Way to go BOHO / 7 - Rustic, industrial, & eclectic French home

About all you have to do is murmur Paris or Parisian in the same breath as boho home décor and everyone flocks around to cluck their tongues and utter ooh la la.

I like the rustic and industrial vibe this very French home has going for it, as well as its mix of vintage and antique accessories. It was designed by the Parisian firm of Kierszbaum Intérieurs, but to me it looks as if it just evolved, like a forest.

Kierszbaum Interieurs

Study the room closely. At first glance, it’s the opposite of matchy-matchy. Yet the mix of pattern and color gives off a cozy, collected-over-time look. In fact, I think anyone could achieve a similar look with a solid color sofa in most any style and two similarly scaled and shaped, solid-color chairs. A charcoal gray sofa is, of course, a terrific base for showing off anything you throw at it.

Let’s take a closer look at parts of the room...

Kierszbaum Interieurs

Yes, that’s moss laid into the tray coffee table. It looks as if the smaller tray is set directly on the moss, though you could sandwich a glass top in between to keep the dust out and the debris in. 

It’s in this close-up few that the greens found in nature emerge as a connecting thread among room elements. And the chairs that looked identical from afar reveal themselves to be slightly different. They’re the same general shape and size, but the green one has a tufted seat, whereas the gray one has a tufted back. The wood finish on each chair’s legs is also different.

Kierszbaum Interieurs

Closer still, we discover the green chair is velvet. Two floor pillows not visible before show themselves and add more pattern to the mix. The one on top is the same one visible on the green chair in the previous photo and appears to be vintage petit point. 

If you already own such pillows, you’re lucky. They’re pricey new and pricier vintage. So if you’re after the look of this home, don’t be afraid to mix in some other type of pillow that lends itself to the nature/green theme.

The modern floor lamp is an interesting counterpoint to the other vintage and rustic items. The gilt shield on the left is more interesting leaning than hung, I think, which helps it work with the rest of the room’s relaxed feel even though it’s quite ornate.

Kierszbaum Interieurs

I always love photos of reflections. If you’re planning to add a mirror to a room, pay attention to what it will reflect. Look into the mirror from various angles and see how the view changes, then compose—or recompose—those portions of your room to take advantage of this additional view.

Back to the bigger picture...

Kierszbaum Interieurs

Accessories are few and simple, which allows the architectural features of the room to speak out. If you aren’t lucky enough to own a home with exposed brick and beams, you can always add those elements or something that calls them to mind. And these days, there are even faux options of both, particularly good for renters.

Now let’s take a look at our inspiration board for this room…

| 1. | 2. | 3. | 4. | 5. | 6. | 7. | 8. | 9. | 10. | 11. | 12. | 13. | 14. | 15. | 16. | 17. | 18. | 19. | 20. |

It's easier than you may think to achieve this collected look. So before you go shopping for new items, take a look around your house. Dig through closets, attic or storage for items you haven’t used in a while, and scour the other rooms of your home for accessories that fit the profile for this room.

Kierszbaum Interieurs

Me? Well, while you're on the hunt, I’m going to kick back and enjoy this Paris view that, unfortunately, can't be copied. 

Ooohhh la la la la la la! Now THAT'S the way to go BOHO.

Want more?

• See more of this Paris home at Desire to Inspire.
• Follow the link to enjoy more spaces designed by Kierszbaum Intérieurs.
• Shop for the products in the inspiration board by clicking on the associated numbers in the caption.
• Don't miss our giveaway!! Enter by Sunday, Oct. 16, 2016, for a chance to win a handmade, Ugandan basket. Details HERE.
• Follow my blog with Bloglovin or using one of the email subscription services at the bottom of the page.

Way to go BOHO/6 – At home on your Moroccan patio

Patio, balcony, porch or terrace, your outdoor space is a low-risk way to try a little boho home décor. After all, it's separated from the rest of your home by walls and a door, so you can introduce bright color, pattern, and exotic shapes and forms without worrying whether it clashes with the sofa or the curtains or the carpet.

And if you’re already a dyed-in-the-chindi boho mama (or papa), you know decor that speaks of exotic lands—Marrakech, Jaipur, Istanbul, Jerusalem—is just the shot of romance every outdoor room longs for.

