15 Best Living Room Fireplace Insert Ideas for Style

How I transformed my old fireplace from drab to glam! The power of fireplaces can be really immense and a small change to a room is really all you need, which I learned the last time we were giving our living room a makeover. That empty wall by the old brick fireplace would suddenly become such a cozy gathering place that you would find yourselves naturally gravitating towards!

If you like our project room and if your fireplace like mine has started showing its age (my old brick fireplace, to be exact), there’s no better and cost effective time to redesign it, to give it character by making it more in line with your taste.

Whether it’s rustic or romantic or anything in-between – from white brick to marbled and much more-all achievable with small design choices to make surprisingly big effects.
And here’s the best of all. I didn’t have to do the exact match that I saw in the catalog! So here is a small dose of fireplace DIY ideas that will warm not only your homes but also your hearts! I would love to say that you will be able to match them perfectly in your own cozy abode.

Cozy Electric Fireplace Insert with a Warm Wood Mantel

This electric fireplace insert with a warm wood mantel will make a living room feel like it is instantly cozy. An insert like the flames offer visual comfort without giving the illusion that you are actually there to look for the heat.
Using a chunky mantel adds a more rustic farmhouse feel to this style and I do not really think this will work on a more classic or modern home design. On the contrary, a slim or Floating mantle would suit others. Let us also not put our design touches on how the color of the wood would differ in various colors and hues to match our existing floorings or furniture.
Adding only a few pieces for decoration on the mantel can make the room appealing to guests – a large mirror or painting, few ceramic pieces would suffice.

Classic Wood Burning Insert with White Painted Brick

Why repaint if your fireplace does not have new paint? Painting a brick fireplace white would brighten a room and not be as dark as before, especially if you decide on white bricks. Combining with a wood mantel would be amazing and would not make this fireplace from showing the right character as much.

For a family living room where the hearth of the home needs a bit much help, a few accessories or objects that reflect your love for reading (I’m looking for a beautiful, soft armchair, an adorable floor rug and a simple wood burning insert in the near future!) would make the space a true cozy nook for all ages.

White painted brick fireplaces are a great option for more rustic homes that might otherwise not get very much natural light during the day.

Crisp White Painted Brick Fireplace with TV

Adding your TV to the wall of the fireplace works with a white brick design. This kind of design will surely make the entertainment area a bright, light yet fun space rather than dark and overwhelming one as it can sometimes feel with darker-colored finishes.
Although it may be difficult, make sure that the heat of the fireplace clearance is more space from your entertainment screens!
Only a few well-placed decorative objects such as the few pieces I have on mine will certainly add a bit of a personal touch to the room, without becoming distracting.

Sage Green Lime washed Stone Fireplace with TV

When the fireplace wall has neutral-toned décor, a few colorful accents can really tie it all together! Earthy, a Sage Green, and natural stone are an unexpectedly lovely pairing!
A very subtle lime wash finish on some of my favorite stones is one such an idea. Soft, inviting and still provides for that earthy texture. Pair a simply- wood- mantel, woven baskets for firewood, a comfortable throw pillow, some indoor plants, and some pretty curtains with any type of stone, and then it is up to you!

If TV sets are wall-mounted directly over the fireplace, even a gentler color choice is a better option than a white painted fireplace, as it helps lessen the harshness the television screen can sometimes have on walls when they’re bright white.

Sleek Marble Fireplace with TV

This marble fireplace has a contemporary appeal, but due to its rich, organic patterns and smooth textures, can definitely feel inviting when accompanied with warmed wood.
For a much more minimal appeal, you can even place custom white-colored stone tiles with large Marble Slab panels all along the Fireplace or some really deep accent hues for an added dramatic feel for the whole wall and the surroundings will be surely worth it!

It looks best paired with furnishings made from fine material – as the smooth, flowing pattern is highlighted through warm lighting and simple accent furnishings made of smooth wood and soft, muted textiles.

