Art tiles and decorative ceramic tiles are great options for dressing up a fireplace surround or hearth. From intricate carvings, to hand painted designs, decorative tiles can be a way of bringing interest and focus to the gathering point of the room.
Neutral Decorative Tile Designs
For living spaces neutral in color, or for rooms where there’s already a lot going on, try using a solid color on the fireplace surround and hearth, including decorative elements in the same color as the field. This can include relief tiles, etched tiles, or hand carved tiles, either at regular intervals, scattered through the surround, or covering the surround in its entirety.
Relief tiles, and hand carved tiles will catch light and shadows well when the firebox is in use, bringing an extra element of design into play. This allows the fireplace to blend into any home décor, while still offering its own style and design elements.
Art Tile in Fireplace Designs
Art tile is a great way of dressing up any fireplace surround. Fireplace legs that are only 6” wide work particularly well with repetitive art tiles. Try stacking the tiles one on top of the other to create an interlocking pattern. This pattern can then be continued across the top of the firebox, and around the edge of the hearth to unify the look.
Try to keep colors used in the tiles to tones and colors already in use in the room, since art tiles may look busy and overwhelm a space if there is no tie to other elements in the room. Look for patterns with two or three colors, and larger shapes, rather than those with more delicate patterns to keep busyness to a minimum.
Pull From Surroundings
Decorative tiles are available in many shapes that draw from nature, environments and lifestyles. If the house is located near or in the woods, try using decorative tiles which piece together to form pine trees on the legs of the fireplace. Or, if the house is full of music lovers, consider using decorative tiles in the shapes of musical notes.
If the kitchen is nearby, and the backsplash contains decorative elements, have the fireplace surround mirror the backsplash. Look for smaller versions of backsplash tiles, or use the same tiles, but in different colors to tie the spaces together, while keeping each look distinct.
The Fireplace Hearth
While the hearth should remain as easy to clean as possible, as well as able to withstand scratches and abuse, it is possible to include some decorative elements in it. Try using a decorative border around the hearth, where it meets the room’s flooring. Leave open the back edge at the firebox, to help keep the area easier to clean.
If possible, stay away from high relief, or deeply carved tiles on the hearth, using etched or hand painted tiles instead, as they will hold up longer. If the hearth extends a good way into the room, try keeping the tiles flat, but using colors pulled from the surround.
If there are a lot of patterns already in the room, try taking pictures, or bringing them along when shopping for tile to see how they compliment one another. If possible, pick up the same pattern again. Vines, Fleur-di-lis, and iron gate patterns are commonly found in tiles, and make interesting accents to many living spaces. Always keep in mind what else is in the room at the time, and allow the fireplace design to flow smoothly into the home décor.
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