Well, okay. We don’t know that “outdoor rooms” have longings, like us. We also don’t know that they don’t. But IF they DO, I feel certain they’d long to be outfitted something like this…

Maisons du monde

This is an easy and relatively inexpensive look to achieve. You may even already have items you use indoors you can repurpose for outside. Just remember that the sun will fade colors and break down fabric, and fabrics not rated for outdoor use don't dry as quickly if they get wet so mold can set in.

I do love the use of a mirror outdoors, as the inspiration photo shows, because there’s so much gorgeous green to reflect outside. The variety of cushions and ottomans in the photo is also colorful, functional and flexible. They're easy to move around where you want them on a particular day. And keeping a stack at hand is always a great way to accommodate guests.

Here’s how (and where) to get the look…

| 1. | 2. | 3. | 4. | 5. | 6. | 7. | 8. |

Notice I included flower pots but no plants. I figured you’d already have those or at the very least want to choose your own. If you’re lucky enough to have a cactus the size of the one in the inspiration photo, please share a photo in the comments and take good care of it. Once I bring anything inside it dies on me, so you have my utmost respect.

If you need some help with plants, I found these available at Cost Plus World Market online:

| 1. Lemon Cypress | 2. Rosemary | 3. Olive Tree | 4. Angel Vine |

All are terrific plants to enhance the Mediterranean feeling. All should be readily available at your garden center as well, with the exception of the olive tree. You could substitute a bay tree, but remember they grow slowly. Rosemary will be at your grocery store, too (at a cheaper price). Other plants I love that appeal to the senses are colorful caladiums, oregano, thyme, lavender, lemon verbena, and eucalyptus.

To get this look for le$$...

If the $150 price tag for that rope bench stings a bit, here’s another idea:

Design Sponge

Use a bench you already own or one you find at a thrift store or flea market, then follow this tutorial to wrap it. Design Sponge says it took 8-10 hours and cost $15. It also says they made the ropes from fabric scraps. You can also use colorful premade ropes for macramé and other craft projects.

3 ways to save on that mirror:

1. Spray paint one you own. Choose paint rated for outdoor use and suited to your frame material (metal, wood, resin, molded plastic, etc.). Then before you spray, cut paper (I use leftover Christmas paper) to cover the mirrored glass. Tape into place so it looks like the photo at right. Lightly sand and wipe down the exposed surface.
2. Look for used mirrors at garage sales, thrift stores and flea markets. New ones can often be purchased for less at closeout stores like Home Goods, Tuesday Morning, or Big Lots. Find one that’s dinged up from being “in stock” too long, then negotiate a better price, and repaint following the instructions in #1.
3. Use an open frame (one you have, new, or thrifted) and have mirrored glass cut to fit at your local home center. Be very careful handling the glass though. Wear gloves and tape the edges.

An alternative to the rug: 

Layer old quilts, blankets, rugs, sheets, tablecloths, and whatever else you have to soften your patio or porch for an afternoon or evening. Be sure to weight down lighter items so the wind doesn’t blow them away. Of course you can’t do this day in and day out, but it’s fun for a special occasion, to make your patio or porch extra comfy and cozy.

A tip for finding the perfect little tea table: 

Follow the lead in the mood board and buy a small plant stand. I actually have the exact table pictured in my study, sitting next to a chair where a bigger table wouldn’t fit. It takes up next to no room and is the perfect size for holding a drink.

I can’t help but think you need a few more extras not in the inspiration photo

If only to ramp up the design factor and rev the romance quotient of your outdoor room’s decor, consider these:

| 1. Gauzy outdoor curtains | 2. Moroccan tea glasses | 3. Moroccan cast iron infuser teapot | 4. Aegean melamine dinnerware |

If you plan to read a little reading while relaxing, the stories of A Thousand and One Arabian Nights (some of which you'll surely be familiar) are fun to read on your own or aloud with someone else. Maybe you and your special someone can take turns reading to each other. Scheherezade (Shay-hair-a-ZADE) read the stories to save her own life because she knew the shah she'd married executed his wives after the first night of lovemaking, before they could betray him as his first wife had. She stopped each story in the middle, and because he wanted to know the end, he put off killing her.  After 1,001 nights, she had no more stories but had convinced him of her faithfulness. You don’t have to worry about being executed (I hope). So read some, improvise some. I'll say it now because I'm sure you won't want to be interrupted then: Way to go, BOHO!

