15 Simple Modern Boho Living Room Ideas

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Playful interior design adds so much personality to a home. I love light and bright interiors as much as the next girl, but pops of color and hints of playfulness are so fun to incorporate too! So while trends change and design styles come and go, I like to add little elements of my favorite accents to keep things fresh. Here are 15 simple modern boho living room ideas that can be used to spice things up in your home!

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Modern Boho Living Room Ideas

What is modern boho decor?

Before we dive too deep into my modern bohemian living room ideas, let’s define what modern boho decor means. This design style has been birthed from a huge trend towards bohemian design in the last few years. However, many are toning down the playfulness of boho design with sleeker accents. Thus, modern bohemian was born!

Modern design focuses on sleek elements with clean lines and more minimalistic accents. Conversely, bohemian design has tons of personality, is playful and shows off individual personalities.

When you combine the two together, you get a more polished and mature look that is still fun and whimsical.

There are different levels of modern boho decor, and I tend to lean towards a sleeker version with my mid century modern boho living room.

How to create a modern boho living room

There are lots of ways to create a colorful boho living room with some modern flare! Today, I’ll key in on 15 simple ways to design a modern bohemian living room.

The first step is to decide which design style will be your primary style to lay a foundation for the room. My primary style in my mid century boho living room is bohemian. It mixes lots of fun, colorful and playful elements with vintage pieces to ground the space.

Then, I incorporate some more modern accents to polish the look. Pieces like these marble bookends are timeless, sleek and add tons of interest.

Here’s a further breakdown of how this looks in 15 steps!

1. Boho living room furniture

My modern bohemian living room has one central focal point that is the perfect mixture of modern and bohemian: my velvet sofa. The clean lines are very modern, with a touch of mid century, while the high texture and pop of color scream bohemian. Anchoring the room with one statement piece of modern boho furniture goes a long way in setting the tone for the rest of the room.

2. Add In Live Plants

I can’t go any further without stating that if you want a bohemian look to your living room, you have to include plants! Preferably live ones. There is something so uniquely bohemian about plants. They are slightly unruly, never perfect looking, and very fresh.

I have spent the last several years growing my collection of live plants and now they are my go-to decor accent, no matter the design style I’m trying to achieve.

If you are new to caring for houseplants, make sure to download my free plant care guide for beginners.

This guide will help you pick the right beginner plants and care for them as you develop more knowledge on how to keep indoor plants thriving. I also have tons of free resources on the blog if you’re looking for in depth tips and tricks!

3. Mix in Vintage Pieces

One of the elements that make a modern boho living room design is incorporating vintage pieces.

Vintage or antique artwork, furniture, rugs, textiles and home decor accents bring a settled and charming factor to a living room design.

Whereas modern design can feel stiff and cold, and bohemian design can feel over-the-top and chaotic, vintage pieces add calm and nostalgia to pull it back together.

4. & 5. Cozy Textures and Plush Fabrics

At this point I’m sure you’ve realized that there is a pretty large juxtaposition between modern and bohemian design. So when you are designing your living room for a modern boho feel, the goal is to marry the two opposing designs so that they blend and create a comfortable space.

One of the easiest ways to do that is with lots of cozy textures and plush fabrics.

You can see the difference that the two different area rugs I’ve shared in my living room make! One is vintage bohemian with lots of color and texture. The other is more modern with a plush fabric that still holds boho details.

You can find both of these Loloi rugs at two different sources by clicking the images below.

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Depending on the look you’re going for, choose a rug with lots of texture or a plush fabric to pull the design together.

6. Clean Lines in a Modern Boho Living Room

While most of the elements we’ve discussed so far tend to lean towards bohemian design, incorporating clean lines keeps things modern. Pieces of straight line furniture, like my cabinets, modernize a space more than furnishings with ornate details, like my coffee table.

Other ways to incorporate clean lines are in sleek cylinder lamps, straight arm accent chairs, simple marble bookends, and straight legged tables. I love that these clean lined elements are easy to incorporate into different designs because they are simple and unfussy, making them less of a stand-out piece.

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7. Color in a Modern Boho Living Room

I think it’s obvious by now that color is important to create a modern boho living room! My sofa, accent pillows, throw blankets, and plants all bring in the color in my room.

