Unlike our northern counterparts, many homes here in Florida don’t have their own fireplaces. While that’s understandable—especially considering our year round warm weather—we don’t think that’s any reason to give up the warmth and, of course, decorative potential that fireplaces have to offer!

In today’s blog, we will be looking at five ways to incorporate the feeling of a bona fide fireplace into your home, without ever having to light a fire yourself.

Add a mantel to your space

You can still enjoy the decorating space and focal point a mantel provides by installing one without the fireplace underneath. Pick up (or design) a mantelpiece to provide an easy frame for part of your living space. Underneath, you can place a cozy chair, dog’s bed, bookshelf—just about anything you’d like! On the mantel itself, feel free to decorate with knickknacks, flowers, family photos and other small treasures—once you’re all finished, you will have a complete focal point for your living space that’s as pleasant to look at as it is functional.

Decorate with rustic firewood

If you want to incorporate the feel of a fireplace into your home, you can decorate your mantel space or another area with firewood. You can stack up several logs or add a decorative wood sculpture—we’ve even seen firewood wallpapers to “fill in” where the fireplace would actually be! These are a few easy ways to add a warm, rustic touch to your living room.

Light up your space with candles

Even if you don’t have a fireplace in your home, you can still add warmth and light to your space with a variety of decorative candles. Place these on a small table or your mantelpiece to create a glowing effect you can gather around and enjoy during cooler days.

Add wall art

One of the best aspects of built-in fireplaces are that they can be used as decorative focal points for your living room space—and fortunately, you can accomplish the same goal with decorations of your own! Add statement wall art to create a bold look in your space that will pull the room together.

Change the channel

Still want the warm, toasty and glowing feel that a true fireplace provides? With modern technology, you can enjoy it just about anywhere with a few clicks. Find a burning fireplace on TV (usually only available during the holidays) or simply access a burning fireplace video online. Today more than ever, it’s easy to enjoy this classic wintertime staple… even here in Florida!

A built-in fireplace is a great luxury to enjoy, but as these ideas prove, it isn’t always necessary for adding warmth and style to your home. We hope these ideas help you reinvent the living room space you’ve been working toward!