Dark Boho Bedroom Ideas: How to Style a Goth & Groovy Sanctuary
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If you love boho decor BUT you feel like it needs a little bit more of a dark, groovy edge, then you may want to explore dark boho!
In this post, I’m sharing a bunch of dark boho bedroom ideas that will give you plenty of inspiration on how to transform your small apartment bedroom into an oasis where a 70’s decor style meets dark, moody splendor.
So if you want a bohemian bedroom with a dark twist, let’s talk about how to create dark boho interior magic in your apartment!
Would you rather watch than read? Here’s the video! ↓
What is dark boho decor?
Dark boho takes the eclectic, free-spirited, earthy look of bohemian decor and dips it in darkness. What you end up with when you mix these two styles is a really interesting dance between the colorful, patterned exuberance of boho and the moody edge of dark décor.
And since boho is an inherently free-spirited, diverse, untamed aesthetic, there are so many ways you can do this style. The way I’m seeing it for this post is just one way dark boho can be interpreted!
Then there’s the dark decor aspect of this style combo; a dark color palette, with little moments of goth, mystical witchy elements, and just an overall moodiness—like an angsty rock star from the '70s in bedroom form. That's what I'm picturing here. It’s Stevie Nicks, basically.
All in all, the dark boho I'm envisioning here is like Abigail Ahern meets '70s rock and roll meets a subtle goth edge, with, of course, the looming energy and aura of Stevie Nicks.
So now that you're with me on the vision, let's get into some specific dark boho bedroom decor ideas for creating this goth and groovy retreat we're going for!
NOTE: I’ve noticed that links to Urban Outfitters and Anthropologie sometimes don’t work the first time they’re clicked for some reason. They do work the second time though, so if they don’t work for you at first, just try again!
Decorative Accents
Decorative accents are the little touches that bring any style to life, and selecting them is my favorite part of the styling process. This is where you can really let your creativity run wild—and run wild it should when you're creating any kind of boho!
If you don't feel the energy of a feral madwoman running naked through the forest while you're decorating in this style, then you're doing it wrong. 🙃
Adding decorative accents to your space is when you should feel that wild energy the most. I certainly did when I was gathering these pieces!
Lighting, in particular, is the most important aspect of creating a stylish space, especially when you're doing a look that's so reliant on mood.
A dark boho space should evoke a sense of glowy ambiance and groovy vibes. If you use the abrasive big light overhead in your apartment instead of carefully selected lamps, there will be no ambiance and there will be no vibes.
For example, this orange lamp would cast such a pretty amber glow, and its curvature brings a cool '70s vibe—like if the blobs in a lava lamp hardened into their own lamp form. At least that's where my mind goes, haha.
And this beaded chandelier? I mean, there's nothing more boho than a beaded lamp, but they're usually made with light tan-colored beads. This one, with the darker beads, would be perfect for dark boho.
This lamp would be another great option; it has this dark, dramatic base as well as an earthy woven shade, embodying both sides of this style really nicely.
Then there's wall art. The sky is the limit for this one, because you have so much creative leeway when decorating in a bohemian style. So you could choose just about any kind of artwork for a boho room, and it would probably work!
For the way I’m envisioning this style, I selected pieces that hit upon the fundamentals of dark boho: texture, earthiness, mood, and rock and roll.
This macramé wall hanging covers the texture aspect. And macramé, in and of itself, is a quintessential boho visual. But this one has a dark drama to it that makes it unique compared to other designs—perfect for dark boho!
Then, I couldn't help myself; I had to include a Dark Side of the Moon poster. Not only does it cover the rock-and-roll aspect of this style, but thematically it’s just too good to resist. We're creating a dark, groovy look here, and Dark Side of the Moon is a dark, groovy album. It's too perfect.
And because I'm me (and if you keep up with my videos, you know that I'm a total slut for florals), I had to include these. I’ll admit they're simple—they don't say much other than, "We're pretty flowers," but frankly, that's all I need to be happy with my wall art. Aside from my personal bias, I think they'd be perfect for this style because of their colors, dark vibe, and '70s flower-power look.
In terms of little decorative objects for this style, you could get something like these vases. They kind of have that ancient artifact look, but are actually freshly excavated off the shelves at your local World Market. I think they'd add some nice dimension to a dark boho bedroom, and you can place them on your nightstand or dresser on their own, or fill them with plants and florals. They'd be one of many little touches that bring this look to life in your bedroom!
Then a rug like this one from CB2 would be great because it hits upon both the dark decor style and the patterned, textured boho vibes. Again, here I am with the florals, haha, but really the florals here would add a nice touch of femininity to this look!
I think anytime you can bring a sense of soft femininity to a darker, moodier style, it can cozy up the space and help you avoid the dark dungeon look—unless you're into that. 😉
Soft Things
Now we have the cozy soft things — bedding and throw pillows — that are the heart and soul of a bedroom.
And no matter what type of boho you’re doing, it should be very touchable, with lots of tactile experiences going on; woven fabrics, tassles, fringe, and embroidery. Basically, boho is anything but smooth. It’s all about texture!
So something like this comforter, with its tufted embroidery in this particular pattern, is perfect. And the dark green suits the color palette we’re going for as well. Bedding like this, which marries the tactile, patterned boho look with a dark moodiness would suit a dark boho bedroom very nicely!
On the other hand, just because we're going for a dark look with this style doesn't mean you have to completely avoid color. In fact, moments of color can have all the more impact when set against a dark backdrop.
