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11 Simple Fireplace Built-In Decorating Ideas You Need To Try

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fireplace built-in decorating ideas

Trying to figure out how to decorate fireplace bookshelves? Does your current decor look too cluttered or sparse? Use these fireplace built-in decorating ideas to create bookcases you can admire in your space!

Whether you have a few shelves on just one side of your fireplace or a fireplace with bookshelves on each side, ideas for decorating both are covered in this article.

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Fireplace Built-In Decorating Ideas

Is decorating an indoor fireplace built-in bookshelf any different than decorating any old shelf around your living room or another space? To be honest – no, not really.

decorating bookcases next to a fireplace

Shelf decorating uses the same principles, regardless of where the shelf is located:

  1. Use a wide variety of decorative objects such as vases, candles, plants, artwork, pictures, etc.
  2. Books are always ok to use on a shelf. In fact, you can get away with just using books to decorate a bookcase!
  3. Keep the shelf balanced with decorative accessories – not too many, not too few.
  4. Use decor objects of different shapes & heights for a nice contrast.
  5. Repeat patterns & colors across multiple shelves for a cohesive look.
  6. Use storage containers, cabinet drawers & doors to hide objects you might not want to see, but need to live on the shelf.

These same rules apply to these fireplace built-in decorating ideas. But with a fireplace, you’ll want to keep your mantel & hearth decor in mind too.

A balanced look is what you’re going for. So make sure any decorative objects used on the mantel or around the hearth fit in with the decor vibe of the fireplace built-ins.

Books on Your Fireplace Bookcase

bookcase with books next to fireplace

It might seem obvious, but one of the best things to place on your wood fireplace built-ins are books. Even if you’re not much of a reader, you can’t go wrong with using books to style a bookcase shelf.

You can use just a few books here and there throughout the shelves. Cluster them vertically or lay them horizontally on a the shelf with a decorative accessory on top.

On the other hand, if you’re a true bibliophile, fireplace shelving makes a great place to store books. Don’t like the look of the various spine colors? Turn them backwards or sort your books by color. It will look a bit more cohesive that way.

Decorative Books

Want to seem like you have a great library? Consider purchasing a set of used books in different colors and shapes. There are lots of sellers on places like Amazon and Etsy that offer bundles of books specifically for bookcase styling.

You can also find books that are empty inside. These storage books make a great place to stash remote controls, decks of cards, journals, headphones, reading glasses and other small accessories.

Statues & Figurines for Fireplace Shelving Decor

grey fireplace built ins in living room

Wondering how to decorate fireplace bookshelves? Simple – add some eye candy!

Statues and figurines look great on a bookcase and help give your shelves some interesting visuals. Antique looking busts, old globes and animal figurines all work well for bookcase decor.

Don’t forget about shelf sitters – statues and figurines that are designed to sit on the edge of the shelf with their legs dangling over. These whimsical items are a fun touch to any shelf!

Decorative Statues

I love that you can swap out your figurines as the seasons and holidays change. Switch out a pumpkin figurine in the fall for a Santa Claus statue come December.

Don’t forget to change out “everyday” statues as well. Even just moving items between shelves gives your eyes something new to look at as the year progresses.

Vases & Pottery for Fireplace Bookshelves

chair next to fireplace with built-in shelves

Similar to statues and figurines are vases and pottery to use when styling your fireplace built-in bookcase. Any vessel type object will often work well on a bookcase.

Decorative Vases & Jars

Consider changing up the vibe as the year progresses by adding seasonal flowers & greenery to your bookshelf vases. You can also keep vases without any florals for a more streamlined look.

Pictures & Art for Fireplace Bookshelves

Cozy living room with a beige armchair, brown cushion, and built-in white bookshelves filled with books and decor. A small framed picture and potted plant are on the shelf. There’s a fireplace with a white mantel nearby and a wall-mounted lamp.

Trying to figure out how to decorate built in shelves next to a fireplace? Pictures and artwork might seem like they belong on the walls in your home. But frames also work well on a bookcase or shelf. This helps give some height and variety to the shelf decor.

Because they are slim, picture frames can be grouped together and overlap slightly for a more layered look. This makes for a nice focal point on your shelf.

Decorative Art & Frames

Smaller sized frames work too. I love the idea of using little 2×3 frames here and there on a bookcase – fill them with your favorite photos and stack them on top of horizontal books!

Decorative Signs & Monogram Letters on a Fireplace Built-In

open shelves decorated next to fireplace with tv

A lot people aren’t a fan of using decorative signs with sayings on their walls. But I think a small sign or two on a bookcase can be a nice touch. I like that you can change them out for the holidays or just rotate through different signs you might have on hand.

