In my tiny college apartment, I can’t afford to waste any space on clutter or unnecessary decor. But I can never resist a bouquet of fresh flowers in the spring — even if they only last two weeks at most. There’s just something about having a centerpiece or small vase filled with flowers in my space that brings me serious joy.
That’s why I got excited when my TikTok feed started filling up with posts about how these super-realistic faux peony stems from Michaels are back in stock. Then I browsed the product reviews on Michaels.com, and they’re filled with praise about how these are totally worth the hype. One even said, “Well consider me influenced!” — and that about sums up my feelings on seeing these stems go viral on TikTok.
Each stem costs $6.99 (although Michaels is currently running a 40% off sale online with code 40OFFNOW) and comes with four peony buds per stem. They’re sold in both cream and tan (which TikTok user @ahouseofdaisies describes as being “blush” in person), but only the former is available online at the moment. And with their vintage-inspired and cottagecore vibes, these stems are the perfect addition to spring decor.
They’re also definitely a cost-saving alternative to buying fresh flowers every month. TikToker @ahouseofdaisies explained in a reply to a user’s comment that she puts three to five stems in one vase. If you do the math, for three stems, that’s roughly $21 (before the sale!), which is a little cheaper than a nice bouquet of fresh flowers, depending on where you live and shop. But more significantly, that’s a one-time price for a bouquet that lasts and lasts!
When I think of faux florals, I think of cheesy fake flowers that are a bright, unnatural color. But these peonies give me hope that I can achieve the look of long-lasting flowers without anyone being the wiser.
Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada said it best: “Florals? For spring? Groundbreaking.” But these flowers are actually groundbreaking! Like that product reviewer said, “Consider me influenced.”
