Home Design & Decorating Room Design Living Rooms

27 Linear Fireplace Ideas That Are Sleek, Modern, and Low-Maintenance

linear fireplace ideas

Michelle Boudreau Design

More compact and low-maintenance than wood-burning fireplaces, gas or electric linear fireplaces are normally built into the wall for a seamless look. With their sleek, elongated rectangular shape, linear fireplaces work especially well in modern homes, but can be incorporated into any style interior with the right finishes and decor.

Check out these linear fireplace ideas in a range of styles and settings for inspiration.

  • 01 of 27

    Linear Fireplace on Shiplap

    linear fireplace ideas for shiplap wall

    Design by Chango & Co. / Photo by Sarah Elliott

    A linear fireplace can add balance to a modern living room with a prominent TV on the wall. Chango & Co. added a linear fireplace that is as wide as the flat screen above it, creating a polished feel against the tall vertical white shiplap walls.

    Continue to 2 of 27 below
  • 02 of 27

    Textured Linear Fireplace

    linear fireplace ideas living room

    Michelle Boudreau Design

    Linear fireplaces are often flush with the wall, creating a somewhat flat look. You can add dimension to a linear fireplace with a tile surround coupled with a textured treatment on the fireplace wall. Michelle Boudreau Design softened the linear fireplace in this modern living room with a simple gray tile surround that acts like a frame against a channel-tufted pistachio green wall that echoes the upholstery on a pair of armchairs.

    Continue to 3 of 27 below
  • 03 of 27

    Extra Wide Stone Surround

    linear fireplace with marble surround

    Sissy + Marley Interior Design / Photo by Marco Ricca Studio

    While some people opt for an extra-long linear fireplace when outfitting a blank wall, you can also embed the fireplace in an extra-wide surround for a polished feel. Sissy + Marley Interior Design created a wall-to-wall feature with a linear fireplace with a black frame against a black veined stone surround that is finished with closed white built-in cabinetry on the wall above for a contemporary feel.

    Continue to 4 of 27 below
  • 04 of 27

    Linear Bathroom Fireplace

    linear fireplace primary bathroom

    Design by Jacqueline Blum Design / Photo by Jenny Siegwart

    A linear fireplace is a sleek addition to a modern primary bathroom. In this en suite bathroom from Jacqueline Blum Design, a double-sided linear fireplace embedded in the gray herringbone tile above the bathtub adds warmth and a spa-like feel.

    Continue to 5 of 27 below
  • 05 of 27

    Linear Bedroom Fireplace

    linear fireplace bedroom

    Design by Jacqueline Blum Design / Photo by Jenny Siegwart

    On the other side of the bathroom wall, the double-sided linear fireplace warms up the white walls of the primary bedroom for a cozier feel. The black fireplace complements Moroccan design accents, like a trio of perforated metal pendant lights and a Beni Ourain rug with graphic detailing, as well as a black bed frame and nightstand.

    Continue to 6 of 27 below
  • 06 of 27

    Framed Linear Fireplace

    linear fireplace with marble frame

    Becca Interiors

    To make a linear fireplace work in a transitional or farmhouse living room, consider surrounding it with an oversized frame. Becca Interiors framed the linear fireplace in this family room with a light gray and white stone surround that adds dimension and subtle contrast against vertical shiplap walls.

    Continue to 7 of 27 below
  • 07 of 27

    Monumental Fireplace Wall

    linear fireplace stone surround ideas

    Michelle Berwick Design

    Play with proportions to create drama in your great room by embedding a compact linear fireplace at the base of a monumental double-height stone wall, like this airy space from Michelle Berwick Design.

    Continue to 8 of 27 below
  • 08 of 27

    Colorful Linear Fireplace

    linear fireplace on textured wall

    Louis Duncan-He Designs

    Soften the look of a linear fireplace with a textured wall finish painted in a refreshing color, like this bright space from Louis Duncan-He Designs.

    Continue to 9 of 27 below
  • 09 of 27

    Linear Fireplace Ledge

    linear fireplace ideas black and white living room

    Brophy Interiors

    A slightly raised linear fireplace with a built-in ledge creates a focal point in this contemporary black-and-white living room from Brophy Interiors.

    Continue to 10 of 27 below
  • 10 of 27

    Minimalist Linear Fireplace

    minimalist linear fireplace ideas

    Louis Duncan-He Designs

    Place a linear fireplace at eye level on a blank wall to create a minimalist feel, like this all-white open-plan living room from Louis Duncan-He Designs.

    Continue to 11 of 27 below
  • 11 of 27

    Rounded Chimney Wall

    linear fireplace ideas small living room

    Design by Chango & Co. / Photo by Nicole Franzen & Chris Coe

    Create a sculptural modern feel by placing a smaller black linear fireplace in a curved, minimalist chimney wall, like this New York City townhouse from Chango & Co. that is finished in soft beiges and curvy furniture.

    Continue to 12 of 27 below
  • 12 of 27

    All-Black Linear Fireplace

    home office linear fireplace ideas

    Sissy + Marley Interior Design / Photo by Marco Ricca Studio

    Choose an all-black palette for a custom built-in linear fireplace, and contrast with light wood tones on the flooring and built-in bookshelves, like this modern home office from Sissy + Marley Interior Design.

    Continue to 13 of 27 below
  • 13 of 27

    Linear Fireplace Wall

    linear bedroom fireplace

    Design by House of One / Photo By Kris Tamburello

    Use a double-sided linear fireplace to create a sleek divider in a spacious bedroom. A gray wall with a linear fireplace and a built-in niche for a Frame TV divides the sleeping and lounge areas in this spacious Miami Beach, FL, primary bedroom from House of One.

