Your fireplace hearth is so much more than just a functional element—it’s a design opportunity waiting to happen.
Whether you’re working with a traditional brick hearth or a sleek modern design, the right styling can transform your entire room’s atmosphere.
Let’s explore twenty creative ways to make your hearth the cozy, beautiful focal point you’ve always dreamed of having in your home.
01. Create a Boho Vibe With Greenery
Credit: Sara Toufali ofBlack and Blooms
You’ll love how plants in woven baskets instantly bring life to your rustic fireplace hearth.
Mix different heights and basket styles for that effortlessly boho feel. The combination of natural greenery against brick or stone creates a stunning organic contrast that makes your space feel fresh and inviting year-round, even when the fire isn’t burning.
02. Embrace Bold Midcentury Color Blocking
Credit: Dazey Den
Got a raised firebox that creates an awkward detached hearth? Turn that design challenge into a retro statement piece.
Paint your hearth with color block patterns that echo your wall details. This kitschy approach works beautifully in midcentury modern homes, adding personality and vintage charm while solving that tricky design dilemma with style and creativity.
03. Display Vintage Fireplace Tools
Credit: Michelle Berwick Design
An all-black fireplace hearth becomes even more dramatic when you add a freestanding tool rack.
Choose both practical and decorative vintage pieces to create visual interest. This modern rustic approach keeps everything you need within reach while adding authentic character to your space that feels collected and intentional rather than staged or overly designed.
04. Install an Ornate Decorative Screen
Credit: Dazey Den
When you paint your fireplace in a bright, bold color, an ornate screen becomes your best friend.
It cleverly camouflages the smoke-darkened firebox floor while adding decorative flair. A brass peacock screen or similar statement piece works especially well in colorful, eclectic spaces where you want every element to contribute to the overall drama and personality of your room.
05. Incorporate Practical Firewood Storage
Credit: Ursula Carmona ofHome Made By Carmona
Your raised hearth ledge is perfect for a stylish firewood holder that does double duty.
It keeps logs within easy reach for those chilly evenings while serving as attractive decor when the fireplace sits dark. Consider a DIY version on your painted brick ledge for a custom solution that perfectly fits your space and matches your design aesthetic.
06. Balance Busy Surrounds With Light Hearths
Credit: Studio Peake
Sometimes the best hearth is one that steps back and lets other elements shine.
A simple white marble hearth provides breathing room when you’ve got a graphic tile surround or busy mantel. This approach creates balance in colorful spaces, preventing visual overload while maintaining that clean, airy feeling that makes rooms feel larger and more sophisticated than they actually are.
07. Transform Non-Working Hearths With Art
Credit: Black Lacquer Design
Your non-working hearth is begging for creative expression, so why not fill it with artfully arranged framed photographs?
This unexpected approach turns a forgotten space into a personal gallery. Layer different frame sizes and styles to create depth and interest that draws the eye downward, making your fireplace area feel complete even when flames aren’t dancing in the firebox above.
08. Arrange Decorative Objects Thoughtfully
Credit: Emily Henderson Design/ Photo by Zeke Ruelas
Balance is everything when styling your all-white fireplace, and your hearth floor plays a crucial role.
Try casually stacking magazines with a tall vase to echo what’s happening on your mantel above. This creates visual harmony between upper and lower elements, making your entire fireplace wall feel intentionally designed rather than randomly decorated with whatever you had lying around the house.
09. Make a Statement With Patterned Tile
Credit: Brexton Cole Interiors
Give your period fireplace a stunning makeover using patterned tile on both the hearth and surround.
Black-and-white star motifs work beautifully with painted wood mantels in Tudor homes. This approach honors the vintage architecture while feeling fresh and modern, creating a bold finish that becomes the undeniable focal point of your entire living room without overwhelming the space.
10. Go Minimalist With a Single Statement Piece
Credit: Home Consultant
Your streamlined fireplace hearth doesn’t need clutter to make an impact—sometimes less truly is more.
A single tall white vase filled with branches takes full advantage of your ceiling height. This minimalist approach works especially well with painted brick midcentury modern fireplaces, where clean lines and simple forms create that coveted sophisticated aesthetic that never goes out of style.
11. Play With Unexpected Color Combinations
Credit: Design byPl Studio/ Photo by Aude Lerin
Cool gray hearth tiles paired with a painted pink mantel create an unexpectedly delightful contrast in Victorian spaces.
Style your non-working hearth with stacked books and flower-filled vases for a playful, feminine look. Don’t forget to place an eye-catching object in the empty firebox to complete the transformation and draw attention to your bold color choices throughout the entire fireplace area.
