20 Fireplace Design & Decor Ideas To Help You Stay Warm All Winter Long

While historically the fireplace was a place of utility — to cook, stay warm, and provide light — its function has evolved from one of mere practicality to becoming a focal point of the home. It's transformed into a place in the house for more than just physical warmth, but figurative as well, drawing families and friends together and evoking a sense of cozy relaxation as the fire crackles. In the wintertime, in particular, the fireplace has a magnetic draw, and given that pull, it's the perfect time to think of how you can improve, upgrade, or reimagine it to suit your wants and needs.

Investing in the right fireplace design or decor is an aesthetic upgrade that will have deeply beneficial results. According to the Zillow Group, the term "fireplace" was the third-highest searched feature on the real estate site in 2023, indicating that homebuyers seek the amenity out during their home hunts. And according to iBuyer.com, a fireplace in the home can boost the overall value of the house by $1,000 to $5,000, depending on the market. While it may not be the best return to install a new fireplace in a home, giving one you already have a facelift — no matter how small — can have its perks. Figuring out how to decorate or redesign a fireplace, though, may be where we need a little extra boost of inspiration, especially if you want it to stand out for your next comfy, cozy winter gathering.

Even if your fireplace isn't wood-burning, decorating the space around it with some real split logs gives it an authentic, cozy flair. Not to mention the scent of real wood, like pine, really sets the stage for winter, holiday vibes. Place the wood in a chic wood holder or storage rack, like this facka Curved Firewood Rack For Indoor Use, or keep an eye out at the thrift store for quirky vintage pieces that uniquely fit your decor. Using an indoor rack prevents chips and splinters from falling straight on the hearth and preserves the wood for longer.

Rugs have the uncanny ability to anchor a room, and placing one in front of a focal point like a fireplace draws attention to the beloved feature. Shearling rugs, in particular, are cozy additions that warm up the room and provide an aesthetic and textural design boost. Just remember to get a rug that fits the size of your space, both physically and visually. Larger rugs work well in small rooms to make them feel well... larger, while smaller rugs frame out specific areas of a much larger space, like a reading nook or fireplace hangout.

While you may feel naturally inclined to create seating in a square around the fireplace to frame it out, for the coziest design, try placing seating right in front of the fireplace for that aforementioned reading nook that's perfect for long winter nights. Not only can you enjoy the heat directly, there's something romantic about snuggling up, right next to the fire, with a cup of cocoa and a good book. If you have a real burning unit, regularly clean the chair so it doesn't get sooty, and monitor your chimney if the furniture appears overly dirty.

Brass and gold accents are becoming all the rage again, despite feeling outdated for decades. Nowadays, experts like Jenn Todryk believe brass gives your home an Old World charm, warming up the space with a touch of decadence. Add a splash of brash with the decor hardware on the mantel — think candlesticks, decorative bowls, or vases with seasonal sprigs. Or, if you're thinking of a more permanent design style, add a brass or gold accent wall around the fireplace with paint or brass wall panels.

While a garland on the mantel feels very winter-specific, greenery is a timeless addition to your fireplace to soften the space. House plants like Pothos (Epipremnum auream) and string of pearls (Senecio rowleyanus) give even the most mundane of fireplaces some vibrancy and unexpected texture. If you're decorating a working fireplace, be sure to place the greenery strategically so that they're at least three free away from the flame to mitigate fire hazards as plant fibers are combustible. Also consider adding a fire screen to prevent plant matter from falling into the fire — there's some aesthetic benefits too!

Using mirrors on fireplace mantels is a small, yet significant decor upgrade, that boosts aesthetics. Mirrors are a great focal point in a room, and when placed on a mantel, it'll draw the eye even more. Functionally, mirrors reflect and amplify light, whether the natural daylight or the soft glow of the fireplace, making the entire room feel more inviting. For smaller spaces, mirrors visually doubles the space, creating the illusion of depth without overwhelming the room. Match your mirror to the other accents and decor pieces in the room to create a palette with one coherent design language.

Keeping with the theme of easy decor, a simple way to instantly boost your fireplace's ambience, especially during the darker winter months, is by stringing up fairy lights. A whimsical design idea that likely has us thinking of holiday magic, the real reason fairy lights are appealing is a psychological one; they emit a soft, low glow, and for our brains, soft, warm lighting elicits a relaxation response that helps reduce stress. So if you're hosting a gathering, string up those lights, light the fire, and turn down the big light to set the mood.

Adding shelving around a fireplace is another easy way to give your fireplace and surrounding wall an upgrade without too much trouble. Framing out your fireplace with shelves is a way to transform a singular focal point into a fully integrated feature wall. It not only boosts both the look of the room, but its functionality as well, since you're adding additional storage that you can use for decor or other trinkets. For DIY floating shelves, install some 2-by-4s next to the fireplace or you could frame the fireplace out with bookcases.

Moving on to a bigger design intervention, if you want to snazz up your fireplace wall to create a larger focal point moment, consider wallpaper. While this design trick will take more effort than adding a mirror or houseplants, it's still one you can have fun with, especially if you use peel-and-stick wallpaper that allows you to swap out the look when you like. Just remember to clean your wall of any debris (like dust or ash) before installing, as wallpaper will not properly adhere to a dirty surface.

