5 Ways to Decorate Your Non-Working Fireplace

By using color, books, mirrors, plants and art you can make any non-working fireplace shine. Fireplaces are referred to as the heart of the home and I hearth-ily agree (hehehe puns). I grew up sitting around the fireplace at night with my whole family and it is still my favorite part of winter. Many places in Seattle have fireplaces but I have noticed that most are not functional. I luckily have a wood burning stove in my apartment and my landlord is awesome enough to keep the chimney cleaned so I can use it; however, just because your fireplace isn’t working doesn’t mean that it still can’t give you those warm, fuzzy feelings. Here are five ways to spice up your hearth and mantel so your non-working fireplace can still be the star of your living room. 

Stack Books Inside

Use the inside of your fireplace as a bookcase. Stack beautiful hardcovers, magazines, and colorful paperbacks in an interesting way. I suggest ordering them by color to give a rainbow effect or going monochrome for a more calming feel. Either way, this is a great way to make your fireplace a focal point and get some extra storage out of it.

Use Neutral Colors

I love using neutrals in my home. Sometimes it can be overwhelming to layer art, accessories, vases, candles (etc.) on your mantel but if you are using a neutral color, it goes from overwhelming to chic. A mix of white, gold, cream, beige, gray and black gives your fireplace an elevated feel and allows you to put more things in that area without it feeling claustrophobic.

Add Some Plants on the Mantel or Inside

Of course this was going to be an option (my favorite option). I recommend using a wide variety of shapes and sizes of pots to make a more dynamic setting. You don’t have to keep it to just the mantel, fill the inside of your fireplace too! You can use stands to create varying heights to fill the space evenly and give it dimension. Another option is to use one large, dense plant. I recommend a monstera, tree philodendron, or a boston fern.

Art as a Focal Point

I have some great large pieces of art. My grandpa was an artist and I have some of his prints and a cool Shag that my parents bought me. Sometimes it can be hard to figure out where to place them. Above the fireplace is a great option. It makes the entire wall a center point of your room and highlights the work in the way it deserves. If you don’t have one large piece to hang, you can layer a few pieces by setting them on your mantel and leaning them against the wall.

Utilize a Mirror

I love a mirror moment. Mirrors are an excellent way to make a space seem bigger. They serve as almost a fake window by distributing light throughout the room. Sometimes it can be hard to hang things on rock and brick if you don’t have power tools or you rent your space. You don’t even have to hang your mirror. If you have a mantle that is wide enough, you can lean it against the wall.

I know how frustrating it can be to have that beautiful fireplace and not be able to use it but I hope this makes you realize that it can still be the heart of your home. Accessories are how I bring that warm, cozy energy to my home, whether there is fire or not, and that feeling can be captured in any space by any body! Let me know how yours turn out in the comments.

Let’s Decorate it!