Create a stand-out space with these feature fireplace ideas for 2025
There’s nothing quite as homely as a fireplace. Often placed at the heart of the home, fireplaces signify warmth and comfort, making them a wonderful focal point in any room. It doesn’t matter if you have a working chimney, an electric fire or a faux fireplace, there are endless interior design opportunities when it comes to customising your hearth.
To help inspire you, we’ve collected some distinctive yet achievable fireplace ideas from around the web. These include ideas for updating vintage fireplaces, creating inbuilt hearths and even building DIY replicas.
We’ve also included a few fireplace mantel ideas so you can accessorise your new hearth in style. Keep scrolling to find a fireplace which suits your home.
Looking to buy a fireplace for your home? Here are some of our top picks from around the web.
SQUIRREL_PLAYLIST_10207297
14 fireplace ideas for your home
1. Tiled fireplace
We’re starting with a classic, yet beautiful, fireplace idea. Tiled fireplaces are practical and timeless, bringing a sense of class into your home. While neutral tiles are great for a minimal look, fireplace tiling allows you to experiment with pattern and colour.
Place your decorative tiles on the wall or the floor surrounding your fireplace (Tile Giant shows you how to tile a fireplace on their site) then accessorise the room with colours which match those in the tiles. This will make the space look cohesive.
This gorgeous tiled fireplace featured in Architectural Digest makes a statement, with the tiling giving a pop of colour to an otherwise plain room.
SQUIRREL_13188191
2. Exposed brick fireplace
Exposed brick fireplaces never go out of fashion! They make wonderful accent walls and highlight the beauty of your fireplace, even if it isn’t functional.
We love the styling of this room from Luke Arthur Wells. The log-filled fireplace compliments the exposed brick while the canvas centralises the space. Patterned tiles have been used here too.
SQUIRREL_13188193
3. Bold colour fireplace
Chimney breasts are ideal for turning into accent walls and can be styled and accessorised in many different ways.
For a striking look, paint your chimney breast a colour that contrasts with the adjacent walls. Christine Higgs’ dark green chimney breast stands against her cream living room walls, bringing warmth and interest to the space.
You can bring out the colour of your chimney breast by choosing matching wall art and soft furnishings. Your fireplace mantel can also be accessorised with matching and contrasting colours.
SQUIRREL_13188196
Stay on trend with these colour schemes
Discover 2025’s living room colour trends and give your home a fresh new look.
4. Concrete fireplace
Cherished Bliss has created an incredible, industrial-looking fireplace using concrete. The great thing about this fireplace idea is that it’s both achievable and affordable.
Cover your current fireplace structure with concrete, smoothing it out and leaving it to dry. Alternatively, you can buy wet-look concrete paint which gives the same effect.
This concrete look is softened by Katie’s fireplace mantel styling. Using woven baskets, natural foliage and cream rugs balance the severeness of the concrete, creating a cohesive room.
SQUIRREL_13188203
5. Wooden panelling
Wooden panelling and fireplaces are a match made in heaven. The natural elements combine creating a farmhouse look for less.
Kate and Tony Becker’s white panelling and reclaimed wooden mantelpiece balance with their modern fireplace perfectly, creating a rustic feel. The plant, log feature and textured blankets also give the room a cosy, lived-in look.
SQUIRREL_13188216
6. Painted brickwork fireplace
Credit: Pinterest
Exposed brickwork is beautiful but it doesn’t suit every home. For a country cottage feel, paint your fireplace a neutral colour. This painted fireplace works with the room’s neutral palette while allowing the beauty of the brickwork to shine through.
The fireplace mantel styling brings the space together with wooden accessories, dried flowers and cream furnishings adding to the country charm. This fireplace idea is ideal for those who have a hearth, but not a working burner.
7. Marble fireplace
Marble is a material which instantly elevates a space, and marble fireplaces are no exception.
Susanna de Vienne’s elegant fireplace was sourced to match her Venetian-inspired home. It oozes sophistication with the antiques on the mantel and framed artwork creating a triangle of interest.
