How to arrange a fireplace in an apartment - 30 photos with the best ideas

The main element of heating a house has always been the stove. Replacing them with a wood-burning fireplace did not justify itself. The stove heats the room by passing heated gas through the chimney ducts. In an open fireplace, the only source of heat is the fire, and this is not enough.

But the hearth created an atmosphere of unusual comfort and quite quickly turned into a decoration of the home. Today, an electric fireplace in the living room interior performs exactly this role.

Operating principle and functional features of electric fireplaces

A real fireplace with a live fire is a rather complex design. It is almost impossible to install such a structure in a modern apartment. An electric fireplace in the living room can be installed at any time and anywhere. Its design is much simpler, but nevertheless more effective. Unlike a fireplace, the electric version can heat a room in a very short time.

The main heating elements are heating elements. For quite a long time, metal spirals were used in this capacity. Modern ceramic heating elements last much longer, dry the air less, and consume less electricity. Place the elements at the top or bottom of the fireplace. To increase heating efficiency, the device is equipped with a fan.

The second design element is design. In this case, this role is played not only by the portal, but also by an imitation of the hearth. In the simplest case, the “wood or coal” in the firebox is made of plastic. The role of flames is played by pieces of red silk. Regular incandescent lamps illuminate the wood, and a weak fan causes the fabric to move and imitate a living flame.

The hearth will look much more realistic if you use modern technology. Multi-colored diodes illuminate a cloud of water vapor, making the illusion of tongues of fire much more realistic. Many models are equipped with speakers: they provide the sound of crackling firewood.

The photo shows a living room with an electric fireplace.

Although an electric fireplace does not require a chimney, certain restrictions are also observed during installation. Thus, installing a fireplace, especially a powerful one, is allowed only in rooms with good ventilation. The fireplace burns oxygen, like any other heating element, and this is harmful to health.

Types of electric fireplaces by location in the interior

The simplicity of the device provides another major advantage of electric fireplaces: the ability to install anywhere in the team.

The photo shows electric fireplaces for an apartment in the living room.

Products are classified first according to the method of installation:

• built-in - the structure is built into a wall or even furniture . It is impossible to change its position without dismantling the walls. Such models are very impressive, but their installation takes time;
• stationary - placed in a niche or located near a wall, for example . While not fully portable, they still allow for transfer to another location;
• mobile – a model initially designed for constant change of location . Its dimensions are, as a rule, modest, its weight is small, but the highest demands are placed on its design: after all, the product is visible from all sides.

The photo shows a portable electric fireplace in the living room interior.
The installation method limits placement in a certain way.

Another classification of fireplaces is related to this - according to the method of location:

• wall-mounted - a typical design that is placed along the wall and imitates a real hearth with the greatest accuracy . As a rule, these are stationary massive models with richly decorated portals. Can be built into the wall. This solution is most often used in modern interiors;
• recessed - essentially a modification of the wall one . This model requires a niche. After installation, only the decorative frame and imitation of the firebox remain visible;
• hanging - small flat models that are mounted on the wall . Often they are purely decorative and do not heat the room;

• Corner electric fireplaces are becoming increasingly common in living room interiors . The corner of the room is difficult to use, and this location of the hearth solves 2 problems at once. The design can be either stationary or built-in. Such a hearth can be designed in a variety of ways, especially since placement between two walls allows you to construct both symmetrical and asymmetrical models of different configurations;

The photo shows corner electric fireplaces in a city apartment.

• double-sided – built-in fireplace . The fireplace is placed in the interior wall or partition in such a way as to provide a view of the “flame” from both sides. A very effective and interesting solution, but only allowed in a modern interior;
• island - portable or stationary model with a panoramic view of the “fire” . You can place it in the center of the living room, near the TV, or in the center of the recreation area.

Pictured are island fireplaces in the living room.
Such a variety of design features allows the electric fireplace to be used both as a decoration and as an interior tool.
The ceiling is the only place where it cannot be installed, and only because a suspended biofireplace looks more impressive.

Fireplace in the living room: styles and interior design options

Interior design and decoration ideas are very diverse. Modern technologies make it possible to implement complex ideas. However, the design of a living room with a fireplace must be done in accordance with certain recommendations.

• A living room design project with a fireplace begins with a layout . Even if we are talking about an electric model that is mounted on the wall, in this case it is better to find a place for it in advance. The placement of a stationary model, both decorative and operational, must be determined in advance before finishing the walls and ceiling.
• The wall with a wood-burning fireplace must be solid . If a false or electric fireplace is equipped, then it can be placed next to the partition.
• It is worth considering one more factor: the design of the wall above the fireplace must be carried out in accordance with fire safety rules . For example, it is better not to glue wallpaper for the living room above a wood-burning fireplace, as it does not tolerate heat well, and if sparked, it can ignite. In such cases, a section of the wall must be covered with tiles or artificial stone. If a decorative version is equipped, the finish can be selected without restrictions.

