Minimalist, Bohemian Bedroom Design (On a Budget)

This might be the first of many half-finished concepts I design in my head and half-heartedly post. There’s usually no logic or planning involved and no particular space in mind. But 99% of the time when I’m not thinking about plants or Rupaul’s Drag Race, I’m musing about furniture or art (or in this case, a dried palm store I found on Etsy) and imagining how I would hypothetically design a room around them. (I think if you split open my brain, you would find it looks a lot like a Pinterest board mixed with a Target catalogue.)

This imaginary room is a combination of everything I’ve been inspired by lately, starting with Desert Collective & Co. This lovely duo in Arizona dries palms in the sun until they are completely sunbleached golden. Maybe you think I’m ridiculous for glorifying hand-dried palms for $58 CAD plus shipping, but trust me when I say that I TRIED to cut a palm leaf from a tree in my neighborhood and ITS JUST NOT THE SAME. If you follow me on Instagram you might also already know my love for Australian graphic design studio Sunday Lane, whose “morning sun” print inspires me to my core. And Leanne Ford’s affordable, minimalist lighting collection for Project 62 at Target (some of the pieces are sold out, I’m sorry!) SPEAKS TO MY ENTIRE EXISTANCE. I couldn’t pick just one, so I used them ALL and figured hey this is an imaginary bedroom after all. (If you’re so inclined to use it, pick your fave)!

I couldn’t quite get around to finishing this bedroom design for a while, and with the zero real-world pressure of I’m not going to use it myself and the client is non-existent, I didn’t really care to. Until I saw that IKEA brought back a natural rattan cabinet from their 2017 Stockholmn Collection that I’ve been obsessed with. I initially fell in love with the dresser after seeing it in Kate La Vie’s apartment, but was gutted to find it discontinued. Her space is very eclectic-Parisian-meets-modern-feminine, (and SO lovely), but it’s one of those pieces that I’d always restyled it in my head in a more minimalist, modern bohemian direction.

Lastly, no room is complete in my mind without a neon sign. The room felt a little tooo natural on it’s own, but bringing in the glass neon light and modern acrylic side tables bring it into the 21st century.

Sources

I really resonate with thoughtful design at affordable prices, and I think you guys do too, so I tried not to include anything that costs more than rent. There’s also lower-priced alternatives at the end of this post that still accomplish the same look and feel:

Giant Sundried Palm – $58 CAD
Washed Cotton Duvet Cover Set – $69.99 CAD
Wyatt Queen Bed – $499 USD
Nesting Tables (Set of 2) – $169.99 CAD
Leanne Ford x Project 62 Lamps – $55-168 CAD
Sheer Linen Curtains – $49.90 CAD
Rattan Dresser/Cabinet – $499 CAD
Nude Bust Neon Sign – $219 CAD
Sunday Lane Print – $39 AUD

Budget-friendly alternatives:

Platform Queen Bed in Weathered Oak – $249.99 CAD At Hudsons Bay
Platform Queen Bed in Rustic Oak – $274.55 CAD (on sale) at Lowe’s

This IKEA IVAR Dresser Hack from Caroline at September Edit acheives a similar look at a much lower price point.

Image source: September Edit
Image source: September Edit

Please do leave me feedback and suggestions on future design posts like these! I absolutely enjoy dreaming up these room concepts, but they would be even more meaningful if I know that they inspire you too. And if you’ve fallen in love with this modern, minimalist, natural design, I have an entire Pinterest board dedicated to modern boho interiors.

Happy pinning!

Carmen

Disclaimer: this post isnot sponsored and does not use affiliate links.

Design

April 23, 2019

Stay Inspired

Subscribe below to get new blog posts, updates, and inspo straight to your inbox.

Follow Along

@carmenjavierco on instagram

© 2023 carmen javier co. | photography by lauren miller, sammie chan, and ciara rose