What is Boho Style Home Decor?
Boho, or bohemian style, originated some 40-50 years ago but is still predominant in today’s homes. But what is boho style home decor? Here's our answer:
Think wacky and weird and you’ve got bohemian design. Boho design and decor combines elements of new and old, loud and obnoxious colors, plants, antiques, chill vibes, funky wallpaper, and wood and wicker elements - sometimes all in the same room! This style is meant to grab the attention of your guests and pull them to the edge of their seats.
There’s not really a wrong way to do bohemian style as long as you keep some interior design principles in check. It’s a very flexible and relaxed style. It’s warm, colorful, and comfortable, but also eccentric. With this style, your home is meant to look like someone has lived there – not everything is modern, neat, and tidy. Those old rocking chairs at Grandma’s house are actually used and sat in for boho design, not just decoration!
Also, there are often quite a few loud elements that make the room pop.
So, how do we tackle bohemian style, and do we need to listen to Queen while we do it? Yeah, you should probably listen to Queen, but you should be listening to them regardless. Throw on their greatest hits and keep reading!
There are a couple of ways to incorporate boho style: either you’re all in or you’re more subtle. Mixing and matching every pattern, color, texture, wallpaper, rug, and piece of furniture can immediately set a loud, almost chaotic tone for the room. Boho renovation overhauls like this will work great in your bedroom.
But, you can also style the space more subtly with neutral colors by just adding some boho accents here and there, which might look good in a dining room or family room.
So, let’s get into some different ways to include bohemian style into your home! Not all of these ideas will fit your home, but part of the fun with boho design is that it is highly customizable to your style. In fact, perhaps here your personality is more important than ever since this design is far more expressive than others.
Bring on the Textures
Much of the hype with boho design and decor is the simple fact that you can combine so many textures together and create organized chaos. Bringing in different types of fabric with different patterns, wicker baskets, wooden pallet containers, and unfinished wood decor and furniture are what really define the bohemian style.
Different types of funky seating arrangements are also a huge plus side of boho design. Rocking chairs, wicker chairs, large “nest chairs” with pads and even bean bags are important additions that will help you send the bohemian style home.
Finally, add some throw blankets, pillows, and wall decor. Bamboo is often a favorite choice, especially for wall decorations!
Keep it Light and Airy
As far as colors go, keeping the colors light and bright is the way to go! White, tans, faded yellows, and oranges are the best colors to use for a base color.
If you want more information on how to decorate with colors, check out our 60-30-10 color rule article.
But, back to bohemian colors for now: keep them light and airy. You want to keep the space bright with less dark colors like browns and blacks.
But if you’re wanting to add dark colors, forest browns, deep reds and purples, and even evergreen greens, you can. These are beautiful dark additions, as long as they’re accented correctly. Just be sure to not overdo it, especially if your room doesn’t have a lot of natural light. The bright colors will inject some life into the room.
You’ve Gotta Include Plants….
If you take away one thing from this article, it’s this: bohemian design thrives on plants...and sunlight! The more plants, the better. You can literally have a greenhouse in your home. Make sure you’ve got a nice open space to store all the plants and place them next to a large window! You wouldn’t want to have those plants die on you.
As for types of plants to include that bring out the bohemian style,, it’s mostly up to you. But here are a few suggestions.
Leafy plants are more work but they will provide the jungly vibe you’re looking for. Palms and snake plants work super well for the floor since they are super tall. And cactus plants are beautiful additions for making your room look straight out of an Airstream desert dream.
Don’t forget, since you’re adding lots of plants, be creative with the types of pots and planters you use. Try out a variety of sizes, colors, and textures. Wooden, wicker, and ceramic potters are some of the favorite types for bohemian design. You can even paint them to bring out more colors! Finally, air plants are skyrocketing in popularity - they’re fun and unique, especially if you make them yourself!
Light it Up, Like the Fourth of July!
Lights, camera, action! Here’s where you can add some real color. A good mixture of a variety of light sources can really brighten up your room – especially if you have limited natural light.