The photo shows the design of a room with a fireplace.

• To protect against fire, the fireplace is equipped with a grate or glass screen . The first method allows you to admire the living flame unhindered. If the glass panel is poorly positioned, it creates glare, so it is better not to place the fireplace opposite the windows.

The hearth plays the role of not only a decorative element, but also a style-forming one. How to decorate a fireplace in the living room depends on the chosen stylistic concept.

Classic style fireplace

A living room with a fireplace in a classic style can be either small or spacious. The hearth here in any case plays the role of a semantic center, and therefore its design is treated with particular care.

• Place the fireplace in the center of the wall - this is a prerequisite. Location in a furniture wall or in a corner is excluded.

The photo shows the design of a living room with a fireplace in a classic style.

• The sofa, armchairs and coffee table are installed symmetrically with respect to the fireplace structure.
• The portal for the hearth should also have symmetrical shapes. Decorations are present, but rather modest: carvings in the ancient Greek style and modest molding are allowed. Preferred materials are imitation wood or natural stone.

The photo shows a classic-style living room with a fireplace.
A living room in a modern classic style with a fireplace allows for a freer design of the portal itself. It is allowed, for example, to paint the frame with shiny metallic paint or install glass panels instead of copper grilles. The requirements for symmetry remain the same: the living room group must create a rigid composition.

Minimalism in the design of the hearth

Minimalism involves zoning, and the relative arrangement of elements in each group is subject to the principles of both central and axial.

The design rules are different here.

• The hearth can be placed anywhere in the room: in a corner, in the center - an island model, near a wall, in a furniture wall. The location is determined only by the overall structure of the room.
• A living room with a fireplace in a minimalist style requires a minimum of furniture. The best option here is a built-in model, since it acts as part of the wall and not as a piece of furniture.
• The design of the portal is the most modest, its complete absence is preferable. The design is conditional: for example, facing with artificial polished stone. There are no decorations such as carvings, forged grilles, or moldings.

A living room with second light and a fireplace is no less demanding. Such lighting implies a large space, and a too high ceiling precludes the installation of a ceiling or island model. The best solution is to place it along the wall.

Country style fireplace

Choosing a country style design requires maintaining a balance between the principles of the classic style and a simpler, undemanding design.

• The fireplace is traditionally placed - near the wall, or at least in the corner. Built-in or island models are excluded.
• The furniture in the living room with a fireplace is wooden, painted in light colors. If the hearth portal is also made of wood, it is preferable to paint it in the same color. If the frame is made of stone, then choose the lightest possible shade.
• The true decoration of a country-style fireplace is a forged grate, the latter can be very elegant and impressive.

The photo shows the design of the rooms with a fireplace.

Art Nouveau hearth

In a modern living room interior, the fireplace has a simpler design. As a rule, the portal has clear geometric shapes, is painted in the same color as the wall and does its best to imitate the built-in structure,

In fact, this solution is a minimalist version of modernism. In the classical sense of this style, the symmetrical pencil-case portal is decorated with a rich floral pattern.

Very often, a very intricate and unusual fireplace grate is used as decoration. However, in this room the furniture should have the same lush and unusual design.

Other modern styles

Modern living rooms with a fireplace can be decorated in a variety of styles.

• High-tech involves the use of advanced technologies . An island or even a ceiling model made of glass and metal would be more than appropriate here. Any built-in options in the most unexpected places and even at different heights are also welcome.

The photo shows the interior of a living room with a fireplace in a modern style.

• The Scandinavian-style room prefers a cast-iron fireplace stove, decorated in retro style . An equally good option would be a portal made of brick - red or painted white, as well as a wooden model without carvings.
• A living room with an American-style fireplace is, in fact, a mix of modern trends. The hearth here is lined with roughly processed stone, brick or its imitation.
• In a loft, the fireplace is also decorated with brick - preferably old . However, the model can be decorated with the most intricate and unusual grille, iron or copper.
• In techno, the hearth is not formalized in the literal sense of the word . The best solution for this style is a built-in model, or a bio-fireplace made of glass and metal.

The photo shows a modern living room interior with a fireplace.

Living room design with electric fireplace

The interior of the room is determined by the finishing material, the appearance of the furniture, the relative arrangement of objects, and architectural features. All of the above must form a single harmonious ensemble, and this is not easy to achieve.

The electric fireplace occupies a central place in such a composition. Both real fire and imitation flames attract attention. Accordingly, the hearth also carries some semantic meaning.

Materials for portal design

The design of a living room with an electric fireplace depends to some extent on the appearance of the fireplace frame. There are a lot of possibilities for decoration here, since almost any materials can be used for the portal.

