Fireplaces have, over the course of centuries, become a home aesthetic must – each interior decoration style comes with its own cache of specials that give a customized ambiance to the space, and having a fireplace mantel in each room may not only be a necessity anymore, but it certainly makes for a beautiful aesthetic. Treating them with different materials however, is an expensive endeavor, so in this article, we would be discussing several DIY fireplace design ideas to make a fireplace look more appealing, in the limits of a cost efficient budget.
20 Amazing DIY Fireplace Design Ideas That You Should Try
1. Faux Fireplace
One of the most usual discrepancies of functional designs in overtly elaborate homes is the addition of faux elements. Fireplaces are one of the most common faux elements in the design world – they make a single, integrated focal point in any room, and is eye catching at the same time. So, even when you do not necessarily need a fireplace in a room, you can always add a mantle and close off the mouth to use it as a design element.
2. Paint the town red
If your home does not come with its own custom built fireplace, and if you want one anyway, then there is definitely a cheap way to do that. You can always use paper Mache, and some other materials and techniques to make your very own customized fireplace. Just like up the cardboard, buy a wide roll of duct tape, and lather on the paint – and you might just turn out to have your very own portable architectural masterpiece.
3. Close off the cupboard
You might want to use the faux fireplace as a cabinet – that way; it would not only be used for aesthetics, but also functionality. You can store all your living room essentials inside that one cabinet piece, and still retain an effectual visual appeal.
4. Line up in wood
Wood is one of the most recycled materials in the world, and the use of thin slats, discarded branches, and other leftovers is quite minimized. Considering that it is a slowly replenishing renewable source of energy, one might want to make use of the debris instead of throwing it out. You can use this extra wood to decorate, and line up your fireplace, granted that it runs on electricity, and not gas.
5. A classical elegance
Something simple, yet classy, makes a perfect setting for a well accomplished interior design. So when trying to decorate your fireplace, try not to go overboard – do not add too many elements, or too many small details. Just focus on the clean lines; and if there is nothing for you to do, just take a set of simple vases, and arrange them in a neat, systematic order on the underbelly of the fireplace – simple, yet elegant.
6. For the tool savvy
If you’re quite savvy with a toolbox, and can handle a bit of construction, then there are always DIY opportunities to transform a uniquely barren space into something a bit more pragmatic, and a tiny bit sensational. Add a bit of paint, slap on a wallpaper, and hammer on some new shelving slats, and you would find your space completely transformed.
7. For the Book Lovers
Ever heard of a bookshelf inside a fireplace? Well now you can attach a few slats into an existing fireplace and make a small bookshelf, that would be decorative, as well as functional.
8. A Little Something Candle
Have you ever considered that a fireplace might not just be for only burning embers and logs? Maybe you can just stylistically arrange a few scented candles over, or inside the mantle, and with the correct dim lighting, make an enchanting little interior of your own. The small, golden light of the candle flames would translate into the best wattage of low-key romantic, or semi-formal.
9. A Seating Space
You can create your very own seating nook next to the fireplace. While most people use that space for rugs and seating, you might also want to drag an armchair or two to the space – it would make for a cozy, relaxing area.
10 Draped in Foliage
If you want a little bit of artificial greenery inside your home, then creating a temporary trellis on the mantle would be the perfect course of action. It requires nothing complicated – just a hammer, some nails, and a bit of force to shove them in. Just take the nails, and hammer it in on either side of the mantle – then take your falling drapery of foliage, and affix it on the nails, and you’ve got a bit of green inside your home.
11. A Closed off Entrapment
If you’ve got a gas lit fireplace, and it is not in use at some point of the year, then you can easily turn it into a stylistic opportunity to make the most of your mantle space. You can take any extra or recyclable materials, and join them together to form a closed gate over the mouth of the fireplace. It is an easy fix, if you know what you’re doing.
12. Minimalistic-Ally Austere
If you want something simple yet austere then you can always use the architectural and interior design style of Minimalism to default out some of the clutter on your mantle. After that, you can take one single fussy element, a completely separate entity, and fix it in the very periphery of the actual design. This way, you can maintain a sense of style, while retaining a bare minimum of clutter – visual, or otherwise.
13. Bring In the Electric Heater
The electric heater is such an amazing advent of modern technology – it doesn’t have actual flames, but provides the necessary heat, as well as the psychological comfort of an actual burning fire. It is easy to mount on the wall, or retrofitted inside the fireplace compartment, and would make for an amazing decoration piece with its licking flames without the heat.
14. Retro Fireplace
Want a bit of Retro in your interior? Well you can always do that yourself, just take a bucket of paint, and let your fireplace be the canvas. A few strokes of deliberately strategic pain brushes, and you’ve got yourself a winner.