41 Brick Fireplace Ideas for Any Design Style

A brick fireplace is one of those cozy home features many folks covet, and contrary to popular belief, it isn't just for farmhouse-style or traditional-style homes: A brick fireplace can fit seamlessly with any design style with the right finishes and accents and can even become your home's eye-catching focal point. Whether your style is rustic or modern, a brick fireplace is a standout architectural feature you can transform or decorate with a little creative thinking.

Unlock your existing brickwork's stylish potential (or even give it a makeover) with these inspiring ideas that fit any design style.

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Celebrate Original Features

Design by Home Consultant

This living room is filled with beautiful architectural features, from the wooden ceiling beams to the arched doorway, but the oversized, exposed brick fireplace that takes up a majority of the wall is the show-stopping feature in this living room. If you're lucky enough to have a brick fireplace like this in your home, you can let it shine by keeping furniture and accent colors simple.

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Paint It Solid White

Design by Ashley Montgomery Design

This little dining nook seems much larger than it is because the white walls and all-white fireplace brighten up the space. The textures of the fireplace, from the brick surround to the shiplap over the mantel add interest and texture to the room. To add a touch of color without overcrowding the space, add greenery through houseplants and colorful artwork.

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Follow the Ceiling Line

@dwellaware / Instagram

Your brickwork can go all the way up to make your space feel dramatic if you have a tall ceiling to work with. The slant in this ceiling takes this brick fireplace from ordinary to stunning, especially against the white wall backdrop.

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Add Curved Elements

Design by Britt Design Studio

If you already have a brick fireplace that you love, decorating it with the right accents will enhance its design aesthetic even further. If your living room is filled with square or rectangular shapes, like this living room from Britt Design Studio with its brick fireplace and rectangular wainscoting accents on the wall, add round or curved elements to the room for balance. An arched bamboo-shaped fireplace screen adds more visual appeal.

The 12 Best Fireplace Screens of 2023

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Create an Arch

Design by Emily Henderson / Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp

A brick fireplace is the perfect focal point in any style home, including this Mediterranean-style living room from Emily Henderson Design. Pops of navy and teal add color that still allows the fireplace to remain the main focus.

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Frame It Out

Design by Arbor & Co.

It's no design secret that pairing black and white accents creates a beautiful contrast. Here, Arbor & Co. framed a brick fireplace painted in black with a white mantel and built-in storage that enhances the design of this neutral living room.

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Add Black Accents

Design by Home Consultant

The first thing that catches your eye in this sitting area designed by Home Consultant is the beautiful black brick fireplace that pulls all the other accents in the room together, from the industrial-style sconces to the patterned pillows.

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Add Drama

@flippingnuts_ca / Instagram

If dark and dramatic is your personal design aesthetic, there is no reason your home's design style shouldn't reflect that. Here, Flipping Nuts paired a black brick fireplace and black shiplap wall with a custom-made, natural wood mantel and mustard accents for a design that's one-of-a-kind.

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Anchor It

Design by Hannah Tyler Designs

When you have a living room that allows in plenty of natural light, you can play with dark, moody colors and still have a space that feels open and bright. Here, Hannah Tyler Designs updated their large brick fireplace that was once an eyesore with black paint. The makeover was easy, budget-friendly and adds an interesting element to the room without making it feel crowded and dark.

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Modernize Craftsman Style

Design by Velinda Hellen / Photo by Sara Lagorria-Tramp

The original fireplace in this Craftsman-style home was already a beautiful white brick with built-in shelving, but the tile in the hearth needed to be replaced. Here, designer Velinda Hellen for Emily Henderson Design replaced the old tile with large black tiles to create a beautiful contrast with the white brick fireplace and walls. The combination brings a modern touch to this cute bungalow.

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Whitewash It

Design by Jessica Nelson Design

You may love the original brickwork on your fireplace or the wall behind it, but if you're looking to brighten up your living space, a little paint goes a long way. Painting the brick with chalk paint will give it an antique look and brighten up a room without completely covering the beautiful color of the original bricks.

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Mix With Wood

Design by Becca Interiors

The first thing you notice in this living room from Becca Interiors is the warm colors and textures of the fireplace. The combination of the red brick surround and natural wood mantel creates an inviting feel in this coastal-inspired living room.

