FIREPLACE STYLING GUIDE
Your fireplace is the natural focal point of your room, and while a crackling fire is already a great feature, the way you style it can have a huge impact on the overall feel of your space.
Your existing fireplace might give you a starting point for how you want to decorate it, but you absolutely don’t need to match everything to its period or design. For example, you can easily warm up a modern fireplace by adding natural textures and traditional accessories. On the other hand, more period settings can be given a contemporary feel if you add polished metals and simpler shapes. No matter what direction you go with, the best fireplace styling is about balance. It's all about combining elements that work well together without losing the character of the space.
We’ve put together three very different aesthetics below to show how the right mixture of items can create a fireplace that’s full of personality, while staying cohesive and looking effortlessly stylish.
Your fireplace is the natural focal point of your room, and while a crackling fire is already a great feature, the way you style it can have a huge impact on the overall feel of your space.
Your existing fireplace might give you a starting point for how you want to decorate it, but you absolutely don’t need to match everything to its period or design. For example, you can easily warm up a modern fireplace by adding natural textures and traditional accessories. On the other hand, more period settings can be given a contemporary feel if you add polished metals and simpler shapes. No matter what direction you go with, the best fireplace styling is about balance. It's all about combining elements that work well together without losing the character of the space.
We’ve put together three very different aesthetics below to show how the right mixture of items can create a fireplace that’s full of personality, while staying cohesive and looking effortlessly stylish.
Modern
When you think about modern styling, it’s probably minimalism that immediately springs to mind. However, if you take this too far, you’ll find that your room can quickly start to feel cold and clinical. Modern spaces can most definitely still feel cosy so you don't have to sacrifice your comfort. Instead, find the right balance between cool metals, warm textures, natural materials and greenery.
To style a modern fireplace aesthetic, start by choosing one main focal point (rather than lots of smaller items which can look busy). A stag head has long been a classic choice for above a fireplace, but our geometric design gives this feature a fantastic bold and contemporary update. Beautifully designed fireplace accessories are another way to bring this look together, because they're practical but also look good too.
The clean lines of our Strandly Grange fire guard and contemporary log store are both made from polished steel. They work together to create a gorgeous sleek, unfussy finish and are genuinely useful to have around your fireplace. The leather Cranbourne pouffe (along with a cosy blanket or two) introduce warmth and texture without disrupting the pared back feel.
FUN AND QUIRKY
When it comes to quirky styling, more is… more! But there's a trick to getting this right, and that's to mix bold and simple pieces... as if everything is highly decorative, nothing stands out. Patterned soft furnishings and striking artwork against plain (but brightly coloured) walls for example work beautifully together and give you a cohesive finish that's still maximalist. Choose your favourite bright colours, but limit the number of them. Again, this keeps it playful but without being too chaotic.
Your fun and quirky aesthetic could start with a statement piece that sets the tone for the rest of the room. Our butterfly fire guard brings an unexpected touch to the fireplace, with the warm metal accents tying in nicely with our leopard sculpture. The checkerboard detailing of our companion set adds another interesting pattern, but without adding more colour. Vary the heights of your decor pieces to give another layer of interest. For example our colourful parrot is the perfect tall piece styled alongside shorter stacked books, plants or candles.
‘Dopamine Decor’ is more popular than ever, but it's not about following trends. The beauty of it is getting inspired, and allowing yourself to let your personality show through your home.
TRADITIONAL
How do you decorate a fireplace to look traditional and elegant? For this look, you'll want to create a very warm and welcoming feeling in your home. Elements like classic patterns and rich colours work well for creating this particular style, combined with timeless pieces that complement the character of your fireplace. Wood and metal give so many different finishes and allow you to celebrate traditional techniques, from hammered metal to aged and antique effects.
Traditional design often incorporates quite decorative pieces, so you can really make the most of this when it comes to fireplace decorating. An ornate fire guard can work well, along with the embellishments on a wooden mantel and statement mirror hung above your fireplace. This is nicely balanced with more simple and elegant touches, take our antique brass companion set and curved log basket for example. The shapes, along with the colour and finish give them personality without overly decorative details so everything stays balanced. Layer up your soft furnishings and add some greenery, and you have an elegant and wonderfully homely finish for your traditional fireplace.
MODERN
When you think about modern styling, it’s probably minimalism that immediately springs to mind. However, if you take this too far, you’ll find that your room can quickly start to feel cold and clinical. Modern spaces can most definitely still feel cosy so you don't have to sacrifice your comfort. Instead, find the right balance between cool metals, warm textures, natural materials and greenery.
To style a modern fireplace aesthetic, start by choosing one main focal point (rather than lots of smaller items which can look busy). A stag head has long been a classic choice for above a fireplace, but our geometric design gives this feature a fantastic bold and contemporary update. Beautifully designed fireplace accessories are another way to bring this look together, because they're practical but also look good too.
The clean lines of our Strandly Grange fire guard and contemporary log store are both made from polished steel. They work together to create a gorgeous sleek, unfussy finish and are genuinely useful to have around your fireplace. The leather Cranbourne pouffe (along with a cosy blanket or two) introduce warmth and texture without disrupting the pared back feel.
FUN AND QUIRKY
When it comes to quirky styling, more is… more! But there's a trick to getting this right, and that's to mix bold and simple pieces... as if everything is highly decorative, nothing stands out. Patterned soft furnishings and striking artwork against plain (but brightly coloured) walls for example work beautifully together and give you a cohesive finish that's still maximalist. Choose your favourite bright colours, but limit the number of them. Again, this keeps it playful but without being too chaotic.
Your fun and quirky aesthetic could start with a statement piece that sets the tone for the rest of the room. Our butterfly fire guard brings an unexpected touch to the fireplace, with the warm metal accents tying in nicely with our leopard sculpture. The checkerboard detailing of our companion set adds another interesting pattern, but without adding more colour. Vary the heights of your decor pieces to give another layer of interest. For example our colourful parrot is the perfect tall piece styled alongside shorter stacked books, plants or candles.
‘Dopamine Decor’ is more popular than ever, but it's not about following trends. The beauty of it is getting inspired, and allowing yourself to let your personality show through your home.
TRADITIONAL
If you want to decorate a fireplace to look traditional, wooden and metal finishes are an ideal place to start. They allow you to celebrate all kinds of age old techniques, from hammered metal to aged and antique effects. If you have a traditional mantel in your home already, take inspiration from the styles and colours it includes. Although you can definitely style more modern fireplaces in a traditional way too with the right accessories.
This aesthetic often incorporates quite decorative pieces so you can really have fun with this, simply pair them up with more streamlined fireplace accessories and it wont look too busy. For example, our ornate Victoriana fire guard styled with our antique brass companion set and curved log basket keeps the balance of simple and decorative.
Layer up your soft furnishings for softness and warmth, bringing in a mix of classic patterns and rich colours. Then add some greenery, and you have an elegant and wonderfully homely finish for your fireplace.
