Love the look of boho home decor, but find it a bit too much at times? Here’s how to create a modern boho living room, which balances the funky boho vibe with clean lines and neutral colours.
My Boho Bedroom Shopping Guide is one of the most popular Of Houses and Trees post of all time. I’d say that has less to do with my stellar blogging abilities and more to do with the lovefest people have for bohemian decor.
This time I’m bringing you a modern boho living room, which lives somewhere in the space between cozy and minimalist. I would say modern boho is much closer to my personal style than full-out bohemian. Except I like to throw in things like branches and rocks because that’s what treehuggers do.
As always – all products below are either from eco-conscious companies or are handmade or made from sustainable materials.
One last note, the products I’ve selected aren’t exactly the same as the rooms I’ve added to this post for inspiration. Because, above all, boho home decor is unique!
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Off-White Paint
We’re going to start with paint. Now you certainly don’t have to pick your paint colour first when designing or redesigning a room. You don’t even have to repaint at all if you’re happy with your current colour. But the thing most modern boho living rooms have in common are light walls. I myself am considering repainting some of my walls in a shade by eco-friendly paint company Farrow and Ball, such as Shaded White. It’s a beautiful off-white, creamy grey with just enough colour to give some warmth to your space.
Neutral Sofa
Nothing like a neutral-coloured sofa to anchor a room. A solid grey, white or off-white couch – like the Eco-Linen Sectional Sofa from Vivaterra – will keep your modern boho living room feeling calm instead of busy. Plus, it gives you a blank canvas to then add patterns and colours to in the form of throw pillows and blankets. Speaking of throw pillows…
Patterned Pillow
A bold patterned pillow is a hallmark of boho home decor – and I don’t see why modernizing the boho style has to change that. A mandala throw pillow from Vivaterra adds an eye-catching decor piece, while the black and off-white colour scheme keeps things classy.
Need help choosing eco-conscious furniture and decor for your home? That’s what I’m here for!
Bamboo Pendant
While the living room in the inspiration photo above has more of a modern light fixture, I still feel like there’s a place for a bamboo pendant in a modern boho living room. Especially one as simple as this one from Etsy made out of a repurposed Thai fishing net.
Black and White Area Rug
A lot of times boho spaces feature those fluffy white area rugs or maybe a woven jute rug for added warmth. But I love the idea of a black and white striped rug like this woven rug from Made Trade, which lends itself to a boho’s love of pattern – but in a minimalist, modern way.
Fringed Throw
More black and white? Umm… yes! Because black and white literally never goes out of style and we’re going for timeless boho living room ideas here. While the neutral colours keep this handwoven throw from Made Trade classic-looking, the little bit of fringe on the edges and the rough knots keep it fun.
Floating Shelves
Why does a modern boho living room need shelves? To put all your funky – yet cool – artwork on of course. This set of two solid wood and powder-coated metal shelves from Amazon even have a rail to keep your art and decor items in place.
Macrame Wall Hanging
Even though none of this post’s photos of modern bohemian living rooms contain a macrame wall hanging, I say if you want one – go for it! Macrame can still be modern as long as it isn’t overdone, which is why this pretty – yet simple – handmade macrame wall hanging from Amazon would work well in a more modern space.
Geometric Planter
I can’t believe it took me this long in a boho-themed post to mention plants – but here we go. Plants in a boho space – even a modern one – are an absolute must. And this handcrafted oak planter from EarthHero adds a natural element and a modern geometric shape to your living space.
Wooden Coffee Table
Mixing materials is a staple in both boho and modern homes. Which is why this wood and metal coffee table from Made Trade would work perfectly in a modern boho living room. The fact that the wooden top has a live edge – meaning the wood slice’s natural surface is preserved – also picks up on the bohemian love of nature.
Hanging Chair
Much like the macrame wall hanging, none of the inspiration living rooms in this post have a hanging chair in them. And maybe that’s because they aren’t “modern” enough. But I think a clean, white hanging chair like this one from Etsy can be both contemporary and eclectic.
Soy Candle
If scent is a big part of your home’s vibe, then an earthy-smelling sandalwood soy candle from EarthHero should do the trick. Plus I love the simple packaging and how the warmth of the brown jar and gold lid translates.
Woven Basket
Baskets are not only pretty – they’re also extremely useful and versatile. You could use this woven basket from Vivaterra as a plant pot, for extra blankets and throw pillows, for toy storage, for magazines – and on and on!
Sari Pillow
This throw pillow is made from a recycled sari! Just had to get that out there, because it’s so, so cool. It was designed by Justina Blakeney – the boho queen who runs Jungalow – and is available on Amazon.
Lily Print
I mentioned plants earlier in this post, which – depending on how green your thumb is – may have sent your heart racing in fear. If taking care of living things isn’t really your forte, you can instead add in floral artwork like this lily print from Etsy.
Best of luck finding boho living room decor to create the funky, modern living space of your dreams!
You can see this modern bohemian living room in my post How to Create an Interior Design Mood Board – THE EASY WAY!
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Posted on April 9, 2021
Need help choosing eco-conscious furniture and decor for your home? That’s what I’m here for!
Former architectural technologist. Current treehugger.
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