Design Styles
Minimalism
By
Kristin Hohenadel
Kristin Hohenadel
Kristin Hohenadel has written on design for publications including the New York Times, Interior Design, Slate, Fast Company, and the international editions of Elle Decor.
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Updated on 02/19/24
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Minimalist bohemian living rooms combine elements of minimalist and boho design, an unlikely but happy marriage of two very different styles. Whereas minimalist interiors subscribe to the Mies Van Der Rohe-inspired “less is more” school of design, bohemian-style interiors are characterized by a maximalist embrace of the eclectic and the eccentric.
This stylized hybrid of both aesthetics is a trend that feels current until you remember that mixing minimalist interiors with bohemian elements can be traced back to the 20th century, when decor like Moroccan Beni Ourain rugs were a staple of midcentury modern living rooms.
Today’s bohemian minimalist interiors have a chic and uncluttered feel that include a mix of furniture styles and trends, a range of color palettes, warm natural accents, and global design details to create an inviting modern feel.
Check out these stylish minimalist bohemian living rooms to inspire you.
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Mix in Natural Textures
This chic and cozy midcentury modern home remodel from Leanne Ford Interiors features a well edited mix of hand-crafted furnishings and accessories in natural wood, neutral fabrics, and woven materials.
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Use a Minimalist Palette
A minimalist palette of black and shades of white is warmed up with touches like a wool pompom blanket and leather pouf in this modern living room from Sissy + Marley Interior Design.
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Choose Boho-Style Seating
This Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn townhouse living room from Elizabeth Roberts Architects has elegant proportions, gracious bones, abundant natural light, and a luxuriously minimalist bohemian mix of furnishings and accessories like a modular leather sofa on a bright blue vintage rug.
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Paint the Walls White
In this bright white Los Angeles living room from Home Consultant, spare furnishings and a few boho-style touches—a wall basket above the mantelpiece, a vintage kilim throw pillow, a cowhide rug—create a minimalist interior with bohemian tendencies.
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Mix and Match Furniture
Mismatched furnishings, a large patterned rug, and a pair of wall antlers add some bohemian flair to the white walls and clean lines of this light and bright living room from Chamberlain Interior.
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Decorate With Plants
This white-washed living room from Blanco Bungalow has a light and airy palette of white and beige, with geometric accents on the wire coffee table and pendant light, and boho design touches like a neutral textured rug and Moroccan-style pouf that bring the relaxed vibes.
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Add Rustic Spanish Style
This Spanish-style living room from My Studio ID combines traditional tile floors, rustic wood beamed ceilings, a stucco fireplace and built-in seating with cozy textiles and plenty of open floor space to create an effortless minimalist boho style vibe.
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Try an Eclectic Mix
In this living room from Marie Flanigan Interiors, a minimalist palette of black and white is warmed up with pops of color, a mix of furnishings, and boho-style textiles that create a relaxing but pulled together gathering space.
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Add Rustic Accents
This spacious modern living room from Essai Design Co has clean lines, muted colors, bare windows, and bohemian touches like a large pair of antlers over the rustic fireplace mantel.
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Mix Eclectic Textiles
This Danish living room from Christina Dueholm mixes minimalist Scandi cool with boho-style accessories such as a Moroccan rug and colorful throw pillows to create a homey and inviting space.
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Incorporate Dried Florals
A striking arrangement of neutral-toned dried flowers gives this luxurious minimalist New York City living room from Sissy + Marley Interior Design a touch of stylized bohemian style.
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Add Industrial Elements
In this Williamsburg, Brooklyn house living room from Elizabeth Roberts Architects, minimalist, low-slung furnishings in whites and wood accentuate the high ceilings and industrial staircase, while boho style accessories like a colorful patterned rug make the room feel effortlessly stylish and inviting.
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Mix Styles and Materials
In this living room corner from My Studio ID, a pair of well-worn leather butterfly chairs, a colorful vintage pouf, and a pair of antlers channels bohemian spirit with just a few elements.
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Try Rattan Decor Accents
A comfy sectional in muted fabrics, a patterned vintage-style rug, rattan accessories, a hanging plant, and a vase of pampas grass creates a cozy boho-style corner seating area in this living room from Velinda Hellen Design for Emily Henderson Design.
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Use Saturated Jewel Tones
This living room from Urbanology Designs has a minimalist bohemian feel with its bold use of saturated color on walls and ceilings, floor-to-ceiling drapery, mismatched seating and an eclectic gallery wall.
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Accent With Red
This minimalist living room from Home Consultant incorporates natural materials like rattan and wood. A smattering of colorful textiles and decor objects celebrate the home's style.
