You know what they say – boho is as boho does. Is the Bohemian style your style? Does lots of funky glass and beadwork light up your eyes? Or are you more a macrame person? What is Boho, anyway? Is there a definition?
Bohemian style will usually include natural materials, like glass or fiber, and hippie-inspired patterns. Mix and Match. But do NOT think for a moment you can mix & match any old patterns. They have to have a similar thread – and I mean that metaphorically. There’s not a set rule – but it has to look right, it has to feel right, it has to be right. In other words, maybe there isn’t an exact definition, but you know it when you see it!
Still, I won’t leave you to fend for yourselves. Here are a few things to consider when you decide to “Go Boho”.
- Color mixes – make sure your colors work together and are complimentary. Shades and hues that blend into each other work.
- Walls: Use bold color.
- Patterns – Asian fabrics have particularly rich patterns, as do Indian textiles. You can mix and match pillow covers and upholstery, but keep them in the same color families. Layers are what you’re looking for.
- Floors: Pick patterned rugs that suit your theme. Rugs are mandatory for this style.
- Hanging things: Lots of tassels and beads and vintage (think thrift store) is preferred.
- Green plants – hanging plants and floor plants.
As you have perhaps guessed, this is not a style that a minimalist should adopt. Here, pretty much everything is overkill. And now, you’re ready to add your lamps.
Beaded Bohemian Style Lamps
This, believe it or not, is a DIY from the DIYNetwork. Click on the link for full instructions on how to make this incredible Bohemian table lamp yourself. And it’s really not difficult at all. Thrift stores and garage sales are a great source for parts – often you can pick up old lamps for very little money.
Glass crystals drip from this Moroccan style Boho hanging light from Amazon.com. We can just imagine the beautiful (and colorful) shadow dance this piece would cast on your wall.
A colorful Bohemian style room from LovetoKnow – check them out, they have some great ideas for Bohemian decorating on a shoestring budget!
We just love this beaded table lamp shade from lavionrosedeco – so many different beads. A good source of mixed craft beads, especially vintage and even Czech glass, is eBay.com
The Maria S. C. Test Tube Chandelier
The test tube hanging lamp is the brainchild of designer Pani Jurek and named the Maria S.C. Test Tube Chandelier, inspired by the double Nobel Prize-winning scientist Marie Curie – whose full name was Maria Skłodowska-Curie. It is available through the Pani Jurek Etsy store.
You choose the colors to add to the test tube to match your style and your room. It could be shades of one color – a blue or green would be soothing. Even a yellow, winding down to pastels would be interesting.
Or, you can use it as a zillion bud vases light. Well, not a zillion, but isn’t this charming? And don’t worry, if one of your test tubes breaks, replacements are available.
Bohemian Style Macrame and Wicker Lamps
Not everyone wants a Bohemian design with bright colors. You can still be quite Boho in earth tones and muted colors. Remember, natural ingredients and earthy tones are a palette included in your choices.This is the perfect Bohemian style room that would benefit from the addition of any of the macrame and rattan lamps below.
Source: Posh Pennies – check them out, they have some good Boho decor tips!
These Rattan lights shades have the huge advantage of weighing next to nothing, yet they have an imposing presence. Rattan, wicker, seagrass and bamboo all have that advantage. Plus they are sustainable, trendy and look good! Win-win-win.
Rattan Tribal Boho lampshades available from Fuzen Decor in … where else? Bali.
These Boho macrame lamps look good as a pair or a single. Available from Wallencia.
This classic Bohemian style macrame hanging lamp is available on Etsy.
From Iteeha, these macrame toran lights are really unique (above and below). And oh-so boho.
It’s a macrame boho fairy light photo display for the wall. From Amazon.com
From Finesse Boutique in South Africa – another boho combo light and macrame wall hanging.
Iteeha (also from South Africa by the way) brings us The Cane Bulb: a gorgeous cane shade wrapped around a very Bohemian light bulb (above and below).
Punched Tin Lamps – Mexican Bohemian Style
Oh, oh, Mexico. If you can round up some punched tin stars or glass stars from Mexico – and group them – that’s about as Bohemian as you can get. You can find them on eBay and Etsy, although if you live outside the US the shipping can be expensive. If you’re lucky, you can find them at garage sales. 
They are lightweight and inexpensive to purchase in Mexican markets but can often make up for that in shipping cost (they are bulky).
Bohemian Glass Chandeliers
This really is Bohemian – and an outlier unless you’ve got a 20-foot ceiling. It’s uranium glass and was put together by artists Ken and Julia Yonetani. Interestingly, this piece was prohibited from a planned exhibition in Shanghai – and caused a little bit of a stir.
This hand-blown rainbow Murano glass chandelier is available from dhGate.com. And yes, it’s a Chihuly style – and very bohemian.
This is a real gypsy boho lantern – just dripping with glass beads. It’s available in many places, but Amazon is probably your best bet. In the right room – this could be a real showstopper.
This isn’t really a market piece – it’s art by Sebastian Errazuriz. We wanted to close with it because it’s so unique. You could buy it, we suppose. It’s would be the star of a Bohemian boudoir, that’s for sure. Sebastian has also created the most stunning exhibition called 12 Shoes for 12 Lovers. Just incredible humor and style.
So there you have it – Bohemian style lamps from natural, earthy yet unusual pieces to the colorful gypsy beaded rooms. Don’t you want to Go Boho now?
