Whenever we hear the word ‘BOHO’, the first image that comes into our minds is careless and undone. But that would not be the entire truth. Though it looks effortless at the face of it, there is definitely a well-thought-out effort that has to be given to achieve this carefully careless décor narrative. There is a lot of backstory that most are not aware of.
‘Bohemianism’ today is synonymous to a projection of a free-spirited, norm-defying, creative design look. From the design perspective, this started as a need to break away from the bourgeois expectations in early nineteenth century France when artists began moving into gypsy areas of Paris. It was that time and era when the vibe was to pursue a creative life and other beautiful art forms rather than be in awe of wealth.
Bohemian style today is synonymous to an eclectic style that is as aesthetic, replete with artistic sensibilities, and is deep rooted in cultural mixing. It is about getting the right mix.
Here are some tips to achieve the Bohemian style:
COLOURS AND PATTERNS
Bohemian vibe is about bold colours and patterns. It tilts heavily on earthy tones: greys, blacks, browns, greens, and metallics too.
BE BOLD
It is about not shying away from layering and playing with patterns and art. This style gets inspiration from Europe, Africa, and Asia with a generous use of textures, art, and textiles.
MORE IS FINE
Bohemian contains plenty of items that have some sort of value to us and tells a story. Light fittings, art, books, sculptures, pillows, lamps—anything is fair game in this theme.
‘BOHO’ literally means breaking rules. If you’re following a formula to achieve a bohemian design, you’re probably not on the right path. In this design theme, everything does have a place and a purpose, but not with a rigid definiteness.
Sanjukta Nandy is an author, architect and interior designer who lives in Mumbai. She is a regular design critic and feature writer for lifestyle magazines and has recently authored the book KHANtastic: The Untold Story of Bollywood’s Trio, published by Rupa Publications. She is on Instagram
at @sanjukta_nandy