Although they are as beautiful, cozy and warm as a working fireplace, not all spaces benefit from or need a roaring fire, with many of us having empty fireplaces in our homes instead.
With such attractive architectural features often serving as the main natural focal point of a room, it’s worth enhancing your fireplace ideas with stylish decor – from fireplace decor to decorating your fireplace and the interior of your fireplace.
To ensure every part of your fireplace is designed perfectly, we asked a group of interior designers to share their favorite design ideas for decorating an empty fireplace.
Learn how to decorate an empty fireplace with our expert design tips
A non-functioning fireplace already provides a great space for creativity with a whole host of decorative design opportunities – the empty space can serve as a more practical (albeit very unique) storage location as well.
Whether you have a traditional fireplace, a farmhouse fireplace, or a more modern design, our decor ideas can meet everyone’s needs.
1. Keep it warm with candles
(Image credit: Future/Kasia Vizer)
One of the most popular ideas for decorating an empty fireplace are candles. A group of cozy candles can evoke a feeling similar to sitting next to the flames of a fire, helping to create that inviting and warm ambiance.
“Try styling your empty fireplace with an eclectic arrangement of antique candle holders and candlesticks, or simply use larger candles of different heights,” advises interior designer, Kristina Khersonsky of Studio Keeta.
In addition to real candles, there are a range of faux LED designs that can create a cozy feeling as well, like these flameless pillar candles from Pottery Barn.
Los Angeles-based interior designer Kristina Khersonsky is the director of interior design studio STUDIO KEETA.
2. Stacks of books
(Image credit: Kita Studio)
If you don’t have enough space on your shelves for all your books and magazines, why not expand your book storage into your fireplace?
We love this unique display from Studio Keeta, and how the book sets have been elegantly enhanced with a range of antique embellishments, making it a truly unique display and a talking point.
If you don’t have space for magazine racks in your living room, we think an empty fireplace provides a unique and wonderful alternative, and is perfect if you have a lot of seating surrounding your fireplace.
3. Plants and flowers
(Image credit: Paul Massey)
Many of us decorate our shelves with beautiful plants and flowers, and these natural touches can work well inside an empty fireplace too.
“For a touch of organic elegance, seasonal greenery or dried plants can add a sculptural element to the interior of your fireplace, creating an inviting indoor-outdoor feel,” says interior designer Artem Kropovinsky, founder of Arsight.
In this farmhouse bedroom, the traditional stone fireplace is decorated with a vase of dried flowers, which perfectly matches the rustic and natural style of the space.
Many of us will use natural motifs for fall mantel decor and Christmas mantel decor, and there’s no reason you can’t extend these touches to the interior of your empty fireplace as well. From piles of real or faux pumpkins to Christmas foliage arrangements, the fireplace will always be one of the best places to embrace elegant seasonal decor.
Artem Kropvinsky, founder of New York City-based interior design firm Arsight, brings extensive global design experience spanning a decade, bringing together a close-knit, collaborative team of passionate professionals working on interior projects in the U.S. and around the world.
4. Decorative ornaments and accessories
(Image credit: PEARSON LYLE MANAGEMENT LTD (JAN BALDWIN))
Just as you would decorate shelves and coffee tables with ornaments and ornaments, these decorative accessories are perfect for enhancing an empty fireplace with distinctive, personalized decor.
“Treat the fireplace as a stage for a revolving show,” says Artem Kropvinsky. From seasonal decorations, collected antiques, and beautiful embellishments, be sure this area becomes a living part of your home’s story and style.’
Not only is the fireplace in this colorful living room elegantly enhanced by beautiful living room wallpaper ideas, the perfectly placed platform inside the fireplace creates an attractive surface to display decorative ornaments; Create an effect similar to that of a pedestal or podium in an art gallery.
In addition to decorations, if the inside of your fireplace is large enough, it is also a great area to decorate with mirrors and decorate with artwork.
5. Get creative with tiles
(Image credit: Paul Massey)
Fireplace tile ideas are not only a practical design feature, they can also look beautiful.
Tiles can elevate your fireplace with elegant colour, pattern and character, and can create a similar artistic effect as that of wallpaper or artwork on the wall. The versatile tiles can also be used beautifully throughout your fireplace, from accenting the insert to a fireplace extension and mantel.
We love the classic look of the fireplace in this beautiful master bedroom, with traditional blue and white patterned tiles, displaying intricate drawings of flowers, animals and people, perfectly complementing the surrounding marble palette and creating beautiful visual interest throughout the home. The fireplace.
For more tile inspiration, we explore tile layout patterns and ideas in our dedicated feature.
6. Keep the fireplace blank for a simple, streamlined look
(Image credit: Future)
Finally, as much as we love the creative design opportunities an empty fireplace provides, as the old saying goes, sometimes less is more.
“If the interior of a fireplace has a traditional metal insert, as shown in the pink living room above, I always think that this space could be left as is, as it really provides a beautiful and interesting design feature that celebrates the fireplace,” says Design of the Past. Houses and gardens Digital Editor Jennifer Ebert.
From inserts to tile, stone and brick, no matter what material the fireplace is made with, leaving the interior space empty not only allows the eye to focus on other parts of the fireplace, such as a decorative fireplace mantel, but can also create a simpler, more streamlined look, perfect for a more Modernity and simplicity.
Jane is the (digital) editor for Homes & Gardens. Before starting this position, she completed several interior design courses at KLC School of Design, as well as working at Ideal Home, LivingEtc, 25 Beautiful Homes, and Country Homes & Interiors as an interiors writer.
Fireplace decor store
Poker taper candlesticks
Available in either brass or bronze, these classic taper candle holders can help add height and a warm, cozy glow to your fireplace.
Dried blue spines from the Echinops globe plant
Hand-harvested on a small, sustainable flower farm in Washington, these natural dried thistles bring a sense of nature to any home.
Soho Home Ava Large Alabaster Vase
Inspired by the design inside White City House in London, the large “Ava” vase from Soho Home is made of translucent alabaster. This sculptural piece features a round body and top, perfect for displaying flowers and stems.
How do you make an empty fireplace look good?
The key to making an empty fireplace look good is to make sure the space connects with the overall style and decor of the room it’s in. One easy way to do this is to design your empty fireplace with objects that coordinate with your room’s color ideas.
As we discovered in this piece, enriching an empty fireplace with some key decorations and meaningful pieces, such as artwork and ornaments, is an easy way to make this area feel more unique, visually interesting, and connected to your personal style.
In addition to our expert tips on designing an empty fireplace, to help you ensure every inch of your fireplace is beautifully decorated, we also asked the experts to share their best tips for fireplace mantel design.
