34 Stunning Fireplace Built-In Ideas That Transform Your Living Space
Your fireplace deserves more than just a mantel – it needs built-ins that create stunning storage while adding serious style to your room.
These custom solutions transform ordinary walls into functional focal points that perfectly balance beauty with practicality.
Get ready to discover 34 gorgeous ideas that’ll make your living space feel completely custom and absolutely stunning.
01. Timeless Period Style Built-Ins
Credit: Design by Cathie Hong Interiors / Margaret Austin Photo
70K+ People Bought this $29 game-changer Last Month (The Reviews Are Insane)
You’ll want to honor your home’s original character by preserving those gorgeous period built-ins around your fireplace.
Try pairing classic wood cabinetry with modern touches like geometric tile and sleek mantels. This creates the perfect blend of old-world charm and contemporary style that makes your space feel both timeless and fresh.
02. Sleek Contemporary Storage
Credit: Sissy + Marley Interior Design / Photo by Marco Ricca Studio
Your modern living room deserves minimalist built-ins that keep clutter completely hidden from view.
Choose closed-front cabinetry in light wood tones that match your existing furniture. This creates a seamless, sophisticated look where everything has its place but nothing disrupts your clean, contemporary aesthetic.
03. Wallpaper-Backed Display Shelves
Credit: Design by Caroline Andreoni Interior Design / Photo by Sophie Lloyd
You can add incredible depth and personality to your built-ins by backing them with stunning patterned wallpaper.
Paint your shelves in bold colors like peacock blue while letting the wallpaper create visual interest behind your favorite books and decor. This technique transforms simple storage into a dramatic design statement.
04. Custom Asymmetrical Designs
Credit: Mindy Gayer Design Co. / Photo by Vanessa Lentine
Your unique wall space calls for built-ins that are perfectly customized to fit every available inch.
Don’t worry about matching – asymmetrical designs often work better than symmetrical ones. Style your shelves with cohesive neutral objects to create unity even when the structure itself is intentionally unbalanced.
05. Cozy Rustic Storage Solutions
Credit: Jessica Nelson Design / Carina Skrobecki Photography
You can make your soaring ceilings feel more intimate by adding dark built-ins that ground the entire space.
Choose flush-mounted designs in rich black tones that complement your stone fireplace perfectly. This creates a streamlined look that feels both modern and rustic at the same time.
06. Elegant Glass-Front Display Cases
Credit: Marie Flanigan Interiors
You’ll love how glass-front built-ins let you display your treasures while keeping dust at bay.
The glass doors reflect natural light from nearby windows, making your space feel brighter and more open. Plus, you get to show off your beautiful collections without worrying about constant cleaning.
07. Warm Wood Basement Built-Ins
Credit: Michelle Berwick Design
Your finished basement becomes infinitely more inviting when you add rich walnut built-ins around your fireplace.
The warm wood tones create beautiful contrast against modern white quartz while echoing midcentury furniture throughout the space. This adds sophistication to what could otherwise feel like an afterthought room.
08. Floating Shelves Above Cabinets
Credit: Jessica Nelson Design / Carina Skrobecki Photography
You can maintain that airy farmhouse feel by combining white base cabinets with floating wood shelves above.
Match your shelf wood to your mantel for perfect cohesion against whitewashed brick. This combination gives you hidden storage below while keeping the upper portion light and visually interesting.
09. Dramatic Wall-to-Wall Built-Ins
Credit: Michelle Berwick Design
Your modern space deserves the drama of perfectly symmetrical built-ins that create a stunning wall-within-a-wall effect.
Frame your linear fireplace with matching wood-trimmed storage that extends all the way to the ceiling. Add a Frame TV above for the ultimate in contemporary luxury living.
10. Space-Saving Single-Side Storage
You don’t always need built-ins on both sides – sometimes one side of shallow shelving is absolutely perfect.
This approach works beautifully when you want to preserve window views while still adding functional display space. Your black shiplap fireplace becomes the star while the built-ins provide just enough storage.
11. Harmonious Farmhouse Wood Tones
Credit: Michelle Berwick Design
You’ll create the most cohesive look by using the same honey-toned wood on your beams, mantel, built-ins, and flooring.