Check out these (affiliate) links for this book & a few other romantic favorites of mine...

        

And meditate on this dreamy picture of Marrakech in the setting sun...

Way to go BOHO/5: Unique textile mix brings boho style home

Tim Street-Porter via One Kings Lane

You can get this boho look in your home for a lot less than you might think. Boho style packs a lot of wham into each decor buck you send its way because it often relies on a mix of ethnic textiles that, thanks to the Internet, are readily available at many price points.

Take the wall tapestry in this room, for instance.

A wall hanging can be used in place of a headboard in a bedroom, but if you look at the photo closely you'll see there's also a headboard in this room. The tapestry has just been neatly tucked behind it, then lapped over it to change out the look.

While the textile used in the inspiration photo may indeed be a hand-embellished, one-of-a-kind item, you can get a similar look for pennies on the dollar. For instance...

...this lotus pattern "tapestry" sells on Amazon for $19.95. It's described as "tapestry, tablecloth, beach sheet, wall art," and I would add "bedspread/coverlet" to that. Its design is printed on cotton, but hey, you're hanging it on the wall, remember? It won't be viewed close-up unless your guests climb across the bed on their knees to get their noses in it. And if they're like me, they're too old for that sort of thing.

Who cares anyway? Its purpose is to provide a splash of brilliant color and arresting pattern that can be seen from even a distance - down a hallway through an open door, but, at the least, each time you walk into your bedroom. The bed is typically the focal point in any bedroom, and this inexpensive piece of cloth helps make your bed look impressive so you can spend your money elsewhere.

See how well it emulates the look of the inspiration room:

I can't promise all aspects of this room how-to redo are as much of a bargain as the wall-hanging, but I will say that it all depends on what you can do with what you already have and how determined of a shopper you are.

Let's look at those nightstands next.

Matching campaign-style nightstand-sized chests aren't easy to find, and you'll notice the ones I used in the mood board are navy blue with brass hardware rather than charcoal gray with chrome hardware. I actually like them better than the gray ones, but that's me.

I found them in a children's store, where they were being sold as changing tables, so the height was adult-size.

Land of Nod

They weren't inexpensive, but they weren't terribly expensive either at $699 each. Campaign style stands the test of time and mixes with traditional or modern, so consider it a wise investment.

Or...

Turquoise & Gold

Refurbish a small chest you already own or an inexpensive new chest to emulate the campaign style. The Internet is full of IKEA hacks and almost as many IKEA campaign chest hacks. This is a hack of IKEA's popular Rast Chest ($35), and you'll find the DIY on Turquoise & Gold. You'll invest some coin in the hardware, but it likely won't come anywhere near the price of the Land of Nod chests.

What would I do? I'd buy them ready made because I'm getting older and I'm not so into DIY anymore. I've done my share of projects, though, and now I'm paying myself back.

How 'bout those lamps?

They are gorgeous. Definitely killer, and that's how I know an interior designer put this room together - because I couldn't find anything remotely similar out there. And those designers know of all sorts of sources us regular folks don't. 

Pottery Barn/CB2

After an exhausting (notice I didn't say exhaustive) Internet search, I narrowed it to these two lamps. Initially I put the lamp on the left into the mood board because of its beautiful hammered detail. But by the time I finished the collage, I didn't like the lamp anymore. Its shape was too ordinary to stand up to the bold pattern in the rest of the room accessories, so I went back to the lamp on the right. 

Both lamps are pricey - $230 for the Pottery Barn Nori Lamp I rejected and $349 for the CB2 Lola Lamp I chose instead. Lola is a big girl - 34.5 inches compared to Nori's 27.5 - and big is what this room called for. Between Home Goods, Tuesday Morning, Internet sales, and vintage/thrift shops, you're bound to find a pair to fit your budget and your space.

