Fireplace Accent Walls That Add Spark to Your Home Decor

At the heart of your home, your fireplace will be a source of comfort and warmth. It should also reflect your personality and the style of your home.

Whether you have a fireplace that you think is old and tired, or whether you are thinking of installing a new electric fire, there are plenty of styles to get you inspired. 

Character isn’t just about room decor but also the way you style your fireplace. You can go for the traditional or make yourself a trendsetter.

Long Dark Nights 

Why not begin with an exploration in how to create drama and impact through your fireplace accent wall? This look could cozy on a dark stormy night when you can wrap a blanket around you and snuggle up in front of the fire. 

For a lesson in bold statements, you can dress your fireplace from head to toe in black. You’ll have to be brave to make the most of this look but it’ll be worth it. Paint a traditional style fireplace in black and keep going, painting the walls too.

Key to pulling off this look is the modern style and eclectic arrangements on the shelves. Here you can add ornaments to tone in, perhaps with natural tones and traditional brass, or bring in some other colors for contrast. 

Classic White Fireplace

If you have historical features in your living room such as oak beams, you don’t need to keep the room in the past. Painting window frames black will give a modern touch, as will a clean white on the walls.

You can paint a stone or brick fireplace white to keep cleaner lines. And rather than having an open fire, a state of the art electric wall-mounted fireplace will bring your fireplace right up to date.

Decadent Navy Blue Fireplace

To add a dash of panache, choose a navy blue wall color which will give the effect of a velvet lining, sumptuous and rich. Picking furniture in a contrasting color like orange will maximize the theme.

Make the most of high ceilings by fitting extra tall shelving beside your fireplace. And find the largest mirror possible for a confident statement feature. Here, keep the accessories the same two tones for a solid designer look.

Arts and Crafts Hearth

The Arts and Crafts movement style from the early 20th century is very on-trend and oozes class and refinement. If you like vintage and simple retro trends then you will love this look.

For a period Dutch feel, puritanical yet stylish, paint the mantel and walls white, and keep decor simple and deliberate. Think sculpted candlesticks and natural woven items against a hardwood floor. You can add texture through monochrome rugs and soft blankets.

Cool Gray Every Day

For a fireplace that is steeped in tradition and the past, bring it forward with a modern gray paint. You can add shelving and cabinets to the recesses either side of the fire. Then paint the entire wall in an urban gray color.

To keep the look sophisticated, ensure ornaments and decoration are in one or two tones, like a crisp white with modern gold. 

Cute Shiplap and Stone Fireplace

For your rural retreat or for the idea of one, you can create the look of a pretty stone fireplace that you might find in a log cabin in the woods.

Adding a chunky wood mantel to a simple stone fireplace will bring in a cottage feel. To finish, paint the shiplap chimney stack in white.

Then style it with modern textualized art and some pretty modern ornaments. Perfectly cozy with a roaring real fire.

Simple Modern Stone

If you much prefer a simple modern theme in your home with clean lines and minimal fuss then a modern electric fire will likely suit you. 

Keep the decor plain, simple and monochrome then add texture with a layered stone fireplace going right up to the top of high ceilings. As for adornments – don’t! For minimal, do what it says on the tin and keep things plain and sleek.

Modern Retro

Perhaps you’ve moved to a new home and you have what you think is an ugly fake stone fireplace? Well, you can update this really simply.

Paint your wall and fireplace white, then it’s all about the styling accents. Modern art work in black and white will add a touch of the modern, as will dried pampas grasses in a natural earthenware vase.

With the fireplace dressed only with a simple mirror, you’ll make your old fireplace hip in no time at all.

Contemporary Simplicity

For a super modern look, a plain chimney breast is best. To indicate modernity, add no accessories, paint it dark gray and hang a cool electric fire on the wall.

If you have a new home with flat walls you may want to build out your wall to create recesses on either side. You can then fix shelves in the recess and maybe some top trending wood slats to show you know your modern fireplace styling.

Offset Modern Character Fireplace

For a quirky yet smooth modern fireplace design, consider offsetting the fireplace. We’re used to seeing fireplaces in the center of the room but they can be fitted to one side.

When fitting an electric fire unit, you don’t have to have a uniform surround. You can choose a larger model and expose the side of the fire. This adds a little architectural interest.

This is a theme where sharp angles matter so ensure there’s no clutter and minimal decoration.

In Summary

Fireplaces can be as varied as any other kind of decor in your home. So whether you favor a traditional roaring fire with a mantel or cool, sleek lines with an electric TV-style fire, there will be something for you.

Consider the look of the room and then create or minimize drama through the styling of your fireplace. More ornaments will look cozier, more pared back will be cool and sophisticated.

Don’t be afraid to paint a stone fireplace to change up the look. And a mirror will always add a sense of tradition to your beautiful fireplace accent wall.