But, alas, there comes a time when the sun sets for everyone, even on the British Empire! Just kidding...the sun never sets on the British Empire! Does it? I don’t know, I just love that phrase.
Think of it this way: the only lights you probably don’t have control over are the ceiling lights, so adding lamps, desk lamps, side table lights, fairy lights, and chandeliers are all fair game. The more variety, the better!
Ideally, your room is already bright because of the colors and these lights will bounce off of the bright surfaces, giving your room a lively feel.
Ideally, yellow lights are the best for bohemian style as opposed to white lights. They create a more calming environment, and, since they usually aren’t as bright as LED lights, you’ll need more to make sure the room is brightly lit!
Rugged Living
Rugs are a huge staple for boho decor, especially overlapped rugs! Here, you can live out your rug fantasy and include as many as you want in the colors you want! There isn’t a right or wrong here, except for the bolder, the better! You can choose to go with a simple rug (or carpet if you have it) and accent it with multiple smaller area rugs, throw pillows, thick cushions for seating, and tossed blankets.
The size is up to you. For your bedroom, maybe go with a smaller rug that is a nice accent piece in your room. But for your living room or dining room, you may need a larger rug to make a bolder statement.
The point for this section is to live as comfortably as possible. It means relaxed vibes, thick rugs, cushy seat options, and the softest blankets.
The best part about adding rugs to your decor is you can easily replace them if you don’t like them – or if you need a chance with the turning of the seasons! You’ll be able to thrift rugs and go to antique stores and find the perfect rug for your bohemian style room.
Candlelit Dinner? Nah, Candlelit Winner!
Everyone loves a romantic candlelit dinner, right? Isn’t it nice to surprise your partner with a lovely home-cooked meal with candles lighting the way?
With bohemian design, you don’t need to worry about overdoing the candles. In fact, the more candles, the better! Just make sure they have similar fragrances in case you want to light them all at once. Your best bet here is to go with unscented candles; this way you can light as many as you like.
Candles can also help out with lighting in your home during the evening. Do you need to set the mood for a night of wine and conversations? Lighting candles will give you the perfect ambiance you’re looking for. Place them all around your living room, family room, kitchen, and bedroom for the easiest (and cheapest) decorations around.
Brighten up your home with these unscented candles from Amazon.
Or, try out this sweet-smelling candle from Amazon, perfect to light while you enjoy a romantic dinner.
Floor Gang, Represent!
Bohemian design is built around relaxation and comfort, even the things you put on your floor! Make your bohemian living room more inviting with bean bags, throw cushions, daybed cushions, and back cushions. Who needs a couch when you can be comfortable on the floor?
Rugs are particularly practical in bohemian interior design since they are easily movable. If you have guests over, take them out of storage to increase your seating capacity! Or, keep them in separate rooms and bring them out when they’re needed most.
Throw in some loud designs, fuzzy blankets, and pillows too if you’d like. Since everything is relaxed in this design, throw blankets will work perfectly! So, strew them across your seating and you’re a boho design expert. Well done!
Go Big and Bold or Go Home!
Finally….go big or go home! Boho design is all about showing your personality so never be afraid to go all out. Bring in items that tell a story about you! Think of all your boho elements as your own scrapbook or photo album brought to life in your home.
So add the abstract painting, your beautiful photographs, the art projects you’ve done in your spare time. Get that dreamcatcher and funky mirror you saw at the antique store. Add those bright colors and bring it home with some plants. Remember, the more plants, the better! And you can never have enough patterns in one room. Layer them, put them on the walls, the floors, wherever you want! Go crazy with your boho decor.
By now, we hope you’ve got the basics of bohemian interior design down. If you’re looking for more information or inspiration for your boho project, check out our bohemian Pinterest board! We’ve got multiple sections for you, including bathroom, bedroom, and living area sections so you can find what you’re looking for with ease.
Good luck and happy planning! Didn’t listening to Queen this whole article really brighten your mood? Revisit the article and maybe try Bob Marley next time. Thanks for reading!
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