Elevate your interior design style by decorating your fireplace or mantel.
Fireplaces are an essential gathering place in the home. Living rooms are typically designed and decorated around the fireplace, and furniture is strategically placed around it. So, whether working or purely decorative, this focal point should get full attention when decorating.
Fireplaces and mantels are an excellent candidate for seasonal decor, but they can be used to further any interior design style year-round. We’re sharing our best fireplace decor ideas to spark inspiration in your own home.
Related: 22 White Fireplace Ideas for a Bright Focal Point
Non-Working Fireplace Decor
A fireplace is just as much a piece of decor as it is a functional element meant to warm you up on cold days. If you have a non-working fireplace, take advantage of the space, depth, and levels and decorate it with all of your potted plants for real juxtaposition. A mix of houseplants and pots will give this area a homey feel.
Use a Fireplace Screen
Fireplace screens are essential for keeping your home safe while warming up next to the fire during the colder months. Find a unique screen that can serve as decor while keeping embers from escaping.
Layer Mantel Decor
More is more with this decorating tactic. Gather your favorite artwork, a mirror, and other decor and layer it on your fireplace’s mantel. This will add depth to the space and create an eye-catching focal point in your living room.
Add Color to a Rental
Making a rental feel like home can be tough when there are strict rules in place about decorating. If you aren’t permitted to paint the walls of your rental home, add your personal touch by brightening up the area with colorful mantel decor. Hang lightweight artwork around the fireplace using command strips so you don’t damage the wall.
Related: 33 Apartment Decorating Ideas to Make Your Rental Feel Like Home
Layered Fireplace Decor
Decorate a white fireplace with easy-going elements that reflect the relaxed yet rule-defying interior design style of this space. Use pops of color from decor pieces and add texture with house plants.
Minimalist Fireplace Decor
Trends come and go, which is why keeping decor to a minimum can create a look that will be timeless and classic. Hang or set a piece of art or a mirror above the mantel as a focal point. Add a few decor pieces to either side of the mantel and finish the look with a charming container for firewood.
Decorate with Lamps
In a dark room, you’ll likely need more light sources than just the fireplace. Aid your fireplace in giving off light by flanking it with a pair of decorative lamps. Place tall lamps on either side of the fireplace to serve as functional yet beautiful statement pieces.
Related: The 13 Best Floor Lamps That Are Stylish and Practical
Scandinavian Fireplace Decor
Warm up your living room, even without a working fireplace. Scandinavian decor is often mistaken for cold and stark, but it doesn’t have to be. Pile firewood into your non-working fireplace and decorate with the same warm tones around it. This will give your room a cozy feeling even when there are no flames to gather around.
Consider a Gray Fireplace
Gray is a versatile color that can can lean warm or cool, so it fits with almost any color scheme. If your living area is mostly white, painting your fireplace gray will give great contrast without sacrificing the neutral color scheme.
Add an Adjacent Bookshelf
If your fireplace’s mantel doesn’t have room for decor, consider building a bookshelf next to it. This will give you optimal room for decor and storage. Fill the shelves with elements that match your design style and baskets to keep things like blankets and remotes within reach.
Add Built-In Storage
No need to sacrifice beauty for function; the two can go hand in hand. Adding built-in firewood storage right next to the fireplace itself looks sharp and is easy to access when the flames start to die down. Plus, this will expand the mantel, giving you more room to display photos and other decor.
Tile Fireplace Decor
These handcrafted tiles bring instant character to this fireplace. The blues and browns of the tile complement each other while tying in with the wood beam mantel. The mantel decor correlates well with the color scheme yet is simple enough so as not to take away any attention from the tile.
Firewood Storage Decor
Turn the built-in bookshelf next to your fireplace into an eye-catching decor piece. Fill what once contained a few pieces of decor full of firewood. This will give you easy access to keep your fire burning and a unique living room accent piece.
Covered Patio Fireplace
If you live in a place where you can only enjoy your porch for a couple of months of the year before the weather gets chilly, consider adding a fireplace to your screened-in porch or covered patio. This will allow you to enjoy this space year-round, while adding an additional style element. This dark charcoal fireplace is anchored by a collection of dark woven baskets on the wood wall behind it.
Related: 20 Screened-In Porch Ideas for an Inviting Outdoor Escape
Traditional Fireplace Decor
Make your fireplace an accent element in your room. While some may opt for an accent wall, painting your fireplace a solid color has the same effect. Add traditional elements like a mirror and dried flowers for subtle decor that doesn’t distract from the fireplace itself.
