Fireplaces give a house a homey ambiance, and aside from providing warmth, they also draw people close to them, making them one of the most memorable places in your home. A fireplace is a vital accent piece whether you choose a country, modern or minimalistic style.
- How do you decorate a living room that has a fireplace in the middle?
You can use many designs to decorate a family room with a fireplace in the middle. Factors such as the size of the fireplace and mantle, the design, and the style you want to inspire will determine the structure you settle for.
- How to arrange furniture with a fireplace in the middle?
In many households, the furniture is generally arranged to surround the fireplace, but you can go for more creative designs, such as an off-centered arrangement.
- How to decorate around the fireplace in the living room?
There are tons of decor ideas to use around the fireplace. You can use mirrors, artwork, vases, candles, or even a TV to accent the fireplace area.
This article provides some workable ideas on how to decorate a living room with a fireplace in the middle.
1. Try Ditching the Symmetry
via Howell Custom Building Group
When the fireplace is the center of focus going symmetrical may seem like the best choice, but this isn’t always the case. You can make things more interesting by going for a balanced look rather than a symmetrical one.
This interior design option works well with a small living room fireplace as the space has limited dimensions and, as such, can look unbalanced or even crowded if not carefully planned.
2. Go Rustic with Exposed Brick and Antique Furniture
You can give your space a rustic appeal by going for exposed brick on the fireplace, making the place feel warmer and more visually unique with the textures.
If you want the space to feel smooth, you can go for painted walls on either side of the fireplace. To add a bit of elegance to the room, you can use antique furniture that will add more rustic charm to the space.
Whether you have a TV-over-the-fireplace or art-over-the-fireplace kind of person, you can create a statement by adding a centerpiece with height and visual weight to improve the focal point.
The recesses on either side of the chimney breast can be accented by adding built-in bookcases or shelving. For maximum visual impact, use this design with a grounded fireplace.
3. Make the Fireplace the Focal Point
via Get It Together
If your fireplace is centered on the main living room wall, you can make it the focal point of the room by arranging the furniture around it.
Sofas and armchairs are the most effortless pieces of furniture that will work well with this layout. In this design, the fireplace is often viewed as the central reference point for the space’s design. As such, it’s essential to know what materials to use.
Different materials can yield different aesthetics, so choose something that works well with your space.
4. Surround Your Fireplace with Shelves
If you are lucky to get a fireplace with several built-in shelves, you have layers of design space to work with. You can use the shelves to place trinkets, vases, framed photos, books, or anything that will add visual appeal to the space.
The vertical display around the fireplace emphasizes the warm fire. Also, it arms your friends and guests with tons of Conversational material.
5. Try a Minimalistic Interior
Having too many decorative elements may make a space seem cluttered. You can design your living room using the contemporary route if you prefer less decor.
First, convert the fireplace to a single-panel wall and use a simple and neutral color palette for the space. This draws visitors’ attention from the fireplace to the unique architecture.
Modern panels and stoves are more extensive and broader, so enjoying the beauty of a log fire is easy, just like in traditional designs. You can also opt for an electric fireplace to blend in with the modern space.
6. Off-Center Works Too
via Sardone
A centered fireplace for many people will mean that the furniture arrangement has to be centered too, but this isn’t a rule of thumb. An off-centered furniture arrangement works too!
This design shows an L-shaped sofa placed on one side of the room with a dining area beside the fireplace. The area rug and armchairs beside the fireplace define this area as a distinct space.
Even though the fireplace is centered in the living room, the layout makes it look like a corner design! Talk of perspectives!
7. Sit by the Fire
You can try having a double layout for a dead-centered fireplace like in this living room. On the one hand, you can stay warm near the fireplace in one of the armchairs by the window. To make the space even cozier, you could add a lamp.
On the other hand, you can have the couch facing the fireplace, ensuring everyone seated around the room is warm. Whether you face the fireplace or sit beside it, this layout will match any mood and provide two spaces.
8. Cozy Up a Large Living Room
via Corbin Reeves Construction
In large expansive spaces with large windows, creating a warm and cozy vibe in the living room can be challenging, but not with a fireplace.
A fireplace’s warm glow creates a sense of coziness and intimacy in a room that might otherwise appear too cluttered. A fireplace also anchors a room that has several furniture pieces making it appear well-rounded.
To give the space a snug look, go for materials that will make the place look cozy. For example, you can consider a faux fireplace made of stone or marble.
The fireplace is the focal point of this room, with the main sofa placed across from it and armchairs on either side. The footstools in front of the fireplace offer occasional seating and create more interest in the room.
9. Big Couches and Symmetry
via Rectangle Design
You can go for a simple, no fuss design by placing the furniture on both sides of the living room. This design will work well with large couches. Add a rectangular rug with its shorter sides facing the fireplace.
Since the couches and fireplace create a kind of symmetry, it’ i’s crucial to maintain this consistency when deciding on decor ideas.
With most of the floor space already covered, personalization can be done on the mantel and either side of the fireplace. In this design, vases are placed on either side, and an artistic clock on the mantel.
10. Add Visual Interest with Art and Mirrors
One of the oldest ways to decorate a living room is using the three-plus-one trick. Here one uses elements with different heights to create visual interest. Instead of lining up three similar objects on one side of the mantel and one large one on the other, stagger them for a more visually appealing look.
Another way to decorate the fireplace is by using art on either side of the chimney breast and a mirror on the mantel. This creates a feeling of cohesion and uniformity around the room. Contrarily, the mirror reflects more light around the room, creating the illusion of more space.
The furniture arrangement should be on either side of the fireplace, and a coffee table could be placed in the middle to complete the design.
11. Make it the Center Place of a U-shaped Sectional
A U-shaped sofa is the perfect piece for a cozy living room. Humans are naturally drawn to curves, and this layout creates a soothing, peaceful, and serene environment. With the fireplace being the center of the design, you will have an ideal family room for those chilly days or nights.
This layout is best executed if the fireplace is perceived as another seat in the layout such that it can engage with all those who are surrounding it. Sofas should be placed close to the accent walls and centered with the fireplace in mind.
12. Blend In
via RRM Design Group
For a fireplace centered with a dining area on one side and a living room on the other, blending it in as part of the living room could work wonders.
Here the fireplace, which is painted white, blends in with the white walls in the living room to create a crisp, clean look. The black firebox blends with other darker hues on the coffee tables.
The furniture layout is placed a bit away from the fireplace, creating a sleek open floor space with the armchairs facing the central area rug. The design is brought together by the balance of colors between the sofa, area rug, and wall artwork.
