What to do with an Unused Fireplace

There are many ways to include an unused fireplace into your room design; you can simply continue decorating right inside the firebox. Whatever you are displaying on the hearth and mantel, you can continue the display inside the fireplace. Whether it is creating an arrangement of flowers, placing a decorative statue, showcasing a plant or displaying a group of candles, you can pull your theme straight into the fireplace itself. Little pops of color work well in this space, because it is naturally a little dark to begin with.

You can make a breathtaking statement in your fireplace with a huge arrangement of candles. You can light them and create a fire in your fireplace without burning any wood. Whether you add delicate candlesticks or heavy pillar candles in the firebox, you can create a visually eye catching display that works lit or unlit. The display can be symmetric or asymmetric depending on the style of your room, and you can even add a little additional interest and sparkle by using glass blocks to stagger the height of your candles. Whether you use tea lights or votive candles or a mixture of different kinds of candle, you can create a breathtaking display of light in your firebox. Candles and candlesticks on top of the mantle or tabletops, or a coordinating decorative wall sconces set can coordinate bathe the entire room in soft candlelight. One word of caution about decorating with candles: If your fireplace was at any point in time converted to a gas fireplace, you will want to have the area checked by the gas company before striking a match in there.

Another great solution for decorating this space is to insert a decorative fireplace screen. This is an especially good solution if you want to the look of functional fireplace without actually using it. Let the color and style of the decorative screen influence other wall decorating ideas for the room.

You can also take your fireplace and create an entertainment center out of it. You can sink your electronics into the wall in the firebox. Depending on the size of your television to your firebox, you may be able to fit your DVD or DVR into the space as well, making your fireplace a functioning media center.