When I walked in her room, the versatile variety of green plants, various and erratic patterns on the walls and home decors just hit me. But in the same time, I felt like I'm getting know the person who decorated this room and it wasn't an uncomfortable place to be for sure. It felt cozy and warm. That's when I first laid my eyes on a room of Bohemian Style.

What is Bohemian Style?

So, I had to check what is the meaning of "Bohemian Style". I learned that it is nomadic, spirited and non-bourgeois, whatever is the meaning of that. It is a lifestyle, bohemian style shapes you and your environment and vica versa, because it is about you, as an individual. Suggests an arcane enlightenment, rejects materialism and centers on creativity, individuality, art, so all the good stuff.
In our modern age, the Bohemian style is applied to people who lead artistic, unconventional lives.

Origins of Bohemian

So, I liked the meaning and was wondering, where this erratic style comes from. First of all, the word itself — as many other things — originated from the French “bohémien” for "gypsy" and that is also the country where all begins.

As a counterculture, it appeared after the French Revolution. After losing their patronage from the wealthy, many artists started a nomadic lifestyle. They hadn't got too much money so they wore used clothing and lived inexpensively. In the eye of the world, they were poor, unfashionable craftsmen, but in reality, they just had their own style of living life.
After a while, artists were classified as "special type of person" thanks to the beneficence of the Romantic Movement. I know, that is a lot of art history which we all bored to hell of, but it is just worth to know. Thanks to that movement, individuality was expressed through how one dressed, looked, how they led their lives. Artists themselves became a work of art.

They wore colorful fabrics, strange hats, their hair was long and flowing, so nothing like the usual 19th century looks. This new folk resembled the wandering gypsies, who - according to the people of this era - originated in Bohemia, hence the expression.

The bohemian style became a cult: of individuality. A bohemian person arranged their outfit and accessories carefully, their look was a piece of art. Bohemian was an eccentric genius whose imaginativeness was demonstrated in the way they lived and appeared.

I just love how that sounds.

Bohemian Style in our Days

Close to our modern time, first Hippie Movements corporated the Bohemian style — there's the reason why many use "hippie" sometimes as a synonym for boho and bohemian style. And if we take a closer look they do represent the fundamentals of the style: colorful, sometimes unfashionable clothing and the way how they look on life is also resembling the French artists.
But we don't want to talk about hippies, that's the past. But not for the bohemian style! Moreover, it's in its glory right now and it is easily understandable. We are living the age of individuality, when we don't have to follow trends to be the part of the whole. We can freely express ourselves, and that makes our time the best era to live.
The "boho chic" gets our attention more than usual, foremost when it's about youngster people. The bohemian itself remained in the basics: still tries to stay distanced from the material world, celebrates individuality and doesn't follow trends. Well, there is a contradiction in this, because the style itself became a trend, the culture went mainstream. But the good thing about it that there are no strict rules that you have to follow, freedom is just the same.

Be bohemian at Home

So we know about clothing a lot when it's about bohemian style. But we started to talk about the home of my friend, so what's up with that? Because a home can be a fan of bohemian as well!

If you like experimenting or maybe even reinvent things then this style is for you. For example, your old guitar collection get lost in the garage? Instead of that, display them on the wall for having an indie decor. Your grandmother's rug can create an eclectic decor scheme matched with the freshly purchased pattern-rich pillow.
Have a cozy hammock chair over the boho-inspired rug next to the crocheted curtains. Have a pillow fortress on the couch! Think out of the box!

It's colorful and has no strict rules. Because of that sometimes it seems chaotic but really it's not. Uses the mixes of colors, different patterns and since its base close to nature, likes plants a lot. A bohemian home is a laidback ambiance filled with green and rich textiles. You can never have enough plants or prints!

Just Be You

A style of freedom and it's about you. If someone visits your home, they will identify the colorful curtains, tapestries with you, so forget about rules. Chose patterns you like and don't worry about the rug, it will match the other 5 in the room and the pattern of the wall. Express yourself!