Boho interior design: The imperfection of freedom in our homes

Boho interior design has been regaining traction in our interiors for some time. So, where did this rather rebellious decoration become so popular? Our innate longing to reconnect to nature, to the essence, to simplicity is undeniable.

This cosmos offers a freedom where things don’t have to be perfect; on the contrary, the marks of time, imperfection, are nurtured. The boho interior design is more than a decorating trend; it is a way of life.

Start by distilling some wonderful ideals in your home if you want to approach it. Two experts in planning and decoration will teach you the keys to success.

Interior designers Maureen Karsenty and Marie Froideval, both from their own firm, have a sweet spot for the boho interior design aesthetic. It is not uncommon for them to combine one style with another, perhaps more Scandinavian, in their projects, or to stage it alone, thoughtfully.

They offer helpful hints for creating a boho interior design at home.

If natural materials are preferred, principles such as accumulation, such as the melting pot, can give the ambiance a bohemian feel if employed sparingly. This delightful mix of travel souvenirs, salvaged artifacts, handmade carpets, rush accessories, linen linens, and brass lamps evokes a dream itinerant life… to discover and apply at home.

Start by defining the boho interior design  (which you like)

The boho interior design, often known as gypsy, caravan, or nomad, refers to a free-spirited way of living.

The follower of the bohemian does not face any limitations or restrictions in terms of movement or thought. “I live day to day without thinking about set rules,” he says. Similarly, when it comes to décor, everyone interprets it in their own unique way.

One of the lessons taught by our two interior design and decoration experts, Marie Froideval of Studio Mariekke and Maureen Karsenty of Maureen Karsenty, is to uninhibit our relationship with this decorative universe that wants to be free and imperfect; in other words, a style “that corresponds to real life.”

Return to the simple life

On the fringes of others, the boho interior design a return to a simple life, close to nature. This growing aspiration of boho interior design, especially in terms of decoration, for crafts, hand-made, recycling, is an opportunity for the bohemian style to interfere in our interiors.

Accumulation is one of its main principles: objects brought back from travel are found alongside antique furniture, with handles recovered for example; the rugs pile up on the floor like so many cushions on the sofa.

In this, the boho interior design gives pride of place to the notion of comfort. The importance is given to the details, the idea is to create a happy organized bazaar, a poetic decoration, alive, not frozen.

Once these main principles have been assimilated, everyone is free to adopt the boho interior design  in total look – controlled – or on the contrary to combine it with other atmospheres, for even more originality.

A bohemian touch in a rustic interior is welcome, for example; likewise, it goes perfectly with the Scandinavian style, or even with the contemporary.

Appropriate the boho interior design at home simply

There’s no need to look for complication while creating a timeless bohemian decoration: it’s in the simplicity that we get the most satisfaction. According to Justina Blakeney, the concept is to start

“from a refined base, then to experiment with gorgeous and wonderful materials that we would never tire of.”

The essential basis of the boho interior design are these carefully picked materials. In this apartment restoration project, for example, the interior designer used bohemian style kitchen elements such as a very strong black kitchen with zelliges in the splashback, repurposed stone on the worktop, and a point of gilded brass on the lighting.

The eclectic mix of materials symbolizes the reclaimed attitude associated with bohemian style, and as Justina Blakeneyexplains, “we are not seeking for perfection, but rather mismatched elements, we must see the trace of time.” Weathered woods, natural textiles like linen and hemp, and braided fibers like raffia and rush work well with velvets, leather, waxed concrete, and even cement tiles.

The objective is to maintain the existing features and sublimate them, such as the parquet and beams of the duplex restored by Studio Mariekke’s interior designer.

Theboho interior design succeeds in mixing different universes to create a trend that is both sparkling and refined. A contraction of the bohemian term, this style is made up of ethnic, hippie and oriental notes.

We compose this decor in black and white, a chic and modern association, and we add accessories in soft and natural colors. Welcome to our Boho room!

The advantage of boho ? It fits into any interior. Because, it can be mixed with any style of decoration. Do you have vintage furniture? Contemporary cuisine? Fluffy rugs? This will not prevent you from having a boho  interior.

Where does boho come from?

Boho is based on the bohemian lifestyle, which includes nomads, travelers, and free-spirited individuals. This translates to a style with few boundaries, where anything goes as long as the end result is a warm, cocooning, polished, and restorative environment. Patterns or colors that appear incongruous at first look might work beautifully in a boho setting.

Mixing and matching is, after all, what boho interior design  is all about. There are numerous ways to build your own bohemian cosmos today, with a dash of vintage, shabby chic, or eco-chic inspirations.

A few guidelines can nevertheless be revealed

The old & the new

In a boho  interior, the old meets the new. You can easily associate your finds from the flea market with modern furniture, design objects or ultra-trendy pieces. It’s the contrast that makes the boho  style so special.

Travel memories

The objects collected during your travels are an integral part of bohemian style decor. Put your favorite vacation memories on the wall, on your dresser or coffee table, but certainly not in a drawer. Yes, your wood-made sculpture brought back from Africa or your Berber carpets blend with the bohemian style. In other words, decorate your decor with objects that are important to you!

Comfort above all

Anything cold and uncomfortable has no place in a bohemian interior.

In terms of furnishings, choose warm rooms that invite you to relax. For example, in a bohemian living room, adopt a large corner sofa with soft throws and cushions over it, or a sofa with soft, rounded shapes in leather or velvet.

