The Bohemian Furniture Style for the Adventurous & Free-Spirit
Faith Led Interior Design Show | Episode 16
Are you an adventurous, free-spirit person? One who does not like or want rules, and is drawn to items that are unusual and cool. Do you love collecting unconventional, unusual, thought-provoking items from your travels? If you do, chances are, you may be a bohemian person. And that you may want the bohemian style in your home.
Bohemian style is also called Boho. Those two terms are used interchangeably.
If you want to learn more about the wonderfully beautiful, exciting, and carefree Bohemian style, this episode is for you.
Follow the Faith Led Interior Design show on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or Google Play.
Listen to the Episode
The Bohemian Furniture Style for the Adventurous & Free-Spirit
Before I get into the Bohemian Style, let’s talk about this wonderful verse from the Bible.
Be Blessed Verse: Psalm 139:1-6
You have searched me, Lord, and You know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise;
You perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down;
You are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue, You, Lord, know it completely.
You hem me in behind and before, and You lay Your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.
Yep, this is too lofty for me to attain. How is this possible? I chose this verse because the Lord knows us. He knows that we are each unique and wonderful! He loves us, made us and He says that He LOVES everything He made! Everything He made He says is good. That is you and me…
He wants us to be familiar with our own ways. He wants our homes to reflect ourselves. That is too lofty for me to attain. He knows us, but do we know ourselves?
He accepts and loves us so much. He is not angry. He is LOVE! He is enamored with each and every one of us! He likes who He made us and has great dreams and destinies for each and everyone who has given their lives to Him and walked closely with Him!
I love people who love the Bohemian Furniture Style. This furniture style has freedom. What freedom is that?
Let’s look at the Bohemian Furniture Style and get a front-row seat to learn about this wonderful style.
What is Bohemian Furniture Design Style?
The modern bohemian interior design is an eclectic mixture of sleek modern elements combined with boho-chic accents to bring out the color, texture, and individuality of a person. This style of design is mainly comprised of carefree layers of textures, shapes, patterns, and colors.
I think this is one of the most fun furniture styles. It is more casual and literally kicked back. It is artistic and spontaneous. It is unpredictable and carefree.
There are many variations of the Bohemian or Boho Furniture Style. It can be an extremely busy style or it can be a very simple style and everything in between.
The Bohemian or Boho Furniture Style is not for everybody. It is not for extremely modern people. It is not for very formal or traditional people. It is not for elegant dramatic people.
The Bohemians like unusual things and thought-provoking items. Many times these items are conversation starters. Many times these people who love the Bohemian style are travelers who pick up some wonderful mementos from their travels.
I remember some clients that I had in Mill Valley CA. Their house was about 200 steps into the woods from the road. Mill Valley is a very cool, Marin County area, and this was a very cool house with lots of wood and windows. The setting was beautiful! I went for the initial consult and I was really surprised that the owner, Richard, had a car hanging on the main living room wall. It quickly grew on me because I could tell he loved it and it made him happy. It made him love his beautiful funky home even more. It was actually a piece of art and the craftsmanship with beyond compare. The woods were exquisite and polished to perfection. Mind you, this was not a “hokey” design because that car was an amazing piece of art and it was worth a lot.
Another thing that he and his girlfriend, Kirsten, liked was orchids. They had 100s of orchids everywhere. They had every variety teeny tiny to large, and they had them indoors and outdoors. I just looked at each one in amazement at their beauty and uniqueness. That was exquisite!
So I am saying all this to mention the uniqueness of these people. There are always some unusual, crazy items in these Bohemian homes. They are very fun to explore and talk to their owners about the pieces or their travels, adventures, and in this case, orchids!
I always find these Bohemian Interior Design Style homes very interesting because I love people. I love to see what they are all about and what they like in their homes. Actually, I enjoy that with all the styles.
These Bohemian Style furnishings and accessories can be from anywhere in the world. They can be very expensive quality or they can be do-it-yourself projects.
This Bohemian style is a very comfortable lived-in feel with lots of personalities!
10 Characteristics of a Person Who Likes This Bohemian Furniture Style
People who love this Bohemian Furniture Style are artistic and carefree.
Their home is an expression of the freedom in the heart.
This person may be an intellectual and like interesting thought-provoking items.
This person is sometimes family-oriented, but more often than not, may not want to deal with too many people.
This person is unconventional and likes furnishings & accessories that are the most unusual and thought-provoking finds.
6. The lasting quality and excellence of materials are signatures of this style.
7. Bohemian people have a free-spirited aesthetic that mixes different cultures and artistic expressions into an eclectic style.