This makes your storage feel like it’s part of the original architecture rather than an afterthought. Style your shelves with family photos, plants, and meaningful objects for that perfect homey warmth.
12. Streamlined Floor-to-Ceiling Storage
Credit: Design by Chango & Co. / Photo by Read McKendree
Your sophisticated living room benefits from built-ins that prioritize hidden storage over display space.
Paint everything in the same soothing beige as your walls for a seamless, calming effect. This approach keeps your space looking uncluttered while providing massive amounts of storage you’ll actually use.
13. Victorian-Modern Hybrid Style
Credit: Design by Emilie Fournet Interiors / Photo by Caitlin Mogridge
You can beautifully blend Victorian architecture with modern built-ins by using consistent dark gray paint throughout.
Add a midcentury credenza instead of base cabinets to layer different design periods together. This creates fascinating contrast while honoring your home’s ornate historical details.
14. Practical Firewood Storage Niche
Credit: House of Hanes
You’ll make your fireplace infinitely more functional by building firewood storage right into one side.
This practical solution works whether you burn real wood or just want the cozy aesthetic of stacked logs. Pair it with open shelving on the opposite side for the perfect balance of function and style.
15. Cozy Window Seat Integration
Credit: Design by Chango & Co. / Photo by Sarah Elliott
Your fireplace flanked by windows is perfect for built-in window seats with hidden storage underneath.
This creates the ultimate cozy reading nooks while maximizing every inch of space. You get comfortable seating, storage, and a stunning architectural feature all in one brilliant design move.
16. Soft Arched Built-In Details
Credit: Design by Emilie Fournet Interiors / Photo by Kasia Fiszer
You can add incredible character to your built-ins with subtle arched tops that soften the entire design.
Paint everything in the same green as your walls for perfect integration with your vintage furnishings. These gentle curves create a more organic, lived-in feeling that works beautifully with antique pieces.
17. Perfectly Balanced Asymmetrical Design
Credit: Chango & Co.
Your family room can handle mismatched built-ins when you add unifying elements like picture lights and matching base cabinets.
Include space for your TV, books, and display objects while maintaining visual balance through repeated materials. This creates a custom look that feels intentional rather than accidental.
18. High-Contrast Light and Dark Pairing
Credit: Sissy + Marley Interior Design / Photo by Marco Ricca Studio
You’ll create stunning visual drama by pairing your black fireplace with slim pale wood shelving.
This high-contrast approach lightens up moody spaces while echoing your hardwood floors throughout the room. The combination feels both sophisticated and completely unexpected in the best possible way.
19. Mixed Finish Interest
Credit: Whittney Parkinson Design
Your neutral space becomes infinitely more interesting when you mix different wood finishes in your built-ins.
Back your shelves with natural wood panels while keeping the structure painted for subtle contrast. Add picture lighting to create a custom gallery feel that you can restyle whenever inspiration strikes.
20. Classic Craftsman Woodwork
Credit: Arbor & Co
You can honor your Craftsman home’s character while updating the look by painting built-ins crisp white.
This creates beautiful contrast against black painted brick while echoing trim throughout your space. The combination feels both historically appropriate and completely fresh for modern living.
21. Blonde Wood Balance
Credit: Jessica Nelson Design / Carina Skrobecki Photography
Your imposing black fireplace needs the warmth of blonde wood built-ins to create perfect visual balance.
Use the cabinet tops as plant ledges in front of windows to soften the symmetrical design. This combination of materials feels both modern and organic, creating a space that’s sophisticated yet welcoming.
22. Bold Navy Statement Built-Ins
Credit: Design by Chango & Co. / Raquel Langworthy Photography
You can create incredible drama by painting your built-ins, mantel, and wall paneling in the same rich navy.
Style your dark shelves with colorful books and metallic objects for perfect contrast. Add a large statement photograph above the mantel to inject personality and visual interest into the monochromatic scheme.
23. Low-Profile Craftsman Updates
Credit: Velinda Hellen for Emily Henderson Design / Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp
Your renovated Craftsman home benefits from built-ins that maintain a low profile beneath original windows.
Paint your brick fireplace and keep shelving simple to honor the home’s architectural integrity. This respectful approach updates the space while preserving the character that makes Craftsman homes so beloved.