Coastal Whitewashed Stone Fireplace with Driftwood Shelves

Driftwood Shelves look great on the wall of Whitewashed stone fireplace which adds the finishing touches for a coastal chic bedroom, but without the nautical clichés, this does give it just a little feel of the sea in a much subtler way, don’t you agree?!
This will have added visual interest to even the more conventional home and I must add that it just helps make the space seem brighter! I did not add too many nautical touches in this case, but the books on my mantel all evoke the same beach atmosphere! It also looks perfectly in style in the sunnier areas!

Elegant Navy Fireplace Wall with Brass-Styled Shelves’

The fireplace wall in navy could easily make a real style statement, and the cool, yet warm, Navy Blue gives warmth to what may appear to an ordinary house to a statement home that really pops with its colorful design! The color Navy blue goes perfectly in almost any house. This is no ordinary, however, just the most luxurious kind of Navy blue you’ll see here. And the use of brass -styled shelves to compliment, adds even greater warmth.
White furniture with a contrastive design may appear to make this feel more classic, as may be seen more obviously with darker coloured sofa to achieve such a stylish look for the home.

Retro Caramel Stone Fireplace with Teak Shelves

The caramel-colored stone fireplace could have a distinct retro feel that would be greatly boosted with the addition of Teak Shelves. Clean-lined and smooth furniture will compliment each other perfectly for your home. This looks good even if, on some rare occasion, the stone you do have doesn’t quite match up with.
Whether it goes for any shape you want or style that can surely be done, there will not even be a question as to how beautifully the fireplace will be. It fits in most homes.

Rustic River-Rock Fireplace with Live-Edge Shelves

A rustic and natural stone fireplace in the family room. This kind of material would create a look that’s more lived in and imperfect, which would be great if it did not fit with some other modern styles that you may want for your home.
Pair it with beautiful pieces such as live-edge shelves to give the space just an extra touch. If you would want the fireplace to give the room a great deal of its character you need to be able to tie in other items too. In this case, a large comfortable couch would be needed. Wood accent tables and woven textiles would also add a rustic yet stylish touch.

Blush-Toned Stone Fireplace with Soft Vintage Cabin Charm

A fireplace with stone in a pale blush hue does wonders at adding softness to a living room; even the most minimal living room feel a little more inviting. What this is all about is cozy vintage cabin appeal, from the aged wood of the mantel to some of the comfy seating.

I personally feel that if it is not perfectly fitted in your home, then no one cares when a part of you really shines through to the world for others to see!
Even if a few things may be slightly off in your room, it’s about creating the perfect living room that represents YOU and no one else has to like it!

How to Choose the Right Fireplace Insert Style

Begin by looking at the room you have. Take note of your flooring, wall colors, current furnishings and the overall light in your room when choosing a fireplace finish. What looks great on paper can be very different in person.
Consider how you plan to use your fireplace: while electric options are convenient and often easy to install, wood-burning fireplaces can require ample ventilation and ongoing maintenance.
Next, take stock of proportions. On a large feature wall, a small fireplace can look quite insignificant; conversely, a very grand marble mantel may overpower a small room.

Also important to consider is the mantel: warm natural wood contrasts beautifully with both brick and stone, or choose a painted finish for a streamlined, harmonious appearance.
The key to good design here is that it does not all have to coordinate to perfection. In fact, a fireplace insert can look a lot warmer if the different textures have the room to breathe.

Bring Your Fireplace Design Together

Your fireplace wall should feel integrated with the style of the rest of the room; it should not be viewed as separate from other pieces of furniture in the room. Repeat color tones used in the fireplace insert onto items such as wall hangings, area rugs, decorative throws, or pillows. Also choose elements that will complement any wood tones within nearby pieces of furniture. Finally, layer warm lighting so that your fireplace can emit that desired glow even when the actual flame is off.

Remember, it is ok to keep design simple. Sometimes, the most ideal fireplace features a beautifully chosen stone surround, cozy seating for relaxing, and a few meaningful personal pieces to display on the shelf.
Ready to spruce up the living room? Use the fireplace suggestions listed above to kick off your project, find some material samples and colors that work for your room, and design an outstanding fireplace wall for you to enjoy.