It is difficult to even imagine winter without a fireplace warming up the living room and presenting a focal point and invitation for get-togethers. The typical cold outdoor setting is calling for a warm room enriched with a sizzling fire. Incorporating a fireplace into a living room shouldn’t be very difficult, but it does require some consideration when it comes to the design of the entire room, the very piece, and its surroundings. So, here’s everything you need to know about adding a cozy ambiance to your home by designing a beautiful living room fireplace for the warmest winter ever.
The focal point
When a fireplace is in the room, all eyes are looking at it. It is the area where you will place your seating arrangement, and where you will direct your décor efforts. However, a fireplace can share the spotlight with another feature, such as a big-screen television, an antique Argentine mirror, or an artwork. Also, a fireplace can serve to divide an open concept space into the living and the cooking/eating area. Various styles of fireplaces can fit into various interior design styles.
The modern room fireplace
We usually associate these decor pieces with nostalgia and vintage-looking rooms. However, there are plenty of styles that can be incorporated into a highly-modern room. For example, you can go for a fireplace surrounded by sleek heat-resistant tiles with a matte finish. As for the rest of the room, stick with the minimalist look. The mantel should remain clear of clutter, but you can hang a simple artwork above the fireplace.
Fireplace extravaganza
Another option that goes oddly well with modern and minimalist rooms is a statement-making fireplace. They can’t be designed without the help of professional designers. These fireplaces do not fit into the traditional rectangular or square shape norm and they use different materials and colors. Since they are a statement on their own, they don’t require additional decorative elements.
Chimney in the first plan
Chimney breasts are a nice thing to add if you are designing a room from scratch. However, you have to think about how the chimney breast will integrate with the fireplace and with the walls. It can be set in the corner or in the middle of the room, and the décor and color of the chimney should be a different tone from the rest of the room.
Rustic charm
If you are in for a traditional fireplace appearance, you can choose to build a stone or brick fireplace with a wooden mantle. Not only will a fireplace like this emit true warmth, but it will also bring visual warmth into space. Rustic, vintage, and organic design styles fit in well with such a fireplace. Wooden furniture and warm neutrals on the wall will blend in well with such an interior and provide an irresistibly cozy feel.
Plain, white, and beautiful
The most classic fireplaces are simple, minimalistic, and complemented with plain white corbels and matching lintels. They are simply calling for some charming Christmas décor and precious family time. The mantel can be traditionally decorated with family photographs, candles, and other details. For decorating the surroundings of the fireplace, search for beautiful pots online and plant houseplants that can stand the heat, such as aloe vera, areca palm, and Boston fern.
On the beach all year long
There is nothing warmer than the sun warming up the picturesque white stretch of sand while the waves are hitting it. Translate that ambiance into your cold winter home by designing a coastal-style room with a fireplace decorated with noticeable pieces of shells. Other design elements to include are sun-bleached woods, sisal, oceanic blues and sandy shades.
Winter is often cold and harsh, and all we want to do is cover ourselves with a soft blanket, have a cup of hot chocolate, read a good book and listen to the wood crackling in the fire. Choose the style of your fireplace and make your winter days a warm dream instead of a cold nightmare.
