The (ONLY) 15 Stone Fireplace Ideas You Need to Consider!

If you’re on the hunt for beautiful (a.k.a. non-ugly!) stone fireplace ideas, you’ve come to the right place! We’ve compiled The Best of the Best here to make your life easier!👇

When we bought our latest house, we found in it what you’ll agree is The Ugliest Fireplace Known to Man.

(And a little creepy, since it literally glowed. If you don’t believe me, peek at it HERE!)

As I started trying to decide whether to redo aforementioned horror of a fireplace in the perfect stone, I was able to narrow down my absolute favorites from the worldwide internet…

…and so I’m sharing them with you today to save you precious time!

(If you’re new here, I’m an Architectural Designer who runs this site with my Build Engineer husband, so we bring our professional experience to you while you can enjoy in your pajamas from the comfort of your own home. 😉 Join 300,000+ people who especially love us and you’ll get our Home Design Mini-guide for FREE today HERE!)

Above is a perfect example of “light and bright” while the below is more “moody” feeling…we’ll look at everything inbetween!

We’ll also answer popular questions such as

• “Are stone fireplaces still in style?“
• “How to make a stone fireplace look good?“
• “What is the most popular stone for a fireplace?“
• “How much will a stone fireplace cost?”
• “What to put on either side of a stone fireplace?”

I am suuuuuper picky about stone, so you can trust that (if you appreciate/love/jive with my design work), these are truly the best styles and “looks” if you’re looking to do a fireplace made of natural stone, rocks, or even a veneer.

Below is my Approved List of Stone Fireplaces I’ve found for you to choose from!👇

STONE FIREPLACE IDEAS

#15: Stone: To Stack or Not to Stack?

First, I’ll address one of the most common stone fireplace types that people consider (although I can already tell you the end of this story and that this is not what we’ll be doing for this house).

This is what most would call a “stacked stone” look, and while it was popular in past decades, it has still hung on as a favorite for some.

If you really want to go this route, do something like the above where there is minimal variation between the colors.

Don’t, for example, go for the common grey stacked stone in varieties of shades that just looks dated. Instead, try to keep it fresh with updated colors (hint: choosing greys for everything was a trend, and those of us who stayed away from that are happy to see it go bye-bye)!

Stacked stone typically will only look “right” if you have a mountain house or a ski lodge vibe going on. And even then, only 1% of the time have I seen it done well visually. (So 99% of people trying to DIY their home design should stay away from this one and keep looking, that’s my advice. 😉 )

Example: I recently found the above stunning fireplace in a home in New Zealand and—lo and behold!—it was in more of a “stacked” style that looks classic instead of dated. What makes this work is 1) the location (hellooo mountains in distance!), 2) the sizes of the stone, and 3) the thickness of the mortar.

stone fireplace surround

#14: A Rustic Modern Stone Fireplace!

If you love the rustic look but don’t live in a mountain house, consider something along somewhat similar grey tones BUT

1. with warmth and
2. rounded, random shapes and sizes.

This gives more of an organic, natural feel as well as a warmth from the bits of brown and beige in the stone and grout.

What I like about these brownish-grey tones is that it can work with SO many different rooms and color schemes so that no matter if your fireplace room tends to be in a cooler or warmer tone, it’ll fit…

…and—should you want to spice up the room one day with new rugs/pillows/etc—it’ll all still work with your fireplace!

(Infinitely easier to change out furnishings and decor instead of your built-in stone fireplace!😅)

living room stone fireplace ideas

#13: Keep In Mind Your Amount of Stone!

Now, before we get TOO into your decision on

• stone colors
• tones
• sizes
• shapes, and
• grout/mortar decisions…

…I want to draw your attention to one big piece of advice:

Pay attention to your Big Picture!

What I mean by this is not your TV (although there certainly could be a good pun here)…

…but The Big Picture of your entire room design!

For example, what other furnishings are in the room, what are their colors, etc, but also

Do you plan to put anything above your stone fireplace?!?

This question is HUGE! Because if you’re not, and you’re keeping your stone fireplace design simple and clean, then you don’t need to worry too much about this part.

However, if you ARE planning on putting something like

• artwork
• a TV
• a mirror
• a “cutout” area for wood or bookshelves or speakers
• a mantel (don’t get me started!😂 This is a whole other post I want to write next!)

…or ANYTHING else on top of this stone, you are 100% going to need to take that into consideration with your design.

Because the amount of stone that will actually be visible to your room when you’re done with your project matters.

For example, in the above photo example, I wonder why they even chose such a beautiful stone for this fireplace if they intended on having a massive cutout for the wood storage right in front, not to mention The Big Black Rectangle.