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Make It Graphic

Design by @jkath_designbuild / Photo by @alyssaleephotography

A brick fireplace can feel outdated depending on the condition of the brickwork and if it overpowers the rest of the room's design. Instead of renovating the fireplace, try refreshing it with black paint. It will transform your fireplace into a statement piece instead of an eyesore, especially when you have a beautiful oversized fireplace like this one from Design by Jkath Design Build.

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Add a Painted Detail

@cookiesanddecorbypam / Instagram

Painting your fireplace black creates a dramatic effect no matter how big or small your fireplace is. This arched brick fireplace from Pam Parrish is small but mighty and an easy makeover that only takes a couple of DIY hours to complete.

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Experiment With Layout

Design by Ashley Montgomery Design

This fireplace brickwork from Ashley Montgomery Design makes an impactful design statement with its unusual layout. Traditional red brick can sometimes take away from the other elements of the fireplace, but this white paint color provides a clean and simple canvas so the shape of the fireplace shines.

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Keep It Traditional

@sugarandspice.interiors / Instagram

The traditional neutral brickwork on this fireplace from Sugar and Spice Interiors makes this the perfect backdrop to decorate for each season. The brickwork carries through to the hearth for a cohesive look, while the dark wood mantel and surround add a rustic touch.

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Use a Limestone Finish

Design by Charbonneau Interiors

Normally, you wouldn't think a brick fireplace would fit seamlessly with a contemporary-style room, but this home office from Charbonneau Interiors proves otherwise. The limestone finish on the fireplace allows the brick to blend into the wall to create a grand, sophisticated room that has plenty of texture and eye-catching features.

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Brighten Up a Small Space

COTTAGE + SEA / Instagram

This living room from COTTAGE + SEA's proves that a brick fireplace can add a stylish focal point in a small space that is worth its weight in square footage. The brick border adds a traditional feel to the room while the white surround and mantel brighten and open up the compact space.

The 6 Best Gas Fireplace Inserts of 2023

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Decorate With Wood

Design by Emily Henderson / Photo by Sara Lagorria-Tramp

In this living room from Emily Henderson Design, chopped firewood functions as decor in the off-duty season when it doesn't make sense to burn a fire.

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Add a Pale Shade of Gray

Design by Blakely Interior Design / Photo by Andrea Pietrangeli

The painted gray brick surround of the fireplace brings some depth to this living room from Blakely Interior Design, while still keeping with the neutral color palette. The gray brickwork against the white mantel is a refreshing, contemporary update on the traditional look of red brick.

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Display Plants

@leafandlolo / Instagram

Even without a true fireplace, you can get that brick fireplace look with a brick wall and a furnace. Here, Leaf and Lolo instantly brightened up the living room with a pale gray brick wall that's the perfect spot to display a collection of houseplants.

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Try a Herringbone Pattern

Design by Mary Patton Design

A little brick adds a lot of charm; the herringbone pattern of this brick hearth from Mary Patton Design adds a charming twist.

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Pair White Brick With Navy Built-Ins

Design by Ashley Montgomery Design

A navy and white color combination will never go out of style. This floor-to-ceiling brick fireplace from Ashley Montgomery Design is painted in white and flanked by sleek navy cabinets that balance each other well in this midcentury modern-style living room.

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Build a Firewood Storage Insert

Design by Tina Ramchandani Creative and Winter McDermott

Not only is this white fireplace a stunning backdrop for a trio of black and white prints, but the white brick allows the wood burning fireplace and firewood storage insert to take center stage in this living room design by Tina Ramchandani Creative and Winter McDermott.

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Add Old World Charm

Design by Kate Marker Interiors

The limestone finish on this fireplace design adds rustic charm in this light and airy modern farmhouse living room, while the wood mantel matches the ceiling beams for a cohesive look. Kate Marker Interiors dressed up the mantel with simple black and white prints and one large mirror to open up the space even more.

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Change Directions

Design by Charbonneau Interiors

The multicolored brick wall of this open plan living room from Charbonneau Interiors is the main focal point of the space. To keep things interesting, the brick is laid in a herringbone pattern on the fireplace surround that's framed by a white mantel. The same brickwork is carried through to the adjacent kitchen to make the spaces feel cohesive.

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Use Reclaimed Brick

@pretty.thrifty.home / Instagram

Shabby chic design style features vintage-inspired furnishings and decor elements that have been collected over time. This fireplace nook in Pretty Thrifty Home's living room includes antique items on the mantel, a vintage-inspired floral accent wall, a vintage fabric pennant garland and a bright blue furnace that's the perfect addition to the reclaimed Belfast brick fireplace.

