With the right design a fireplace can bring warmth and sophistication to any room in your house. Follow these design ideas and tips to turn your functional mantlepiece into a design masterpiece.

1. Make a statement

As the natural focal point of any room your fireplace is your opportunity to make a statement. Don’t forgo this opportunity! Make the most of your fireplace and use it to set the design theme of your space.

2. Make use of the space around the fireplace

More often than not the area around the fireplace is left neglected. Objects like a mirror, candles, or even family photos can all be great additions. Just be wary of going to the opposite extreme by placing too many things around the fireplace. This might make it feel cluttered (and a crowded fireplace is a fire hazard).

3. Add a mirror or painting

A mirror above the mantel will make your fireplace, and indeed the entire room, feel much larger and more open. Combining a mirror with some tasteful mantel decorations can multiply their effect.

If a mirror is not your style then consider a painting or work of art. Again, the painting shouldn’t overshadow the natural beauty of the fireplace, but rather it should complement it. For a rustic style fireplace consider a landscape painting. A modern fireplace might be best complemented by a more abstract painting.

4. Create a theme

Keeping one coherent theme for your fireplace, mantel, and overall room is the best way to make the most out of your fireplace. Don’t think about your fireplace in isolation. Think about how your fireplace will tie into the rest of your home.

5. Go stone

Nothing beats the authentic style of stone. Like fire itself, stone is natural, warm, and taps into a primitive but timeless connection between man and nature. No wonder stone fireplaces are so popular.

Stone can lend a beautiful rustic feel to any room, and combined with the right complementary decor, it can turn your living room into a cozy den. But stone is not one dimensional. Yes it can look rustic, but it need not be. Sleek contemporary stone can create an ultra-modern design, or a more conservative but equally beautiful feel.

Best of all, thanks to advances in technology like Fusion Stone, you can install and customize your stone yourself – no need for expensive renovations.

6. Change with the seasons

Adding accessories that reflect the changing seasons is a great way to bring the outdoors inside and play on the natural look of a stone fireplace. For example, in the spring put some fresh flowers in a vase on top of the mantlepiece. In the fall play on the changing colours of the season with fall leaves and an acorn centerpiece. In winter use some (real or faux) evergreen. In the summer add flowers, and a playful painting full of vibrant colours.

7. It is about you

Ultimately your fireplace should reflect you: your personality, your vision and your style. With Fusion Stone and the right decor you can make your vision for a fireplace that is the focal point of your decor a reality.

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