5 Bohemian Home Elements You Can't Live Without
The Bohemian decor style has been popular for centuries, but it’s one of today’s top trends. If your goal is to have a home full of eclectic, unusual, and interesting items, Boho is the way to go.
At first glance, a room decorated in this interior design style might look like it was thrown together. In reality, Boho is a combination of strategically chosen elements that appear carefree and unrelated.
If the bold, unconventional Bohemian style is your spirit decor, here are some of the top must-have objects to grab today.
1. A Colorful Blanket for the Bed
In the bedroom, the blanket is the first thing most people see. The bed is the undisputed centerpiece of the room, and the quilt or comforter covers it.
To start your Boho journey, make a colorful, patterned blanket the focal piece of the space. Once you choose this main item, you can add more textures to complement it. Area rugs, throw pillows, and curtains with a similar pattern and color palette will highlight your blanket.
Remember, the key is to stay consistent without copying. Look for things that are close to the shade or pattern, not exactly like it.
2. Mismatched Furniture
Most people aim to find brand-new furniture that matches seamlessly. With Boho, you do the exact opposite.
Head to your local thrift store or nearby consignment shop and check out the antique and vintage furniture.
Look for couches, recliners, tables, and chairs that have one or two features in common but are otherwise different. They could all be made out of the same material with nothing else that matches, and it would work.
Note: There’s a difference between “old” and “antique.” Someone’s junk is not always your treasure unless it’s still in good enough shape to be used in your lifestyle.
So if you’re in love with a dainty chair that looks like it would break if you sat in it, nab it for decor, not furniture, or skip it.
3. Go All Natural
To put Boho in perspective, minimalistic is on one extreme, and Bohemian is on the other. In other words, the more stuff you have, the better!
However, the philosophy of this decor style is natural and basic. Sleek and shiny things that you’d find in a contemporary home won’t fit in with Boho elements.
Stick with furniture and linens that look used, even if they’re not. Bamboo, burlap, macramé … the options are endless, and you can have any combination of them all.
As an example, take a gray bathroom and make it pop with some of these ideas from Nue Glow. Plants, wood tables, and colorful linens turn any bathroom into a Bohemian work of art.
4. Bring in the Ambient Light
Although Boho is fun, it’s also calm and welcoming. The default bright ceiling lights detract from this atmosphere.
Skip the normal room lighting and get some ambient light fixtures instead. Add a few sconces with candles in secure places on the wall. Go old-school with hurricane lamps and set up a floor lamp in one corner.
Finish the look off with some fringed table lamps on a couple of surfaces. Mix-and-match the styles, keeping one or two elements the same as with your linens and furniture.
5. Collaborate With Mother Nature
Since the Boho look is solidly natural, it’s not surprising that it usually includes plants. You don’t have to turn your home into a jungle (although you can), but you should have a pot or two in each room.
And when we say “pot,” we don’t mean a cute little mini succulent. No, the theme of Boho is “more is more,” and this includes your choice of plants.
Hang some large Boston ferns in a dangling macramé plant holder. Nurture a baby Monstera until it grows to its maximum indoor height of eight feet. Or, if you prefer colorful flowers, plant a majestic Bird of Paradise.
You can’t cut corners and use artificial plants and expect the same results. It’s not just about looks. Live plants have benefits like improved air quality and mood-boosting properties that you don’t get with fake greenery.
A word of caution: If you have kids or animals around, do some research before you choose your plants. Some of them are toxic to these little ones.
Conclusion
It’s easy and fun to jump on board the Bohemian style trend. The final look is always unique and eccentric. If you do it right, it will all blend together for a welcoming and intriguing interior design atmosphere.
But if you’re not careful, the look can move from Boho to cluttered and messy fast. With these five elements, each room will look cohesive and comfortable for a Bohemian style you’ll love to come home to each day.