How To Design Your Living Room Around Your Fireplace

In addition to the glorious heat they create, fireplaces are also highly sought after for their fine aesthetic value and the welcoming ambience they bring to a room. If you’re thinking about installing a fireplace in your living room, and need some inspiration or great ideas to help you style the room perfectly around this focal point, we’ve got you covered. Here are a few design ideas you might want to consider.

5 design considerations when styling a living room around your fireplace:

1. Place furniture at a safe distance from the fire

To prevent fires and damage to your sofas, tables and armchairs, ensure that you place all furniture a safe distance from the fireplace. The intense heat can not only damage furniture but may be enough to spark a fire. Using the owners manual will enable you to find the correct recommended distances from combustible material which you can place a unit. They will all vary and most can be placed right onto the face of a non-combustible material. Soft furnishings such as rugs and carpets need to be an arm’s length away, and you must invest in a firescreen if you have an open insert fireplace.

2. Arrange furniture in a square

The beautiful, elegant designs of modern fireplaces make them natural focal points in any room. Make the most of your fireplace’s beauty and the warmth it creates by arranging your sofas and armchairs in a square or ‘U’ shape facing the fireplace.

3. Enhance with accessories

A mantel is an ideal spot to display your most treasured ornaments and framed pictures. There are many ways to dress up the mantel, including a beautiful vase of fresh flowers, photo frames and candles, for example. Another idea is to hang a large ornately framed mirror above the fireplace, which will make the room appear bigger.

4. Watch the television

There are several ways to place your television in a room with a fireplace while still ensuring it is a safe distance away. If TV unit is to be above the fireplace, it is recommended that you use a recess, mantle or mantle shelf to aid in heat protection. Different units once again come with different clearances and referring to the owners installation manual can provide you with these figures. Sometimes that mantle is too high and can put a strain on your neck. Try placing the TV on the wall next to the fireplace, position the sofa across from the TV and any armchairs or ottomans on the opposite side of the fireplace. This will create a natural flow through the room and will use the space wisely.

5. Utilise corners

Your fireplace doesn’t always have to sit against a straight wall. You can place a freestanding fireplace in a corner or even build a corner mantle that allows for an insert fireplace. This frees up space for furniture placement and can help to circulate heat throughout a room more effectively.

Jetmaster has a range of elegant fireplace designs to accentuate the decor of any living room. Find the perfect fireplace by browsing our range online now.