10 Ways to Style a Fireplace in a Modern Living Room

A fireplace is one of the few features that can anchor an entire room. In a modern living room, the goal isn't just heat or ambiance, it's using the fireplace as a design statement. Here are ten ways to get the styling right, drawing on our full range of modern fireplaces.

1. Let the fireplace be the focal point

Arrange seating around the fireplace rather than the TV. A sofa and two chairs angled toward the hearth instantly signals that this is a room built for conversation and warmth, not just screen time.

2. Choose a clean-lined surround

Modern spaces favour simplicity: think honed stone, matte black steel, or plaster finishes over ornate mouldings. A flush, linear surround keeps the eye moving rather than getting caught on detail. Our wall-mounted electric fireplaces are built for exactly this kind of minimal look.

3. Go flueless for flexibility

Bioethanol fires free you from chimney breasts and structural walls entirely, meaning the fireplace can sit wherever the room's layout actually calls for it, including a kitchen island or room divider. The Cocoon Terra freestanding fireplace is a great example, it needs no installation and can be repositioned as your layout changes.

4. Frame it with built-in shelving

Symmetrical alcove shelving on either side of the fireplace adds storage and visual balance, especially in living rooms with awkward chimney breasts.

5. Stick to a tonal palette

Modern fireplace walls often work best in a single tonal family, warm greiges, charcoal, or soft terracotta, rather than high contrast. This lets the flame itself provide the visual interest.

6. Add a floating mantel

A thin, cantilevered mantel shelf reads as far more contemporary than a traditional bulky mantelpiece, and gives you a spot to rotate seasonal styling.

7. Layer in textured materials

Pair a smooth fireplace surround with a boucle sofa, a jute rug, or a raw wood coffee table. Texture contrast keeps a minimal fireplace wall from feeling cold.

8. Use lighting to extend the glow

Warm, dimmable wall lights either side of the fireplace echo the flame's tone after dark, so the whole wall feels lit rather than just the hearth itself. A water vapour fireplace can achieve a similar always-on glow without any heat output.

9. Keep the mantel styling sparse

One large piece of art, a single sculptural object, maybe a low vase, is more effective than a crowded mantel. Negative space is doing a lot of the modern look's work.

10. Match the fireplace finish to your metal accents

If your fireplace has black steel detailing, echo it in door handles, light fittings, or picture frames elsewhere in the room so it feels intentional rather than incidental.

A well-styled fireplace does more than heat a room, it gives a modern living room its sense of purpose. Whether you're working with an existing chimney breast or starting from a blank wall with a flueless design, the fundamentals stay the same: clean lines, a tonal palette, and letting the flame be the star. Browse our full fireplace collection to find the right fit for your space.