Family Night by the Fireplace

Design Ideas for a Cozy Living Space

The anatomy of a fireplace may be different from home to home, but a few design constants make every fireplace cozy. To make your home the next gathering hot spot for your family and friends, keep these design elements in mind:

1. Seating

On cold nights, few things feel better than nuzzling up in a warm blanket right in front of a roaring fire. Adding a raised hearth to your fireplace mantel design is a great way to showcase vases, plants and beautiful décor, while providing additional seating in your room.

 

Fireplace Seating

 

2. Collages, Photos or Murals

The foundation of an effective gathering place is layout of the room, but how can layout help if it’s not complemented with conversation inspiring décor? Introducing photos around your fireplace mantel and interesting or topical décor of varying heights and weights can really stir people’s memories and imaginations.

 

Fireplace decor ideas

Fall Décor Mantel / Family Collage / Jar Decorations / Red Flower / Spring Vases

3. Comfort

People want to feel comfortable enough in any space so they can chat it up and wine and dine for hours. Your fireplace mantel may be the watering hole of your room but the whole room needs to be as inviting as the fire itself. Here are a couple décor ideas to help you rearrange existing furniture or add to your space:

Comfortable fireplace designs

Symmetrical room / Large coffee table room

Create a sense of symmetry. You’ll notice that no chairs look right at each other. Instead, they are angled so that each person is made a part of the conversation. They also surround the fireplace so each person can get cozy on a cold night.

Anchor your room. Adding a large coffee table or center island also helps create an activity center. If people end up corralled around the fireplace mantel or near it, they can use the coffee table to play games or to set their drinks on. It helps anchor the room, while the fireplace serves as the focal point.

Go with L or U shapes. The symmetrical room and the room with the large ottoman share a common design feature. Their sofas and chairs are arranged in an L or U shape. This layout again makes for easy conversation with space for additional seating if needed.

How do you design your space to make it as inviting as possible? If you need more inspiration, check out our inspiration gallery! Contact us today to see how our custom cast stone fireplace mantels will make your family and friends never want to leave.