In contrast, I much prefer this stone fireplace idea with a very similar stone, but…

…it was done without the TV! 🙂

We all know that without the TV allows the stone to be the gorgeous star focal point of your room (especially if you’re going to spend hours of your life on these decisions and researching and sourcing), but I also understand in the previous example they wanted a TV outside, so they went with function over form a bit.

Nothing wrong with that, I just want you to make sure you’re aware of these decisions and regardless of which you choose, to feel 100% confident moving forward in making them, because they’re often near-permanent, big-ticket items!

painted stone fireplace

#12: “What About Whitewashing My Old Stone Fireplace?”

I also want to address this common question asked by those of you who may be wondering if you should try to work with the fireplace you’ve been given. 😉

This can be done because of a tight budget, or simply that you don’t want to live through the mess of an entire fireplace reno! 🙂

(No judgment here—sometimes that’s the super smart answer! I’ve done it myself with this stone fireplace and this brick fireplace.)

And “should I whitewash my stone fireplace” is a valid question that absolutely can have a positive answer. You first need to take a look at your room and design vision as a whole.

Here’s an example of what can be done over that old, deeply grooved midcentury style stone that was so popular way back (“in the days of yore” as my child says, and it always makes me chuckle because, well, if you know about Phoebe and the apothecary table on Friends, you’ll chuckle too):

Whitewash is perfect for when you don’t necessarily want to paint your fireplace 100% white (I’ve done that and will talk about it below) but you still want to brighten it up.

You don’t need to completely take out the look of the natural stone if you whitewash. For example, as you can see above, the grey of the original stone is still coming through. They’ve also tried to tie in with their beams by adding old wood mantel pieces, which (mostly) works because of the amount of other woods and stains and wood tones used throughout the room pictured.

I’m going to go see if I can find a whitewashed fireplace with a room design that actually knocks it out of the park, so you can tell the difference as you consider this for yourself…

…OK I’m back, it took awhile actually for me to find something I approve of, so clearly I need to get some client photos we’ve done that look amazing! 😉

(Sometimes people grimace at whitewashing because they haven’t seen it done 1) well and 2) in a styled room they actually like. 🙂 )

If you decide to go this route, this gal has a great short tutorial so you can see how she did her stone fireplace.

I also want to note the difference between limewashing versus whitewashing.

• Limewashing uses slaked lime, which is a natural and breathable material.
• Whitewashing typically uses a mixture primarily of white latex paint (not natural, not breathable).

I’d need another post to dive into the pros and cons of each, and we’re trying to stick to getting you the overall design style vision you need, so let’s move onto the next idea you should consider!👇

STONE veneer fireplace

#11: Make Sure You Look at Stone Veneer Designs!

I’ll go into more detail about this below, because it can make your decision so much easier…

…but the above is another style I considered for my own home because it’s a perfect Goldilocks example of a stone fireplace that achieves

1. the perfect mix of cool and warm (not too grey and not too brown)
2. the perfect mix of mortar distance (not too much and not too little)
3. the perfect mix of subtley and interest (not too busy and not too plain)

Speaking of subtle, #8 further down will discuss this in detail with a great fireplace photo example.

faux stone fireplace

#10: To Mantel or Not To Mantel?

For me, I can tell you I’m not going to do a wood mantel over my stone fireplace.

I love the above photo MINUS the mantel, which is still pretty minimalistic but just…distracting from the beauty of the stone, in my opinion.

I do still want a mantel and you wanna know why? Even though I like a minimally styled mantel (or nothing at all above teh fireplace!), I like to have options. Whether it’s Christmas and I want to use it for XYZ, or I have a new piece of artwork that I want to enjoy front-and-center for a few months…I lke options!

And a mantel gives you options. THUMBS UP!

HOWEVER, I am extremely picky about mantels! Mostly, I dislike what I see done when people have DIYed their own design, or gone with something premade.

Here is a perfect example of something that, while nice and cheerful for these people, is what I will not be doing in this beach casita in Southern California!

Note: If you’re working with a corner fireplace, I have a whole post on living room layouts with corner fireplaces!

Quick Tip: “What If I Want to DIY My Own Stone Fireplace?”

I want to pause here to let you know that if you’re liking these faux stone or stone veneer fireplace designs, don’t be disheartened that it will cost an arm and a leg!

The greatest cost is typically in getting a beautiful, quality veneer.

(But even then, depending on how much you want to whitewash or overgrout it, you can actually get away with an inexpensive one! That’s another subject as well we could easily write about next! 🙂 )

If you have any experience tiling, then DIYing your own stone fireplace will be more or less a cinch!

If you’re using a stone veneer, it’s actually not too much different than tiling. You’re going to be placing the faux stone pieces over your fireplace base, mortaring or “grouting” between the stones, and voila!

Now, I would have 100% recommended that these folks take their fireplace ALL the way up to the ceiling (draws your eye up and makes your room feel taller!), but this is still a great photo showing how similar to tiling this work is.