24. Fresh Coastal Color Combinations
Credit: Chelius House of Design
You’ll bring instant coastal charm to your living room by painting base cabinets in fresh, ocean-inspired blue.
Keep upper shelving white to match your walls while adding darker wood flooring for grounding contrast. This color combination feels both beachy and sophisticated, perfect for year-round coastal living.
25. Cohesive Shiplap Integration
Credit: Design by Light and Dwell / Photo by Amy Bartlam
Your asymmetrical fireplace layout becomes perfectly cohesive when you extend shiplap across the entire accent wall.
This technique unifies mismatched elements while highlighting your dramatic pitched ceilings beautifully. The texture adds visual interest without overwhelming your space, creating the perfect farmhouse-modern hybrid aesthetic.
26. Narrow Space Solutions
Credit: Louis Duncan-He Designs / Genevieve Renee Photographie
You can maximize every inch by filling narrow spaces beside your linear fireplace with perfectly proportioned built-ins.
Combine base cabinets with floating shelves above for an airy feel that balances your textured fireplace wall. This approach proves that even the smallest spaces can become beautiful and functional storage solutions.
27. Window-Integrated Cubby Storage
Credit: Kate Marker Interiors
Your tall skinny windows become even more dramatic when you build narrow shelving around three sides.
Style these cubby-like spaces with neutral objects to create a cozy, collected feel throughout your farmhouse living room. This technique turns awkward window placement into a stunning architectural feature.
28. Low-Ceiling Base Cabinet Solutions
Credit: Michelle Berwick Design
Your basement or lower-ceiling room feels more spacious when you limit built-ins to base cabinets only.
Paint the wall above in the same color as your room for complete integration without visual heaviness. This creates clean lines and uncluttered sight lines that make compact spaces feel surprisingly open.
29. Modern Sliding Door Details
Credit: Tyler Karu Design + Interiors / Photo by James R. Salomon
You can add contemporary flair to traditional shiplap built-ins by incorporating sleek sliding doors.
Carry your white shiplap from walls to fireplace and built-ins for complete cohesion in smaller spaces. The sliding doors provide a modern twist that keeps your coastal living room feeling fresh and current.
30. Mixed Material Sophistication
Credit: Kate Marker Interiors
Your modern white fireplace looks stunning when flanked by recessed wood built-ins with an antique finish.
Add black metal cross detailing on glass-front upper cabinets to echo pendant lights for perfect symmetry. This combination of materials and finishes creates layers of visual interest that feel both timeless and completely custom.
31. Window-Flanked Storage Solutions
Credit: Louis Duncan-He Designs / KM Photography Interiors
You can maximize storage around fireplace windows by installing built-in base cabinets topped with matching wood.
Paint the wall area in warm beige that complements your living room’s existing color palette. This approach provides essential storage while maintaining the architectural integrity of your window-fireplace combination.
32. Great Room Proportional Built-Ins
Credit: Desiree Burns Interiors
Your soaring great room ceilings feel more grounded and intimate when you add substantial built-ins around the fireplace.
These architectural elements help focus the eye and create human-scale proportions in overwhelming spaces. The built-ins become anchoring features that make your great room feel cozy rather than cavernous.
33. Colorful Light Wood Combinations
Credit: Louis Duncan-He Designs / Genevieve Renee Photographie
You’ll create stunning visual interest by combining light wood built-ins with colorful painted wall sections.
Use dark blue behind your TV for camouflage while adding light blue recessed areas with colorful artwork. This layered approach to color and materials creates a completely custom, gallery-like feeling.
34. Contemporary Linear Integration
Credit: Forbes + Masters
Your linear fireplace looks perfectly balanced when flanked by low, wall-to-wall built-ins that echo its horizontal lines.
Add black floating shelves above pale stone to balance your TV and echo dark seating throughout the room. This creates a cohesive contemporary look that feels intentionally designed from floor to ceiling.
Final Thoughts
Your fireplace built-ins should reflect your personal style while solving real storage challenges in your living space.
Whether you prefer sleek contemporary designs or cozy farmhouse charm, the key is choosing materials and proportions that work with your room’s existing architecture.
Take inspiration from these ideas, but don’t be afraid to customize them to fit your unique space and lifestyle perfectly.