8. These people focus on organic and natural raw materials, such as refined woods, brick, stone, tiles, marble, and lots and lots of plants.
9. This person likes asymmetrical balance and informality and a laid-back, chill environment.
10. People who like Boho style are not into a mish-mash of things. There is usually a method or theme to their madness. They like beautiful, well-thought-out, quality designs.
Styling Ideas for a Person Who Designs Using the Bohemian Furniture Style
The Bohemian Furniture Style, many times, can be a low-level style. Low seating, low coffee tables, in the bedroom a lower bed, and so on.
Pillows or ottomans on the floor or sofa can be used liberally. The use of printed, tie-dyed, and embroidered fabrics, each one with a different print is common in this style. These fabrics can be geometrics and are bold colors usually and not for the shy.
For a shock effect, add a bright splash of color, perhaps a painted door or a bright aqua chair. A surprising addition of color can be great with this style. Boho is fun and light-hearted because there are no rules with this style. Darker colors may also be used on accent walls, fabrics, and accessories too.
Layer to create this effortless look, gather lots of cushions of varying sizes, patterns, prints, and textures, and lay them out in any shape surrounding low coffee tables with non-matching tableware.
Nature plays a big part in this style. Florals, flowers and use plenty of plants to bring the outdoor-in feel. Some go so far as to have a jungle vibe with a lot of plants. The plants can be potted or hanging or both.
Plenty of texture is another significant aspect of boho home decor. Varying textures are encouraged. The more textures you can bring into your home will amplify the bohemian feeling. Items that create texture in a Bohemian room are baskets, woven items, macrame hanging, bead walls, leather, fur, wood, metal, stone, cotton, and even glass make fantastic contrasting textures that bring more depth and interest to the room.
Furniture again can be quite unusual like hanging basket chairs. Upholstered furnishings usually are soft and cozy. Down and feather seats and backs can add to the coziness.
The materials on Bohemian lighting are often organic shapes, baskets, capiz shells, beads, and metals. The room is more Boho when a variety of different light sources are used. Hanging woven pendants, floor lights, lanterns, candles, string lights, you name it - all can go with this style.
Statement ceilings with a painted design and exposed wooden ceiling beams can fit with this style.
Flooring is a natural stone, wood, or brick floor, and a weathered appearance fits this Bohemian Style. Then layer rugs. Start with a jute rug, then add vintage, woven, Persian, or Moroccan rugs on top and add that cozy feel. This also is cost-effective. Instead of buying really large rugs, spread out 3 smaller rugs to make a big rug feel.
In the kitchen or throughout the house you can add open shelving that is staggered and looks like it is floating (no brackets). The color is probably different than the kitchen cabinet colors.
Lighter woods look better usually with this style to create a larger open space. But, because there really are no rules, you can use darker woods if that is what you want and prefer.
This style is best completed with the final look being individualistic, fun, relaxing, warm, and tells a very interesting story.
This Bohemian style is usually developed slowly, collecting items from all over the world, one thing you love at a time. That is what makes it so intriguing, interesting, and fun.
As with every style if you have something in your home that you do not love or it doesn’t make you feel wonderful, why is it there? This great style is a lifelong collection of things that you love and makes you happy.
What Is Your Design Personality Style?
If you have not taken the Design Personality Style Quiz, go to Episode #3 to take it.
It is important to determine both your Design Personality Style and your Furniture Style.
The personality quiz is designed to work along with your furniture style. It is important to establish your interior design personality style first because it helps to determine your interior design furniture style.
Once you determine both your Interior Design Personality and your Furniture Style, it makes shopping so much easier and less stressful. The reason is that you now shop only for your personality and furniture styles. It eliminates all the other personality types and furniture styles that really are not yours.
Determine your personality style and furniture style or styles first and then continue with your interior design plan.
What’s Next For You?
Next week, I will talk about the Oriental Furniture Style, the last of our 12-part series of furniture styles.
The 3 ETHNIC FURNITURE STYLES are
French (Episode 15)
Bohemian or Boho (this episode)
Oriental (Episode 17)
Stop Dreaming, Start Designing your luxury home in your personality style and in your furniture style, and within your budget!
Blessings and See you next episode…
Examples of the Bohemian Furniture Style
If you would like to see examples of furnishings that go along with the Bohemian style, visit Sheree’s Shop at my website and scroll down to the Bohemian Furniture Style.
You are welcome to browse and enjoy and hopefully get some great pieces and ideas for your home and design.
Resource
Get a free copy of the 2022 Interior Design Trends report and the 2022 RESA - Home Staging Report.
Take the quiz here to determine your Interior Design Personality.
Browse samples of the furnishings that can go with your style here.
