Today, when it comes to style, “boho” is a term used to define things that are bohemian and artistic; However, it helps to understand the roots of bohemian style in order to authentically implement the look in your home.
What does boho really mean? Well, firstly, it’s an abbreviation of the French word bohémien, referring to Bohemia, a region in what is now the Czech Republic. It was wrongly believed that Bohemia was home to the Roma, the largest ethnic minority in Europe. Originally from India, the Roma mostly led a mobile lifestyle and were known for their creativity. Many were talented artists, musicians and craftsmen.
In 16th-century France, the word “bohemian” evolved to include any artist, writer, actor, or musician who lived a bohemian lifestyle and traveled extensively through major European cities on little money. A newer hotbed of boho culture existed in New York City’s Greenwich Village in the 1950s, also known as the Beat Generation, which eventually gave way to the hippie culture of the 1960s and 1970s. While the Roma who inspired this style faced centuries of persecution and discrimination, after it was adopted by middle- and upper-class whites, boho design was primarily seen as trendy and fashionable.
