If you spend a lot of time at home, you want to make sure your living space truly feels right. You want a home design that speaks to you and sets you apart from other homeowners. If your tastes are a bit eclectic, the Bohemian style might be just right for you.
Deeply rooted in individualism and creativity, boho style is perfect for expressing your living space as an extension of yourself. The flooring you choose will serve as a base for the rest of your interior design. Here’s a look at some boho flooring ideas and other key considerations.
What Is the Bohemian Style?
The Bohemian style of interior design first developed in Paris, France, during the 19th century. The movement rejected conforming to norms and conventions, embracing uniqueness and individuality instead.
Boho style tossed out common beauty standards of the time, which opened the door for many unconventional designs, like contrasting colors and oversaturated walls. Today’s Bohemian style involves relaxed, carefree and individualistic home design.
The best part of the boho style is that there are no rules. That’s the entire point of its foundation in creativity and expressionism! You can mix and match all sorts of designs, colors and textures to create a space that truly reflects who you are and your story.
No two rooms have to look the same — you can personalize and customize each one to fit the atmosphere you want for that area. Boho style is one of the most freeing, open design choices out there.
However, with that freedom comes decisions. And while there are no rules when it comes to boho home design, the reality is that some patterns and colors will look better together than others. There are still general guidelines to follow to make sure your Bohemian style looks just right, and it all starts with the flooring.
Picking the Right Boho Flooring for You
In general, there are three considerations with Bohemian flooring options — color, material and lifestyle. Color and material are closely connected due to the vast opportunities available in Bohemian decor. Still, different lifestyle aspects should also play a role in choosing the right flooring.
Color and Material
Generally speaking, the specific colors you use don’t matter too much. The point of the Bohemian style is to contradict convention and stand out. You can use a particular color palette as a structure or freestyle it.
The right flooring color will depend on your preferred material. For example, if you’re looking to install hardwood or luxury vinyl flooring, then you’ll want to stick with bright, simple hues. Light to medium colors often work best.
With natural materials, in particular, you’ll want to embrace simplicity. Your home design will probably involve lots of patterns and colors elsewhere, so a subtle hardwood or luxury vinyl floor will look fantastic.
You can implement a unique design with stone tiles if desired. Try to keep stone patterns bright and straightforward in light to medium colors.
Carpet can be an excellent choice if you want an eye-catching base for a room. It allows you to work unique and exciting designs into your floors. You’ll generally want to stick with natural materials and bright colors, but beyond that, the choice is yours! Just make sure you look out for common mistakes when buying and installing a carpeted floor.
If you like the idea of a natural, subtle base but want to incorporate some color and texture, consider going with hardwood flooring and adding a rug. The rug should follow the same guidelines as the carpeted floor.
Lifestyle Considerations
n addition to the color and material of your Bohemian flooring, you’ll also want to think about how you’ll be living in your space. Hardwood flooring is popular among homeowners with kids and pets because it’s relatively easy to clean.
While it does require some maintenance, hardwood is incredibly diverse in type and durability, so plenty of options could fit your specific needs. Some luxury vinyl flooring options closely resemble hardwood if you want an option that’s even easier to maintain.
Another great option is carpet, especially if you have younger kids, as it can help cushion trips and falls.
Stone and tile are excellent options for pets and kids of all ages. These materials are incredibly durable and liquid-resistant, so they’re especially great choices for kitchens and bathrooms. They also come in many designs and styles, making them a perfect fit for boho interior design.
Another vital consideration is how often you, your pets and your children will use a specific room. In spaces with significant foot traffic, like a hallway or bathroom, consider more durable options to avoid wear and tear.
The Best Flooring Material for Boho Homes
If you’re scouting materials for your boho floors, here are three fantastic options to consider.
1. Hardwood
With unique pops of color, pattern and texture throughout the space, bright and simple flooring is a go-to for Bohemian homes, so as not to overwhelm the aesthetic. This makes light- to medium-toned hardwood flooring an excellent choice. It creates warmth without compromising your other design elements.
If you want something a little friendlier on the budget, options like engineered hardwood, luxury vinyl planks and laminate wood flooring can mimic the appearance of solid hardwood at a fraction of the cost.