Monochrome Fireplace Decor
Connect the whole fireplace wall to create a unity from the hearth to the ceiling with one simple step. Choose a paint color and paint everything from the brick face of the fireplace to the mantel and more. Add small decor pieces, like tall candles and houseplants, to break up the monochromatic look of the fireplace.
Related: How to Paint a Brick Fireplace for a Modern Look
Brick Fireplace Decor
The forestcore aesthetic is about embracing nature’s whimsical beauty. Bring this trend to your living room with a forestcore fireplace. Mimic the colors and textures you might find in a serene forest by choosing earthy tones and rugged textures. Don’t forget to accentuate the aesthetic with houseplants.
Add a Mirror to Your Mantel
Add a mirror to your fireplace mantel to create the illusion of a bigger, brighter room. This simple decor hack will open up your space without having to do any hard work. The ideal size of the mirror should be two thirds the size of the mantel; this way, it won’t look too small, but you’ll still have room to add decorations on either side.
Related: 10 Tips for Hanging a Mirror Over the Fireplace
Deck the Mantel in Houseplants
An effortless way to add life (literally) to your fireplace decor is with houseplants. Choose buds that grow upwards and plants whose vines flow down from the mantel, giving the scene depth.
Related: 23 of the Best Houseplants for Low-Light Spaces
Fireplace Focal Point
If you don’t spend much time watching TV, forego the television above your fireplace and opt for a piece of artwork instead. Buy a painting, or let your creative side show and start from scratch and create your own abstract artwork on a canvas.
Fireplace Vase Decor
Vases are a simple and attractive staple piece of decor. Depending on the time of year, you can fill them with seasonal elements or don’t fill them with anything, and allow them to serve as a stunning addition to your fireplace decor.
Electric Fireplace Decor
If you have an electric fireplace that is flush with the wall and doesn’t have much room for decorations, make the face of the fireplace the room’s focal point. Dress the space with patterned tile and let this unique touch do the talking.
Related: The 9 Best Electric Fireplaces of 2023 to Keep Warm and Cozy at Home, According to Testing
Vintage Fireplace Decor
Find pre-loved fireplace decor at your local flea market. This is not only an affordable option, but sustainable too. You will find one-of-a-kind treasures you won’t be able to get anywhere else.
Related: How to Find the Best Vintage Home Decor, According to a Pro
Modern Farmhouse Fireplace Decor
This modern farmhouse-style fireplace mixes several different materials that harmonize well together. A natural wood mantel, white shiplap, and white brick create many different textures that all contribute to the modern farmhouse feel. Accessorize with decor pieces such as framed art or a small animal sculpture.
French Country Fireplace Decor
Let small details make a big statement. A limestone mantel surrounds this French country-style fireplace, while the back of the firebox is lined with herringbone tiles. Only minimal decor is used on the mantel, yet the fireplace boasts major character because of the variety of textures used.
Candlestick Fireplace Decor
Candlesticks are an easy way to dress up your fireplace decor. Whether you light the candles or simply use them as decorations, they will add a touch of effortless elegance to your mantel.
Modern Fireplace Decor
Less is more in this tranquil fireplace area. Although there are minimal decorations, the stone around the fireplace steals the show by flowing seamlessly down through the hearth.
Color Drench Your Fireplace
Paint your fireplace the same color as your walls to really make your decor pop. This design technique is called color drenching, and it’s having a major moment right now. Add contrasting photos and decorations to the mantel and surroundings to indulge in the trending maximalist interior design style.
Cottage Style Fireplace Decor
Decorate your fireplace with easy-going cottage-style pieces. Use a cozy color scheme and tie in your fireplace surrounding with photos above and on the sides of the fireplace.
Decorate with Flowers
Bring your mantel to life with a bouquet of live flowers. (Or use artificial blooms; no one has to know!) This elegant living room ties in the paint colors of the wall and fireplace surround with the floral rug, and the fresh flowers on the mantel continue the color scheme.
Rustic Fireplace Decor
Preserve your fireplace’s original character and create a rustic scene by keeping the original brick. Use reclaimed wood to build a new surround and mantel that matches your decorating style. Finish off the look with vintage decor and a mantel centerpiece, such as a mirror or art piece.
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