The choice is limited not so much by the store's offer as by the type of design. So, built-in fireplaces may not have any portal, especially when it comes to a two-sided model. In the techno, hi-tech, loft or eco style, the hearth looks more like an architectural element rather than a design detail. Stationary and mobile models require a certain frame, since in this case the imitation of the portal, as it were, emphasizes the similarity of the product with a real fireplace.

In portable fireplaces, the portal is a part of the metal body that imitates a frame. The same goes for wall-hung models. But the design of stationary ones can be very different. There are 2 options: a ready-made portal and a custom-made one.

Ready-made portals:

• polyurethane - has excellent strength and durability and easily imitates stone or wood. At the same time, the material is very light and can be processed in any way. The sizes and configurations of portals are extremely varied;
• MDF reproduces wood of any species and color. The material is less durable than plastic, but more effective;
• wood is less common, since the material itself is somewhat more expensive, but at the same time much more capricious than MDF. However, real wood is much more pleasant to the touch, gives the fireplace a luxurious look and allows the use of such a spectacular detail as carvings. In addition, this is the best solution if an electric fireplace with an air humidification function is purchased for the living room;

• a combination of glass and metal is a solution for high-tech or techno style . The model assumes the absence of decorations, simplicity of design, but attracts attention due to its transparent and shiny surfaces. Such a fireplace acts as a stylistic accent in the living room, and therefore its location and design should be given close attention;
• forged can be purchased ready-made or made to order. The portal turns out to be heavy, so this option involves a stationary electric fireplace. A forged lattice or frame adds real chic to any living room.

The photo shows electric fireplaces in a city apartment.

The portal can be a more complex structure, performed directly when installing the fireplace.
Most often it is a metal frame covered with plasterboard or plywood. Depending on the style of the living room, the frame is finished with the following materials:

• , wood is perhaps the most popular solution. The exceptional decorative effect and ease of installation of the panels attracts most consumers. Wood can be varnished, painted, artificially “aged”, decorated with carvings in order to choose a design in any style;
• MDF and other wood materials imitate wood quite accurately, but are lighter in weight and more resistant to moisture. It is worth noting that for the portal these advantages are insignificant, and products made from MDF are popular mainly due to their lower cost;
• ceramic tiles - this design is typical for living rooms in a rustic or Russian style. Ceramics are very decorative, but they “turn” the hearth into a stove, which not everyone likes;
• polyurethane tiles are an affordable and lightweight material that is extremely easy to install. Plastic imitates finishing stone like marble, onyx, granite, or construction stone - clinker, tuff, cobblestone, textured stone. In addition, tiles can be easily combined with steel gratings, polyurethane stucco molding, overlay carved elements and even glass inserts.

An electric fireplace can also be decorated with real marble, porcelain stoneware or brick. In this case, a more solid frame is erected, since these materials are heavy.

Mutual arrangement

The biggest challenge when decorating a living room is the competition between the electric fireplace and the TV. Both objects act as the center of attention. To prevent this state of affairs from creating an imbalance, certain techniques are used.

• Combination - in fact, the fireplace and TV can be rearranged as one unit . A wall-mounted or built-in hearth is designed in accordance with the style of the room. A TV is placed above it at a convenient height. Considering that in most cases we are talking about a flat-screen model, this is very easy to do.

An electric fireplace does not direct heat upward, as a real fireplace does. Accordingly, there is no reason to worry about the functionality of the TV.

• Another option is targeted placement in different zones . This solution is only possible if the living room area is large. At the same time, they form, as it were, 2 zones: a small guest room - with a fireplace, a couple of armchairs and a coffee table, and a more spacious one - with sofas and a TV.

A good solution for such cases is an island electric fireplace. This placement completely eliminates competition with the TV and allows you to place both items in one zone.

• Another way to solve the problem in a studio apartment is a fragment of the interior partition, which is left for zoning . The fireplace can be built in on one side of the partition, and the TV on the other.

The worst option for a home is a combination of a corner fireplace and a TV on the adjacent wall. Unfortunately, this is exactly what they do in most cases, trying to make the most of the space in a small living room.

A good way to combine a fireplace and a TV is used in modern interiors. The model built into the wall is placed slightly below the screen and at a distance of 1–1.3 m from it. In this case, both objects are perceived as flat images on the wall - paintings, and seem equivalent.

For small living rooms, the best option is a portable electric fireplace, which can be easily moved if necessary. However, such a model never acts as the semantic center of the living room.

Electric fireplaces in stylized living rooms

The appearance of an electric fireplace is determined by the portal or wall design around the built-in model, for example.