If you're someone who buys a lamp and keeps it forever, then $349 for a good lamp is a sound investment. But a lamp's days are numbered in my house if it's been around longer than five years. I tend to look for good buys so I don't have to feel guilty when I change them out.

Kilim pillows are everywhere these days, so shop around.

Just about every major department and home furnishings store has a line of kilims these days, and you can find them on Etsy as well as other Internet sites. The department store ones are mass-produced, of course. And you can certainly find one-of-a-kind ones on the Internet for the same or less than what you might pay for mass-produced. Just be sure to factor in the shipping.

Here's our mood board again, this time with links to products.

| 1. Flower of Life Tapestry by Zest for Life, Amazon, $20 | 2. Lola Table Lamp by Lenny Kravitz for CB2, $349 | 3. Campaign Three-Drawer Chest in Midnight Blue, Land of Nod, $699 each | 4. Urban Trends Ceramic Sitting Buddha Figurine, Walmart, $42 | 5. House of Hampton Hydrangea Bouquet in Mercury Glass Vase, Wayfair, $130 | 6. Leonora Grand Sham, Frontgate, $215 | 7. Red Kilim Lumbar Pillow Cover, Etsy, $22 | 8. Charcoal Kilim Pillow Cover, Etsy, $45| 9. Turkish Boho Kilim Pillow Cover, ebay, $22 | 10. Pick-Stitch Quilt in Flagstone, Pottery Barn, $179 | 11. Handira Tamizart Moroccan Wedding Blanket, Essence of Morocco Ltd., $350.|

A different kind of textile that's a little easier on the pocketbook could work at the foot of the bed. Look for kilim throws and even lightweight rugs. And here's a DIY I know I'd still do: that beige linen body pillow. Anyone can make a pillow. Really. 

I have to say this was the easiest room I've sourced in this series, which tells me the look is easy to achieve in any home. Once again: Way to go, BOHO!

With that thought, I'll leave you to your shopping. And don't forget to follow my blog with Bloglovin.

  

Way to go BOHO/4: Taking your home decor back to boho

NOT the inspiration photo for today, but...

...if your life followed a similar pattern to mine, you were a lot more boho—maybe something close to this?—when you were just out of school, poor as a churchmouse, and making do (home decor-wise) with pass-alongs and a few thrift-store finds. If you're like me now, you're starting to think those days had more to offer than you realized then.

I spent a good 20 years as a die-hard colonial fan, complete with camelback sofa, chair styles named after early presidents and their wives, lots of cherry and mahogany and way too many cabriole legs. This isn't my living room, but it's pretty close.

I still think it's a beautiful aesthetic, but when we downsized from our colonial revival two-storey to a ranch-style condo we had to chuck a big chunk of what we owned. I never would have predicted it, but suddenly I wanted to be surrounded by furniture and accessories with clean lines and bright, modern colors.

I started to find my way back to boho style.

I began to have fun and make fun decorating my new home. I found ways to mix the classic pieces I kept and couldn't afford to replace with more modern styles, and that’s what’s going on in today’s inspiration room…

Parker & Company Interior Design via Desire to Inspire

Somewhere in the middle is where most people gravitate in most things, including their décor. It’s hard to take risks on something as big and as expensive as a sofa or an armoire. But throw pillows? Hey, you can trade those suckers out in a flash if your room needs a refresher. So that’s the way to become more adventurous in your design choices and eventually stretch your style all the way to boho.

This is admittedly NOT a boho room. But the room does have some elements you could find in a modern boho chic living room or study:

• Ikat pillows 
• Bright colors 
• Persian rugs 
• Over-size abstract painting 
• Comfy leather sofa 

