Faking it has never looked so convincing
AS DOLLy PARTOn once memorably observed: ‘It’s hard to be a diamond in a rhinestone world.’ especially when the rhinestones look like diamonds, feel like diamonds and may just as well be diamonds.
Gone are the days when faux fur, faux leather and faux marble were considered the height of vulgarity. now, thanks to advances in technology, concerns about the environment and sustainability, fake is fashionable.
‘everything from fake fur to imitation concrete furniture is selling. People want the look, but very often, they don’t want the real thing,’ says Jenny Hurren, founder of outthereinteriors.com. So what are the best fakes?
FLOORS THAT WILL FOOL
If yOu yearn for the sleek Scandi look of a polished wooden floor, but worry about price, or wear and tear, then tiles may be the answer.
Porcelain and ceramic tiles now look increasingly convincing.
‘Some tiles look so authentic it’s hard to distinguish them from the real thing,’ says interior designer Anne Haimes.
They’re also low-maintenance. ‘Woodeffect ceramic tiles are perfect for pooch paws, muddy boots and stilettos. A quick swish of the mop and all traces of country walks are gone,’ says emma Churchill at Tile Giant.
The company saw a 20 per cent increase last year in wood- effect tiles. Glazed at 1,200c, the tiles are very durable, unlikely to crack or stain. They look authentic, too.
‘The development of inkjet technology has meant that multiple colours can be printed onto the tiles, so the shades and variations of natural wood can be faithfully reproduced,’ says Churchill (Sequoia Limed Oak £55.85 per sq m, tilegiant.co.uk).
Tiles lend themselves to underfloor heating, so you can pad about with your socks off. Try Tile Mountain (Hellas 800mm x 800mm, £19.99 each, tilemountain. co.uk).
Vinyl flooring, too, is enjoying a renaissance. Slate vinyl from Moduleo is slip and stain resistant. It looks the real deal, but is much warmer underfoot than the real thing (from £22.99 to £49.99 per sq m, moduleo.co.uk).
And, if you fancy something fun for your kitchen, Harvey Maria has teamed up with top designer Cath Kidston to create super luxury tiles. The spot red vinyl floor tile is £42.95 per sq m, harvey maria.co.uk.
WALL STORIES
We WAnT a flash of industrial without the cool discomfort of a warehouse conversion or a chalet feel without troubling the Alps. ‘ Brick or wood- effect wallpaper can create a homely feel,’ says Sally Bendelow, creative director at online retailers, noton thehighstreet.com (Terracotta Bricks self-adhesive wallpaper by the Binary Box, £35 per roll, 1 m x 240cm, not onthehigh street.com).
Andrew Martin’s Timber Oak wallpaper is so realistic, you can almost smell the sawdust (£77.90 per roll, johnlewis.com).
FAUX RUSTIC
A DeSIRe for the rustic has seen an upsurge in demand for faux oak ceiling beams, according to Jonathan Banister, managing director at Oakleaf Reproductions Ltd. ‘ Adding just one reproduction oak beam across the ceiling can gently age a property, giving it character and warmth,’ he says. The company, which Jonathan’s father founded in 1969, uses resin poured into a mould created from original oak to faithfully replicate the beam.
‘The resin picks up every detail of the original. We then hand paint and stain it,’ says Jonathan (beams from £100, oakleaf.co.uk).
FINAL TOUCHES
A fAux sable runner on the bed gives a luxe feel and Helen Moore is the best in the business, (£ 240, cuckooland.com). Or you could sink into a faux wolf fur beanbag (£325, coxand cox.co.uk).
While you’re at it, forget the hassle of real flowers. fakes will not wilt, die or leave your vase full of muck. Artificial Ranunculus Bouquet £ 22.99, chelsea gardener.com.