Bohemian style is hard to escape these days with more and more designers and furniture chains, creating rooms and collections that inspire the masses to embrace the Boho style. In the world of design, trends can come and go quickly; yet elements of bohemian design have been around forever and aren’t going anywhere anytime soon.
You don’t need to live a ‘bohemian’ lifestyle or redecorate your entire home to add a boho element to your space.
The essentials are simple enough: relaxed, easy living, with a healthy mix of colour, texture and pattern. If you appreciate the often quirky, eclectic, and easy style that boho design incorporates, consider these simple ways to add a touch of Boho to your space.
Plants
Revolutionary, I know, but plants (and botanicals in general) are an essential element to any bohemian-inspired interior space. The bigger and leafier the better, in my opinion, and if you have space, consider layering them together with different sized plants. Doing so will add a dose of dimension and extra flair to your space. There’s a natural element to all bohemian spaces, and every room needs a plant, so it really is the best place to start. Plants look best when they’re finished with a proper base so you’ll want to place yours in a basket or something woven from natural fibre to complete the look. I rarely stage a living room without a plant in a basket, and they work in any style room. I’m a fan of several options from Ikea, but the Vallmofron basket, in particular, has a great bohemian look. Of course, not all of us have a green thumb, and not all rooms or homes are hospitable to plants, but don’t let that stop you. There are plenty of authentic-looking artificial houseplants on the market today, and although fake plants aren’t exactly bohemian, they’ll give you the look without the fuss.
Fringe Wall Hanging or Tapestry
Art is a major player in any space and Boho designs often incorporate a mix of different kinds of art into them. Hanging tapestries are everywhere at the moment and are an easy way to add some bohemian style on a budget. The good news is they’re lightweight, easy to hang, and can be incorporated into gallery walls to fill up larger spaces. They’re also an ideal option for awkward and uneven walls. Fringe wall hangings are pieces of art that bring movement into space. They may not work in every room in the house, but almost every home has an interesting place you can find to hang one. For the best selection, Wayfair.ca is your best bet, but you’ll increasingly find them in any Homesense and other furniture and accessory retailers. For some stunningly beautiful wall hangings, check out Laurenwilliamsart on Instagram. Her wall hangings are the epitome of boho chic and represent the higher end of this design trend.
Layering
What appeals to me most about any boho-inspired space is the easy, inviting, lived-in quality of it. Layering is one way to get that lived in, yet chic look. Everyone knows a couch should have a few toss pillows, but adding a throw over the arm or back of the sofa, especially if the back is exposed in the room, always adds warmth. We spoke earlier about layering plants. By combining different types of plants of different heights in front of each other, you’ll increase the depth and dimension of them. Layering area rugs is another way to add a bohemian touch to a room. Rugs that have a similar thickness and a similar worn look to them are best for this. I also like using irregular shaped rugs over top of rectangular rugs. The materials chosen for things like pillows, rugs, and throws should have different patterns and textures and ideally, have some bold complementary colours to them. Layering also refers to furniture placement in a space. Try adding in a textured puff or ottoman resting on a rug, in front of a chair, placed in front of your leafy banana leaf plant in your new woven basket. Get the picture? The more layers you have in any space, the more it’ll feel like a bohemian-inspired room.
Bohemians themselves may live unconventional lifestyles and predominantly be artistic types, but the interior design aesthetic they’ve inspired can be adopted by anyone looking to add some relaxed and cool design elements to their space. The next time you’re out shopping take note of the Bohemian elements you’ll inevitably see in the stores and the consider how they just may make your home more inviting.
Author: Kiel Storms. Read more about him here.