12. Showcase Your Vintage Treasures
Credit: Merchant & Found
Your hearth makes the perfect platform for displaying those vintage finds you’ve been collecting over the years.
Focus on creating interest through varying colors, textures, and sizes rather than matching everything perfectly. This collected approach tells your personal story while adding authentic character that you simply can’t achieve with brand-new store-bought decor items arranged in predictable ways.
13. Let Bold Textures Speak for Themselves
Credit: Design by Amy Leferink atInterior Impressions/ Photo by Jill Hamilton Photography
When your painted white stone fireplace already makes a textured statement, minimal decor is your smartest move.
A wide, sturdy hearth ledge can even function as extra seating in smaller spaces. Add a built-in niche for firewood storage and a few carefully chosen decor objects, creating a practical yet beautiful solution that serves multiple purposes without feeling cluttered or overdone.
14. Try a Nature-Inspired Green Paint Treatment
Credit: Design byHayley English Interiors/ Photo by Tyler William Parker
Your brick hearth that extends into the room deserves special attention—consider painting it dark green.
This works beautifully with botanical wallpaper and corner fireplaces in home offices. Paint the brick arch around your firebox the same shade for a cohesive, nature-inspired look that brings the outdoors in while creating a calming, sophisticated atmosphere perfect for focused work or relaxed reading.
15. Add Interest With Sculptural Elements
Credit: Design byBrophy Interiors/ Photo by Hugo Landa Garcia
Creating visual interest on your hearth doesn’t require complicated styling—sometimes simple sculptural spheres do the trick perfectly.
These decorative objects become especially impactful against eye-catching patterned mantels. The geometric simplicity of spheres provides a beautiful counterpoint to busier elements, proving that thoughtful design is often about knowing when to add drama and when to embrace elegant restraint in your choices.
16. Convert Unused Hearths Into Storage
Credit: Design byCalimia Home/ Photo by Jeanne Canto
Your non-working hearth can become surprisingly practical storage that doesn’t sacrifice style one bit.
A simple woven basket filled with cozy throw blankets adds both function and warmth to your space. This approach is perfect for year-round comfort, giving you easy access to those extra layers during movie nights while keeping everything organized and looking intentionally styled rather than messy.
17. Let Neutral Hearths Ground Ornate Designs
Credit: Design byAngel O’Donnell/ Photo by Taran Wilkhu
When you’re working with highly decorative fireplaces featuring carved mantels and detailed tiling, a neutral hearth keeps things balanced.
A solid black hearth provides the perfect foundation, allowing ornate elements to steal the spotlight they deserve. This restraint prevents your design from feeling too busy or overwhelming, creating a sophisticated look that feels curated rather than chaotic and visually exhausting.
18. Warm Things Up With Terracotta Tile
Credit: Alvin Wayne
Square terracotta tile brings warmth to both traditional and modern fireplace designs with equal success.
Style your raised terracotta hearth ledge with stacked books and fresh flowers for an inviting touch. The earthy tones work beautifully with white-painted fireboxes, creating a warm, welcoming atmosphere that makes your living room feel like the cozy retreat you’ve always wanted to come home to.
19. Blend Traditional and Contemporary Elements
Credit: Design byAngel O’Donnell/ Photo by Taran Wilkhu
Update your traditional fireplace by combining black paint, colorful tiles, and a sleek poured concrete or stone slab hearth.
This mixing of old and new creates unexpected visual interest that feels fresh and current. Style your simple black hearth with a single potted plant for an effortlessly chic look that honors the past while embracing modern design sensibilities in one cohesive statement.
20. Create Elegance With Matching Marble
Credit: Emily Henderson Design/ Photo byTessa Neustadt
Using the same stone on your mantel, surround, and hearth creates a seamless, luxurious look that feels incredibly sophisticated.
Black-and-gold marble works beautifully in Art Deco-inspired bedrooms, especially when you style the mantel with modern objects. This contrast between classic materials and contemporary accessories prevents the look from feeling too formal or dated, achieving that perfect balance of glamour and livability.
Final Thoughts
Your fireplace hearth offers endless possibilities for expressing your personal style while adding functionality to your space.
Whether you prefer bold patterns, minimalist designs, or cozy vintage vibes, there’s an approach that’ll work perfectly for your home and lifestyle.
Start with one idea that speaks to you, experiment with what you already own, and don’t be afraid to let your hearth become the cozy, beautiful focal point it was always meant to be.
