How to Make Over Your Granite Fireplace (9 Amazing Ideas)

Many homeowners have projects on their to-do list that sit there for months, even years, because they seem too complicated. Renovating the custom granite fireplace you thought looked appealing but actually doesn’t blend so well with your interiors might be one of them. It’s also a tricky design feature to deal with, but this doesn’t mean you can’t upgrade its appearance with a few simple changes.

Since it’s often considered a room’s architectural anchor and focal point to your interior design, it makes sense that your should refresh it.

To help revamp your custom granite fireplace, we’ve rounded up some tips to renew an interesting focal point.

Ideas to Spruce Up Your Granite Fireplace

A fireplace adds charm to any home. If you’re looking to refresh it, here are some ideas you can incorporate.

1. Add a Mantel

Installing a mantel shelf (or replacing an existing one) creates a beautiful space to display your favourite accessories and pictures. It can also change the appearance of the room as it plays with visual texture and weight.

If you’re in search of something dramatic, a granite slab installation can work with an existing granite surround to offer a cohesive look. Its rough-hewn texture imbues it with a rustic elegance while looking chic. However, if your interiors lean more towards traditional designs, opt for marble, onyx or limestone.

You can also hire artisans to carve intricate designs for your mantelpiece, from ornate works of art to a simple scroll.

2. Tile the Hearth

You can change the mantel design, but the hearth remains constant. However, if you’re bored of looking at the dark background, consider jazzing it up with colourful tiles. This changes the entire appearance of your fireplace and when done properly can turn it into a conversation piece.

3. Use Candles

If your fireplace doesn’t get used much, perhaps because it’s summer, place candles on stands or lanterns inside. Incorporate different colours and sizes in a mixture of aromas to create a warm and charming living area. With the gentle flickering of candles, you give the space a romantic and stylish appeal. It also brightens the hearth in spring and summer while being an inexpensive way to spruce up the fireplace.

4. Layer and Stagger Art

To create a timeless appearance, mix and match unframed and framed artwork of different sizes along the mantel.

If you wish to hang pictures, refrain from doing so too high up. Instead, put them a few inches above the mantel to keep them from looking out of place.

If you don’t prefer the staggered appearance, pick one large piece to create a focal point. This is a great way to show off your art.

5. Install Shelves

Giving your granite fireplace a makeover doesn’t have to be a huge construction project. It can be something as simple as covering the surround with open shelves. This could take the form of spacious built-ins running along both sides of the fireplace to offer additional storage. Use them to display books, plants and accessories to add a personal touch to the space.

6. Install a Fireplace Insert

Although an interesting feature design-wise, a fireplace can send heated air flowing out the chimney, making it not the most efficient heating source.

However, it’s possible to increase that efficiency by adding an insert. (This consists of a firebox surrounded by a steel shell.) And there’s no need to sacrifice on aesthetics as inserts come in a wide variety of designs.

7. Choose Sophisticated Lighting 

No matter the style, size or type of fireplace, a great way to show it off is with proper lighting.

Along with being a functional addition, it highlights the fireplace like nothing else. Hang a pendant light from a cord or chain with a domed canopy at the top to hide the electrical box. Although not the type of lighting used to highlight fireplaces, they can make a huge impact and are worth considering.

Alternatively, you can add highlights to bring attention back to the fireplace when it’s not in use.

8. Incorporate Plants

Add greenery to your living space in spring and summer by putting plants in or above your fireplace. Install a few ferns, cacti, bonsai and succulents for an invigorating appeal, or incorporate plants in pots of different sizes, heights and materials to make it more interesting.

If you’re unsure about keeping live plants in your home, you can use artificial ones along with dried twigs and branches. These can be bought from home improvement stores, along with faux flowers arranged artistically to create a gorgeous statement piece.

9. Change the Wall Treatment

The impact a fireplace makes doesn’t stop where the mantel or surround ends. In stylish modern homes, the entire wall is sometimes turned into a focal point, with the fireplace at its centre.

A great way to complement the fireplace is with a stylish wall treatment, like built-in cabinets or shelving placed adjacent to it. Moulding, wainscoting and paneling can be added to expand the mantel’s focal point even further. Homeowners may also want to incorporate dimensional wall panels into houses with modern decor.

There’s something warm and welcoming about a fireplace, and if it isn’t a focal point in your home already, it has the potential to be. With a bit of creativity, your custom granite fireplace can be given a simple facelift. Use these tips to decorate your fireplace and hearth to transform it from plain to extraordinary. These ideas add character to your decor while reflecting your inner artist.