For a more budget-friendly alternative, pick a faux marble fireplace surround instead (like the one featured below). Place candles or logs inside the fireplace and fill the mantel with charity shop candlesticks, vintage plates and bronze statues.
SQUIRREL_13188224
8. Exposed fireplace
Exposed fireplaces have crept up in popularity thanks to the rise of alternative living (think boats and cabins). Not only are they functional, keeping your entire home warm, but they have a cool, Scandi look to them.
Chantelle Barresi DIY’d this fireplace mantel in her home for under $600. We love the placement and stone-look paint that works to create a chic shelf. Plus, the added storage space is a bonus!
SQUIRREL_13188226
9. Arched fireplace
Arched fireplaces have a comforting look and are perfect for both bedrooms and living rooms.
Arched surrounds can be made from stone, wood, or brick but we love this DIY approach from Fall for DIY. Made from timber and plaster, this fireplace idea makes having a feature focal point more accessible, especially for those without a chimney breast.
Fireplace mantel ideas for your faux feature include: varying framed prints, hanging plants, decorative plates and vintage books (you don’t need to worry about fire hazards with this idea!).
SQUIRREL_13188245
Give your space a mid-century modern upgrade
Explore our mid-century modern living room ideas and discover plenty of interior design inspiration.
10. Wooden fireplace surrounds
Wooden fireplaces add rustic charm to even the most modern fireplaces. Whether it’s a reclaimed mantlepiece or a vintage surround like this one, wooden accents fit naturally with the cosy fireplace aesthetic.
Workstead’s gorgeous 1850s renovated cottage has many period features including this mantel. The white vases and brass accessories highlight the historic fireplace, complementing the cottage’s overall design.
SQUIRREL_13188242
11. Botanical fireplace ideas
Black fireplaces can often have a harsh look, especially if your interior decor is more whimsical. Luckily, green plants and foliage contrast beautifully with black fireplaces, creating an earthy, calming energy.
Providing you’re not planning on using your fireplace, use plants of varying heights to surround the bottom of the hearth. Trailing plants make lovely mantelpiece items, framing the fireplace in green.
The varying heights, colours and types of plants surrounding Jo Stewart’s fireplace create a feature point that’s worth looking at. Gold accessories help to break up the black and green too.
SQUIRREL_13188251
12. Decorative fireplace screens
Fireplace screens are an easy way of elevating your fireplace without making any structural changes. There are hundreds of decorative fire guards on the market, available in a range of interior styles including Baroque, Art Deco and contemporary.
We love this Art Deco-inspired screen from Wayfair. It’s an art piece itself! Paired with modern decorative items, this screen will bring a new lease of life to a tired fireplace.
13. Built-in fireplace wall
By building your fireplace into your wall, you’ll maximise your space and give your room a sleek, modern makeover. Simply Aligned Home shows you how she achieved this built-in fireplace and TV cabinet on her blog.
We love the seamless way the fireplace and TV work together and the extra storage on either side. Simply style your bookcases to your taste, displaying items you love and adding baskets and boxes to hide unaesthetic items in.
SQUIRREL_13188257
14. Quirky fireplace fillers
If you have a non-working fireplace, then why not fill it with some unusual items? From books and painted logs to candles and antlers, there are plenty of decorative items that will create a cool, focal point for your room.
We love this fireplace idea from Ballard Designs. The mirror helps to make the space feel bigger, while the tiles above give a subtle nod to the vintage design.
The green colour scheme is worked throughout the mantel accessories to create a dreamy, relaxing feel that’s perfect for any living room.
SQUIRREL_1318826
Make your space unique with our focal fireplace ideas
Whether your style is country-chic or laid-back modern, these fireplace ideas are perfect for creating a standout space. Use your fireplace to show off your creativity and create a feature that sits at the heart of your home.
Give your living room a makeover with Gathered
Not content with these fireplace ideas? We have plenty more hot fireplace ideas for you to explore.
