Styling A Boho Luxe Sacred Space At Home
Our house is old. I mean really old. Salmon coloured tiles adorn the bottom half of the house's exterior (like it’s wearing a skirt or something??), the colour palette is a mixture of browns and yellows, and don’t even get me started on the decor of our bathrooms. Screams 1970’s.
But, stepping out into my sun-drenched little slice of heaven that is our sunroom, immediately puts my soul at ease. It’s definitely mine and my husband's favourite spot; adorned with my favourite pieces of vintage and boho decor. Two plush, grey armchairs sit under the window, dressed with several muted cactus silk cushions. A monochrome, woollen floor cushion patiently waits for me to rest my weary legs on, after a long day, and a tall black boy plant sits between the armchairs - a housewarming gift from my yiayia (Greek grandma). The sun pours in through the floor-to-ceiling windows filling the room with gorgeous, golden light and my most prized possession, a vintage boujaad rug, really brings this special place to life.
I tell you about my magical little sunroom because I want you to think of a room - or even just a space - in your home that makes you feel this connected. A safe space. Your very own luxe sacred space. And if you can’t think of anything then guess what? We’re going to create one together.
MORE IS MORE
We want this space to be a delight to your five senses. Starting with the nose, what are your favourite scents and how can you incorporate those here? Incense? A subtle smelling candle? A bottle of your favourite essential oil within reach? My favourite incense at the moment is linked here but there’s also a more affordable version here that smells similar.
Next, what is pleasing to the eye? Have a think about what kinds of colours and textures you love to look at? You’ll want to adorn this space with things that are aesthetically pleasing to you. Keeping in line with our love of bohemian, eclectic and vintage wares. For example, I’ve chosen to scatter a few of our cactus silk cushions on the arm chairs. The muted sun-drenched colours easily tie in with the rest of the pieces. A dried floral arrangement perches on a vintage trunk (repurposed here as a coffee table) and depending on my mood that day I may choose to burn my incense or light a subtle smelling ‘musk’ candle. Finally, as a lover of books, I have a small collection of my favourite titles within reach. Eckhart Tolle’s ‘The Power Of Now’ is front and centre, as is Gala Darling’s ‘Radical Self Love’ and my Gratitude Journal. What about you?
*See also ‘Trinkets’ below*
Lastly, what can you hear? Or what do you want to hear? If you live in a noisy apartment building for example you might keep a pair of ear plugs within reach? Perhaps some headphones to listen to some soft music instead?
Some of my spaces at home
TEXTURES & LAYERING
Are you warm and cosy in this space or would you prefer to have a window close by for ample ventilation? We have freezing cold tiles on the floor of our sunroom (those wretched salmon coloured ones I was telling you about earlier) and I hate to be cold, so I’ve laid down a few rugs to warm up the space. I LOVE to layer rugs. As a tip, aim to choose one with natural, earthy colours like jute for the base and then lay a more vibrant style over the top. Divine Tribe has a handwoven Moroccan Boujaad rug here that you’ll love. If the layering rug trend is completely new to you, I suggest you take a quick look at this article here to see how it’s done.
TRINKETS
Depending on what you’d like to use your sacred space for, you should incorporate a few special trinkets and practical pieces too. Perhaps a yoga mat for your morning stretch? Or a song bowl and your special collection of crystals?
Or, maybe like me; you just want to use the space to unwind after a long day at work. You might prefer a gold & glass drinks trolley, or a boho rattan bar cart to house your favourite beverages ;)
“As the opposite of minimal, modern, and sleek, Boho styling embraces a "more is more" philosophy.” writes Ali Elshabrawi for The Spruce.
WHAT MAKES IT BOHEMIAN?
As mentioned above, anything goes when styling a boho inspired space and often, all at once. Pick a number of different textures and materials; fluffy woollen cushions, a natural jute rug, eclectic and often colourful homewares, as well as raw & natural knick knacky pieces. You could also incorporate things found in nature; a real feather, a small bowl of shells collected from the beach, a glass/mirrored photo frame showcasing a picture you love.
These are the types of things I think of when picturing a bohemian styled space!
WHERE TO SHOP FOR BOHEMIAN, VINTAGE HOMEWARES IN AUSTRALIA
This exercise need not cost you a small fortune either. Vintage pieces and hand-crafted items are commonly found in bohemian styled spaces! A little natural ageing or wear and tear on certain things tells a story and adds character to a space, don't you think? I personally will check Facebook Marketplace for the things that I want before searching anywhere else. I prefer to buy secondhand whenever I can. Simply type in the search term of the item you are looking for and have a scroll. Failing this, you can also check for local pop-up shops and stalls and search in the area for local vintage shops. The key is being patient in order to find the right pieces - sometimes this takes time! If time is of the essence for you, there are several stores you can source pieces like we discussed in the article:
Divine Tribe & Two Gypsies on High (wauchope, NSW)
Vintage Bohemian Store (Sydney)
Barefoot Gypsy Homewares https://barefootgypsy.com.au
I hope this has inspired you to carve out a special place for yourself to escape when the need arises! Whether that be to meditate, read a book quietly, drink your morning coffee or stretch!
Written by Rebecca Achelles
Check out my fashion and styling inspo over on Pinterest by clicking here
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*This article was originally written and published on the Divine Tribe blog but re-purposed here for author.