Our Art above a Fireplace Recommendations
In the guide below, we'll review basic guidelines for the artwork above a fireplace and present 5 of our recommendations. These artworks are organized by style, color palette, and size to give you an idea of different options for fireplace art. You can purchase them directly from our website or contact us with any questions.
Anatomy of a fireplace
Let's first start with some terminology. A typical fireplace has several key parts:
Fireplace Width
The fireplace's dimension is one of the most important considerations for the artwork above a fireplace. Specifically, the dimensions to consider are the width of the mantel shelf, the width of the wall behind it and the vertical distance above the mantel.
The typical mantel shelf width above a fireplace is 60 to 72 inches (5 or 6 feet). Most fireplace mantel shelves in Hope Depot or Lowes, for example, are of that size.
Your size might vary, of course, but you can use the same rules to apply to fireplaces of different sizes.
Art size above a fireplace
So what should the size of art above a fireplace be? The key dimension is artwork width, and the secondary is height.
As described in How to Hang a Canvas Painting guide, typically, we'd like to have 6-8 inches of empty wall space around an artwork. So-called "breathing room" or negative space around the art. And ideally, it should be the same 6-8 inches around all sides (top, bottom, left, right) around the work to create a virtual "frame" of negative space around the work.
This means the ideal art above a fireplace should be 36-48 inches wide, or the size of the mantel shelf minus twice the margin around the artwork.
This painting by Lobsang Durney happens to be 40 inches wide, and the fireplace mantle is 60 inches wide. 10 inches of white space on each side let's the painting "breathe" and creates a nice visual frame around it.
Lobsang Durney
Surrealist Worlds
Lobsang Durney is a contemporary Chilean artist from Valparaiso, Chile. In his work, Lobsang focuses on painting surrealist worlds, where he mixes realistic and imaginary subjects and elaborate storylines.
His works are intricately cinematic, reminiscent of Lucasfilm animations and AI-generated artwork, yet done in traditional oil on canvas with very vibrant, brilliant colors.
Several of his artworks, especially our high quality HD Metal prints or archival canvas reproductions, are ideally sized at 40 inches and would fit beautifully above a fireplace. Going with framed fine art prints on metal or canvas allows you to match the frame and the size perfectly to your fireplace.
Note how well the white frame compliments the artwork and the space above the fireplace.
Iris Kristmunds
Midcentury Modern
Our next recommendation is the minimalistic abstract artwork by Iris Kristmunds from Reykjavik, Iceland. Iris uses a more moderate color palette with fewer dominant colors in it.
Her artworks feel less busy compared to Lobsang's, for example. They are naturally calming, with simpler colors, lines, and subjects. Yet, they can be mixed well with other items in your room of similar colors.
Her art fits very well in mid-century modern interiors characterized by clean and simple lines without overly decorative elements.
Tavalina
Abstract Landscapes
Israeli artist Tavalina graduated from the Israel Institute of Technology (the Technion) in 1992 with a Bachelor of Architecture and later moved to Tel Aviv. After a personal crisis in her 30th year, she began to paint.
“I felt an overwhelming need for color. I went to my room and found a discarded box of crayons, and began to draw… as if I was in a trance, the paintings were flowing out of me… and until this very day, I haven’t stopped.”
Her art above a fireplace creates a new window in your home. As if through a window in a wall, a fresh green landscape, or an ancient Italian plaza, or a country home reveal themselves above your fireplace.
Blechmeki
Perfect Imperfections
The artist duo BLECHMEKI uses mass-produced American pottery from the 1930s to 1980s to create photo tableaux of stunning simplicity and beauty.
At first glance, individual pieces of pottery – such as vases or figurines – appear identical, but closer inspection reveals subtle and captivating variations in form and color.
Blechmeki's work would elevate any home to new heights with its superbly clean and modern aesthetics. It also would work great with small sculptures or pottery that can be placed next to it on the mantel shelf.
Tsholo Motong
A spice of life
South African Tsholo "Splash" Motong, collects fabric from different tribes and cultures in Africa. He then cuts them out in a unique mosaic fashion and glues them to canvas. Each portrait is created from hundreds of oddly shaped pieces of patterned fabric.
"My work is only inspired by local scenes from Soweto, South Africa, which has a rich history of migrant labour. I use a lot of colour because I believe colour is like a spice of life."
Tsholo's vertical paintings are a great fit above a fireplace, especially if your house has high ceilings.
These are just a few ideas to help you find the best art piece for your fireplace. To find a great match, we recommend deciding on the 3 categories below:
And if you need any help, we'll be happy to send you a few options from our current inventory.
Free Art Catalog
If you would like to learn more about any of the artwork mentioned in this guide, we'd love to send you our free 60-page colorful art catalog.
We shipped our artwork to almost every US state and more than 15 countries with our discounted shipping rates. And your purchases are backed with an industry-leading 30-day free returns policy.
Request a free 60-page art catalog with our latest available artwork.
