<p>In my dining room I have a wall length built in cabinet. The top of the cabinet is maybe 2 feet below the ceiling. It is a slanted ceiling line not flat. The cabinet has molding at the top. In HGTV words the room is open concept. The dining room is part of a larger overall space that includes a family room and viewable from the kitchen as well. It is not the sort of dining room that you never see. I don’t have a measuring tape handy but the length might be between 10 and 12 feet long.
In the past I have attempted to have trailing house plants growing. The reality is that while my intentions are good I forget to water them and they eventually die. With nothing up top the area looks bare.
Has anyone found artificial plants that look good and can pass for live? Or I am open for other ideas as to how to fill the space.</p>
<p>That spot is where I store empty vases, Christmas plates, extra large bowls, that sort of thing.</p>
<p>I’ve always been a fan of artificial plants that look like artificial plants–something like this: [Saguaro</a> Cactus plush with ladybug stuffed floral by wishwithme](<a href=“This item is unavailable - Etsy”>This item is unavailable - Etsy)</p>
<p>I really have never come across artificial plants that looked real. Ever. </p>
<p>There is beauty in simplicity and the clean look.</p>
<p>^When I was in France my family had silk gladiolas in the living room. I’m embarrassed how long it took for me to realize they weren’t real! If you are talking about something that is well over head, I think artificial plants can look pretty innocuous. There are also lots of reasonably attractive dried flowers, branches or berries that might be an even better choice. Something like these: [Branches</a> - Natural](<a href=“http://www.save-on-crafts.com/branches2.html]Branches”>Naturals & Florals - Save-On-Crafts) or this [Woodland</a> Canella Berry Centerpiece: Centerpieces | Free Shipping at L.L.Bean](<a href=“http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/79282?page=woodland-canella-berry-centerpiece]Woodland”>http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/79282?page=woodland-canella-berry-centerpiece).</p>
<p>Also in the late winter I cut branches of forsythia and it comes to bloom weeks before the ones outside does. Makes me feel like spring is on its way.</p>
<p>It is well overhead. My ceilings are high. I wouldn’t store anything breakable up there. To get up there I need a ladder or my usual method is I bring a chair and climb up on the cabinet counter top and reach. Not the smartest. The difficulty in reach is one reason I neglected the live plants. I hadn’t thought of branches. Whatever I put up also needs to have enough height to clear the molding ledge. The top is set down several inches.
I have plenty of other storage areas for platters.</p>
<p>I’m not a fan of fake plants, but for a similar spot in our home we have used imitation English ivy sprays. They are tall enough to be visible without being too big and they dangle a bit here and there over the moulding in as natural a way as is possible, with no need for a container of any sort. They are high enough that no one can get up close to inspect whether they are real or fake. </p>
<p>I think we have 4 big sprays over an armoire that’s about 4 feet long. Your application would require many more to give a full look. It’s certainly not as attractive as real plants might be, but much easier to care for. The cleaning issue is dusting. Occasionally we take the whole works down for a good cleaning and sprucing up.</p>
<p>It looks roughly like this (but without any planter). We bought them at Michaels years ago.
[Amazon.com</a> - House of Silk Flowers Artificial English Ivy Ledge Plant](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/House-Silk-Flowers-Artificial-English/dp/B002PIULNG]Amazon.com”>http://www.amazon.com/House-Silk-Flowers-Artificial-English/dp/B002PIULNG)</p>
<p>Just want to say - love that cactus :)</p>
<p>I have put pretty baskets up in high places before. I also have a vase with artificial flowers. They look artificial but I like the color they add and I can put them near electronics that would be damaged by water spilling. My mother in law likes wooden spools and she puts them in her high places. Or wooden giraffes - don’t know why. I’m far from a decorator though.</p>
<p>I have a little shelf in my two story foyer…I have a beautiful basket with an Ivy vine that has been “growing” there for 20 years. It was a housewarming present from a dear friend who is no longer alive. She knew it would not last if it was real. It’s silk. I love it.</p>
<p>One thing that can be tricky, especially with height, is dust. Artificial plants are magnets for it. How about running a not visible because of the molding low light LED strip that illuminates a few to scale empty vases/vessels in different shapes, perhaps all the same color? Or just have the lighting if you want to keep it simple. I am becoming more of a minimalist in situations like this. Perhaps it’s a style thing or a function of age, but how does it look empty? Good luck.</p>
<p>I love plants (have 30+ in my house), but use artificial ones sparingly because very few look real to me. Exceptions are succulents and orchid flowers.</p>
<p>I would not put plants on a high shelf for the reason you shared, and I would not put artificial ones up there because plant people will know that they are fake because no one in their right mind would put real ones there. :)</p>
<p>I like to have something on my high shelves because it adds height, size and warmth to a room. I have a high shelf that I put interesting shaped baskets on, which are very low maintenance.</p>
<p>Those of you reading this thread who have not clicked through to see the cactus are really missing out.</p>