How to Decorate a Boho Living Room
Get the popular collected look by mixing patterns, textures, colors and eras
Boho-chic decor has nothing to do with hard-and-fast rules. It’s a style that, when done properly, rises above trends and fads to create a timeless expression of a personal taste and carefree way of life. Of course, there are some common features seen in boho decor, and here are some to consider when aiming to create your own bohemian-chic living room makeover.
Boho-chic style appears casually elegant and almost effortless, even if some people may actually put a lot of thought and care into achieving it. It draws on different colors, textures, patterns, periods and lots of antiques and personal touches to create a look that feels lived-in and storied, while also conveying a sense of fun and whimsy.
Boho style is highly artistic, even beyond the actual pieces that might be hanging on the walls. Dashes of creativity — and lots of layering — add up to a palette that feels eclectic, but usually has a sense of serenity rather than the drama and edginess that eclectic spaces can sometimes project.
How to Decorate a Bohemian Living Room
Start simple. While there are no true rules in boho-chic decorating, starting with neutral walls is a good way to give your space a solid foundation, especially if you want to make sure your design doesn’t become visually overwhelming.
There will be lots of opportunities to add interest through furnishings and art later, and keeping the walls light and simple will let those pieces be the focus.
Start simple. While there are no true rules in boho-chic decorating, starting with neutral walls is a good way to give your space a solid foundation, especially if you want to make sure your design doesn’t become visually overwhelming.
There will be lots of opportunities to add interest through furnishings and art later, and keeping the walls light and simple will let those pieces be the focus.
Pure white walls will take your space in a somewhat modern direction. For a more classic boho style, consider subtle off-white hues like cream, pale gray, taupe or barely-there pinks and yellows to give a room a bit of warmth and character.
Either way, starting with a livable neutral backdrop will let you add richness later until the mix feels right.
Either way, starting with a livable neutral backdrop will let you add richness later until the mix feels right.
Add a rug (or two). An area rug provides a good anchor in any room, but it’s especially important with boho-chic style. Rugs add texture, pattern and color, and they also make a room feel more intimate by bringing visual attention to the center of the room.
Browse rugs
Browse rugs
Boho-chic decor is all about layering, even when it comes to the rugs. Try using a few next to or overlapping each other — or on top of each other — to fill in a bigger space and add more texture.
If you have a bold rug you love that isn’t quite big enough to fill your seating area, use a bigger plain rug underneath — big enough to tuck under the seats — and place the bold rug on top. Consider laying the top rug at an angle to call extra attention to it and make it appear a bit larger.
If you have a bold rug you love that isn’t quite big enough to fill your seating area, use a bigger plain rug underneath — big enough to tuck under the seats — and place the bold rug on top. Consider laying the top rug at an angle to call extra attention to it and make it appear a bit larger.
Mix and don’t match. While a lot of design styles, especially minimalism, tend to use a variety of matching pieces, boho style is all about mixing pieces from different periods and places. To really nail the look, avoid the temptation to let any two pieces match perfectly, with the possible exception of a pair of side chairs. In the living room shown here, even the side chairs are different, though subtly related.
Use a neutral upholstery, a leather and a more colorful upholstery so the pieces look different enough to have been intentionally mixed.
Use a neutral upholstery, a leather and a more colorful upholstery so the pieces look different enough to have been intentionally mixed.
Add plenty of pattern. Another major highlight of boho-chic decor is the bold mixing of different patterns. In less carefree decor styles, you might want to follow certain rules for mixing — using patterns in different scales or different types (geometrics versus animal prints), for example — to help make sure the patterns don’t clash. But in boho-chic style it’s important to forget the rules and mix on a more instinctual level.
One of the easiest ways to add pattern is by piling on pillows and other small accents. As you collect pillows and throws over time, mix in new patterns and colors in small doses, and move pieces to other rooms or to storage as needed until the mix feels right.
It’s not an exact science and it can be hard to explain why certain patterns just feel right or wrong together, so trust your eye and give yourself time to live with your choices and let your style grow.
It’s not an exact science and it can be hard to explain why certain patterns just feel right or wrong together, so trust your eye and give yourself time to live with your choices and let your style grow.
