For many, the words “bohemian” or “boho” represent more than a set of design or style guidelines. For these “true” bohemians, the aesthetic is reflective of a worldview that embraces creativity, expressiveness, and worldliness. Bohemian style is a multi-cultural melange of layered colors, patterns, and materials with few hard-and-fast rules to follow.
To some degree, bohemian style is whatever you make it. That being said, there are a few guidelines you can follow to really lean into the chic bohemian look.
Start Simple
While bohemian style is anything but minimal, keeping things simple with rugs isn’t a bad place to start. In its current form, boho chic is heavily inspired by modern style. While the two may sound like they wouldn’t play nice at first, these two design languages have a lot to offer each other.
Layering rich patterns on top of rich patterns (as bohemians sometimes do) runs the risk of being overbearing. Instead, take inspiration from modernism. A neutral color palette and natural materials provides a solid base on top of which you can start building out your own personal style.
Ample Antiques
The first bohemians lived on the fringes of their society. As artists, musicians, travelers, and creative types, money was often tight, so bohemians learned to find beauty in the well-worn furniture and décor they had access to.
Bohemian décor has a story to tell. It embraces well-loved and “out-of-style” furniture and combines it with exotic items from far-flung world markets to create an eclectic look. When creating your own bohemian style, you should scour flea markets, antique malls, and vintage shops wherever you can find them. Incorporate your favorite finds into your home in a way that makes your heart sing for the best effect.
Bohemians Go Big
As mentioned before: bohemians like to go big with style. The best bohemian spaces embrace indulgent maximalism. Use your décor to express yourself. Show off treasures from your travels. Fill your walls with artwork that fills you with joy.
Layer It On with Bohemian Style Rugs
With its emphasis on maximalism and eclecticism, trying on bohemian style offers a great opportunity to try rug layering.
Beyond looking great and offering more opportunities to show off your style, layering rugs brings a lot of additional benefits. Better sound absorption, creating the ability to show off older rugs, and the ability to use beautiful smaller rugs in a space that would otherwise be too big for them are just a few.
Options for Bohemian Style Rugs
Ready to build out your boho chic space? Start with a bold, beautiful area rug. Here’s a few of our favorite options for both machine-made and handmade rugs.
Alexis Collection
A tastefully eclectic blend of bold patterns, bright colors, and a distinctive distressed look makes the Alexis Collection an easy go-to for boho chic afficionados.
Bohemian Style Natural Rugs
Used as a base for layering or just as a neutral foundation for a larger look, natural plant fiber rugs made from jute and sisal are a staple of bohemian design. With earthy colors, interesting textures, and a relatively low price point, natural rugs are an easy choice for bohemians on a budget.
Moroccan Rugs
With their rich textures, unique designs, and inherently exotic look, Moroccan rugs are especially prized among fans of boho chic and modern aesthetics. Beni-Ourain rugs, the most well-known style, are great when serving as your neutral base much like natural rugs. Other styles like Azilal and Boucherouite, on the other hand, are a maximalist’s dream with their bright colors and complicated, asymmetric designs.
Persian Rugs
Persian rugs are the holy grails of the handmade rug world. Rich histories are woven into the ornate designs of each of these one-of-a-kind rugs. While on the pricier side, Persian rugs always make a statement.
