34 Fireplace Built-In Ideas to Add Extra Storage and Style to Your Living Room

Edwardian Built-Ins

If you live in an older house, preserve original features like fireplace built-ins to honor the history of your home. Cathie Hong Interiors renovated this century-old Edwardian living room while keeping by original built-in wood cabinets flanking the fireplace.

Olive green encaustic geometric tile on the fire surround and a simple, modern mantel blends old and new.

Contemporary Built-Ins

Choose minimalist built-ins for a contemporary space. Sissy + Marley Interior Design flanked this pale, neutral-toned fireplace with two rows of closed-front cabinetry in the same light wood as the rest of the room to hide clutter.

Wallpapered Built-Ins

Caroline Andréoni Interior Design gave the period French marble fireplace wall in this Paris living room a refresh with moody tones of blue and black.

The built-ins are painted in peacock blue to match the wall and moldings, while patterned wallpaper backing the built-in bookshelves adds dimension and another layer of decor.

Asymmetrical Built-Ins

Built-ins should be customized to fit your space. This bright neutral living room from Mindy Gayer Design Co. includes asymmetrical built-ins on either side of the natural shiplap fireplace that maximize the available wall space.

The shelves are backed in the same wood and styled with a large selection of neutral objects for cohesion.

Rustic Built-Ins

In a great room with extra-tall ceilings and a fireplace to match, built-ins can make the space feel cozier and more grounded.

Jessica Nelson Design added black built-ins on either side of this modern rustic stone fireplace. The built-ins are flush with the wall for a streamlined look.

Built-In Niches

Marie Flanigan Interiors finished the recessed built-ins in this elegant living room with natural wood trim and glass-front doors that create an opportunity to display decor while cutting down on the need to dust.

Along with the simple mirror leaning on top of the mantel, the glass fronts reflect light from the adjacent window, an added bonus that helps make the space feel airy.

Basement Built-Ins

The fireplace built-ins in this finished basement from Michelle Berwick Design have a walnut finish that adds contrast with the modern white quartz linear fireplace wall. The warm wood on the built-ins and mantel echoes the aesthetic of midcentury modern furniture throughout the space.

With Floating Shelves

Preserve a light and open feel in a farmhouse living room by pairing white base cabinets with floating shelves on the wall above.

Jessica Nelson Design used the same light wood tone on the shelving and chunky mantel on this whitewashed brick fireplace for a cohesive look.

Wall of Built-Ins

Michelle Berwick Design created a wall-within-a-wall of built-ins in this airy modern space with perfectly symmetrical wood-trimmed built-ins on either side of a wide linear fireplace with a Frame TV on the wall above.

One-Sided Built-Ins

Amber Pierce Designs added a single side of shallow built-in shelving around this all-black shiplap fireplace that provides minimal display space while leaving the window on the other side free and clear.

Modern Farmhouse Built-Ins

In a modern farmhouse living room with a vaulted ceiling and exposed or decorative beams, using the same wood tone on the built-ins will make them feel like part of the architecture.

Michelle Berwick Design used the same honey-toned wood on the beams, mantel, built-ins, and flooring in this space for a harmonious feel. The shelves are styled with photos, objects, and plants for a warm, homey feel.

Floor-to-Ceiling Built-Ins

While many people use built-in upper shelving to display objects, in a streamlined, modern space, consider building a wall of floor-to-ceiling built-ins with hidden storage instead.

In this sophisticated living room from Chango & Co., the built-ins are painted in the same soothing beige tones as the walls for a seamless look.

Modern Victorian Built-Ins

Modern built-ins complement this Victorian living room in London from Emilie Fournet Interiors. The built-in niche is painted in the same dark gray as the rest of the room, including on the chunky open shelving at the top.

Instead of built-in base cabinets, a small midcentury modern credenza adds another layer of design history to the space, adding contrast with the ornate Victorian fireplace.

Firewood Storage Niche

Instead of matching built-ins, consider building in firewood storage on one side of the fireplace. This will make it more convenient to throw another log on a wood-burning fire, or simply add a decorative touch that will make a gas-powered modern linear fireplace look more inviting, like this space from House of Hanes that includes one side of built-in open shelving on the left side.

Window Seat Built-Ins

If your fireplace is flanked with windows, consider skipping the base cabinetry and building in a pair of matching window seats with hidden storage underneath instead, like this modern living room from Chango & Co.

Arched Built-Ins

Customize built-ins with small details to suit your space. This London living room from Emilie Fournet Interiors has a pair of built-ins on either side of the wood-burning fireplace that is painted in the same green as the rest of the room for an integrated feel.

The built-ins have slightly arched tops, giving them a softer finish that works with the vintage- and antique-filled furnishings and decor.