Run wild with texture. Another great benefit of adding pillows and throws is the opportunity to add texture. Boho-chic living rooms should be rich and inviting not only visually but also on a tactile level. Fur-like materials, shearling, fringe, leather, wool, chunky knits, burlap, woven grasses and wood are all sumptuous textural elements that can give your space an organic feel.
Boho-chic decor usually isn’t about pieces that shout for attention but rather ones that whisper a subtle story, so texture can be even more important than color in creating a rich palette that feels peaceful yet deep.
Boho-chic decor usually isn’t about pieces that shout for attention but rather ones that whisper a subtle story, so texture can be even more important than color in creating a rich palette that feels peaceful yet deep.
Go vintage. Bohemian style is all about expressing yourself, both in the present and the past. Vintage pieces carry a story and bring a sense of history to a space, while also adding rich texture. Many vintage items can be given a new purpose, such as a coffee table made from a trunk, shelving from a wooden ladder or a DIY light fixture from an old basket. Get creative and look for vintage items that can be used as occasional tables or displayed as art, even if that’s not what they were originally intended for.
Rethink art. Artistic expression is important to boho-chic decor. Paintings are just one type of art, and boho rooms often feature carvings, found objects, dream catchers, mirrors, natural elements and personal mementos.
Forget what you think you know about how art should be hung on the walls and let impulse dictate how high and far apart the items are. A little bit of asymmetry only adds to the effect, so don’t worry if your pieces don’t follow one center line.
Forget what you think you know about how art should be hung on the walls and let impulse dictate how high and far apart the items are. A little bit of asymmetry only adds to the effect, so don’t worry if your pieces don’t follow one center line.
Explore the world. Boho-chic style is known for its worldly influence. Mixing pieces from different nations and cultures gives your space a diverse palette and can tell your travel story, even if some of the pieces are from places you haven’t yet been to.
Add Moroccan flavor. Mediterranean, and especially Moroccan, influences are a common feature of boho-chic style. Perhaps it’s because of the rich detail and geometric patterns or simply because of the way a beautiful Moroccan lantern can transform a room with light and shadow. Regardless, a Moroccan lamp, rug or leather pouf will always carry a bohemian spirit.
Connect to your fashion. Boho decor and boho fashion are closely connected. If you’re a fan of one, it makes perfect sense that you’d be a fan of the other. Displaying many or just a few articles of clothing, footwear, outerwear or accessories turns elements of your personal style into part of the decor. Whether it’s a full set of open shelves or just a single hook hanging your favorite jacket and scarf, including a display of clothing in your living room makes things feel more personal and interesting.
Grow your own style. Nothing adds a wild, organic sensibility to a room better than a real plant. Indoor trees or more compact potted vines, shrubs, cacti and flowers bring a sense of fresh air and an untamed spirit.
Get personal. Ultimately, boho-chic decor is not about rules. It doesn’t matter what’s too modern or too traditional, too busy or too minimal. It should be about an unburdened, carefree attitude and plenty of personal expression. Display your hobbies, your mementos, any decor elements you like, and the entire effect will add up to your take on boho style, which ultimately is the most bohemian statement of all.
More
How to Decorate a Living Room: 11 Designer Tips
Decorating 101: How to Start a Decorating Project
8 Things Interior Designers Want You to Know
Other Resources on Houzz
Get more living room ideas
Find an interior designer
Browse living room furniture and accessories
More
How to Decorate a Living Room: 11 Designer Tips
Decorating 101: How to Start a Decorating Project
8 Things Interior Designers Want You to Know
Other Resources on Houzz
Get more living room ideas
Find an interior designer
Browse living room furniture and accessories
The term boho comes from bohemian, which in turn is from a French word for gypsy. It refers to free-spirited travelers who aren’t tied down to living in one location or culture. As a decor style, then, bohemian, or boho-chic, as it’s also called, embraces a whole world of influences, including elements of personal travels and dreams of exotic lands, mixed together in a casual way that suggests you’ve carried your belongings with you and could pick up and leave again at any time.