stop for real this time.

Make Your House Feel Like a Home

Using faux flowers means you can create something beautiful, and it will last without the daily or weekly maintenance that comes with fresh blooms.

Not only that, but your home will look cared for without screaming, “My owner spent 6 hours on this!” It’s the sweet spot between effort and ease that makes a house feel like a home.