Coming into the homestretch of winter, if you’re lucky enough to have a fireplace in your home, I hope you’re enjoying it. Fireplaces are a major benefit to any home, both functionally (particularly in the cold weather) and aesthetically. They provide a prominent visual feature, balance, and symmetry to a space. But if you’re struggling with knowing what to do with your fireplace décor to make it unique and non-bland, you’re not alone!

Check out some of these inspiring ways to make your fireplace stand out and send the visual message that you want to send.

Animal Bust.

Embrace the inherent naturalness of a fireplace by topping things off with an animal bust. Real, faux, or funky – this trend offers personality to all décor styles, not to mention dimension to the fireplace.

A Single Simple Vase.

A single vase, in a contrasting color to the fireplace itself, provides a softening yet still contemporary feel to the many right angles that can surround a fireplace. (Bonus: continue the vase theme in other areas of the space for continuity.)

Photo Collage.

Adds personality, life, and color to the fireplace scene…not to mention conversation starters, and you can change out photos seasonally as you want. It’s a win-win.

Collection.

Keeping things edited to one simple lineup of a few similar items, like these bird statues, can have a stunning impact.

Mirror(s).

We’ve all seen mirrors topping the fireplace mantel, and although it’s a choice that certainly has its benefits (e.g., space-expanding reflection), it’s not terribly unique. But take the mirror idea and twist it a bit – say, for example, layering a framed mirror over a large wall-mounted, and you’ve got yourself a unique fireplace decorating idea.

Let it Be.

If a fireplace design encompasses the entire wall, like this beautiful stone feature here, it could be preferable to let the feature wall stand alone, rather than trying to decorate and beautify something that is inherently aesthetic already.

Wallpaper.

To set the fireplace apart from the rest of the space, to feature it appropriately, some great contemporary wallpaper can do the job like nothing else. This wallpaper even helps to balance out (camouflage?) the large flat-screen TV above the fireplace, which is often a less-than-ideal décor move.

Modern Art.

A fireplace, what with its warm glow and all, tends to have a slightly traditional vibe no matter what the design is. Mounting one or two oversized pieces of modern art nearby is a funky-edgy twist to the whole cozy-up-around-the-fireplace scene.

Geometric Display.

Combine several interestingly shaped items, in this case mirrors, and create your own above-fireplace geometric motif for a cool modern look.