A fireplace is a beautiful element in any room. Nothing adds the sense of warmth and welcome like a lit fireplace on a cold winter’s night. However, a fireplace alone will not create a stunning focal point in a home. To really take a fireplace from just a mantle and hearth to an amazing decorating showcase, you need to add style with home accessories.
Styling a fireplace is more than just placing some knick knacks on the mantle. There are simple and quick ways to give your fireplace the perfect designer look. If you are looking to create a fireplace that will be photo ready and stunning, I have a few tips and things to think about when styling a fireplace.
10 Quick Tips to Styling Your Fireplace
1. One Central Centerpiece
A key element of any fireplace is a main central piece to anchor the vignette. There are a few things that make a perfect central centerpiece; large mirrors, artwork, rustic items, vases, or anything that is meaningful to you. One thing that I don’t like as a central centerpiece personally is a flat screen television. Here are some stunning examples of fireplaces.
2. 3 is a Magic Number
Like they say in School House Rock, “3 is a Magic Number.” Groupings of 3 are magic when styling your fireplace. Group together 3 objects of different size is an easy way to make your mantle look brilliant.
3. Create a Triangle Composition
Many great artists, such as Leonardo, Michaelangelo, Raphael, and other Renaissance painters, would create invisible triangles with the composition of their artwork. The triangles can’t be seen, but if you drew a line between 3 important elements in the painting you would draw a triangle. This is done to create an artistic composition to their artwork. You can use this idea when styling a fireplace. If it worked for them why not try it for yourself. To do this on a mantle, your central centerpiece is the top of the triangle, then the lower points of the triangle are created with shorter home decor on either side of the centerpiece. Here are some examples of this tip used on a fireplace.
4. Symmetrical or Asymmetrical Layout
You have two main layouts to choose from. Symmetrical, when if you divided your fireplace in half you would have the same items on both sides. Or Asymmetrical, when the home decor is off-centered and not equal. Here are examples of each type of layout.
5. 3 Different Shapes
Varying the shapes and sizes of your home decor is also a key in create a stunning and interesting fireplace. Try to use 3 different shapes when styling and you will be on your way to a picture perfect mantle.
6. Less is More
When decorating anywhere in your home, less is more. Often people over decorate their homes, which can result in a cluttered appearance. It is better to leave some empty space on your fireplace when styling. How much empty space? I recommend leaving about 30%-40% negative space to avoid over crowding of furnishings.
7. Layer it Up
Never line up your decor in a straight line, that’s just boring. Layer and overlap accessories to add depth, which will lead to a more dynamic look.
8. Vary Heights
Style your fireplace with items that vary in height. You should have tall, medium, and short accessories.
9. Dressing Up Around the Hearth
A stunning fireplace is more than just a mantle. Decorating the mantle is just half the job. To give your fireplace a professional look remember to decorate around the hearth. This will complete the design because it will ground the mantle. Some items that look fabulous decorating the hearth are baskets with blankets, logs, side chairs, tall vases or objects.
10. Inside the Fireplace
One last thing to consider to add a designer touch is inside the fireplace. If you don’t use your fireplace often and it isn’t a gas fireplace, you can decorate it to enhance the style of the mantle. Some ideas to style the fireplace with are painted white logs, candles, vintage luggage, and books.
Time to Decorate Your Fireplace
If you are thinking about making over your fireplace I recommend giving a few of these tips a try. The goal is to create a stunning welcoming fireplace that brings you and the ones you love together.
Whether you are looking to set the mood for a romantic evening or a family game night a beautiful fireplace will help make the whole room stunning.
