When you think boho, you naturally think neutral beige, a bit of white and maybe some light blue here and there. No, that’s only a misconception fueled by minimalist interior trends. A colorful bohemian living room isn’t all about neutral sand colors and rattan furniture.
The original boho style was always about boldness and a colorful intention. If you love boho, but you like color as well, this is everything you need to know about redecorating your place in a stylish manner, without having to stick to “look of the moment” trends that quickly feel outdated.
What Makes a Bohemian Living Room “Colorful” Vs. Just “Boho”
The modern boho style is considered minimalist, but the real definition of boho, rooted in 19th-century Parisian bohemianism, brings in color and boldness. In fact, boho is the exact opposite of minimalism, since it features decorations in different colors blending together.
In terms of colors, think warm nuances, metallic elements, earthy colors and one or more grounding dark elements. Then, it also involves different textures, the right furniture, proper lighting and even colorful plants.
Pick a Color Anchor Before You Buy Anything
Organizing a colorful bohemian living room isn’t about reaching a neutral blend without any dominating elements. No, you’ll actually need at least a couple of dominant colors, not to mention the dark element. You can go for three colors too, but you better be good at blending nuances together without creating visual chaos.
Some common color combos include:
- Terracotta, olive green
- Clay brown, sage green
- Terracotta, mustard yellow, deep green
- Rust orange, indigo blue, cream
- Blush pink, olive green, gold
Once you have the main color or colors, you can simply build from there layer by layer.
Ground the Palette With a Neutral Base
Got the main colors? It’s time to fill the gaps now. The boho style wouldn’t be able to exist without its neutrals, which are mistakenly considered the main colors. Filling gaps is when you bring the neutrals, which also ground the color palette so your eyes can rest.
White walls represent a general rule. Cream walls are also accepted, but make sure they match the main colors. Overall, walls are your palette, while these neutrals fill up the space. From this point on, it’s all about decorations.
Neutrals make bold colors stand out and become focal. It’s what makes boho such a visually nice style when executed properly.
Layer Patterns the Right Way
Texture and patterns are extremely important in the bohemian style, so you’ll have to pair them for a warm and cozy final result. Patterns, like other things in your decor, require a focal element. As for the other elements, they can contrast in style and design.
For instance, the focal element can be a big rug. You can then get some small pillows for the sofa, which can be in a different texture. Don’t forget about decorative art either, which is an integrated part of your colorful bohemian living room gallery wall.
When it comes to potential contrasts, keep them somehow part of the same family. You can get a busy decorative print and match it with another simple print.
It’s extremely important, however, to retain the same texture or pattern for a category of items. For example, all rugs should have the same style. All pillows should be in the same pattern and so on to keep cohesive harmony.
The Furniture and Textures That Do the Heavy Lifting
Like in any style of decor, certain elements will make it more obvious than others. The boho style, for instance, brings in a mix of rattan, vintage elements, natural wood, vintage leather, jute and so on. Make sure to find a balance between all these, rather than focus on one or another.
Overusing a material will cause a visual imbalance in the decor. Mixing them in equal proportions, whether through furniture or decorations, will be more effective and naturally inviting.
While they’re completely different, the truth is that boho and vintage style do share a lot. They overlap here and there, especially when it comes to the old-fashioned type of decorations.
From this point of view, you can obviously get a vintage coffee table made of wood, not to mention a couple of floor cushions in a lit corner or maybe a whole wall decorated with holiday and travel memories collected over time.
Furniture requires thorough attention because such pieces are large. They’re likely to dominate the room, so you’ll need to ensure that they match your style.
Lighting That Makes Color Pop at Night
A colorful bohemian living room should get plenty of natural light and embrace a vintage, yet organized and beautiful appearance. But then, it’s not all about natural light making everything shine. The lighting you choose for your room should also complement everything in there after sunset.
Once again, the bohemian style is far from being modern. It’s the exact opposite. The same rule applies to everything, including the lights and fixtures.
Forget about cold and modern lights, but opt for warm light, accent or ambient lighting here and there or string lights on the porch or in the garden (even better if they’re visible through the window). Moroccan lanterns can also match this type of décor by casting beautiful shadows.
No matter what you get, lighting should also be layered across different levels.
Budget-Friendly Ways to Add Boho Color in a Rental
This is probably the most common issue in the renovation process. Unless it’s your own home, chances are you’ll face some restrictions. This doesn’t mean that rental properties can be boring and dull. You can still decorate a colorful bohemian living room, yet you’ll be slightly limited by landlord rules.
Rental agreements usually forbid permanent changes to the environment. If you need more apartment decor ideas beyond boho, there’s no shortage of ways to work around a strict lease. Therefore, opt for temporary stuff. When it comes to walls or big decorations, you can get peel-and-stick options or removable wallpaper. Furniture not matching? Wrap it up in wallpaper or drape it with textiles.
Temporary options that help include curtains, rugs, pillow covers, some plants, even decorative prints and galleries. Stick them up with double-adhesive tape.
Some of these ideas could be time-consuming, but they make nice DIY projects. For example, wrapping some furniture could take a while, but then there are pieces that are difficult to work with, such as tables and chairs that require extra care.
Will a Colorful Boho Living Room Go Out of Style?
Your colorful bohemian living room is less likely to go out of style. Decades ago, the boho style was considered modern. Now, it’s considered vintage, and it’s still extremely popular. If it survived the test of time, chances are it will stay trendy in the future too because of its timeless charm.
But! There’s a big “But” here! For this style to stay in style, you’ll need to keep it personal. If you go for the trends of the month and decorate with items that come and go out of fashion, chances are your living room will look kitsch after a while and lose its unique appeal.
Instead, respect the bohemian style for what it is, a personal style based on personal collections. It’ll age nicely if driven by your preferences, rather than temporary trends.
Closing
Bottom line, your colorful bohemian living room is mainly about the process, rather than the destination. You’ll never be over it, since there’s always something different to collect and make room for as your taste evolves.
Most importantly, follow some simple rules, but make the whole decor personal. Plan the main colors and elements, then go on from there. Start with one or two colors, avoid exaggerations and maintain a balance between everything if you truly want to make your style stand out.