Many people think that you must have tons of color everywhere, including on the walls, to create a modern bohemian living room. However, you can accomplish the same vibe with dramatic pops of color inside of a neutral color palette.

On the other hand, you can certainly add vibrant colors through wall murals, accent walls, fun drapes, or painting an entire room! This will just depend on your personality and what speaks to you.

8. Rich Wood Tones

As you combine different design elements, make sure you consider how to add wood tones. Rich wood tones help create a cozy environment. It is one of those anchors that marries the two design styles together.

I inherited a rich wood laminate floor, so most of the rich tones in my living room come from the floor. However, I also like to incorporate it with cabinetry, vintage wood bowls, and other smaller accents.

9. Playful Designs

The most well-known trait of modern bohemian design is that it feels very playful with lots of personality. There is nothing staunch or stagnant about it. While it can look polished, it is never boring.

You can accomplish this element of design in your modern boho living room by:

• Adding playful patterns in accent textiles or curtains
• Incorporating unexpected wall hangings like this DIY silhouette artwork
• Styling shelves full of personality and color
• Using plants with lots of color and a whimsical nature

10. Light & Airy, Organic Elements

Another idea to consider to create your modern bohemian living room is to keep it light and airy with organic features.

Remember how we discussed that there are different levels of creating this modern boho design style? I’m heading into a new phase of my living room with this beautiful slip cover sofa (pictured above) anchoring the way! It has modern structured arms, with a casual bohemian pillow top backing. It blends both styles beautifully with an organic vibe.

I swapped my velvet couch to the other side of the room so they face each other. They blend the two styles so nicely.

Bringing in a light and airy feeling works with any design and is the number one way to draw people into a space!

11. Lean into moroccan style decor

I touch on blending different styles a lot in this post, and it truly is the key to achieving a modern boho look. One particular aesthetic that’s worth dipping your toes in? Moroccan style decor, which offers a cozy and welcoming vibe that’s still somehow elevated.

Pieces with wood accents, ribbed detailing, basketweave patterns, and bold prints all fall into this category. Similarly, colors like terracotta, beige varieties, and faded blues can offer a moroccan feel to your space.

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12. Add floating shelves

Displaying a mix of decor accents will give your space a well-rounded feel. A simple way to do this is by adding floating shelves. They make for an eye-catching addition to a living room and offer a practical use up some wall space (which otherwise might look bare!)

When it comes to deciding what to place on these shelves, small potted plants, mixed gold picture frames, candlesticks, and even coffee table books are all fair game. Tip: Exposed wood shelves will offer the perfect touch of boho!

13. bring in extra light with mirrors

Mirrors are a classic decor item that I’d argue belong in a living space regardless of your style preferences. They’re easy to blend into any room or spot in your home because they have a neutral and timeless feel. They also have the added benefit of bringing more light into a space — a crucial element that can take a room from good to great.

To nail the modern boho look, you could either go with a sleek and simple mirror that features clean lines, or something more unique and quirky. I’m sharing a handful of cute finds below!

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14. Play up your art

As is true in any room, art can add a personal and thoughtful touch. Don’t be afraid to play with different prints or photographs in your living room space. You can easily swap these out from season to season, making this a low-risk way to test the waters with your modern boho look.

Etsy has tons of cute art prints that you can purchase on a tight budget, and Target also has pretty options to choose from.

15. Mix textures

Last but not least, I want to emphasize the importance of mixing textures in a modern boho living room. Not only will this add dimension to the overall look of your space, but it will also create a cozy and warm vibe that you’ll want to spend time in.

Pair wool fabrics with linen materials and decorate with mixed metals and wood finds. The more variety you have, the more visually interesting your room will be!

Modern Boho Living Room Decor

Looking for a quick list that you can refer to as you shop for your space? Here are some tried-and-true items that offer a modern boho feel:

• Wood accent tables
• Straight arm accent chairs
• Wool rugs
• Moroccan style rugs
• Gold or black metal mirrors
• Rattan and wood media consoles
• Striped or patterned throw pillows
• Chunky knit throw blankets
• Potted plants (faux or live)
• Velvet accent pieces
• Linen curtains
• Terracotta or ceramic bowls
• Baskets (for the floor or on top of tables)
• Poufs (placed next to a sofa)

Stay Connected

Thanks so much for stopping by the blog today! I hope that these 15 modern boho living room ideas give you a starting point to design your own space!

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