10 Fresh Ideas for Your Fireplace Alcoves

The alcoves on either side of the fireplace are ripe for a rethink. The typical combination of a cabinet with shelves above is a sensible staple for good reason — storage plus a spot for the TV — but before you opt for the tried and tested, why not consider a few alternatives, as these homeowners did?

Floating storage. Cabinets attached to the wall increase the sense of space in a living room. As with wall-hung bathroom fittings, when the floor can be seen, the room feels so much bigger.

To accentuate the crisp and unfussy feel in this room, the storage is simple, with clean lines and no handles. In fact, these units are customized Ikea cupboards.


A mix of old and new. Built-in cabinetry doesn’t have to be traditional just because it’s a period home. While the traditional fire surround and contemporary storage unit with its glossy handleless drawers sit well together, since they’re both white, the juxtaposition of old and new accentuates the distinctive features of each.


Study nook. If space is at a premium and you’re reluctant or unable to give over an entire bedroom to work, consider using an alcove for a chic desk. Or instead of trawling the shops with your measurements for the exact size, consider having a custom piece of toughened glass or rustic reclaimed wood cut to fit, and use metal poles for legs or sturdy shelf brackets for support.

As a backdrop, why not consider practical blackboard paint or an exposed brick wall to highlight the area?


Reflection. If you’re hankering after a luxe look for relatively little outlay, consider having a mirror cut to the size of your alcoves to create a wonderful backing to team with glass or metallic shelves.

Favorite vases and collectibles will really sing in such a setting, or why not dot the shelves with a few choice coffee table books displayed with the cover artwork facing forward rather than the spines?


Work the industrial look. A relatively affordable option is a bookcase made from scaffolding boards and steel pipes, which taps right into the trend for industrial chic. If you’re a competent DIYer, head to your local builder’s supply or reclaimed-wood yard armed with the measurements.

Alternatively, ask a carpenter to fashion something similar. Here, a gray backdrop highlights this quirky nook, but colorful paint or wallpaper could work equally well in a similar setup, especially if the shelves are full of books and only cheeky glimpses of color can be seen.


Curves. The curved backs of these beautiful built-in storage units give this home a sense of grandeur and a wonderful backdrop to show off an array of quirky and eclectic objects. Paint shelves like these in the same muted shade as the surrounding walls to make the decorative objects stand out even more.


Built-in seating. Much like bay windows, alcoves are ideally placed for creating bench-style seats with a flip-up top and storage beneath. If you always have to bring in folding seats and dining room chairs for parties and gatherings, this could be the perfect permanent solution.

These seats can easily be updated by changing the upholstery fabric every few years, or opt for a plain fabric to give you the flexibility of swapping throw pillows whenever you fancy a change instead.


Free-standing furniture. If you’re lucky enough to have more than one sitting room and have ample storage elsewhere, you might favor the less-is-more approach. While the default mind-set is often to fill every inch of space with built-in cabinetry, a bit of breathing space around the antique tallboys here makes them stand out all the more, like exhibits in an art gallery.


Cool lighting. Any shelving will be elevated with some inset LED spotlights or strip lighting. Floating box shelves like these are particularly well-suited for lighting, as the boxes appear to glow, creating a wonderful atmosphere at night.

Although the primary function may be to highlight ornaments and pictures, it also adds an extra layer of lighting to the whole room, so a dimmer could be a good idea, too. You could even use shelves with built-in lighting designed for kitchens.


Log storage. Whether it’s a practical solution for a log-burning fireplace or a purely aesthetic choice, an alcove packed with clean, well-cut logs is certainly an eye-catching feature. If this is a functional feature for your home, perhaps a rolling library ladder could be a valuable addition to reach those top logs?

Show us: How have you utilized your living room alcoves? Share your ideas and photos in the Comments!

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