Nothing warms my heart more than a fireplace! I can’t think of anything more relaxing than curling up by the fireplace with a glass of wine and a blanket during the colder months. With that said, I’ve obviously spent a lot of time admiring my fireplace and therefore I find it quite important to show it the decorative attention it deserves.
As large, architectural pieces, fireplaces often draw the attention of anyone in the room. It also tends to be surrounded by other decorations and furniture which can easily create a clutter fest of visual intrigue. So how do you help curate a design that makes your fireplace stand out as the focal point in the space?
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Fireplace Decor
Your decorations should help accentuate the fireplace and break through the other “noise” in the room. To help you curate the right fireplace decor, I’ve got 6 helpful tips to make your fireplace a stunning focal point.
Create A Focal Point
A focal point is used to draw the eye to one point in the room. Although a fireplace alone is beautiful, it needs some additional help to draw the eye in. We do this by hanging or placing a large decorative piece on top of the fireplace’s mantle. There are a few options for this eye-catching piece.
First and foremost, you need to know whether you’re going to put your television above the fireplace. Oftentimes living rooms do not allow a great alternative space for the television, but it’s absolutely okay if you’d rather not have it as your focal point. If you do decide to keep it above the mantle, there are a ton of options to create the illusion that your television is a work of art.
You can frame your television and utilize any number of options to display art on the screen creating the illusion of a large painting. There are even television options now that look like an actual painting or art piece. Taking this extra step is definitely worthwhile if you have to have your tv above your fireplace.
Your focal point options really open up when you don’t have to put your television up. There are a few pieces you can use instead:
- Painting or art piece
- Clock
- Mirror
- Wooden frames or shutters
- Framed pictures or canvases
- Wreath
- Animal head bust
Choosing The Right Size
Once you know what kind of decoration you’d like for your focal point, you need to determine what size that piece should be. Ideally, the art piece you choose should be the same width as the opening of the fireplace. If your fireplace is extremely tall, you will also want your focal point to align with that. Therefore something a bit more elongated will fit better in a living room with taller ceilings.
Add Color With Accents
Think of what colors are in the room when decorating the mantle. Do you have a rug with hints of blue? Or throw pillows with pops of green? Help tie those accents together by adding decorations to the mantle. Adding color to the focal point of the room will help brighten the space.
Color doesn’t have to mean reds, blues, pinks, and greens. Instead, I truly just mean adding an accent that isn’t the same as the fireplace. For instance, if you have a white brick fireplace with a natural wood mantle, adding pops of gold or black would be the perfect pop of “color” in the space. Below is a list of easy fireplace mantle accents to look to include:
- Candlesticks
- Books
- Plants
- Picture Frames
- Vases
- Decorative objects
- Sculptural items
Create Balance
Whether you place the same objects on either side of your focal point or mix in different elements, you have to create balance. This doesn’t mean if you have one item on one side, you have to have one on the other. Instead, create visual balance by putting a similar “weight” of items on each side.
For example, if you have a large vase on the left side, you can’t just put one small candlestick on the other. You may want to add a couple of candlesticks on top of a book arranged around a smaller faux plant to help create the illusion of a balanced look. If you’re a bit nervous starting out, just grab two of the same objects and place them on each side!
Don’t Neglect The Base!
The hearth, or base of the fireplace, is just as important to decorate. Similar to the mantle you’ll want to utilize balance on either side to curate a more symmetrical look. However, these decorative accents should be a lot larger. The hearth decor should be somewhere in between the size of your focal point and your mantle decor.
If you need a few suggestions of what to include on the hearth, here’s a short list for inspiration:
- Pillows & blankets
- Box or basket
- Lanterns
- Vases or pots
- Firewood
- Figurines or sculptures
- Fireplace tools
Last but not least…
Decorate with your surroundings in mind! You should look at your mantle from every view in the space. Your fireplace decor should be able to fit within the space but cut through the other decorative “clutter” surrounding it.
Notice how the stark white clock on the fireplace contrasts against the warmer breakfast room colors? Find decorations that will stand out from the rest of the space, but still blend into the vibe of the room.