Can’t find a sign that says something meaningful to you? Consider getting one made. I’ve seen a few sellers on Etsy and Amazon that will make custom decorative signs that say whatever you want.

Decorative Signs & Letters

Another way to make your bookcase decor more personal is to use monogram letter figurines. You can find all kinds of letters in different shapes sizes and finishes.

Some of them even light up and offer a nice glow to a dark bookshelf. These fun letters give a nice personalized touch to a wood fireplace built-in.

Candles for a Cozy Fireplace Vibe

I love using candles to decorate a small fireplace built-in shelf. They add a nice touch of light to what can sometimes be a darker space in the room. You can use real candles of course, but if you’re worried about the flame, consider using flameless candles instead. That way there isn’t a fire hazard.

Flameless Taper Candles

You can even use candles in your fireplace – check out some ideas on how to do this here: 20 Simple Ways to Decorate a Fireplace & Mantle with Flameless Candles

If you have a large shelf, taper candles can work well as a decorative object. They help fill up the space vertically. There are lots of fun taper candle holders to choose from these days. Also, you can use LED taper candles instead of real wax tapers.

Plants for Fireplace Bookshelf Greenery

fireplace bookcases in living room with tv

Plants work well as a fireplace bookcase filler. In fact, adding greenery just about anywhere in your home decor helps the space feel more alive (even if the plants are fake!).

Unless your bookcase is by a window that gets good light, you might want to use faux plants instead of real ones.

Taller plants help fill the space in a large shelf. Little plants in pots or vases placed on top of a stack of books adds a touch a greenery throughout the shelves. I also like using moss balls or boxwood spheres as filler for trays and bowls.

Decorative Faux Plants

You can use bigger plants in front of a fireplace built-in as a way to help balance the space and add some color. Finally, consider using vine type plants that spread their leaves across the shelf or down towards the floor.

Trays & Bowls on a Fireplace Built-In

Trays can be used on a small fireplace built-in shelf to gather smaller objects together and create a nice focal point.

Consider using rectangular trays with candles, florals or greenery and other smaller objects. Place the try in the middle of the shelf. This is often enough to fill the shelf space visually.

Decorative Trays & Bowls

You can also use metal bowls, ceramic bowls and dough bowls to style a bookcase. I like to use vase filler for these and change it out with the seasons and holidays.

Lighting for Fireplace Built-In Decorating Ideas

Once you get your living room fireplace built-in decorated, don’t forget to add some lighting. Bookcases can be dark unless they are near a bright window. If you want to have a cozy look in your space, consider using some shelf lighting on your fireplace bookcases.

Bookshelf Lighting

You can find under cabinet LED lights that attach to the top or bottom of the shelves. Or consider using picture lighting on top of your bookcase for a classy look. Small lamps placed on the shelves work too.

Another way to light the space is to use recessed lighting in the ceiling pointing towards the fireplace and the bookcases. Modern looking track lighting aimed at the bookshelves will have the same effect.

Honestly, there are so many good options for lighting bookcases these days. If you don’t want wire in lights, look for rechargeable battery powered lighting instead.

Storage Baskets & Boxes on Fireplace Built-In Shelves

If you have items you want to store on your fireplace built-in shelves, but don’t really like the look of them, consider hiding them in storage baskets or boxes. This also works well for storing things like throw blankets and extra pillows.

If you use your fireplace to burn wood, logs can be stored in a large basket or box on one of the shelves (usually near the floor for easy access).

Decorative Storage Baskets & Boxes

On the other hand, don’t think that you have to store objects in storage containers on your shelves. Decorative baskets and boxes can be an inexpensive way to take up space on a shelf even if nothing is contained inside.

Cabinets & Doors For Fireplace Storage

white shelves next to fireplace with tv, plants

Are your living room fireplace built-ins true cabinets or more of a bookcase? Or are they just a few shelves on the side of the fireplace? If you’re looking to store items that aren’t very decorative like kids toys and board games, consider adding cabinet doors to your built-ins.

A few doors towards the bottom of your built-ins turns them into cabinets that can then be used for storage instead of having to be decorated.

white fireplace built-ins w/ tv

If you’re handy with a few power tools, this can be a fun weekend project. Check out this DIY cabinet door tutorial at Shades of Blue Interiors.

I hope this article gave you some good fireplace built-in decorating ideas! What are you thinking about using to style your fireplace bookcase shelves?

More Fireplace & Mantel Decor Ideas

For more fireplace & mantel decor inspiration, tips and styles, check out these posts:

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