Let’s break it down…

| 1. “Mit Dem Pfeil” (The Arrow) by Wassily Kandinsky Art Print, Art.com, $18 unframed. | 2. Ikat Dots Throw Pillows, Pattern Behavior on Etsy, $36 each. | 3. Room Essentials Stitch Solid Pillow in Coral, Target, $20 each. | 4. Zachary Gray Leather Classic Contemporary Sofa, RC Willey, $1,400. | 5. Homecoming Walnut Gate Leg Table, Joss & Main. | 6. Brass Dragon Candlesticks, One Kings Lane. | 7. Chelsea House Floral Urn Lamps, 1-800Lighting, $575 each. | 8. Rustic Chinese Porcelain Table Bowl, Oriental Furnishings, $164. | 9. Ecarpetgallery Hand-Knotted Persian Darjazin Blue and Orange Wool Rug, Overstock, $304. | 10. Queen Anne Wing Chair, Richard Rothstein Classic Interiors, $2,475. | 11. Vendor 411 Sylvia Wingback Chair, Becker Furniture World. | 12. Cyan Lighting Lazy Dog Sculpture, 1Stop Lighting, $70. | 13. Justine Backless Chair-Height Stool, Ballard Designs, $60. | 14. Traditional Yalameh Wool Rug, Oriental Persian Rug, $400. |

Start with ART

A central painting as bold as this one will be the focal point of any room it hangs in and thus should also be the starting point for furnishing and decorating the room. That is, you decorate around it, rather than choose it because it matches your already pulled-together room. It appears to be an original painting, and though I tried to enlarge the photo and decipher the signature, I couldn’t make it out. 

It reminded me of the work of Wassily Kandinsky, though it isn’t catalogued among his paintings. But because it reminded me of Kandinsky, I selected this Kandinsky print for the mood board…

Mit Dem Pfiel (The Arrow) by Wassily Kandinsky

  

It has the same feel to me as the inspiration painting and a similar color palette, though in differing proportions. The inspiration painting is framed with a thin, unembellished gold frame—a classic choice that mixes well with most any era of furniture or painting. I would suggest framing the Kandinsky print in a similar fashion or—even better—having it Giclee printed onto stretched canvas and hung unframed.

So-FA, so good

A gray sofa in any material is a great investment. Gray takes to new color schemes better than any other color. So buy one that lasts and change out the pillows when you and your room need a refresh. The inspiration sofa has more detail than the one I chose for the mood board, which matched it best in shape and color.

If I were buying a new sofa, though, I’d try to stretch my boundaries a bit and opt for this bad boy…

Ashley Donnell Leather Sofa in Granite, Cymax, $1,100

I love the seaming details and how the nailhead trim is done on the arm fronts. The overall shape is more modern, but clean enough that it would go with furniture from any period. It also has a bit of a 1940s-50s retro feel to it. It reminds me of car seats from that era or booths at a diner.

The pillows are lame, though. This baby’s screaming for some color! Va-va-va-voom!

More pillow talk

Speaking of pillows yet again—and why not, since they are the easiest, cheapest, least-threatening way to stretch your decorating boundaries—the pillows used in the inspiration room are an ethnic ikat print paired with an on-fire orange velvet. Those in the mood board are similar in color… 

Instead of white circles on blue, I chose blue circles on white because the Kandinsky print had a much heavier dose of royal blue than the inspiration painting. I thought the white background on the pillows would help offset that, and it worked! 

I also went a bit more casual with the coral pillows, choosing cotton pillows pick-stitched in a herringbone pattern. Both sets of pillows complement the painting hanging above them without competing for attention. All solids would work, too, in some wild and crazy colors waiting for you to to pull them out from your own inspiration art.

Shady business

Lamps are another great place to kick it up a notch without breaking the bank. Yes, the lamps I chose for the mood board were nearly $600 each. I was trying to emulate the form, color and shade shape of the inspiration, but you’d NEVER find a lamp like that in my house. I get tired of them too fast to spend so much.

If new lamps aren’t in your budget, you can paint the ones you have (not something I’d recommend if the lamp is an antique), switch them out with another room in your house, or see how they look with a different shade. Typically a lamp shade should be the same shape as the lamp. So if your lamp is round, a round shade; if your lamp is rectangular, then a rectangular shade. 

But many lamps have a body that’s one and a base that’s the other, so those lamps can get away with a shade of either shape. But that’s just the start. Shades with tapered shades tend to look more formal. If you’d like to dress down your formal lamps, try a drum shade for starters. Or a different color. Or a print.