So something like this burnt orange velvet quilt would be so striking against a mostly dark scene. It also has the touchable, tactile element we want from boho, just in a different way than the last comforter; instead of a raised embroidery, you have the sumptuous velvet touch with this one.
This look is really all about touch, especially when it comes to a bedroom, where comfort and softness shine. And the same goes for these pillows—they have elements like tassels, macramé, and weaving, which makes them very touchable. At the same time, they exude that creative, hippie-dippy energy through their patterns and overall style, but through a moody lens.
When it comes to dark boho—or really any kind of boho—one thing I want to drill into your head is that you can really let loose with patterns.
If you watched my last video, where I kind of skewered an Elle Decor article about five decor trends to ditch in 2025 (arbitrarily, for no good reason), you know that the article claimed "pattern on pattern on pattern" is out for 2025. But that's just simply not true, especially for any shade of boho. So mix those patterns as much as you want for this look!
When it comes to patterns, I particularly like this floral comforter because—of course I do—but especially because the colors and mood of it are perfect for this style.
But again, you can't go wrong with any pattern when it comes to boho! That's one of the things that makes bohemian styling so fun—it's so freeing. So, when it comes to choosing your bedding for this style, you can tap into your inner pattern goblin and really go for it.
Another thing I would consider leaning into for this style is anything celestial—moons, stars, planets. And this pillow and quilt would be lovely for that!
I think there's an interesting dichotomy to explore here between the earthiness of boho and the sense of dark astral mystique: earth and outer space, the grounded and the celestial. Incorporating stellar imagery into a dark boho bedroom that also has earthy boho elements taps into that visual story.
All in all, when you're going for a dark boho look in your bedroom, keep these three things top of mind: texture, pattern, and the undefinable cool factor. Anything that gives off that free-spirited energy—flowers, plants, moons, stars, earth and space, yin and yang—plays into the duality of the look.
Headboards
Now, to complement the soft, cozy things on your bed and also serve as a focal point that ties all your bedroom styling together, there's the headboard.
Headboards are so helpful in creating a strong sense of style in a small bedroom. It's such a large visual statement that doesn’t take up any additional square footage, so it can do so much in terms of style in a small space.
Especially for a look like dark boho, where pattern and dark drama are fundamental, a headboard is a great way to convey the look in one fell swoop without taking up any precious floor space.
For example, this headboard makes me think of a goth peacock. It has a similar vibe to those classic rattan peacock chairs from the '70s, but the black brings it to a darker, moodier place. This headboard alone would do so much of the visual heavy lifting in conveying dark boho in a bedroom.
Then there’s this stencil wall panel piece. It may lack the substance of the other headboards I chose, but it would be great for certain situations. For example, if you’re someone who moves from apartment to apartment every year when your lease is up, something like this would be easier to transport. One less piece of heavy furniture to deal with in the move!
This one looks like if the Blue Fairy from Pinocchio made the last headboard into a real boy. It’s a great option if you’re ready for a real headboard that serves major pattern. Think about how much this would do for a small bedroom—so many exquisite details, carvings, and visual stimuli. It would be a show-stopper of a focal point and perfect for any kind of boho bedroom.
On a different note, you could go for a more modern boho look with this headboard. It’s simpler and cleaner than the others, but still makes a statement. It’s like having a rainbow over your head as you sleep at night—only the rainbow is dark green. My kind of rainbow. 😏 It also conveys so much coziness. If you want to ensure your dark boho bedroom feels soft and cozy above all else, this headboard would be a great option!
This one also has that soft, cushy look but incorporates the pattern we love so much for boho. It would also be very well-suited for dark cottagecore, with its frilly edges and slightly grandma-chic vibe. So it’s something to consider if you want to bring in some dark cottagecore to your bedroom as well as dark boho!
Then this headboard—while it doesn't have as many flourishes as the others and would only work for certain bedroom situations—could be a really cool looking option for some dark boho bedrooms. On one hand, you have your headboard, bed frame, and even your nightstands taken care of all in one. For some, this would make things easier and more streamlined. For others, it might be a bit cumbersome—some of us simply don't have room for a nightstand on both sides of the bed, for example, and this wouldn't give us the flexibility we need.
But in terms of style, this could look really good in a dark boho bedroom! You have the texture of the rattan, the black drama, and the curvature of it. In the right bedroom, it could be awesome.
All in all, just keep in mind that your bed is the focal point of the bedroom—make your bed styling count!
Dark Boho Bedroom Designs
Now, to give you an idea of how these decor pieces can potentially come together to create a dark boho bedroom, I've created a couple of versions of a dark boho bedroom design. One leans more into the strictly dark color palette, and the other is an example of what it can look like when you get a little more playful with some bold pops of color.
As you can see, in addition to the decor I’ve already shared in this post, I also found a dresser and a nightstand to round out this design. In a practical sense they’re bedroom essentials, but in a dark boho styling sense they would bring a nice punch of pattern to the bedroom. Multiple pattern punches are always a good thing with this look!
Ultimately, I made two slightly different versions of a bedroom design because I wanted to show you that this doesn't have to strictly be dark and deep. It can actually be as playful as you want it to be! There's a spectrum you can play with, and the weight you put on the dark side versus the boho side can range.
There really aren't any rules here—you can pretty much do whatever you want. This was just my specific interpretation. You know, if Stevie Nicks were a bedroom—that's basically the thesis statement here. 😉