The same goes for a bohemian bedroom where, for example, you can choose a bed in soft fabric or natural wood. The wardrobe, dressing table and chest of drawers will also be chosen in natural wood or with a gray or taupe coating. For an even more peaceful atmosphere, add a large armchair and a wicker or rattan storage box.

A bohemian style kitchen  can be more eclectic and extravagant, but it must remain cozy and comfortable. A raw wood table testifies to the great attention that boho style brings to nature.

For a boho interior, bet on accessories! Example ?

Colorful paper lanterns, macrame flowerpots, an Emmanuelle-style rattan armchair …

Natural materials

For a cocooning look, bet on raw materials and natural materials. When we think of boho , we immediately think of wool rugs, macrame ottomans, linen sheets or veil curtains.

100% natural

The boho  style gives pride of place to plants but above all to tropical species unearthed in the four corners of the world. African cactus, Asian fern… as long as it’s exotic! Don’t hesitate to adopt a lot. Watchword ? Surround yourself with greenery!

Dress up the walls

Finally, don’t forget to decorate your bohemian style decor with wall weaves! Creative and colorful, they will dress your walls with style.

Indispensable: natural materials

If there’s one thing that defines boho interior design , it’s the materials that have to be natural. Woodwork , bamboo, rattan, linen… it doesn’t matter as long as they are not cold materials! Sofa, cushions, coffee table, seats … From furniture to decorative accessories and textiles, everything must be in natural materials. Here is a list of a few things to invest in for your boho  patio:

• A hanging chair
• A rattan armchair
• Pattern cushions
• Cotton or linen blankets and covers
• A Berber-style wool rug
• Rattan baskets
• Macrame wall decorations
• A dream catcher
• A pouf with pearls or fringes
• String suspensions for your plants
• Cowhide
• Wood-made modules that make music with the wind

Note that the boho  style is characterized by its finishes. That is to say ? Beige colored blankets with black details, cushions with fringes, rugs with relief patterns, rattan armchairs with designs, macrame structures with shells… Everything is in the detail.

The art of mixing prints, materials and influences

As the bohemian interior design does not follow any rules, you are free to mix the elements as you want. Watchword ?

Free your mind and listen to your desires. Beige animal skins with macrame modules, hanging rattan pots next to a light garland, lined cushions with a Berber carpet … Keep in mind: boho  style is the art of mixing elements!

The essential boho interior design  decorative accessories

If in a design / contemporary style interior, it is the furniture that does everything, in the boho  style, it is the accessories that set the tone! Zoom on the key elements of a boho interior design:

The oriental rug is a piece that can be found in a bedroom as well as in a bohemian style living room. The Berber, ethnic or cowhide carpet can also take the place of the oriental carpet.

Whether for suspension, curtain, cushion, wall decoration … in a boho  interior, macrame elements are needed. Do you have enough space? Opt for a macrame hammock that you will have in your bedroom or living room.

Wicker and rattan are the two most common materials in a boho  interior. Baskets, mirrors, screens, small pieces of furniture… as long as it is in wicker or rattan.

Ethnic elements also have pride of place in a boho interior design. We think in particular of the cushions and plaids that dress both a bohemian style living room and an ethnic bedroom.

In a  perfect boho interior design there is a plethora of candles, cushions by the dozen but if you had to invest in only one object it would be in a dream catcher!

Don’t forget the greenery in bohemian interior design : cacti, aloe vera, bamboo or cascading plants to attach to the walls.

Each interior has its own decorative style! Find our most beautiful inspirations and make your home a trendy cocoon in your image!

What colors to choose for a boho interior design ?

Referring to the bohemians who travel tirelessly and bring back memories with them, the color and material palette of boho  style is as vast as the world itself. We find in a bohemian style decor  as well Berber carpets, as ethnic wooden benches, velvet sofas, exotic plants, fringed throws, natural wood tables, wicker baskets, ceramic vases …

The word “boho” was then coupled with the term “chic” to give the boho chic style.

With this regrouping, the palette of shades narrowed slightly. The garish and vivid colors have given way to softer and more natural shades. In other words, boho interior design  has kept the mix of furniture, accessories and materials but focusing on sober and soothing colors.

White is the flagship color. Beige, gray, taupe and powder pink complete the color palette. Dark shades are not excluded but adopted by small touches. We don’t forget the golden notes for a touch of elegance!

Furniture with a boho chic look

The boho interior design  is closely linked to the “cocooning” style. When it comes to furnishings, this translates into comfortable furniture that invites you to relax.

In a boho living room, adopt a large corner sofa on which we place soft throws and cushions. We couple it to a marble coffee table and a large wooden table for the dining room. We finish the arrangement with macrame, velvet or leather poufs.

In the bedroom, we opt for a bed in soft fabric or natural wood. The wardrobe, dressing table and chest of drawers are chosen in natural wood or with a gray or taupe coating. For an even more peaceful atmosphere, add a large armchair and a wicker or rattan storage box.

In the bedroom, living spaces or on the terrace, it is time for natural materials, organic shapes and clean lines for our greatest happiness. This collection is a real inspiration to softness and modernity.

Its strengths? Natural colors associated with black for a very contemporary bohemian atmosphere, all applied to textured fabrics and associated with natural materials such as rattan or bamboo and raw materials such as metal.

Our advice for a successful atmosphere? To keep a calming atmosphere, maintain a harmony of colors, favor a few strong pieces and add elements to the folk patterns. Do we have an ideal boho interior design?