Up the pleasure and peacefulness of being fireside by highlighting your hearth, playing with surfaces and adorning it with well-placed accessories. Whether your current décor is modern, classic, urban, exotic, contemporary, chic or eclectic, it really doesn’t matter.

1. Monochrome

Photography: Natalie Cinelli

White painted brick in juxtaposition to the wide, smooth-finished, ebony frame makes the fireplace the focal point of the living room. The circular mirror above attracts attention to the area too, owing to its black outline. The roundness of the mirror, as well as the vases, serves to soften any of the room’s sharp angles.

2. Authentic

Photography: Stocksy

Imparting both grit and class, this floor-level linear fireplace is one-of-a- kind with its ample ebony surround and the imposing wall trophy above. The central part of the encasement is composed of wide, height-creating vertical bands. The way this fireplace contrasts with the space’s white walls and storage makes it all the more eye-catching.

3. Majestic

Photography: Nicole Cohen

This ornate hearth knows how to honour tradition and think creatively at the same time. Using an eclectic collection of unhung art, mirrors and freshly-cut flowers on the mantle, the cheerful fireplace and the nearby furnishings create a playful, unexpected and modern twist.

4. Proportionate 

Photography: Alex Luckey

Contrasting the white wall, marble panels were installed around the fireplace to create proportional harmony with the television. The slender shelving to the right and skinny lamp to the left fill out the space without crowding it.

5. Accentuated

Photography: Stocksy

A modicum of glass highlights the hearth alongside its copper-coloured encasement, which boasts intricate tone-on-tone motifs that are reminiscent of more Asian origins. A perfect choice, since a frame anywhere near this fireplace would tip the scales in the wrong direction. The angled set up is ideal for creating an über-cozy effect, while also making good use of the space by maximizing square footage.

6. Varied

Photography: Stocksy

The black painted surround brings this gorgeous old fireplace into the present and finds further enhancement by way of warm, natural, ambient brick. To strike proper fireside balance here, playing with shapes was key, hence the round cart and side table.

7. Elevated

Photography: Stocksy

The fireplace is located at eye level so those seated at the table get optimal visual exposure. It’s embedded in concrete finish for a natural and contemporary feel. The two narrow niches, which double as a showcase for fabulous finds, keeps the look from feeling cold.