The word “bohemian” – or “boho” – stems from a French term used to refer to Romani travellers, mistakenly believed to have originated from the Bohemia region of the Czech Republic. The style rose as a counterculture in France following the revolution. Deprived of support from wealthy patrons, artists and poets were plunged into poverty and forced to take up nomadic lives, spend frugally and wear mismatched clothing. People compared the unkempt appearance of these artists to the Bohemians and eventually the style became romanticised as a symbol of freedom, creativity and eccentricity.

Today, bohemian decor is all about mixing and matching – effortlessly throwing together unique colours, textures and patterns from various eras and corners of the globe to form a thrifty but chic look. If you’re ready to turn your home into a boho sanctuary, here’s our expert advice.

1. BEGIN WITH AN EARTHY PALETTE

Bohemian decor should demonstrate your connection with the world. Therefore, the best place to start is with the colours of the earth. Create a warm backdrop of natural browns and greens. Wooden floors are a great example of this.

No matter the flooring you have now, our engineered timber floating floors can be installed in your home and completely transform your space. This is an affordable and sustainable option that doesn’t call for tearing out your existing floors. From there, keep inviting the outdoors in using hardy indoor plants, natural brown leathers and animal skins (opt for vegan alternatives, if you prefer) and natural-fibre bohemian rugs. Warm beaten metals like gold and copper can represent the earth’s minerals and add a bit of shine without sacrificing cosiness or authenticity.

2. INTRODUCE BOLD COLOURS AND WORLDLY PATTERNS

Once you have your earthy canvas prepared, it’s time to bring in the real heart of bohemian decor – an eclectic selection of vintage and worldly pieces. Incorporate global elements into your home with key items such as Moroccan lanterns, Buddha statues and other Eastern icons.

Finding the perfect boho rug is a brilliant way to introduce colour and global influence. Browse our range of traditional rugs for designs influenced by middle-eastern cultures.

The Tashkent range features a huge number of different timelessly elegant patterns imported from Egypt, while the Darkhan line includes premium Mongolian wool rugs. Don’t be afraid to draw inspiration from other parts of the world as well – our Cairo rugs are colourful, tribal and full of bohemian energy.

Layer your favourite pattern atop a rustic area rug to really fill a space and fine-tune your bohemian decor.

With your rug in place, use other soft furnishings to round out the look. Throw pillows are a great way to add interest to your living room or a create bohemian bedroom. All rules go out the window with boho decor, so don’t shy away from vibrant florals, paisleys, tribal prints or geometric patterns. If bright colours aren’t your thing, substitute them for more subdued tones such as olive greens, mustard yellow and rust red. You can also tone back your saturated colours with more neutral pieces such as natural linens, vintage lace or macrame plant hangers.

3. GET CRAFTY WITH YOUR FURNITURE

The thriftiness drawn from the French bohemians and hippies of the 1960s and 70s can easily be pulled into your furniture selection. Roll up your sleeves and get invested in an upcycling project. Look for worn but salvageable furniture in second-hand stores and reinvigorate it with stylistic techniques. Celebrate the flaws in the pieces you find – show off the distress caused by age by using dark waxes that will sit in crevices, making them all the more visible.

Consider repurposing non-furniture items for your home. Symbols of the arts such as old guitars or hardback books can be creatively put to work as table legs, coasters, shelves or anything you can dream up.

4. REMEMBER THE WALLS

While you’re filling your floor with exciting new rugs and pieces of furniture, don’t neglect your walls. Macrame or crochet wall hangings can bring more hippie influence into your bohemian bedroom, or you could feature cultural statement pieces such as instruments or masks.

Your windows are a key part of your walls and choosing the right coverings will make a huge difference to your space. Imagine a bohemian paradise with modern roller blinds, for example – it simply doesn’t work. Instead, you’ll want to consider one of the following:

• Roman blinds: Simple fabric blinds offer softness and by choosing natural materials like linen you can build upon your earthen backdrop.
• Wooden venetians: A timber set of blinds brings real wood indoors and offers the convenience of versatile light control.
• Panel glide blinds: A less common but undeniably stylish option, gliding panels can be made in distinctly boho fabrics, creating floor to ceiling feature blinds for your bohemian decor.

Feeling inspired? If you’re looking to reflect your inner nomad in your interior design, talk to the experts at Carpet Call about bohemian decor options. Pop in to your nearest Carpet Call store today or browse our range online.