The bohemian style is taking over interiors and why not?! It’s a melting pot of colour, texture and pattern that embraces a blending of cultures and times.
Over the decades, we’ve seen many arms of boho design develop — Moroccan boho, vintage boho, Eastern European boho, western boho, minimalist boho and most recently modern moho — but at the core are common elements that we share in this article so you can pull off the look!
Get ready to fall in love with the boho style with these beautiful bohemian living rooms.
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1. Embrace rugs
Our top tip to create a Bohemian living room is to use rugs to define the space and set the tone for the rest of the decor. Rugs also add a sense of warmth and will cosy up your living room. Just check out this boho living room inspo below.
2. Don’t be afraid to mix styles
As we mentioned in the intro, a common trait of Bohemian interiors is the way they blend styles. Whether you have a more coastal style living room, or prefer a modern look, create your own hybrid living room style by blending these design influences together!
Don’t be afraid to embrace old and new, or different styles — in fact, doing so will build up the character of a room. It will help make your house a home by adding your own unique finds, such as pieces from from local op-shops or collected on your travels. Have fun with your boho living room styling!
3. Inject timber and rattan
Blonde timbers, walnut tones or even black timber — the boho style embraces it all!
Another Instagram crush of ours is Caitlin from @beachroadinteriors whose signature style is relaxed and earthy. She blurs the lines between boho, Wanderlust and coastal to perfection!
Just take a look at her modern boho living room below where she’s used cane, rattan and solid timber furniture, mixed with textural wall hangings and earthy soft furnishings.
4. Colour on colour and pattern on pattern
There’s no matchy matchiness going on in Bohemian living rooms — rather a pushing of the boundaries of what colours should ‘go together’ and more prints and patterns than you can poke a stick at!
Traditional prints, such as those found on Turkish Kilim rugs, are blended with modern. And colours can range from earthy reds and browns, to pastel tones. There’s plenty of free rein to create your own unique boho style in your living room.
5. More is more
For so long minimalist styling was the trend but typically boho styling is about maximalism! More cushions. More plants. And more decor!
Surface areas, like sideboards and coffee tables, are styled with vignettes. Floors are layered with rugs as we mentioned, and also often floor cushions. Rarely will you find an empty pocket in the home.
Don’t hold back and have fun layering your favourite pieces to create a beautiful Bohemian living room of your own!
6. Flex your green thumb
From oversized cactus to Monstera plants, there are no rules on what plants to use — just to use lots of them!
Consider creating a shelfie arrangement filled with greenery. You could cluster handmade ceramic vessels or unusual decor items, such as vintage tea pots, and fill them with your favourite plants.
On the floor, use a mix of pot plant stands, pots on the ground or plants in baskets to bring some serious boho decor vibes to your living room!
Before you think you’ve got a black thumb, we’ve come to the rescue with these top 20 hard to kill plants and tips to keep your indoor plants alive.
7. Fill your walls
Another common theme of boho spaces is the way they maximise wall space to tell a story and bring character to a room.
Wall hangings, such as vintage tapestries, wall weaves or framed artwork, are just a few ways you can do this.
We love the boho gallery wall that Instagram user @my.bohemian.nest created featuring a mix of minimalist and photography artwork. Katja Marsch used a mix of wall decor, combining a wall weave, framed prints, hanging indoor plant in a macrame basket and string of festoon lights. The leaning ladder is also a clever way of adding interest to your walls without damage — a great styling solution for renters!
8. Feature lighting
Whether it’s a collection of traditional lanterns in a Moroccan boho living room or a luxe floor lamp, something Bohemian spaces don’t shy away from is statement lighting!
In this inspo image, we see a gorgeous bead pendant light that only adds to the design and feel of this boho living room.
What do you think of these beautiful bohemian living rooms? Are you inspired to introduce some boho design to your living room? What boho decor items would you add to your space? We’d love to hear all your thoughts in the comment section below!
More living room inspo
This article was first published in September 2018 and has been updated with new images and information.