For this room, I love the classic urn shape, but I’d push the envelope a bit with something along this line…

LEFT: Dimond Avonmead Solid Clear Crystal Table Lamp, Overstock, $243. MIDDLE: Robert Abbey Artemis Table Lamp, Light Trends, $514. RIGHT: Safavieh Darcy Black Crystal Urn Table Lamp, Overstock, $125.09.

I love flat lamps because they take up less room on the table and sit closer to the wall. I also love a rectangular (or oval) shade. Even before I saw the Safavieh light was cheapest, it was my favorite.

Pull up a chair

Chairs can be expensive, and the chairs in the inspiration room are sumptuous. We can’t see the seats, but a fun pillow there is a good way to mix old and new and tone down the serious side of any chair. 

IF your chairs could use reupholstering and IF it’s in your budget, give those classically shaped babies some updated duds. I kept my Queen Anne wing chair and something called a Martha Washington chair when I moved, but I had them reupholstered in midcentury modern prints. They look great!

Remember that reupholstering generally costs almost as much as replacing a piece. However, production quality being what it is, it makes sense to hang onto a well-built piece and recover it. It will be like new, as upholsterers typically replace all cushioning.

I’d like to up my game and try something like these next time around…

LEFT: Salmagundi Colorful Wingback Leather Chair, Houzz, $1,300. RIGHT: Salmagundi Boho Wing Chair, Houzz, $1,600.

One more notch

I love the rugs in the inspiration and the mood board. The only thing I’d change is to add another rug or two and angle and overlap them. Everything else I’d leave the same. See what you think…

Now THAT’s the way to go boho! 

I'm starting to think this maturing thang might not be so bad.Which look do you like best? While you're thinking that one over, don't forget to follow my blog with Bloglovin.

Way to go BOHO/3: A lazy Saturday a.m. vibe for your boho home

You're not dreaming. It IS Saturday, and this IS BoHo Home. Starting this past week I moved to a three-day per week publishing schedule--Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. I still love doing this blog, and I have more than enough post ideas to publish five days. Problem is, I don't have much time for anything else, like studying finding ways to get more readers and thus, some sponsors. 

This bedroom has a great lazy Saturday vibe going, don't you think? 

I can almost imagine a tray on the bed with coffee and bagels and a happy couple munching away in their PJs, happy to be lazy after a long, tough work week.

The room achieves its BOHO status from a mix of handcrafted and vintage items that serve up a feast of texture. You know I prefer my BOHO with some "quirk" on the side, and this space scores its quirk with the graphic throw pillows and the wall-mounted antlers. 

Way To Go BOHO #3 / @bohosusan

What do you like best about it? 

I'm torn between the rug and the Moroccan nightstand, but the pendant lights are fun, too. Yes, there are TWO pendants--the one over the nighstand, of course. But if you look carefully you'll spot another, just barely, in the reflection of the mirror.

The room feels beachy to me and would suit a teen or college-age woman, as well as all surfer girls of all ages.

Get this look...

Way To Go BOHO #3 / @bohosusan

| 1. Melrose Place Small White Pendant by Avenue Lighting, Destination Lighting, $188. | 2. Vintage Deer/Roe Antlers and Skull Mounted on Wooden Shield Base, Merry Magpie Vintage on Etsy, $45. | 3. Vintage Wicker Peacock Headboard, Freewheel Finds on Etsy. | 4. Tencel Euro Shams, Pottery Barn, $60 each. | 5. Sultana Inlaid Moroccan Nightstand, Berber Trading, $598. | 6. Indio Quilt in Navy, Pottery Barn, F/Q $199. | 7. Momeni Caravan Handwoven Wool Rug, Mad in India, 7.5 by 9.5 feet, $749| 8. Handcrafted Metalwork and Leather Moroccan Mirror, ebay, $250. | 9. Basketweave Bamboo Pendant Lamp, World Market, $60. | 10. Dipped White Seagrass Belly Basket, Tala Home Design on Etsy, $45. | 11. Ourlieu Jungle Kitty Fringe Pillow, Uber Shop, $85. | 12. Ourlieu Coconut Pillow, Uber Shop, $80. | 13. Modern Triangles Geometric Pattern Pillow, Zazzle, $40. | 14. Ourlieu Evil Eye Pillow, Uber Shop, $70. | 15. Sakandi Hand-Carved Mangowood Chest, Pier 1, $800. |

Beyond the inspiration board...

