Ideas for decorating your fireplace with a shabby chic style

If you are thinking of redecorating your room to give it the shabby chic look, one thing you cannot overlook or ignore is the fireplace. The fireplace is often a focal point of the room, especially if you have a particularly large, centred or exquisite fireplace that really strikes people as they enter. This means that if you don’t spend some time decorating your fireplace too, it is going to stand out and potentially ruin the style of the room. There are plenty of things you can do to create a shabby chic looking fireplace, what you choose to do will depend on your existing fireplace and whether or not you are happy to make changes to it.

Usually shabby chic looking fireplaces are white, or a light coloured stained wood. If your fireplace is old or you are happy to repaint it, you might consider sanding it down and white washing it. Of course if your fireplace is new or in good condition, this might not be an option for you, but don’t worry there are still plenty of other things you can do. Here are some more ideas, with less permanent effects:

Antique ornaments: Try adding old fashioned or antique looking ornaments and vases, things like old lanterns, candle holders, clocks and wicker baskets. White, gold and silver items are perfect, as are rustic looking metals. These can be placed on top of the mantelpiece if they are small enough, or on the floor either side of the fire.

Nature: Doubling up as a way of bringing spring to your fireplace, nature is also an excellent way of creating a shabby chic look. Plants and flowers, bowls of potpourri and wreaths, animal figures and ornaments, are all ideal to create this look. A good idea is to buy some antique looking vases and fill them with flowers or twigs.

Mosaics:Adding a mosaic to your fireplace, even just a small one, in a material such as slate, would be perfect for creating a shabby chic style. You can use small or large tiles, depending on the space you are applying it to and it will still have the same impact.

Lighting: Candles and old looking lamps are not only an excellent way to add some extra light and create an ambience in your room, but they are also a great way to add a shabby chic effect. Of course, this will only work if you use the right lighting, things like mini chandeliers, old fashioned candlesticks and tea light holders are great, but modern looking lamps might not work so well.

Fireguards: There are plenty of old looking fireguards made from a heavy metal, that would be ideal to create this shabby chic look, while also providing you with some safety if you have a real fire.

Mirrors: This is another idea that could work well, if you choose the right mirror. For a shabby chic look you are ideally looking for a mirror with a bigger, robust frame, perhaps something with engravings or a pattern, ideally in a white or natural wood colour.

To create this look you can use as many of these ideas as you like, or as little. The most important thing is that you consider the colours you use and the design of the pieces that you add. The shabby chic look is not a difficult style to create, but if you do start to get stuck, try looking at some photos of shabby chic fireplaces for inspiration.