Bohemian Dining Room Decorating Ideas

Jenna Peffley for MyDomaine

Changing up the vibe between rooms is part of the fun in decorating your home. We're all for comfortable environments, but a touch of formality lends a sense of gravitas to a space that makes it feel complete. Since the dining room is the traditional gathering place for entertaining, these spaces tend to be more refined—but just because it's a bit proper doesn't mean it has to be stuffy. Enter bohemian dining rooms: Relaxed, chic, and inviting to make your guests want to linger forever.

Read on to learn the best design tricks for decorating your space in this everlasting style, pulling inspiration from across the globe for a worldly feel right at home.

01 of 20

Dress Casual

BLUE COPPER DESIGN

There's an art to designing a space that feels casual yet curated. This dining room captures the informality that's essential to bohemian design while emitting a decidedly Southwest-meets-midcentury vibe. Surrounded by mismatched dining chairs and underscored by layered cowhide rugs, the butcher block–style dining table strikes a balance between imposing and inviting.

02 of 20

Embrace Color

CASA WATKINS LIVING

Neutral palettes need not apply: Bohemian design embraces color with abandon, from earthy reds and browns to rich, saturated jewel tones. In this boho dining room, a colorful rug in shades of magenta, yellow, and blue invigorates the space with boho energy—its vibrant palette is echoed in the room's accessories.

03 of 20

Go Green

BLACK AND BLOOMS

No boho dining room is complete without an ample supply of houseplants. For a lush, layered effect, pepper the plants around the space so they peek out from a variety of nooks and surfaces, from the floor to the ceiling. Mixing a variety of easy-growing plants throughout the space makes for depth in the room's textures with plenty of life.

THE SILL

The Sill Trailing Plant Duo $110

Shop

04 of 20

Vary Your Patterns

CASA WATKINS LIVING

While there's undoubtedly a fair share of deliberation behind every bohemian design, the key to nailing the boho look is to make it appear as though you didn't give any of it a second thought. Take this boho dining room: Its mishmash of patterns—seen in the colorful zigzag rug and graphic-print wallpaper—appears effortless while imparting an eclectic, come-as-you-are vibe to the space.

05 of 20

Opt for Natural Fibers

MODERNLY YOU

Equal parts earthy and relaxed, natural fibers (think jute, rattan, and textured textiles) temper the formality of a bohemian-style dining room. That's not to say, however, that they can't make a statement. Here, an oversized jute pendant in natural woven fibers punctuates the space with a bit of drama, while a Moroccan-style rug serves as a neutral foundation.

06 of 20

Layer Your Textiles

CASA WATKINS LIVING

Not only do layered textiles create visual interest, but they also up the cozy factor in any space. In a boho dining room like the one above, fabrics in varying textures, colors, and patterns lend themselves to long, leisurely meals around the table. Houseplants complement floral curtains for an all-green vibe that feels vibrant and alive.

Living with wall-to-wall carpeting? Layer accent rugs over the top to treat your space to a high-impact revamp.

07 of 20

Find Inspiration in the Landscape

DAZEY DEN

Embodying the colors of a Southwest sunset, this bohemian dining room is sleek yet inviting. The table-and-chairs ensemble is decidedly avant-garde, but velvet throw pillows and a tasseled rug soften the look. Swathed in statement-making orange paint and accessorized by metal art, an accent wall echoes the palette and texture of the desert landscape just beyond the oversized windows.

08 of 20

Mix the Materials

JESSICA NELSON INTERIOR DESIGN

Boho style is all about layering, and this extends beyond textiles. By incorporating pieces in varying materials and finishes, added depth and intrigue are achieved. In the dining room above, subtle brass details and a beaded chandelier stand in contrast to the room's matte finishes and natural woods, adding an eclectic richness to the space.

09 of 20

Incorporate Global Accents

RIKKI SNYDER

Bohemian culture finds inspiration in the art and ideologies of far-off places—and the boho design follows suit. Here, a dark and heavily ornamented dining set anchors the space in Eastern flair, while the décor can be imagined as keepsakes collected during one's travels across the globe.

10 of 20

Light the Way

DAZEY DEN

Think of lighting as the thread that ties all of the various boho design elements together: After all, bohemian design is as much a mood as it is a décor style. A boho dining room calls for layered lighting in the form of a statement-making chandelier and perhaps a pair (or two) of sconces. Just make sure that your fixtures are equipped with dimmers so you can cast an ambient glow upon your repasts. And don't forget the candles—nothing sets the mood quite like the gentle flicker of a flame.