If you want to shoot for a similar look, choose your rug first and let it determine the palette for the rest of the room. Stick with quilts of one color plus white in a simple design, but instead of navy blue or black, choose a bright--purple, magenta, turquoise, yellow. Let the rug guide you, and follow my blog with Bloglovin.  

Way to go BOHO/2: Get the boho home you love

The French have an expression, je ne sais quoi, which Americans translate to mean “a certain something.” Usually it’s another person who we say has je ne sais quoi because there’s something about them we can’t quite define that attracts us. It shouldn’t surprise you, then, to know the literal translation of je ne sais quoi is “I don’t know what.”

So what is the je ne sais quoi of boho style? I don’t really know what it is for sure, but I know it when I see it, and it pulls me in. There are all degrees of boho style—just read a book or two about it. I’d recommend  these to start:

   

You may find you like one sort of boho but not another. For instance, I love looking at gypsy caravan/hippie-type rooms, and I could explore them for hours. But I don’t want to live in one. I like my stuff, but I like it tidy and easy to clean.

After much deliberation I’ve figured out what I’m attracted to in Bohemian interior style:

• Bright pops of color—lots of color 
• A mix of textiles, many ethnic 
• Global goods of all kinds, but particularly oriental 
• A “quirk” factor that goes along with the idea of flouting the rules

Not every bohemian rooms will have the traits I like, and plenty will have this and more. I’m now in the process of injecting my somewhat predictable home with these four elements to end up with something along the lines of boho modern chic, similar to the room I chose for today’s “Way to Go Boho.” This is a guest room I could mostly love. But before we get into how I’d change it, let’s talk about what works and how to get the look.

Micasa Revista (Woman's Day/Spain) via Planete Deco

This room is a little bit of many styles:

• Traditional—the upholstered headboard with nailhead trim, flowered pillow
• Global—Turkish kilim rug, map
• Southwest—Native American design pillow
• Industrial/rustic—night table, lamp, metal basket, cerused floor
• French country—grain-sack pillows, striped coverlet, mattress topper
• Scandinavian/minimalist—white walls and baseboards, white bedding, bare walls, off-white headboard, uncluttered overall

Did I miss anything? Let’s go to the other side and look back...

Micasa Revista (Woman's Day/Spain) via Planete Deco

Add to our list…

• Glam/elegant/romantic—tufted velvet chair, ornate gilt mirror, candles
• Tropical—the choice of flowers as anthurium (something we called penis flower that made us giggle back in college)
• Artisanal—blown glass vase, neat stacks of reading material
• Casual—hat and mattress topper on chair, map framed but not hung, one throw pillow not “arranged”

That’s a lot of variety in so spare a room, but it all works together beautifully, doesn’t it? The room is bright but still so restful looking—serene and clean. And by “clean” I don’t mean “not dirty” (though it’s clean in that way too). I mean uncluttered, orderly.

Of course, we can’t see the rest of the room. We’re lucky to get two views. There may or may not be other furniture in here. If it were MY room, I’d probably add a desk and a chest of drawers to add to functionality. The dining chair could work at the desk, but I’d want a comfy club-type chair to lounge in. 

I’d use the mirror somewhere else in my house where I could enjoy it every day (and every one would wonder how I could afford such a treasure). And while I’ve never seen a purple chair I didn’t like, or a velvet one, I’m not much for tufting—too fussy. Neither the chair nor the ornate mirror seem to go with the rest of the room, and perhaps that’s the “quirk factor” here.

If it were MY room, I envision the quirk factor as faux taxidermy, but funky in some way (beyond just that it's taxidermy). I like this arrangement and think it would work outside the nursery...

.

..or even these bad steampunk boys...

Recycle Nation

Kind of fierce, huh?

