Sometimes we have a fireplace in our homes, but have no use for it. Maybe it came with the house you bought, and it has already been tiled up. Or maybe you have another source of heat, and there is no practicality to using the fireplace. In these cases, it may seem like a waste of space, but there are actually some ways you can utilize it with a bit of creativity.
With a nice coat of paint or a bit of unique decor, you can make your fireplace a central part of the room without having to use it. Need some inspiration? Keep reading to discover eight ways you can transform your unused fireplace into a decorative focal point in your room.
Renew with rustic
You may not be using your fireplace, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make it look like it’s being used. By putting together a rustic look, you can ensure your fireplace stays clean all the time by providing guests with the illusion that it is functioning.
All you have to do is give your unused fireplace a good cleaning until it is sparkling. You can then gather a few pieces of wood and stack them together to make it look like you’ll be lighting a fire. You can also place a basket with other pieces of wood to place next to the fireplace to make it look more realistic.
Fill it with plants
Do you have a green thumb? If you do, and you want to make your room a bit more natural, then you can always use the extra space in your unused fireplace as a place to store your plants. There are a ton of ways you can get creative this way, and how you incorporate your plants is entirely up to you!
You may want to make it look like leaves are cascading out of the fireplace, with vines hanging off the mantel to give it an untamed, wild look. Or maybe you want to keep it simple with a few potted flowers. The options are endless.
Paint it white
Are you looking to update your entire room, but your fireplace is standing out too much? Maybe you have a red brick fireplace, but you want to give your room a more modern black-and-white color scheme. If this is the case, you only need a fresh coat of paint.
White goes with anything, so even if your walls are yellow and your furniture is black, you can still paint your fireplace white, and it will look okay. It is a neutral color, so if you ever decide to update your room again, you don’t have to go through with the hassle of painting it over again.
Add an electric heater
Do you want to add heat to your room without the hassle of cleaning up ash and soot each time you light a fire? Then you can always incorporate a heater into the unused space of your fireplace. If done properly, it will look sleek and modern and save space compared to if you were to add the electric heater anywhere else in the room.
The type of heater you add is entirely up to you, and it doesn’t necessarily need to be electric. You could even place a wood-burning stove into the spare space to provide a bit more creativity to the center of the room.
Make it marble
Marble is a timeless material and it provides any room with an updated look that you won’t be able to get with any other. This would almost be impossible if you were already using your fireplace and wanted to add a marble adhesive. Adhesives will often melt or dislodge due to the heat, so it is impractical.
The great thing about updating an unused fireplace is that you don’t have to worry about how the heat of the fire will affect the materials or decorations you dress it with. Therefore, marble is something you may want to consider as a new addition.
Try some timber
While you can stack some firewood in your unused fireplace to make it seem like it is being used, you can also use the spare space as an area to store wood. If you often have outdoor bonfires or BBQs, you may not have a spot to store your firewood. Therefore, why not kill two birds with one stone and use it to decorate your fireplace?
It provides your room with a rustic feel and also blocks up the unused fireplace to prevent any drafts from coming into the room. Just make sure you clean up the fireplace first, and the area will look perfect.
Make it a cozy pet bed
Do you have a dog or a cat? Are you looking for a new spot in your home to place their bed? Instead of tripping over it on the floor in the middle of the room, why not put it in the spare space in your unused fireplace? Pets love a small space to cuddle up in, so they would no doubt love falling asleep on a bed in your fireplace.
You can make the entire space cozy by dressing it up with some blankets and toys for your pet. Make sure they know it’s the place for them to settle down, and they’ll be spending all their time there before you know it.
Bring in some seasonality
Celebrating holidays is some of the most fun times of the year, so why not show it by dressing up your unused fireplace to represent each season? In winter, you may want to add some Christmas decorations, such as bright lights, tinsel, and even a small Christmas tree in the hollowed-out space.
You can also use the fall season to represent Halloween with a few spooky unused fireplace decorations. Summertime may be the best time to add some florals, and spring is a great season to update your fireplace with some Easter creativity.