In order to maintain the stylistic unity of the living room, it is necessary to choose decor and types of materials in accordance with the requirements of the concept:

• classic involves imitation of finishing stone, like marble or granite, and antique jewelry . Installation of forged grilles is allowed. No less impressive is a model made of wood or MDF with symmetrical carved details;

• a baroque or renaissance portal will be made in the same way, but has a much more luxurious look . “Marble” is polished, rich stucco or sculptural decorations are very impressive, and gilding is often used. Wooden fireplaces are richly decorated with carvings. The requirement of symmetry remains mandatory. Combining such an electric fireplace with a TV in the living room interior is not so difficult: the screen located on top of the fireplace is perceived more like a picture in a simple frame;

• in Art Nouveau, the fireplace in the living room is decorated with forged parts . The material for the portal itself is most often wood or MDF;
• A rustic-style interior involves the use of clinker stone, brick or materials that imitate it . The choice is determined by the concept. So, for the English style, red “clinker” is best suited, and for Provence - “whitewashed stone or brick”. The electric fireplaces in the living room interior in the photo below are made in a rustic style;

• for a fireplace and TV in a modern style, the living room requires a different design . In techno or minimalism, an electric fireplace does not at all imitate a real one; on the contrary, its belonging to household appliances is strongly emphasized: electric fireplaces are located on the wall, built-in, and the role of a portal is played by a narrow metal frame of the case;

• in high-tech style built-in models are also preferred . There is no portal as such here either, but the entire part of the wall with the fireplace is distinguished by its finishing: textured cane, polished, wooden panels of a dull shade;

• Another typical solution for any modern style, including loft, is a built-in double-sided or glass island electric fireplace . Here the main part of the design is the transparent walls, and not the body, so there is no portal as such. The photo shows a modern style in the living room interior;

• in ecological styles, to decorate a frame or wall around the hearth, they use wood trunks, imitation tuff or other natural stone, even rattan weaving.

Tips for decorating a fireplace in the living room

To achieve the most successful location of the fireplace and design it as effectively as possible, you should follow several recommendations:

• a working fireplace should not be installed near a wall facing the street, otherwise the fireplace will heat the wall and not the room;
• The interior of a room with a fireplace involves creating a cozy corner near the hearth. For this, 2 chairs and a table are enough;
• The TV is best placed above the fireplace or on the opposite wall;
• What to install above the fireplace determines the style of the room. In country music these will be pot-bellied vases with flowers and clay figurines, in baroque - figurines and beautiful boxes, in high-tech - 1 or 2 vessels of the most strict form;
• the portal is designed exactly in accordance with the style.

The photo shows the decoration of the fireplace in the living room.

DIY portal design

If in a real fireplace the portal is part of the body, then in an electric one it is nothing more than a decorative frame. Accordingly, the latter can be done from anything. Ideas for original solutions can be gleaned from the interior or come up with yourself.

A traditional portal involves some kind of volumetric structure mounted on a wall or in a corner. Its basis is a frame covered with plasterboard.

But further design is determined only by a flight of fancy:

• sections of trunks and branches - suitable material is cut, dried, opened with varnish and fixed with glue on drywall. It is impossible to copy such a model;
• a somewhat extreme option for fans of rusticism - longitudinal sections of trunks, which are mounted on the wall so that they form something like a portal;
• the frame is simply sheathed with plywood or MDF panels, and then decorated with decoupage. You can use not only ready-made decorative napkins, but also newspaper pages, drawings by your children, fabrics, plants, small objects, etc.

The photo shows electric fireplaces in the living room interior.

• A TV with an electric fireplace in the living room can be built into one unit. To do this, a plasterboard frame is erected to the height of the wall, and false panels imitating stone or wood are used for cladding. Both devices will be placed at the same level with the wall surface.

The photo shows built-in electric fireplaces in the interior.

• An effective and simple technique is to paint the portal with metallic paint. The combination of a pseudo-metallic surface with fragments of a mirror mosaic looks interesting.

Stylistically designed fireplace in the interior of the apartment

False fireplaces can come in different designs into the interior of an apartment. Connoisseurs of elegance will certainly like the classic version of their design. It will fit perfectly into Victorian interiors.

Fireplaces in the Baroque or Empire style, lavishly decorated with Florentine mosaic patterns and carvings, look very pompous. They will become welcome guests in the same royally decorated halls.

False fireplace in Provence style

The decoration of false fireplaces in a rustic style pleases with a variety of materials. On their portals you can see:

• shell rock;
• sandstone;
• raw stone;
• crushed marble;
• tree;
• tuff

Finishing a false fireplace with stone

Although their design looks rustic, it is able to give the environment a unique coziness.

Bio-fireplaces in the interior, decorated with tiles or lined with artistic tiles, look rich.

A false fireplace in an apartment with a modern stylistic solution will be original. High-tech and minimalist models can be made of glass, stainless steel, as well as specific fire-resistant plastic. In addition to the unusual material, their distinctive feature is also the originality of the form. Sometimes, looking at such products, you don’t even realize that you see a fireplace in front of you.

Laconic false fireplace in high-tech style