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Hang Textile Wall Decor
A large-scale textile wall hanging adds some low key boho style to this elegant modern living room from Sissy + Marley Interior Design, with its minimalist overstuffed furnishings, shades of white, and pale wood furnishings.
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Add Texture With Patterns
This minimalist black-and-white living room corner from AHG Interiors is warmed up with boho-style elements such as a pair of Moroccan wedding blanket poufs, a Beni Ourain rug, and textural throw pillows in a mix of patterns.
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Pair Bold Color Accents
This colorful living room from Erin Williamson Design makes bold moves with color and form, blending midcentury decor and furnishings with a vibrant rug that brings in some boho-style design flair.
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Use a Neutral Palette
In this living room from Living with Lolo, a macrame wall hanging, a large potted plant, and a retro sunburst mirror bring add bohemian flair to the neutral space.
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Create a Surf Shack Feel
There's a bohemian spirit in this surf shack living room from Studio Surface, with its minimalist furnishings, patterned tile, and simple midcentury modern furnishings.
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Try Hanging Chairs
This living room from Living with Lolo has minimal modern furnishings and a neutral palette of white and wood that is lifted up with a few simple boho design touches.
Shades of pink on the rug and patterned throw pillows energize the neutral space, while a pair of hanging rattan chairs by the windows adds a note of whimsy.
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Update a Traditional Room
The team at AHG Interiors updated this traditional Cape Cod style home with a neutral, minimalist palette, simple furnishing, and patterned textiles with bohemian flair that make the room feel fresh and inviting.
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Add Modern Bohemian Touches
This spare neutral-toned living room from Hamsa Home is softened with boho-style accessories such as a patterned rug, throw pillows, and plants. White walls and minimal decor give the room a contemporary feel.
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Mix in Midcentury Style
Boho-style accessories like a patterned rug and throw soften this airy minimalist midcentury modern living room from Courtney Isaac Designs.
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Add Bright Accents
While many modern boho-style interiors are neutral, bright colors always have a place in bohemian design.
Pack a bunch in a small living room with a bright color accent, like this turquoise velvet couch in this space from Velinda Hellen for Emily Henderson Design.
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Mix Scandi and Morrocan
Moroccan textiles, decor, and furniture will add warmth to a minimalist bohemian living room.
Fantastic Frank dressed a daybed with kilim pillows, and paired a Danish modern armchair with an octagonal Moroccan tea table for a spare and eclectic feel in this Scandinavian living room.
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Decorate With Botanicals
Minimal furniture and a multitude of plants give this London living room a bohemian atmosphere. Emilie Fournet Interiors decorated with real plants and framed botanical prints alongside a boho-style Moroccan rug and pouf for a laid-back feel.
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Hang Decorative Baskets
Warm up a minimalist living room with boho-style touches. Interior designer Ashley Peterson of The Lifestyled Home took an easy, effortless approach to wall decor in this neutral living room by hanging affordable decorative woven wall baskets above a modern couch.
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Add Organic Elements
Give your minimalist bohemian living room an organic feel with a live-edge hairpin leg coffee table on a Moroccan rug. Add a leather pouf, plants, and midcentury modern decor for a laid-back feel, like this space from Arbor & Co.
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Style a Boho-Style Bar Cart
Add a space-saving and affordable home bar to your living room by styling a retro-style rattan bar cart with vintage glassware and plants, like this space from K Shan Design.
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Layer Textiles and Colors
Mix moody dark blue wall paint with a cognac leather sofa, a vintage rug, and patterned throw pillows for a laid-back feel. In this living room from Ryann Miller for Emily Henderson Design, patterned textile wall decor tacked up above the couch and a guitar leaning against the wall makes the space feel cozy and layered.
What is the difference between boho and bohemian?
Boho is short for bohemian. In other words, boho and bohemian are one and the same.
Is boho still popular?
Yes, boho style is still popular. When used with a light touch, bohemian decor elements help to warm up minimalist spaces. And bohemian style is well suited to maximalist interiors layered with eclectic furniture, color,pattern, and decor.
What are the principles of bohemian style?
Bohemian style has evolved into a modern trend that borrows from the original with a free-spirited and eclectic approach that mixes textures, patterns, materials, and time periods for a layered feel. Many modern boho-style interiors incorporate natural accents and materials such as wicker and rattan decor pieces and macrame plant hangers. But a bohemian interior can also feature a mix of clashing patterns, styles, materials, bold colors, global accents, and souvenir items to create a personal feel.