Mismatched Built-Ins

Chango & Co. added custom built-ins on either side of the fireplace in this Park Slope, Brooklyn brownstone family room that includes space for displaying books, and objects, and housing the wall-mounted flat-screen TV. Two sets of picture lights and matching base cabinets add symmetry to the cozy New York City living room.

Light and Dark Built-Ins

Contrast a black fireplace with light wood shelving on the built-ins for a high-contrast look.

This moody home office from Sissy + Marley Interior Design has an all-black fireplace flanked with built-ins that feature rows of slim pale wood shelving that echo the hardwood floors to lighten up the somber tones of the space.

Mixed Wood Built-Ins

Add interest to built-in shelving in a neutral space by mixing finishes. This shiplap fireplace from Whittney Parkinson Design features built-ins backed with natural wood panels that add some contrast.

A custom niche lit by a picture light allows for endless styling opportunities as seasons or tastes change.

Craftsman-Style Built-Ins

Craftsman homes include extensive use of woodwork including built-in bookshelves on either side of the fireplace that create a cozy feel.

In this living room renovated by Arbor & Co., the built-ins are painted white to echo the mantel and trim throughout the space, adding contrast with the black painted brick fireplace surround.

Blonde Wood Built-Ins

Jessica Nelson Design balanced an imposing modern black fireplace with blonde wood built-in base cabinets on either side and a matching chunky mantel.

The tops of the built-in cabinets are used to display plants and vases in front of the windows to soften the symmetrical design.

Navy Built-Ins

This pool room from Chango & Co. features a fireplace wall with a pair of built-ins that are painted in the same dark navy as the mantel and wall paneling for a cohesive feel.

The dark open shelves are styled with colorful books and gold-toned metallic objects, while a large color photograph above the mantel strikes a playful tone.

Renovated Craftsman Style

In this renovated Craftsman-style home from Velinda Hellen for Emily Henderson Design, the painted brick fireplace and built-in open shelving on either side have a low profile beneath the original windows.

Coastal Fireplace Built-Ins

Chelius House of Design added a coastal feel to the living room built-ins by painting the base cabinets in a fresh shade of blue.

The upper shelving is painted white to match the walls, while darker wood flooring adds contrast.

Shiplap Fireplace Built-Ins

Use shiplap on the fireplace wall and built-ins for a custom feel. This living room from Light and Dwell has a white shiplap accent wall that adds texture to a simple fireplace that is flanked by a door frame on one side and a wide built-in with chunky open shelving on the other.

The shiplap makes the asymmetrical layout feel more cohesive and highlights the dramatic pitched ceilings.

Small Fireplace Built-Ins

Fill in the narrow space on either side of a wide, flat-front linear fireplace wall with a pair of narrow built-ins.

Louis Duncan-He Designs installed a pair of small base cabinets and hung floating shelves in the same wood tone above for an airy feel that balances the textured green fireplace wall.

Built-Ins Around Windows

Kate Marker Interiors built narrow, cubby-like shelves around three edges of the tall skinny windows in this spacious farmhouse living room and styled them with neutral objects for a cozy feel.

Built-In Base Cabinets

In a room with lower ceilings like a finished basement, consider limiting your built-ins to base cabinets for an uncluttered feel.

Michelle Berwick Design painted the wall above the built-in cabinets flanking this modern linear fireplace in the same midnight blue as the walls for an integrated feel.

Sliding Door Built-Ins

In this small coastal living room from Tyler Karu Design + Interiors, white shiplap walls are carried throughout the space, from the walls to the fireplace facade and built-ins. Sliding doors add a modern touch to the built-ins.

Recessed Wooden Built-Ins

Kate Marker Interiors flanked a modern all-white fireplace with recessed wood built-ins finished with a mix of stained wood cabinets with an antique feel.

Black metal cross detailing on the upper glass-front cabinets echoes a pair of pendant lights for a symmetrical and balanced finish.

Built-Ins With Windows

If your fireplace has windows on either side of it, install built-in base cabinets that will provide extra storage.

Top them with wood that matches the mantel. Then paint around the windows in a warm dark beige that complements the tones of your living room, like this space from Louis Duncan-He Designs.

Great Room Built-Ins

Desiree Burns Interiors added built-ins around the fireplace in this all-white great room to help fill the space and focus the eye to make the tall ceilings feel a bit more grounded.

Light Wood Built-Ins

Louis Duncan-He Designs flanked the stacked stone linear fireplace in this modern living room with light wood built-ins. The wall above the mantel is painted dark blue to help camouflage the flat screen. The recessed spaces above the base cabinets are painted light blue and decorated with a pair of colorful paintings in arched frames for a custom look.

Linear Fireplace Built-Ins

Forbes + Masters flanked a linear fireplace with low, linear wall-to-wall built-ins for a contemporary look.

Black floating shelves on the pale stacked stone wall above add balance around the TV and echo the black seating and ceiling paint.