A fireplace has a way of making a living room feel more inviting, even when it isn't being used. For both of us, it has become an important feature in our homes, not only during the colder months but throughout the year. It's a place where we can introduce seasonal details, play with different textures and create a welcoming atmosphere without changing the entire room.
Although our fireplaces share a similar design, we've each styled them in ways that reflect our own homes and the things we naturally gravitate towards.
In both apartments, the fireplaces are built into white walls, with recessed shelves on one side and a television area on the other. The clean architectural design gives us a neutral foundation that works with different colours and decorative pieces.
In one living room, warm wood tones, soft lighting and neutral accessories create an inviting atmosphere around the fireplace. In the other, natural textures, decorative branches and carefully chosen accessories bring warmth and character to the space. Both approaches complement the design of each room while reflecting our individual styling preferences.
When choosing decorations, we've found it helps to look at the colours and materials already in the room. Repeating a few of them around the fireplace brings the different areas together.
One of our favourite features is the recessed shelving beside each fireplace. These small spaces offer an opportunity to add personality without taking up valuable floor space.
In both apartments, we enjoy styling the built-in shelves with ceramic vases, candles, decorative objects and branches. We often change the arrangements depending on the season or simply when we feel like giving the space a different look. Combining pieces of different heights, shapes and textures adds interest, while leaving some space between them keeps the shelves from feeling overcrowded.
One detail we both love about our fireplaces is the stacked wood logs in the lower niches. Against the white walls and clean lines of the fireplace, they introduce texture and make the design feel warmer, even when the fire isn't lit.
We've also brought softer textures into our living rooms through woven baskets, throws and cushions. These details help connect the fireplace to the surrounding seating area, making the whole space feel comfortable and welcoming.
We love how these softer details work alongside the modern design of our fireplaces, making the living rooms feel comfortable and lived-in without adding too much decoration.
Lighting makes a noticeable difference in both our living rooms, particularly as the afternoon turns into evening. In one apartment, concealed lighting around the television wall adds a warm glow, while lanterns beside the fireplace bring another layer of light. In the other, the combination of candlelight and carefully placed decorative pieces creates an inviting setting that feels especially lovely as the evening approaches. A candle on a cabinet, a lantern on the floor or warm accent lighting can each contribute something different.
Autumn is when we especially enjoy changing the decorations around our fireplaces. Neutral pumpkins bring a seasonal touch to the recessed shelves, while golden branches and richer colours add interest around the television area.
What we like about these changes is that they work with the pieces already there. A vase can hold different branches, candles can be rearranged, and a few pumpkins can be added without filling every available surface. It's an approach you can use for other seasons too: keep the pieces you love and change only a few details.
Although our styling choices are different, we've both found that the most welcoming spaces are often those that develop gradually, with pieces we genuinely enjoy having around us.
Our fireplaces have become more than just a feature in our living rooms. They're part of the spaces we enjoy every day, and we love how a few changing details can make them feel different while still feeling like home.
xo, M & E
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