Tiled Fireplace Ideas: 12 Ways to Create a Cosy Focal Point

If you think all tiled fireplace ideas are old fashioned and only suited to traditional schemes and period homes then it's time to think again.

While tiled fireplaces can indeed be the perfect finishing touch for many classic style homes and renovation projects, there are a whole host of modern tiled fireplace ideas out there too.

For many people looking for ways to introduce a focal point or some architectural interest into their homes, fireplace ideas are often their first port of call. The warmth and personality a fireplace can lend to a space is undeniable. 

Here, we take a look at some of the best tiled fireplace ideas around, from sleek and contemporary to classic and chic. 

1. Tiled Fireplace Ideas With a Difference

Proof, if ever it were needed, that tiled fireplaces are most definitely no longer the reserve of traditional interior schemes. This ultra chic and modern tiled fire surround features grey cement effect wall and floor tiles used in conjunction with a geometric feature strip from The London Tile Co. 

2. Colourful Update on a Classic

Brightly coloured or patterned tiles are perfect partners for traditional cast iron fire surrounds, providing contrast and allowing both the old and new elements to shine. Here, the combination of lime green and teal work beautifully with the charcoal hues of the decorative fire insert. 

3. Embracing the Metallic Trend

Metallic surfaces and finishing touches are right on trend at present and can be seen everywhere, from kitchen details to flooring. Here, Metallic Copper Brick Tiles from Walls and Floors provide a characterful and textured surface with a rich shimmering finish —they can be fixed in many ways, including herringbone. 

4. Contemporary Classic Fireplace Idea

If you have an existing tiled fireplace and are looking for a quick and easy way to update it, or to refresh your interior scheme, there are several approaches you can take. One of the best is to repaint the fire surround in a crisp white, drawing out some of the colours used in the fireplace tiles elsewhere. 

Here, the earthy browns of the original tiled surround have been picked up in the artwork on the wall, while the bold colours used around the room – navy, plum and bright green – all lend a distinctly modern feel to the space. 

5. Try a Bold Patterned Fireplace Tile 

Use feature tiles on a simple, boxy fire surround to give an instant character hit in any room — even one with no chimney. If you don't plan using your fireplace for a real fire, as in this example,  you can easily construct your own decorative fire surround using plywood or even MDF, then tile over it — fill the opening with foliage or candles for an easy focal point.

6. Use Split Face Tiles For Texture

Split face tiles are made up of strips of stone, brick, slate or other materials, cut to various lengths, widths, heights and thicknesses. They are arranged and fixed to produce a surface with plenty of texture and interest.

Split face tiles look particularly good on full height chimney breasts or in contemporary settings where they provide a healthy dose of visual variety to a large wall area. 

Here, Sparkle Ice Grey Split Face Mosaic Tiles from Tile Mountain, set off the hole-in-the-wall fireplace brilliantly. 

7. Fresh and Glossy Chimney Breast

Glossy tiles can make a real statement when used in large quantities. Here, Vernice Hydrilla Tiles from Walls and Floors are offset by the matt black finish of the wall on one side and the rustic exposed brick wall to the other. 

8. The Perfect Log Burner Backdrop

The stone fireplace in this self build has been brought to life by the addition of a selection of mix-and-match patterned tiles, all of which have a neutral-toned background colour to ensure they tie in with the face of the surround. all in all it makes an effective backdrop for the log burning stove. 

9. A Brick Fire Surround With a Twist

Often thought of as somewhat old-fashioned these days, there are actually plenty of ways to use brick slips or brick-effect tiles in a fresh modern way.

Here, long-format Chatham Terracotta Brick Tiles from Walls and Floors have been laid in a herringbone pattern. They have a 'smoky' surface for added character and look great combined with the patterned hearth tiles too.

10. Go Full On Luxé With Gloss Tiles

Want to add a little hotel chic to your home interior scheme? Large-format, glossy tiles used on both the floors and walls are a quick way to get the look. 

In this opulent living space, marble-effect porcelain gloss tiles measuring 80cm x 80cm, from Direct Tile Warehouse, create a neutral yet rich backdrop for the rest of the cream-coloured furnishings. 

11. Try This Clever Mirror Tile Insert Fireplace Idea

It can be hard to know how to treat a bathroom fireplace — but this is one tiled fireplace idea we are very taken with. 

The simple white surround is shown off to full effect thanks to soft grey Craquelure Ash Tiles from Walls and Floors — they have a crackle glaze that gives them a warm vintage look. Inside the fireplace, a mirror has been inserted — the perfect way to make a small bathroom feel bigger. 

12. Cosy Up With a Tiled Combination Fireplace

A cast iron combination fireplace, complete with tiled inserts, will ensure bags of warmth and an irresistibly snug feeling within your living space. 

The combination inset in matt black with cheerful Evening Primrose tile sets from Stovax, shown here cosies up the space brilliantly — note the way the green of the tiles has been picked up in the built-in joinery on either side of the chimney breast too.