7 Ways to Transform Your Living Room — Fireplace Inspiration

Prohl Design
Jan 6
3 min read

A fireplace wall can completely change the mood, function, and value of your home. If your living room feels incomplete, the right fireplace design can turn it into a true focal point — warm, cozy, and beautifully intentional.

Here are 7 fireplace ideas that we’ve designed for our clients — and how each one transforms the space.

Custom Microcement Fireplace With Hidden Storage Seating

Before & After:

This custom fireplace is finished in microcement, giving it a soft, seamless, sculptural look. On both sides, we added symmetrical built-in benches — each one opens for hidden storage.

Instead of bringing in bulky furniture, everything is integrated into the wall, so the room feels calm, organized, and high-end.

Best for: smaller living rooms.

Tall Architectural Feature Fireplace

Before & After:

When your ceilings are high — celebrate them.

A tall fireplace feature draws the eye up and creates drama. Vertical lines visually stretch the room and make it feel larger and more elegant. Solid wood bench adds extra cozy seating /reading nooks.

Best for: living rooms with tall ceilings.

Marble or Stone Fireplace Surround

Before & After:

Stone adds instant “wow.”

Even in a room that looks very similar to the previous one, the solution here is completely different — because every home (and every client) needs its own approach.

A marble or stone fireplace:

• feels luxurious

• reflects light beautifully

• works with both modern and traditional interiors

Best for: statement living rooms.

Modern TV + Fireplace Combination

Before & After:

Instead of wall niches, we designed a slim architectural box that gently comes forward:

• replaced a small fireplace with a wider, lower, modern unit

• closed the outdated niche

• added vertical architectural texture

• installed warm wood shelves for balance

Result: the entire wall becomes one clean focal point — calm, intentional, and beautifully integrated.

Best for: families who love spending time together in the living room.

Built-in cabinets with a fireplace

Before & After:

When the bigger TV wall is arrenged with the smaller furniture, and decor — the room doesn't feel right.

Built-ins solve everything at once:

• the fireplace becomes the cozy center of the room

• closed cabinets hide electronics and wires

• open shelves create a beautiful place for books and decor

• the whole wall finally looks intentional and custom

Best for: families who want storage and style in a living room.

Textured Wall Panels Around the Fireplace

Before & After:

Wood, slats, and geometric panels add depth and warmth.Texture catches the light and instantly creates interest — even when the color palette is neutral.

Already have a fireplace? We can turn it into a real accent piece by wrapping it with architectural panels — instead of rebuilding the whole wall.

Best for: minimalists who still want personality.

Built-In Cabinets + Display Shelves

Before & After:

If you already have a fireplace — even with tile on it — but it still doesn’t feel like a statement piece, we don’t start from zero.

We build around it:

• add plaster or microcement to soften the look• integrate shelves and cabinets for storage + display• connect everything into one feature wall instead of random pieces

Result: the fireplace finally becomes the star of the room — without replacing it.

Best for: living rooms that feel “unfinished” and need character.