What to Put on Either Side of the Fireplace

Having a fireplace is fantastic. It has that lovely, elegant feel, making your entire room feel pretty luxurious. But when it comes to decorating around the fireplace, a lot of people get stuck on what to do next.

What works well with a fireplace? Figuring out what to place on either side of your fireplace can be daunting, but don’t worry. Here are our top picks for fireplace decor.

Built-in Bookshelves Always Look Good

If you’re doing a more thorough remodeling, going for some built-in bookshelves around your fireplace area is a fantastic choice. These shelves look rich and luxurious, and they add a serious tone to your living room, making it feel like a library.

This works well for all kinds of styles, as well. Here, you can see how gorgeous this combination looks in a setting that’s a bit more contemporary.

Panels Add a Certain Elegance to the Room

Another gorgeous way to fill up the walls next to your fireplace is to invest in some stunning paneling. There are a bunch of options, so you can be sure to find the right paneling that matches your living room just right, no matter if you prefer light wood and raised paneling, or if you’re more into mahogany or a bedboard wood look.

Panels are fantastic for visually filling up space. And they can work so well on their own. So if you don’t want to add any more furniture to your room, but would still like to create some visual interest, panels might be the solution for you.

Sconces Look Awesome Next to the Fireplace

You simply can’t go wrong with additional lighting sources in a living room. Perfect for creating some mood lighting, sconces are always the right choice. And placing them on each side of your fireplace creates a complete look.

Here, they used these ornamental sconces to achieve that lovely vintage look. Matching beautifully with the candle holders, as well as the rest of the room, these sconces make a glorious addition to the fireplace, complementing it in their entirety.

Plants Add Life to a Room

Plants have been all the craze for quite some time now. And for a good reason too. They liven up a room instantly while filling up the space. Even though you might be put off by the maintenance they require, consider getting one of the beginner-friendly plants  that are easy to care for.

Putting up a larger plant beside a fireplace instantly creates a cozier look. This is great for those of you who want to soften the dramatic look of a fireplace and create a homely atmosphere. 

Art Looks Lovely Beside the Fireplace

Hanging up any type of art always adds some flavor to a room. No matter if you’re choosing smaller prints or huge abstract pieces, art adds color and life to a room like nothing else. So naturally, it works great next to the fireplace.

When hanging up paintings beside the fireplace it’s important to know the direction you want to go for. You can put up two matching paintings, or you might want to go for an entire gallery wall. The important part is to plan it out well so it looks intentional.

A Mirror Looks Awesome Paired With a Fireplace

If you want to add depth to a room, or simply make it appear bigger, mirrors are your best choice. They also offer a lot of versatility as you can hang them up pretty much anywhere, and they’ll shine.

Mirrors are a classy pick. But make sure to pick out larger mirrors when pairing them up with a fireplace so they visually balance each other out.

You Can’t Go Wrong With a Simple Standing Shelf

If built-in shelves are out of your budget, or just simply too overwhelming for your home, a standing shelf will do just fine. A tall freestanding shelf works well with the fireplace while giving you some extra storage.

Putting up books, or just simple miscellaneous decorations can add more personality to the room, and it helps the fireplace area look put together as well.

Add Additional Seating 

If you have a lot of space you don’t know what to do with you can decorate with additional furniture. Adding some seating to the area works great, as it’s both practical and looks gorgeous.

Here, they expanded their seating area by adding some furniture right next to the fireplace. This creates a cute, comfy look while allowing you to seat extra guests!

Be Bold and Place Your TV next to the Fireplace

Placing a TV in a room with a fireplace can be a hassle. But if you want to add one and expand your focal point from the fireplace to the TV as well, adding a TV next to your fireplace works just right.

It’s a bold choice, but it can work so well. Here they also made sure to create a fun contrast and match the light wood TV stand with the white fireplace while matching the TV with the black fireplace mantel. This unifies the look, making these two look perfect next to one another.

Summary

Decorating around the fireplace can be daunting at first. But when you start with a plan everything is much easier. Do you want to decorate the walls? Or do you want some additional furniture?

Whatever your choice is, there are multiple options that will make your fireplace stand out or tone it down, depending on your preference. Now it is all up to you to find the right look!