Style tips for your fireplace – how to make it a beautiful feature
If you’re lucky enough to have a functional wood burner, log burner or stove in your living space, then you’ll definitely want to make the most of it.
The fireplace forms a natural focus for any room, and while there are many different mantel designs to play with, you need to first get your fireplace working for you. Here are our tips and tricks to style your fireplace in a way that adds comfort, cosiness and style to your living room.
9 ideas for styling your fireplace
Your fireplace provides an anchor point for the décor in your living room and there are plenty of ways to style it to ensure it creates a statement all year round. Taking the time to get creative with your plans can totally transform your living room, bring much needed warmth in winter and provide a backdrop for flexible design choices in the summer.
If you don’t already have a fireplace, it’s important to select the right kind for your needs and for your space. We have plenty of different options ranging from log burners to environmentally conscious gas fires. Take a look at your range of designs and functionality here.
Whether you have an existing fireplace or need to create one, the next step is to find the right style and design choices for you.
- Conceal the TV to make your fireplace pop
The TV tends to be the first thing people see when they enter a room. To switch focus to your fireplace, use artwork, judicious colour choices and, if you can, make the most of your chimney breast.
By adding a centrepiece over the fireplace that has weight and visual appeal, you will be able to ensure the TV stays in the background and the gaze is pulled towards the fireplace. If you have recesses on each side, incorporate this space into your design.
Adding shelving either side or opting for bookcases sprinkled with your favourite reads, ornaments and art, will expand the fireplace and keep attention there. Your fireplace must be properly ‘grounded’ to make the best possible visual impact, so this means making the most of the hearth too.
- Play with textures for a bohemian vibe
By contrasting wood panelling, natural wood and stone accessories and candles, you can create a tactile and interesting fireplace and surrounds. This needn’t cost loads of money and is an accessible idea if you have a plain fireplace you’d like to liven up in a natural and eclectic way.
Add your favourite ornaments and let your creativity craft a cosy fireplace to provide visual focus when you’re not using the fire, and to add to the hygge vibe when you are.
- Take inspiration from period shows on TV
If boho isn’t your style and you really want to elevate your traditional fireplace to a whole new level, take inspo from programmes like the Crown and Bridgerton. This means boldly blue walls, loads of golden touches with mirrors, art and accessories and even some panelling if you want to change it up.
This kind of styling will bring your living space into a feeling of luxe glam without being too modernist or outside of tradition. It’s ideal to contrast with a mix of new, old and antique furniture and your favourite soft furnishings.
- Go big and go modern
For those of you who want to totally break with tradition when it comes to decorating your living room, going modern can incorporate your fireplace in exciting and creative ways. By choosing modern styling, you can be sure your room will make a statement.
This kind of styling works brilliantly if you have an open plan living space with plenty of white wall space. Browse through our contemporary stoves to get an idea of the kind of modern fireplaces you can choose.
Utilise your favourite abstract art above the mantel to direct attention to the fireplace in a cool, modern way.
- Tile your chimney breast
A great way to add a different twist to the chimney breast space is using tiles. This allows you to create your own patter or go with a Parisian style black and white chequerboard vibe. Either way, it will elevate the wall space over the fireplace and dramatically change the overall décor in your living space.
- Choose symmetry
While some people love being surrounded by an eclectic mishmash of furniture, colour, styles and ornaments, others crave the simple calm evoked by symmetry. Think about the space available to you either side of the fireplace and consider what kind of ornaments, candles or plants could balance both sides.
By arranging your books, art pieces and candles in symmetrical columns or clusters either side of the fireplace you will create a balanced viewpoint that is excellent for creating a feeling of calm and order.
- Use colour to transform your fireplace
If white walls and minimalism isn’t your bag, you could be someone who loves living in among as much colour as possible. Injecting colour by painting your mantel or fire surrounds or even the walls surrounding the fireplace can give your room a whole new look without forcing you to spend too much money.
Coordinate rugs and soft furnishings in the way that pleases you the most – this could be loads of clashing combos or a harmonious palate of one colour. It’s your living space and there are no rules, so let your imagination go wild!
- Simply rejig the furniture
A very affordable option for bringing your fireplace into the light is by rearranging your existing furniture to angle it towards the fire. Allow it to embrace the fireplace rather than face a different focal point, such as the TV. You may be surprised how much tweaking your furniture layout can bring your fireplace to the forefront.
- Make the chimney breast a feature
By painting the fireplace in a colour that contrasts to your walls or using wallpaper on every part except for the chimney breast, you can make it really stand out. Another option is to go for one colour floor to ceiling surrounding the fireplace and allowing the stove or log burner itself to stand out as a key feature.
- Chris Murphy