Q: “But when would you not take a stone fireplace from floor-to-ceiling, Jess?”

A: I would only not recommended taking a stone fireplace to the ceiling if

1. You’re working with an existing old stone fireplace you literally cannot find matching stone for, or
2. There are architectural reasons why.

Here’s one example:

Above, there’s a beam that the stone would have run into. IF there had been more beams, it still might have worked, but since there is only one, and it’s in the place it is, you can see why it would have looked unbalanced to bring it all the way up. Thankfully they balanced it well by not adding a big mantel, and styling the narrow mantel well (man, I really need to write my next post about fireplace mantels because I have so much to say! it’s not talked about enough! so many wrong assumptions!).

Another example is when I’ve worked with fireplaces that start angling in above the lower half of stone, turning to a plaster material going to the ceiling.

NATURAL STONE FIREPLACE

#9: Speaking of “Overgrouting” A Stone Fireplace…

As I wrote above about “overgrouting” a stone fireplace, I’ll bring this next into a WONDERFUL stone fireplace idea/option you absolutely need to consider.

This option can work for you best if you’re

1. going for an old-world or cottage style
2. trying to work with old stone that’s ugly/wrong shapes and you don’t have the budget to completely tear it out! 🙂

Using extra mortar over the odd-shaped pieces or to craft your shapes more in the way you want to (takes some artistry so if you have the eye, go for it! otherwise hire a pro) can be a winning solution.

You can even take the mortar over the stone itself somewhat and, depending on how porous the stone itself is, literally bring your stone fireplace together in the way you actually want it!

You can also choose this style from the get-go. It doesn’t just have to be a “fixer” or “DIY” solution. Absolutely people will choose this style because it looks more handmade and crafted, and I personally LOVE it in the right scenarios!

Here’s another example of this style on a wall (I’m showing you a cooler stone color than the above):

white STONE FIREPLACE

#9: Subtle Color Doesn’t Mean a Less Interesting Fireplace!

Many living rooms are so busy (think furniture, rugs, lighting, artwork, people, etc) that I tend to find myself recommending that clients go more subtle in their stone fireplace choices.

By that I mean less “colorful,” less “busy” and less “look at me! look at me!”

The above fireplace also has a lot going on with its stone mantel surround. So a very subtle white stone fireplace look, with texture being the star, is exactly what was needed.

stacked STONE FIREPLACE

#8: A Rounded Stone Fireplace Design!

I would be remiss if I didn’t include this option a lot of people are drawn to. I recommend you ONLY do a stone fireplace like this if your home is in the appropriate location! (Think coastal, riverside cabins, or lake homes.)

This does bring up another subject, which is limiting yourself to what actually fits your home’s location and architecture (which many of us don’t want to hear 🙂 yikes!), but it’s one of the Top 5 reasons people aren’t happy with their home designs, in my opinion (and experience).

This is a perfect example of no mortar showing (although I might have added mortar if this was my project 😉 ).

PS: I’m working on a post on my fireplace designs best for coastal homes! So watch for that next…

MODERN STONE FIREPLACE

#7: A Blended Modern Stone Fireplace Design!

If you’re looking for a way to blend modern with classic for your stone fireplace, here’s one of three ideas I’d tell you to consder:

This has the traditional look of stone mixed with the modern extra-long gas rock fireplace design.

You can also see how narrow it is between the two rooms, so it’s not taking up a ton of space!

I’m a huge fan of double-sided fireplaces whenever you can! (They have to make sense.)

Yet again, there’s another post idea…random people have asked if I ever need ideas to write about here and I’m like, Have ya READ my posts?!? 😂 Each post I write spawns 5-7 additional ideas (if not more…usually more)!

STONE FIREPLACE IDEAS

#6: Speaking of Double-Sided Fireplaces…

I’ll share this one while I’m on the subject of double-sided stone fireplaces. It’s a great example of

1. A much smaller stone, almost brick-shaped
2. A rustic-mixed-with-modern design (rustic stone and mantel, but then modern gas fireplace and a TV above)
3. A fireplace not only in living rooms but in bedrooms (one of my favorite things to do! I talk about bedroom fireplaces HERE too)

stone fireplace surround

#5: Consider Your Stone Mantel (Or Not)!

As I’ve mentioned in several of the above designs, you MUST know ahead of time if you want a mantel or not…

…and then if the answer is yes, you need to know

• What material will you use?
• What’s the width, height and depth of your mantel going to be?
• What are you going to put on your mantel? (Or are you going to leave it empty?)

If you are designing your own fireplace (and the room around it), PLEASE don’t forget about planning your fireplace out ahead of time! It’s ALL connected! Do mockups if you have to! (I can help you if you’re feeling stuck or need someone to confirm what you’re thinking, or you can use the tips and tools we share in THIS and THIS guide.)