    Continue to 14 of 27 below
  • 14 of 27

    Double-Sided and Framed

    double-sided linear fireplace ideas

    Sissy + Marley Interior Design / Photo by Marco Ricca Studio

    Give a linear fireplace a more substantial look by surrounding it with a large stone frame, like this living room from Sissy + Marley Interior Design that mixes old and new for a timeless feel.

    Continue to 15 of 27 below
  • 15 of 27

    Textured Wall Finish

    linear fireplace ideas with ledge

    Design by Chango & Co. / Photo by Read McKendree

    A lightly textured beige wall and a chunky stone ledge beneath this slightly raised linear fireplace add a sense of modern luxury to this living room from Chango & Co.

    Continue to 16 of 27 below
  • 16 of 27

    Linear Wood Slat Fireplace

    linear fireplace on wood slat wall

    Brophy Interiors

    A linear fireplace surrounded by a black wood-slat wall creates a modern focal point in this Southern California living room from Brophy Interiors.

    Continue to 17 of 27 below
  • 17 of 27

    Modern Kitchen Fireplace

    linear fireplace in the kitchen

    Design by Crisp Architects / Photo by Rob Karosis

    Combine a modern linear fireplace insert with a thick black frame and a wall of painted white wood paneling to create a modern traditional feel, like this kitchen fireplace from Crisp Architects.

    Continue to 18 of 27 below
  • 18 of 27

    Black and White Fireplace

    minimalist linear fireplace ideas

    Sissy + Marley Interior Design / Photo by Marco Ricca Studio

    A simple linear fireplace with a black frame on a white wall adds a minimalist focal point that allows other elements to shine in this living room from Sissy + Marley Interior Design. With the fireplace receeding into the background, the mixed finishes and sculptural modern seating, lighting, and wall decor really take center stage.

    Continue to 19 of 27 below
  • 19 of 27

    Linear Basement Fireplace

    linear fireplace ideas finished basement

    Michelle Berwick Design

    A linear fireplace is an easy way to add coziness to a finished basement living room, like this space from Michelle Berwick Design.

    Continue to 20 of 27 below
  • 20 of 27

    Beige Stone Fireplace

    linear fireplace niche ideas

    Design by Chango & Co. / Photo by Read McKendree

    Create a polished modern feel with a beige stone fireplace wall finished with a linear fireplace insert with a recessed frame, like this living room from Chango & Co. Semi-sheer drapes on the windows flanking the fireplace wall add softness.

    Continue to 21 of 27 below
  • 21 of 27

    Black and Gray Fireplace

    modern linear fireplace ideas

    Gray Space Interiors

    A gray concrete fireplace wall with a linear fireplace insert with a black frame and a smaller flat screen above adds a contemporary focal point in this living room from Gray Space Interiors.

    Continue to 22 of 27 below
  • 22 of 27

    Linear Fireplace Built-Ins

    linear fireplace built-in ideas

    Sissy + Marley Interior Design / Photo by Marco Ricca Studio

    Incorporate an off-center linear fireplace into a wall of built-ins to add warmth and coziness to a modern living room like this space from Sissy + Marley Interior Design.

    Continue to 23 of 27 below
  • 23 of 27

    High Contrast Fireplace

    linear fireplace with stacked stone surround

    Louis Duncan-He Designs

    Create contrast by pairing pale stone with a black linear fireplace, like this space from Louis Duncan-He Designs that mixes neutral tones with two-tone wall paint and colorful art and textile accents.

    Continue to 24 of 27 below
  • 24 of 27

    Rustic Linear Fireplace

    curved linear fireplace ideas

    Fantastic Frank

    This stucco fireplace from Fantastic Frank has a linear open firebox that follows the curves of the chimney wall for an original and modern rustic feel.

    Continue to 25 of 27 below
  • 25 of 27

    Low Linear Fireplace

    contemporary linear fireplace ideas

    Forbes + Masters

    Create a seamless look with a low-slung linear fireplace flanked by built-ins of the same height, like this beige and black lounge space from Forbes + Masters.

    Continue to 26 of 27 below
  • 26 of 27

    Small Linear Fireplace

    small linear fireplace ideas

    Tina Ramchandani Creative

    Create a focal point on a smaller wall flanked by double closets with a linear fireplace. Tina Ramchandani Creative painted the narrow frame around the fireplace insert in the same gray-blue as the rest of the space to help it to blend into the background when not in use.

    Continue to 27 of 27 below
  • 27 of 27

    Stacked Stone Fireplace

    linear fireplace ideas with TV

    Louis Duncan-He Designs

    Modernize a stacked stone wall with a linear fireplace and a built-in TV niche above, like this living room from Louis Duncan-He Designs.

Are linear fireplaces better than a regular fireplace? 

Linear fireplaces appeal to people who want a contemporary or updated look and the visual appeal of a flickering fire without the maintenance, mess, or smoke. Linear fireplaces run on gas and can be adjusted and turned on and off with the flick of a switch. 

Do linear fireplaces give off any heat? 

Linear fireplaces are designed to give off heat. Ventless linear fireplaces that run on gas will retain more heat than a traditional fireplace, where heat escapes through the chimney. 

How tall is a linear fireplace?

Linear fireplaces vary in height but are always longer/wider than they are tall. The general height range for a linear fireplace is from about 12 to 36 inches.