If wallpaper feels too high effort, but you still want to make a design impact, then one of the easiest things to do is invest in one of those aforementioned fireplace screens. Historically used to prevent ash and embers from flying out into the room onto its occupants (and still a safety feature today), the screen became largely decorative as decades passed. Nowadays, fireplace screens, whether placed in front of a lit fire or not, can tie your room design together. Consider going vintage for an authentic feel or opt for a sleeker design for modern fireplaces.

Maximalism's "more is more" design philosophies are definitely in the decor zeitgeist right now, and your fireplace is the perfect place to experiment with the trend. For easy maximalism, layer your mantel with different trinkets and decor objects, like candle votives, vases, tapers, and even seasonal fruit for a festive edge. Embrace levels, layers, textures, and cohesive color palettes to make the mantel look less chaotic and more cozy. For a bigger splash, play with textures, colors, and patterns with tiles and unexpected materials on the surround for a truly bold, maximalism style.

Loved the wallpaper idea, but don't have luck with wallpaper? Take the same design philosophy of crafting a larger focus wall, but do it with paint instead! To ensure a classic, yet modernly chic design palette, check out Benjamin Moore's 2026 color trend predictions. The year of the interesting neutral, Benjamin Moore predicts that sage greens, terracotta clays, charcoal, and beige pinks will rule the design scene for the upcoming seasons. You can't go wrong with a neutral, and with that color palette in mind, you'll have a simultaneously trendy and timeless design.

Take your paint prowess one step further and paint or whitewash the entire fireplace for an upgrade that feels homey for the winter and chic for the rest of the year. If you really want the fireplace itself to be the main focal point of the room, lean into maximalist paint styles. If you have a working fireplace, however, remember to use fire-retardant paint, particularly for the interiors. Most paints are not meant to withstand the high temperatures that fires produce, but a specialized paint will ensure that your fireplace keeps looking goodc, not tired.

Remember when we said that low light means low stress? Maximize that relaxation strategy to create the absolute coziest atmosphere through ambient light sources sprinkled throughout the room and along the fireplace. When the fireplace is lit, this creates a glowing focal wall that feels intimate, comfortable, and romantically chic. These smaller, warmer light sources will flood your brain with melatonin, creating the coziest of atmospheres to get you through a long winter night when you're snowed in. Hot apple cider and a holiday movie, coming right up!

Sometimes, making something visually interesting doesn't have to be a huge effort; rather, the answer can be in the texture of the decor. To cozy up your fireplace, layer some unexpected texture in front, on top, and around the hearth, surround, and mantel to make it more aesthetically dynamic. An easy but unexpected textural upgrade can include hanging rattan trivets on the wall behind the fireplace; pair that with other rattan material and you'll imbue a seaside, cottagecore chic aesthetic into the space — a great reminder of the summer ahead!

Fireplace decor isn't just for working or automatic fireplaces; homes with older, inoperable fireplaces also deserve some love! It's not uncommon to inherit an fireplace that no longer works, but you can still dress the space up for a cozy, aesthetic statement piece. Add some LED lighting to the interior of the fireplace, staging prop logs so it gives the appearance of a fire's glow. Or, place a fireplace candelabra straight onto the hearth for a whimsically aesthetic alternative to a real fire. It adds a fun warmth for those winter days. 

If you're looking to do a major overhaul of your fireplace and want something unique, then interesting plasterwork is a great idea for you. While intricate plaster work around fireplaces was particularly popular from the Victorian to the Art Deco eras, it doesn't mean you need to go full Versailles for your modern fireplace; rather, think unusual shapes, curves, and textures for the frame. For a clean aesthetic, keep the plaster white or a lighter color akin to the plaster's original state, or to add more of a statement, pick out a fun pop of color.

For a bolder renovation, consider adding some character with an antique mid-century modern fireplace. These units — defined by freestanding metal hoods, conical shapes, tapered lines, and bold colors, like the characteristic avocados and oranges — instantly elevate a room. If pursuing this vintage project, always ensure the unit is structurally sound and that its venting and airflow meet all modern building and safety codes and best practices. The successful result is an incredibly chic, unique fireplace ready to light up your winter nights.

Do you like the idea of a gas fireplace but think faux logs are cheesy? Then consider incorporating fireballs into your fireplace design. Ceramic balls that are sculpturally stacked in the heart of your gas fireplace, these smooth spheres offer a minimalist, but modern look. They also heat up quickly and radiate effectively into the room, making it an efficient and evenly dispersed heat source. Aesthetically, fireballs come in a huge range of colors and sizes, which you can customize and tailor to your own personal design style and the decor of the rest of the room.

Fireplaces can sometimes feel old-fashioned, but new ultra-modern versions can be a chic, welcome addition for your winter-time snuggles. Whether you opt for a ribbon firebox that sits along long lengths of the wall or a flush unit that sits perfectly with the wall, modern fireplaces are sleek, clean, and polished. To lean into the modern look, embrace materials like polished concrete, steel, or large stone slabs. To up a modern fireplace's cozy factor, decorate your living room with natural elements like wood furniture and a good throw blanket.