Trust me: mockup at least twice. Then you’ll only have to build it once. 😉 (Like “measure twice, cut once”. Stone fireplaces are mega-difficult to change later on!)

living room stone fireplace ideas

#4: A Stone Fireplace With Hearth!

If your local codes require you to have a stone hearth with your fireplace, you won’t want to forget to take that into account not only with your design but your measurements protruding out!

This is actually one of my top choices for my own personal project (the story of the ugly fireplace I’m replacing is HERE)!

Don’t get derailed by seeing it as an outdoor fireplace—this would still work insanely beautifully indoors. For my project, I loved how the warm colors in the stone (beiges, pinks, and even oranges) warm up the bright white of the overhead fabric panels.

So similarly, this would be a great stone for a white indoor room if that’s what you’re working with or planning on—but if you’re not sure about going white vs color, see my 7 Smart Strategies for Choosing Colors!

STONE veneer fireplace IDEAS

#3: Stone + Herringbone Tile Interior!

Like I’ve warned you about with mantels and other design features, DO NOT FORGET to take your interior material, color and pattern into consideration when choosing your stone!

(Preferably you’ll choose the stone you love first, then choose the interior of your fireplace.)

However, sometimes the interior is in great shape and you just need to redo the external bits, in which case you’ll want to make sure the stone you choose works with the existing materials.

faux stone fireplace

#2: A Super-Clean Stone Fireplace Option!

If you love a super clean look, but you also don’t want it to look too sterile, this one’s for you!

It’s not overgrouted. There’s no extra mortar going over the stones. And the bright white between the stones themselves ties into the bright white walls and side storage.

The color of the stone fireplace ties into the wood floor coloring, bringing in consistent warmth against the bright white (see How to Choose Interior Colors HERE!). So it’s not just the warmth of the fireplace balancing out the white walls and cabinetry by itself—the flooring is helping (hint: keep your flooring in mind!).

painted stone fireplace

#1: My Favorite Option of All!

Minus the awful bird, this stone fireplace photo is one I found yeeeeears ago…and I still like it best!

I shared it originally in my post here about what to do with our old stone fireplace…

…and I still find myself loving it best of all.

• I could do ANY colors or schemes around it. (I love flexibility in design.)
• It could go ANY style in future (modern, rustic, coastal, old world Spanish style…).
• It’s likely I’d never get tired of it. (Tip: If you find yourself loving the same image after years or decades, that’s a good sign you won’t tire of it in real life!)

white STONE FIREPLACE

Bonus Design Tip for Finding the Perfect Stone Look!

As I continue to search the internet and stores to find the perfect stone options, I’ll share one big bonus tip with you:

Don’t just search for “fireplace designs”!

I would search for ALL stone veneer design ideas and photos!

For example, I’ve found gorgeous stone veneers used not on fireplaces but on interior walls.

So there might be a manufacturer with your PERFECT stone, but no one has yet used it on a stone fireplace image (or they haven’t put it on the internet and marketed it properly)…

…but they have used it as

• An entryway stone wall
• A kitchen stone wall
• A stairwell stone wall
• An interior stone wall with arched walkway

Here are some examples for you to see what I mean!

NATURAL STONE FIREPLACE

“What Did You Two Do Last Time, Jess?”

If you’re new here, you’ll love seing how in our last house, we had what I called The Fireplace Room.

(You’ll want to click on that name to go see more details. We had at least four living rooms in that house so they each got a different name.😂

I share the story of my super-insanely-quick-n-easy painted stone fireplace in THIS post!

Sometimes you don’t have the time or patience to wait until you figure out the longterm fix for your old stone fireplace, so you grab the closest bucket of white paint and just go for it!😅

Next…

I’m also considering THIS kind of fireplace because I love them so much!😍

You’ll also want to browse my condensed 15 smartest fireplace designs, surrounding wall style, and decor tips HERE!

After you’ve peeked at those, you’ll love choosing one of the following:

1. If you’re still on a fireplace kick, here are my 21+ Hottie Fireplace Wall Ideas You Can (Actually) Get Excited About!
2. If you’re trying to coordinate your fireplace design with your room layout, you’ll love this one on How to Arrange Living Room Furniture: 5 Essential Steps (Made Easy)!
3. If you’ll be using a rug in your living room or bedroom, I’ve created a fantastic rug size guide (with design tips) for rugs under king beds, rugs under queen beds, and of course the difficult-made-easy living room rug size!
4. If you’re considering art above your fireplace, you’ll want to peruse my By Room: 50 Unique Wall Art Ideas for Your Living Room, Bedroom & More!
5. If you love the look of bookshelves around a fireplace, you MUST see our designs here for how to do (and build) it right: 12+ Modern & Timeless Floor-To-Ceiling Bookshelves (from Built-in To DIY)!

PS: You can browse all our projects by room HERE.