The unique charm of Bohemian Interior Design
From Jhene Aiko’s flowy outfits and Irene Neuwirth’s glorious chic nomadic home to that new knitted stool you keep checking out at IKEA, bohemian interior design is always on the rise of popularity. Its relaxed and playful aesthetic is what makes it a true wild child of interior design.
Bohemian Interior Design is probably one of the easiest styles to distinguish. Boho sports a unique use of color, texture, and patterns, in a way that makes a slight nod towards tribal craftsmanship and vagabond estheticism at the same time. Eclectic and appealing to all of the free spirits that opt to delve into interior design, Bohemian style gives endless possibilities for personalization.
One of the main things you should keep in mind when trying to achieve the Bohemian chic in your home is that it is a completely unruly style, to begin with. However, that doesn’t mean that it has no guidelines at all, but that it is simply more random and colorful than the rest. Here are the five guidelines to follow when going for a Bohemian home interior look.
1. FEWER SHAPES, MORE LAYERING
It’s all about choosing combos and creating layers with Bohemian Interior. This is where the true maximalist nature of the Boho style is at its most noticeable. Unapologetically mixing textiles, finishes, and accents are welcomed, as well as adding handmade creative items, such as macrame, kilims, and African baskets. To those of you that are well versed in interior design trends, this probably sounds similar to eclectic style, and it certainly is. However, what makes this type of layering lean into Bohemian rather than eclectic is intentional and deliberate layering.
2. GO WILD WITH THE COLORS
The main rule of color coordinating with Boho is — don’t be shy! From a variety of neutrals to a wide palette of vibrant jewels tones, anything will work like a charm. If you are a fan of saturated colors and bold patterns, Bohemian Interior will give you all the freedom you need. From dark, deep hues, like ruby red and amethyst purple, to bright and sunny orange and pasture green, Boho is a perfect canvas for all of them. If you are not too crazy about strong colors, interesting patterns are the way to go. Your white walls don’t mean that you have to give up on Boho. You can do enough with throws, wall hangings, and pillows. Splashes of colors and oriental patterns will do miracles with making your interior as Boho as possible.
3. FIXTURE FINISHES CAN BE FOCAL POINTS TOO
Bohemian goes hand in hand with vintage, so don’t change your brass kitchen sink fixtures for those shiny new steel ones. Needless to say, anything with gold, silver, and brass finish is the way to go with Boho. Kitchen, bathroom, and lighting fixtures, lamps, frames, and metal artwork, just make it look vintage and you’re set. One of my personal favorites is also an often-used finish in Boho interiors — iron. Iron can look very sturdy and “serious” on its own, but when combined with playfulness and lush layers of Bohemian Interior, it becomes the perfect accent. The trick with finishes in Boho style is that they need to look like they have history, and once you’ve figured that out you’re on your merry way to Bohovill!
4. HANDMADE AND NATURAL
Bohemian style interior originally started in the 19th century in France and it was inspired by artists, performers, writers, and nomads who valued creativity and talent more than money. That is why unique creations and handmade items crafted from natural materials are one of the main traits of the Bohemian design style to date. Buying handmade décor from small entrepreneurs will also help support your local economy and sustainability in general. So go for hand-woven trinkets, knitted boho pillows, wicker chairs, baskets, etc.
5. B IN BOHEMIAN STANDS FOR BOTANICAL
If you don’t have any greenery or shrubbery in your home, the Bohemian style you are going for will undoubtedly fall a little flat. A key element to achieving Boho is to bring the natural world indoors and the best way to do that is through plants. Go for sculptural succulents, easy-maintenance snake plants, purifying dracaenas, or cascading spider plants. You truly can do no wrong when it comes to adding plants to your Bohemian home.
Now that you know some of the guidelines for Bohemian Interior Design, you are ready for a more in-depth look at the artwork that goes with it. Keep an eye on our blog posts to find how to perfectly incorporate your favorite mosaic artwork and make your Boho interior look even better.
This article was originally published on Mosaics Lab’s website.
