41 Best Brick Fireplace Ideas for Every 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. You can add a bold new mantel for a dramatic statement in a minimalist, modern living room, limewash the brick for a cottage-inspired look, or refresh the fireplace surround with tile or even oyster shells.

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.

Make your brick fireplace your own (or even give it a makeover) with inspiration from these 41 brick fireplace ideas that suit any style.

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Exposed Brick Fireplace

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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Painted White Brick Fireplace

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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Floor-to-Ceiling Brick Fireplace

@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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Brick Fireplace Accents

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 11 Best Fireplace Screens of 2024

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Arched Brick Firebox

Emily Henderson Design / 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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Black Brick + White Mantel

Arbor & Co.

It's no design secret that pairing black and white accents creates a beautiful contrast. 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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Graphic Black and White Fireplace

Home Consultant

The first thing that catches your eye in this sitting area designed by Home Consultant is the 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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Black Bricks + Pale Wood Mantel

@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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Black Brick Fireplace Wall

Hannah Tyler Designs

When you have a living room that allows plenty of natural light, you can play with dark, moody colors and still have a space that feels open and bright. Hannah Tyler Designs updated this 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.

The 11 Best Fireplace Screens of 2024

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Craftsman Style Brick Fireplace

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. Interior designer Velinda Hellen 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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Whitewashed Brick Fireplace

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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Red Brick + Stained Wood Fireplace

Becca Interiors

The first things you notice in this living room from Becca Interiors are 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. Baskets and buckets for firewood and fireplace tools add rustic charm.

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Modern Brick Fireplace

Design by @jkath_designbuild and Photo by @alyssaleephotography / Instagram

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 Jkath Design Build.

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Painted Brick 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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Painted Brick + Wood Fireplace

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 that allows it to shine.

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Neutral Brick Fireplace

@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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Limestone Brick Fireplace

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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Cozy Brick Fireplace

@cottageandsea / Instagram

This living room from COTTAGE + SEA 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 2024

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All-White Brick Fireplace

Emily Henderson Design / 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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Gray Brick Fireplace

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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Boho-Style Brick Fireplace

@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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Herringbone Brick Fireplace

Design by Mary Patton Design

A little brick adds a lot of charm, like the herringbone pattern of this brick hearth from Mary Patton Design.

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Chalk White Brick Fireplace

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 white and flanked by sleek navy cabinets that balance each other well in this midcentury modern-style living room.

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Brick Fireplace With Niche

Design by Tina Ramchandani Creative and Winter McDermott

Not only is this white fireplace a stunning backdrop for a trio of black-and-white photographs, 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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Rustic Brick Fireplace

Kate Marker Interiors

The limestone finish on this fireplace design adds rustic charm to 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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Traditional Brick Fireplace

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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Reclaimed Brick Fireplace

@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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Vintage Fireplace 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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Non-Working Fireplace

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 of 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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Plain Brick + Painted Wood Fireplace

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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Distressed Brick Fireplace

@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. Linda of @stonecottage2250 covered the original plaster fireplace surround with distressed bricks that add a homey feel to the living room.

The 7 Best Fireplace Tools and Accessories of 2024

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Tudor-Style Brick Fireplace

@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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Brick Fireplace With 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. A fireplace screen with fitted doors that close completely keeps it safe to use in the pass-through space.

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White and Black Fireplace

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, an all-white fireplace brick surround, and an ornate mantel that creates a sharp contrast.

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Farmhouse-Style White Brick Fireplace

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 a modern farmhouse style to the space.

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Industrial Brick Fireplace

@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 full of character, but when these elements are put together, it takes the wow factor way up.

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Gray Brick Fireplace

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 dark gray brick fireplace surround add to the contemporary vibe of the double-height room.

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Midcentury Brick Fireplace

Design by Cathie Hong Interiors / 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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Understated White Brick Fireplace

Ursula Carmona of 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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Brick Firebox

Fantastic Frank

This 19th-century Spanish fireplace from Fantastic Frank is built seamlessly into the side wall of the living room and finished with off-white stucco. The natural brick-lined interior and base of the small open firebox add warmth to the light, neutral space.

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Matte Black Brick Fireplace

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 matte black paint. The dark color grounds the room and complements white walls, wood and copper accents, and natural greenery.

FAQ

Are brick fireplaces back in style?

Brick fireplaces are one of the most classic pieces you can have in your home! They never truly go out of style because they come in many styles, from traditional to midcentury modern and contemporary.

The fireplace can have a different look depending on whether you choose natural brick, whitewashed, or painted. Black fireplaces look particularly modern, while recent trends for brick fireplaces include white modern farmhouse style fireplaces with rustic wood mantels or brick fireplaces painted in bold and unexpected colors. Herringbone brick is even making a comeback today.
Is a brick fireplace expensive?

Adding a brick fireplace is an investment, but one that becomes the focal point of your living space. Typically, you'll pay $6,750 on average for a fireplace install, as well as $4,000 for a 30-foot brick chimney and fireplace. The brick work itself is typically $100 to $100 per foot.
How do you make a brick fireplace look modern?

Painting your red brick fireplace in a solid color is the quickest, easiest, and most affordable way to modernize its appearance. Many modern interiors feature brick fireplaces painted in stark white or true black, neutrals that will fade into the background and become part of the architecture. But you can also create a modern look with a statement color such as green, yellow, pink, or blue, to name a few.

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