11 of 20

Complement Fabrics

AFRO BOHEMIAN LIVING

To create focal points in the space that stand out among varying colors and patterns, choose a fabric color to blend throughout the room. A woven light fixture paired with similar textiles in the room's seating not only ties the dining area together, but adds depth to the design. Fresh flowers, colorful vases, and mixed décor bring life to the room while this neutral fabric color makes a softer impact.

12 of 20

Upgrade Your Flooring

AMY BARTLAM PHOTOGRAPY

We all know lush, patterned rugs are a staple of the boho look, but what about the flooring underneath it? Many designers start with worn hardwoods, and some spaces even blend in an industrial look with cement floors. This space may be our favorite type of all with Spanish tile: Along with warming up the space and balancing color with leather dining chairs, Spanish tile brings big texture to an otherwise-bright, white dining room.

13 of 20

Bring It Outside

BESPOKE ONLY

If you're lucky enough to have room for an outdoor dining space, take inspiration from this bohemian dream. Fans of entertaining will be delighted by multiple dining areas fitted onto the same patio, but the star of this space is its inviting design. Mixed lighting hangs above lush greenery and décor old and new. By incorporating so many unique pieces of furniture, this patio is vibrant with colors and textures alike. Two different dining tables are staged aside one another, contrasting natural elements with bright blue paint and metal seating.

14 of 20

Take It Down a Level

BLACK AND BLOOMS

What's the best way to make use of all those colorful floor pillows? Bring your dining table down a level. In true boho fashion, this seating area has no need for special furniture. A range of fabrics are used across the same sewing pattern to keep the shape uniform while creating visual interest, and a warm jute rug keeps the floor seats cozy.

15 of 20

Bring Out the Macrame

COTTAGE + SEA

Macrame has long been a favorite design element among boho decorators, and for good reason: This hand-woven style feels classy and natural at the same time. Rather than hanging it as a tapestry, use your favorite macrame as a runner along the dining room table. The thick fabric will protect your table from hot plates during meals and add a range of braided patterns to your design.

If you don't usually use a runner on your table, incorporate macrame place settings for each seat—and mix it up with varying colors and fabrics for an extra-unique look.

16 of 20

Color Block

DAZEY DEN

For a bolder impact, choose a few complementary tones and use the color blocking method. Styled with plenty of greenery and varying materials, this outdoor patio highlights the best of this technique. Bright orange and blue contrast across opposite sides of the flooring, while an orange planter as the table's centerpiece adds height by layering the shade on different levels. A warm wood table divided into perfectly-even sections brings a geometric flair to the space while blending in neutral colors.

17 of 20

Embrace the Classic

FORBES MASTERS

If most of your design is more classic, what's the best way to make your dining room decidedly boho while keeping things formal? Patterns: By incorporating brightly-colored curtains into this space, the designer was able to mix traditional elements with an indie vibe. Floral-inspired décor trails from the windows to the table, with a line of lush plants bringing life and greenery to the room. Minimal black elements bring a modern feeling to the design by pairing a unique woven chair with a maximalist chandelier.

18 of 20

Get Rustic

BLAKELY INTERIOR DESIGN

Boho and rustic designs can often be confused for each other, as both incorporate natural styles—but a staple of bohemian décor is its use of color. This space blends the elements together by using a mixed variety of seating surrounding a farmhouse dining room table. A bench seat creates room for plenty of guests, and colorful chairs complement a woven stool. Sheer jute blinds add privacy while allowing natural light to pour into the room.

19 of 20

Create Visual Weight

JC DESIGN

Boho and maximalism tend to go hand-in-hand. One way to embrace the maximalist style while keeping to your color palette is by creating visual weight: Rather than mixing a range of different colors into the design, use a large amount of smaller objects within the same scheme. When decorating the walls, balance the visual weight at similar heights and use elements like feathers or woven décor to create plenty of depth.

20 of 20

Showcase Your Best Finds

MARY PATTON DESIGN

Thrifters and professional designers alike can appreciate a good style find: And this dining room has it all. From a seriously-unique pendant chandelier to green patterned curtains, a woven head chair, and colorful table décor, every corner of this space has something new to focus on. Pink walls bring warmth and neutrality to the room, while a colorful rug and floral ceramic piece add smaller accents of the color throughout the space.