get decorating tips to thrift the look with a vintage boho style

Boho style is totally on trend right now. Boho is short for Bohemian and encompasses a wide variety of style elements. It’s appeal is completely compatible with vintage style and can be a fun way to modernize and freshen up our vintage pieces. Today I’m joining our Thrift the Look style team to dig deeper into the Boho look as each of us choose a photo to design around. I hope you enjoy this How to Decorate to Thrift the Look, Vintage Boho Style as much as we all did! I’ll have the links to all their posts at the end!

My inspiration photo was found on Apartment Therapy, in the post, “Discover Your Home’s Decor Personality: 19 Inspiring Artful Bohemian Spaces.” This space was designed by Dion Antony Design and was featured on The Grace Tales. Unfortunately, the link to the original post didn’t connect, but I tried to give them all the kudos! If you’re looking for Boho inspiration, definitely check out all the amazing pics on Apartment Therapy’s site! You could also follow the Pinterest board we all created to choose our pics, “Boho Home Decor”.

I love how Apartment Therapy describes the Boho vibe on this porch: “In a bohemian space, the most prized pieces of furniture are those with history, such as a hand-carved bench or a well-loved vintage find.” I’m all about well-loved vintage finds…and I’ve got plenty of them!

On our last Thrift the Look adventure {“How to Decorate to Thrift the Look, Vintage Lakehouse”}, I created a checklist of how to go about Thrifting the Look. It’s a list to help you analyze all the different design elements being used, so you can imitate the look. You can grab it for free in my Resource Library; I’ll explain how later;)

How to Thrift the Look, Vintage Boho Style

First, Analyze the Design Elements Used

As I poured over the pics on our inspiration Boho Pinterest board, trying to choose one look, I noticed some repeated elements  of this design style:

• hanging lights, plants, macrame
• tropical styled plants
• lots of patterns on fabrics, rugs, accessories
• wood tones
• rough textural elements: baskets, woven, rope
• organic materials such as driftwood, bark, stumps

I chose this pic to imitate, because there were several elements I knew I already had, or some that looked similar. Here’s what caught my eye:

This picture is obviously an outdoor, covered porch. Imitating this setting on my 3 foot snow drifted porch would not work right now, so I decided to imitate the look in a little space at the end of our hallway, because it’s got a low ceiling. Creating a totally different look than how you usually decorate can be fun in a small space! The ferny vintage wallpaper we placed on the walls in the long, skinny hallway has always made me think boho (I got the vintage wallpaper for .50 a roll at a church sale;) I hadn’t gotten around to decorating this space, and the floor’s still not done; perfect place to play vintage Boho;)

To Thrift the Look, Gather Your Accessories

My Boho grouping has been gathering over time. I re-potted all my summer succulents in vintage pottery I’ve picked up here and there. Thrift stores are a great place to find old pottery planters. The little stool was sanded and poly’ed since I first shared it in “3 Things to Look for at the Thrift Store”.  In that post I explained stools are a classic decorating staple I always pick up for the right price;)

When my Happy Girl was traveling for school, I asked her if she could pick up a Moroccan lantern for me to add to this grouping. I think Boho style has an exotic, well-traveled vibe to it, so I wanted something from a far-away land. Perfectly vintage and intricately hand-cut, this brass lantern came straight from a Marrakesh street market! It’s the cherry on top of this fun grouping. I think she’ll be pleasantly surprised to see it hanging right outside of her redecorated bedroom when she gets home! {“Vintage Modern Bedroom Makeover Reveal”}

Pay Attention to the Foundational Elements

The three foundational elements that stuck out to me in the scene I was imitating were the white chippy table, the curvy, intricate wood couch and the old spring on the wall. Luckily, my years of curbside thrifting (that’s thrifting for free…“Curbside Junking Adventures and Tips”) means I have plenty extra stash! I knew there was an old chair spring around somewhere, and also a child’s chair with some cool details. An old washstand from my grandma was well overdue for a makeover, too. I got to work refreshing!

I painstakingly pulled all the burlap off the spring and gave it a good scrubbing. After it dried I sprayed it with a little clear paint to pretty up the rust. Think I’ll be looking at those scary old chairs for their parts from now on, cuz these old springs are great wall architecture!

The family washstand got a total makeover with Miss Mustard Seed’s Farmhouse White Milk Paint. It distressed beautifully and fits it’s vintage heritage much better now. A couple of new knobs with a tile-inspired pattern were backed with some old hardware for extra oomph. The handles were actually off my grandma’s old desk. This is definitely a “prized piece of furniture with history”, like Apartment Therapy said!

In the picture, I was intrigued with how the bedspring was styled. There were squares of light-colored wood with wall pocket-type plants coming out. I imitated the look on my smaller spring with faux greenery. I really love this layered look of textures!

Use Similar Textures to Thrift the Look, Vintage Boho Style

I think one of the reasons Boho style is so fun is it’s great use of texture. Along with character-filled wood pieces and plenty of tropical plants, rough rope and macrame bring an organic vibe to the whole scene. I picked up this plant hanger along with one of the pottery vases at a thrift store, and just tying the Moroccan lantern with a length of rope was an easy way to incorporate the texture.

Just look at all the awesome textures going on here! And it’s all set against the crisp white of the washstand and the ferny pattern of the wallpaper.

Are you ready for the big reveal? This is how it looks when I step out of my room in the morning. A totally fun vignette in an otherwise boring little space at the end of a long, skinny hallway:

It’s a breath of exotic, tropical breeze on these cold, snowy days! And it all was created from thrifted and already owned items! Boho style is perfect for incorporating your well-loved vintage finds with thrifted finds. And can even be fun if you have accessories from world-wide travels, too! It’s like bringing a touch of the exotic to your home. Such a fun style to play with, even if it’s just a little corner of your home!

Get the “Thrift the Look” Checklist

If you’d like to get my FREE “How to Thrift the Look” Checklist, simply become a Lora B Insider! You’ll get access to all my helpful and decorative resources and won’t miss any creative adventures. I’ll send you the password to the Resource Library today!

If you’re already a Lora B Insider, check your weekly email for the password!

Do you feel like you know more about Boho style now? Think it’s kind of fun? I hope you’re inspired to gather your vintage and find some “new” pieces at your local thrift store. Take a look at the Boho Pinterest board and find a pic you’d like to imitate somewhere in your home! You can share along in the Thrift the Look style team’s vintage love in our facebook group,  Creative Vintage Darlings. We love seeing your vintage, too!

Hope you enjoyed this decorating adventure! How to Decorate to Thrift the Look, Vintage Boho Style was a fun process and I can’t wait to see what my talented and creative friends came up with!

pin, share, and enjoy the rest of the inspiration!

Thrift the Look, Boho Style

Sadie Seasongoods | Vin’yet, Etc. | One House, 2 Barns

Itsy Bits and Pieces | Lora B. Create & Ponder | Audrey Would

 

Sharing at these lovely parties:

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