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Anthony Bridgman

Not much beats a cosy, welcoming fireplace with flickering flames. Whether it’s authentic or artificial, a warming glow will add some comfort and character to any room in the home.

That said, even if you don’t have a functioning fireplace, you can still create a central point that’s purely ornamental.

Did you know you can decorate the space above the fireplace? This is because the chimney breast goes all the way up to the top of the ceiling – and through multiple floors. This means it has ample space for objects like paintings, mirrors, shelves and more.

From inserting an antique fireplace to adding rustic charm with seasoned logs, these five chimney breast ideas will certainly add some heat to any room, even when they aren’t alight!

As mentioned earlier, the chimney breast space has more than enough room for furnishings like mirrors and paintings.

Antiques are a great way to bring any chimney breast space to life and add an extra layer of personality to each room.

When it comes to antiques, the options are vast – we’ve highlighted some of our favourite chimney breast ideas below to help get the antiquing flame started:

Antique fire tools – add antique fire tools to your fireplace like pokers, brushes, shovels and fire-irons for a touch of vintage charm

Antique mirrors – adding antique mirrors to your kitchen, living room and bedroom is a great idea for your chimney breast as they add a striking effect to a room, giving the illusion the room is bigger than it is

Antique fireplace – perfect for creating a traditional look, antique fireplaces are available in various materials such as marble, stone or wood, adding a focal point to any room

Antique register grate – an original antique fire grate or basket will complement your Victorian, Rococo or Georgian fireplace.

Adding a pop of colour can really help bring a tired-looking chimney breast back to life.

Take the time to consider your colour options – for example, if your wall colour is a cool, neutral grey, choose a strong teal blue, fuchsia pink or lemon yellow. If the walls are warmer, go for a modern terracotta red, contemporary brick, olive green, plum, or even sage.

Try and match your eye-catching colour to other items in the room like rugs, cushions and smaller pieces of restored furnishings for a more consistent look.

Rustic charm

Are you on a budget? Our chimney breast ideas don’t need to break the bank! Simply placing logs within the chimney breast’s opening can immediately add ambience and a rustic charm to any room.

This low-cost solution is perfect for anywhere in the home, whether it’s the living room, dining room or bedroom.

Use the chimney breast in a bedroom as a headboard.

Chimney breasts can take up some much-desired space in a bedroom. However, completely removing an unused chimney breast can be costly.

A more simple solution, if your bedroom has a chimney breast, is to integrate it into your headboard – this idea for a bedroom with a chimney breast creates a wonderful way to display your bed as a totally unique piece!

All you need for this chimney breast idea is a splash of paint and a simple panel.

You can use alcoves to create shelves, integrate lighting and hide radiators. It’s also a good idea to counterbalance these features with plush fabrics such as woven bedding, sumptuous carpets and a decorative headboard.

Bring on the brick

If you’re still struggling for ideas for your chimney breast wall, you could make your chimney breast the star of the show by partially exposing its brickwork.

All that’s required is a bit of creativity. You can keep the naked brickwork’s unrefined personality for the surround and paint the chimney breast in a contrasting, no-nonsense shade like a strong green or blue.

Alternatively, you could wallpaper the chimney breast to make a statement. In turn, this balances any functioning wood burner or fire’s rustic usefulness with crisp adornments and impeccable wall paint.

Chimney breast ideas: conclusion

We hope one of these chimney breast ideas has caught your eye and inspired you to make the most out of your chimney breast.