Now let’s look at the room piece by piece. First, the bedside area…

1. Pillar Candles, white, Pottery Barn, $4-$27
2. Cork Board World Map, Corkboard.com, $225
3. Shipyard Table Lamp, Dot & Bo, $123
4. Stella Wire Mesh Rectangular Utility Basket with Side Handles, Lucky Clover Trading Company, $1.75
5. Inspire Q Nelson Rectangle Industrial Modern Rustic End Table, Overstock, $219.99
6. Nearly Natural Anthurium Silk Plant with Ceramic Vase, Target, $31.49
7. Raindrop Glass Bottle, Dot & Bo, $36
8. Handmade Turkish Wool Striped Kilim Rug, Hands On Hips/Etsy, approximately 4.5 by 5 feet, $79

I like the bright colors in the rug and the repeat of the red in the plant.

Micasa Revista (Woman's Day/Spain) via Planete Deco

The lamp is so sculptural and stands out BECAUSE the rest of the room is kept simple. (Or simple for boho anyway.)

On to the bed itself…

1. Region Upholstered Nailhead Headboard, Overstock, $99.99
2. Nina Hendrick Design Red-Striped Grain Sack Inspired Pillow, Zazzle, $34.95
3. Fabriano Decorative Feather-and-Down-Filled Throw Pillow, $37.79
4. Handwoven Aztec Throw Pillow Cover, maroon and gray, Amazon, $23.99
5. French Grain Sack Pillow Cover, Artesanias Rustica/Etsy, $24
6. Nina Hendrick Design Red-Striped Grain-Sack-Inspired Lumbar Pillow, Zazzle, $39.95
7. Ticking Stripe Quilt, Black, Ballard Designs, $179

I love upholstered headboards, and the mix of pillows and bedding have a natural, handmade, almost shabby chic sort of look. Stripes are always crisp and go with everything. 

Micasa Revista (Woman's Day/Spain) via Planete Deco

Notice that the room repeats stripes in different colors and widths. The floral and geometric pillows break the stripes with just a touch of pattern. 

Across the room and looking back...

1. Bellamy Hand-Carved Leaner Mirror, 69 by 82 inches, Restoration Hardware, $2695
2. Cerused Gray White Oak Floors, Patina Modern Floors
3. Set of two Skyline Furniture Denise Tufted, Arched Dining Chairs in Aubergine Velvet, Bed Bath and Beyond, $480.99
4. Wolf Serta Naturally Pure Wool Mattress Topper with Cotton Cover, Cymax, $184.98
5. Gray Paper Straw Fedora Made in Italy, Saks Fifth Avenue Off Fifth, $27.99
6. Bohemian Modern by Emily Henson
7. The New Bohemians: Cool and Collected Homes by Justina Blakeney
8. The Bohemians: Mark Twain and the San Francisco Writers Who Reinvented American Literature by Ben Tarnoff
9. Charleston: A Bloomsbury House and Garden by Quentin Bell and Virginia Nicholson
10. The Art of Bloomsbury: Roger Fry, Vanessa Bell, and Duncan Grant by Richard Shone

Obviously, I curated the selection of books on the bottom shelf of the nightstand. Who knows what's really there?

Micasa Revista (Woman's Day/Spain) via Planete Deco

I still don’t care for the mirror here, although the reflection makes for a cool photo. Perhaps it was pulled into the room just for that purpose. With the space already extremely bright with white walls, the reflection is overkill IMO. I think I’d like the mirror better if it were draped with some colorful beads and flowy scarves. It also looks too pristine. Something with a less fussy, more rustic frame might work, or a vintage mirror that’s losing its silvering.

Remember, your boho will likely look quite different than mine. 

You can stick to a mostly black palette, or white, or black and white, and still achieve a boho look. You can layer it on (and on and on) or keep it spare like this room. It’s all in the mix, the story it tells about you, and how it makes you feel. The only rules that matter are yours. 

No wait, even those don’t matter! Being bohemian is about freeing yourself from rules, particularly self-imposed ones. Maybe that’s what the mirror is for—to remind you to look inward, to “know thyself” well enough to bring the inward you into the outer world.

Way to go, boho!

If you have a photo of a room (yours or from a magazine or website) you'd like me to feature and source, email me at susan@bohohome.com, and follow my blog with Bloglovin.