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Add a Vintage Grate

Design and Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp

In this living room from Sara Ligorria-Tramp, a Hmong embroidery hangs above the brick fireplace mantel for a pop of color between two stained glass windows, and a vintage grate (a family hand-me-down) in front of the fireplace adds to the collected-over-time look.

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Decorate a Non Working Fireplace

Design by Calimia Home

The plaster on this fireplace from Calimia Home is common in Spanish Colonial architecture, but its simplicity and texture add an organic and refreshing look that would work in any style living room. The plastered brick firebox in this non-working fireplace is decorated with a wicker basket that complements the neutral decor of the room.

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Update the Mantel

Design by Blakely Interior Design / Photo by Andrea Pietrangeli

You don't have to cover all the original brickwork to brighten and update a space. A new fireplace surround and mantel instantly upgrades this sitting room without completely covering up the beautiful brickwork of the original fireplace, like this traditional living room from Blakely Interior Design.

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Add Distressed Brick

@stonecottage2250 / Instagram

If you don't currently have a brick fireplace but covet one, adding even a small brick accent gives the same charming look and is a fairly easy and budget-friendly DIY project. Here, Linda of @stonecottage2250 covered the original plaster fireplace surround with distressed bricks that add a homey feel to the living room.

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Preserve Tudor Details

@heirlooms.co / Instagram

Many Tudor-style homes feature light-colored sandstone fireplaces, and Lauren Hawley's historic Tudor home features this same look with a white plastered brick fireplace framed with a sleek black mantel. The design is true to its historic roots yet has an updated feel.

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Add Doors

Britt Design Studio

The white brick fireplace allows the natural light that's trickling in from the skylight above to bounce around and brighten up this cozy kitchen from Britt Design Studio. The kitchen backsplash pulls in colors from both the fireplace and cabinetry that helps the different style elements come together. Fitted doors that close completely keeps it safe to use in the pass-through space.

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Pair Black and White

Design by Calimia Home / Photo by Karla Garcia

If you love the contrast of black and white design, don't forget about the fireplace. This living room designed by Calimia Home features a fireplace with a black firebox and all-white fireplace brick surround and ornate mantel that creates a beautiful contrast.

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Add Farmhouse Style

Design by Blue Copper Design

The firebox of this non-working fireplace from Blue Copper Design holds chopped firewood that makes a design statement against the white brick fireplace backdrop and adds coziness. The floating wood mantel and matching ceiling beams add warmth and modern farmhouse style to the space.

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Add Industrial Details

noverohomes and designed_by_jill / Instagram

This fireplace design by interior designer Jill Fritz proves that brick is beautiful in any style home, from traditional to industrial-style. Separately, the distressed brick, raw wood mantel and metal hardware detailing are beautiful, but when these elements are put together, it takes the wow factor way up.

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Stay Neutral

Design by Leclair Decor

The brick fireplace in this streamlined living room from Leclair Decor is painted in a warm dark gray that blends in with the neutral tones of the space. A sleek white mantel and black fireplace surround add to the contemporary vibe of the double-height room.

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Add Midcentury Character

Design by Cathie Hong Interiors / Photo by Margaret Austin Photo

This renovated midcentury modern home from Cathie Hong Interiors has a modern fireplace without a mantel whose solid white painted bricks add a textural element to the seating area. Medium-toned gray paint on the interior of the firebox adds dimension.

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Paint It White

Home Made By Carmona

This brick fireplace from blogger Ursula Carmona of Home Made By Carmona is painted out in white to match the walls, allowing it to blend in with the rest of the room and allow bright blue and gold decor accents to get equal billing.

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Warm Up an All-White Room

Fantastic Frank

This 19th-century Spanish fireplace from Fantastic Frank is built seamlessly into the side wall of the living room and covered with soft white plaster. The brick-lined interior and base of the small open firebox adds warmth to the all-white space.

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Paint It Matte Black

Design by Laquita Tate Interior Styling and Designs

The floor-to-ceiling fireplace in this living room from Laquita Tate Interior Styling and Designs is a focal point and stand out feature thanks to a layer of matte black paint. The dark color grounds the room and complements white walls, wood and copper accents, and plenty of natural greenery.