The Complete Guide to Decorating Your Electric Fireplace Like a Pro
An electric fireplace can instantly add ambiance, warmth, and style to any room. With some creativity and the right decorating approach, you can design a fireplace that complements your existing home decor and reflects your personal taste.
Choose an Electric Fireplace Style
When beginning your decorating journey, start by considering the overall style of your electric fireplace. Fireplaces come in traditional, modern, contemporary, rustic and a range of other styles. Evaluate the existing architectural details in your home as well as the decor of the room where you'll be placing your electric fireplace. A fireplace with clean lines and a sleek black finish would suit a contemporary space, while one with ornate carved details would match nicely in a traditional home.
Selecting a fireplace style that aligns with your interior design ensures your fireplace decor will complement the rest of the room. Whether your tastes run to the farmhouse chic, mid-century modern, or urban industrial, there's an electric fireplace to match. Use your fireplace style as the jumping off point for the rest of your decor.
Enhance Flame Effects with Decor
One of the best features of an electric fireplace is the ability to create realistic flame effects and ember beds. Decorating your fireplace to accentuate these special effects will go a long way towards making your fireplace more convincing and eye-catching.
For a traditional wood-burning look, adorn the space in front of the flame with faux logs, multicolored crystals, crushed glass embers, or decorative stones. Placing these items on the burner bed creates intriguing shadows and reflections when the flames are activated. Just take care not to place any flammable objects too close to the heating element.
Avoid Danger with Safe Decor
When decorating your electric fireplace, keep safety top of mind. While electric fireplaces don't carry the same risks as traditional wood-burning units, they can still get quite hot. Avoid placing fabric items like throws or pillows near the heat source where they could pose a fire hazard.
Accessorize Your Fireplace Mantel
Another excellent opportunity for fireplace decor is the mantel. This shelf above the firebox is the perfect spot to display cherished photos, artwork, or collections. When choosing mantel decor, select pieces in colors, shapes, and sizes that enhance the overall look you're trying to achieve.
Items commonly found on mantels include framed photographs, candles, flower arrangements, and decoratively stacked books. If your fireplace has an especially deep mantel, you can get creative with vases, baskets, sculptures, or other 3D artwork. Just secure any fragile objects with strong mantel hangers to prevent tragic falls.
Style Your Mantel
Aim for visual balance when styling your mantel. If your arrangement feels too sparse, fill in the gaps with some greenery like eucalyptus stems or air plants. You can also try arranging similar items in varying heights like a collection of pillar candles. Play around until you find a mantelscape you love.
Extend the Decor to the Hearth
For a pulled-together look, extend your fireplace decor from the mantel down to the hearth. The hearth is the floor space in front of the fireplace opening. Decorate this area to complement your mantel display. Try placing a long mirror or piece of artwork across the length of the hearth to create symmetry.
The hearth can also hold decorative baskets, vases of flowers, ceramic garden stools, or even a bench for seating. Just be mindful of fireplace safety and avoid placing flammable textiles directly on the hearth. Treat this space as an extension of the mantel.
Unify Hearth and Mantel
Link your hearth and mantel decor with colors and materials. For example, natural elements like baskets, greenery, and wood on both surfaces create cohesion. Metallic accents in pewter or gold repeat the color story. Mirroring decorative objects on the mantel above the fireplace and on the hearth is another great unifying tactic.
Coordinate Paint Colors and Materials
Another impactful electric fireplace decorating strategy is choosing complementary wall colors. Neutral hues like white, black, gray, and wood tones work well as fireplace backdrops. Warm metallics like brass, copper, or gold also pair nicely with fireplaces in traditional and modern spaces.
Try painting your fireplace surround or exposed brick a bold, contrasting color to make it pop. Accent walls in rich shades of emerald, navy, or burgundy look striking beside a fireplace. Use color to create a dynamic focal point.
Match Tile and Furniture
In addition to wall paint, decorate your fireplace by matching existing tile or furniture finishes. For example, highlight fireplaces with granite or marble surrounds by incorporating stone tabletops and floor tile elsewhere in the room. Or pick a dark espresso finish for built-in bookshelves and entertainment units to complement an ebony fireplace.
Use Ambient Lighting
Sometimes electric fireplaces can appear too harsh or bright against an otherwise dark wall. Weave in ambient lighting around the fireplace to create a warm, welcoming glow. Table lamps, floor lamps, and wall sconces casting soft, golden light transform the space.
Position accent lighting to eliminate shadows and evenly illuminate artwork above the mantel. Dimmer switches allow you to adjust the mood. Ambient lighting is key for a cozy, inviting fireplace setting.
Add Lamp Light Layers
Layer lamp lighting throughout the room at varying heights. A floor lamp in a back corner provides overall illumination, while table lamps flanking the fireplace offer more directed light. Wall sconces mount nicely above, beside or behind the mantel for accent lighting. Mix and match lamp styles to your preferences.
Incorporate a Statement Piece
Make a dramatic statement by hanging a bold, eye-catching piece of art or an ornate mirror above your electric fireplace. Oversized abstract paintings, gilded mirrors, and custom cast metal wall sculptures all grab attention and become focal points.
This type of statement piece anchors the room and gives your fireplace decor loads of personality. Look for something with muted colors and clean lines if your fireplace has a sleek, contemporary look. More traditional fireplace styles pair well with elaborate frames, carvings and gold accents.
Draw the Eye Upward
Drawing the eye upwards with a commanding piece makes your fireplace feel more like a grand architectural feature. When choosing statement art, pick a piece big and bold enough to balance the fireplace proportions. Make sure it aligns with the overall aesthetic so it looks like an intentional design choice rather than an odd mismatch.
Arrange Decorative Touches
A few final touches can take your electric fireplace decor to the next level. For added texture and visual interest, incorporate decorative elements like fireplace screens, stacked firewood, potted plants, or candle groupings. These accessories complement the fireplace while showcasing your personal style.
Wrought iron fire screens provide an elegant, ornamental look in front of the flames. Neatly stacked firewood brings the outdoors inside for a cozy cabin vibe. Strategically placed greenery breaks up the hard fireplace surfaces. Layer in details that reflect your tastes.
Add Personal Touches
Don't be afraid to infuse your fireplace area with eclectic, meaningful pieces that showcase your personality. Display favorite travel souvenirs or family photos on the mantel. Let your various styles and interests mingle in this creative space.
Finishing Touches
When your electric fireplace decorating is complete, add those all-important finishing touches. Step back and make sure your fireplace decor appears balanced, cohesive and intentional. Tweak items and adjust the styling until you're fully satisfied.
Maintain your look by dusting decor frequently and cleaning any glass or metal surfaces. Freshen things up seasonally by swapping in new decorative accessories. Most importantly, take time to relax and enjoy the warm, welcoming atmosphere you've created.
With some planning and creative vision, you can stylishly decorate your electric fireplace to complement any space. Evaluating your existing architecture and interior design provides helpful direction. Carefully curating flame effects, mantel and hearth decor, statement art, and final embellishments lets you put your personal stamp on the space.
Electric fireplaces open up wonderful possibilities for infusing color, texture and your unique taste into a room. Follow this guide to decorate your fireplace with confidence. Soon you'll be enjoying the cozy glow emanating from your newly designed electric fireplace.