Some of the pros of hardwood flooring include the following:
- Many colors and styles to meet your design requirements
- Easy to clean and maintain
- Adds long-term value to your home
- Lasts longer than many other flooring styles
2. Tile
Luxury vinyl tile (LVT) has emerged as one of the top boho floor choices for today’s homeowners. Although porcelain and ceramic tile materials were popular years ago, technological advancements have made LVT a more practical choice for Bohemian-style homes. Luxury vinyl tile’s ability to replicate natural materials like wood and stone at a fraction of the cost is one of the many reasons it has become so popular.
LVT contains four unique layers — an image layer, a wear layer, the core and the backing. The image layer is the surface’s printed portion with colors, patterns or textures. The wear layer protects the image layer from damage. The core makes the flooring stable and rigid, while the backing acts as the bottom layer to provide softer footing and cushioning.
Choosing LVT for Bohemian floors offers many benefits, including:
- Many colors and styles to complement your design preferences
- Lower cost than many other material options
- High durability that stands up to years of foot traffic
- Easy care and maintenance requirements
3. Carpet
Bohemian design emphasizes color and texture, and carpet is the perfect way to do so. Carpet adds warmth, comfort and plushness, thus embracing the classic boho style.
Consider these advantages of carpet:
- Many styles and colors to coordinate with your existing lighting and decor
- Less costly to install than some flooring options
- Underfoot comfort and cushioning
- Insulation and sound absorption properties
What Flooring Should You Choose?
The beauty of the Bohemian style is that you have lots of freedom when picking flooring colors and materials — there aren’t any right or wrong choices. However, there are specific recommendations to keep in mind when selecting a floor for your lifestyle needs, as we discussed. Some Bohemian flooring styles accommodate your home’s everyday activities better than others.
Here are some general tips to remember when determining which flooring types would work for your home:
- Choose light-colored flooring to hide pet hair and dust and dark-colored flooring for floors that get dirty quickly.
- Install luxury vinyl tile, which is waterproof, in high-moisture areas like bathrooms, kitchens and basements.
- Select carpet if you prefer softer flooring or have small children who may fall frequently.
Additionally, remember that the flooring color you choose can influence a room’s size and feel. If you want an open, airy feel for your boho space, choose light flooring to make the room feel bigger. Conversely, you may want to consider darker flooring if you would like a cozier, compact space.
Boho Flooring Inspiration
With endless types, styles and colors to consider, choosing the perfect Bohemian flooring can be a challenge. We have a few ideas below if you need design inspiration for your boho-style space!
1. White Oak Flooring
From solid to engineered hardwood to light or dark stains, there’s a vast selection of hardwood options to complement your Bohemian vision. However, white oak hardwood is a timeless flooring choice that accommodates a range of design styles. Plus, its light undertones and subtle grain pattern can pair beautifully with greenery and colorful accents.
2. Maple Flooring
Maple hardwood features subtle graining, delicate swirls and a creamy blonde color, adding brightness and character to any boho interior. It’s also one of the densest wood species, making it ideal for high-traffic spaces like foyers and living rooms. Pair it with a bright area rug for a perfectly Bohemian flair.
3. Stone-Look Tiles
Gray and beige stone-look tiles in ceramic or porcelain look stellar in a Bohemian-style kitchen or bathroom. This simple, tasteful option looks great with colorful rugs, plants and accents without overpowering the look. Stone-look tile flooring is also incredibly versatile, so if you ever opt to change up your space, stone tiles mesh with a variety of interior design styles.
4. Colored Carpeting
Carpet adds depth, color and interest to a boho space. Pattern carpet can provide intricate designs and colors, while frieze carpeting adds softness and texture. Again, there’s no right or wrong answer here — choose a carpet color and texture that flows with your decor and taste.
Embrace Boho Style With 50Floor
Picking your next floor should be an exciting experience. At 50Floor, we’ve spent years providing quality services and giving excellent flooring advice.
You don’t even have to leave your home to take advantage of our professional service. Our flooring consultants are dedicated to making your home redesign process as convenient as possible, so we offer in-home consultations. You can browse flooring options in your space so you’ll know exactly what to expect.
Schedule an in-home consultation today to start creating the Bohemian home design you’ve always wanted!
