10 Christmas Fireplace Decor Ideas for Small Apartments (Real, Electric, and Faux)
10 Christmas fireplace decor ideas for small apartments, from electric fireplace styling to faux fireplace builds, with renter-friendly ideas for any fireplace situation.
Small apartment living room with a Christmas-decorated fireplace, garland on the mantel, stockings, and lanterns on the hearth
In This Guide
A fireplace is the best Christmas decoration an apartment can have, and most small apartments do not have one. The ones that do usually have an electric fireplace, a gas fireplace, or a decorative fireplace that has never held a fire. The ones that do not have one can build a faux fireplace from cardboard, wood, or a console table. Either way, the fireplace is the focal point of the Christmas living room, and it deserves its own plan.
These 10 Christmas fireplace decor ideas for small apartments cover all three situations: a real fireplace, an electric fireplace, and no fireplace at all. Each idea is built for a small living room, and each one is renter friendly, which means no drilling, no permanent changes, and nothing your landlord will notice in January. For the shelf above the fireplace, see the Christmas mantel decor ideas, and for apartments without a fireplace or a mantel, the Christmas mantel alternatives build a focal point from furniture you already own.
1. The Electric Fireplace Glow
An electric fireplace is the easiest fireplace to decorate for Christmas, because it is already there and it already glows. Hang a garland along the mantel, put stockings on the front, and let the electric flame do the rest. The fireplace looks real, the room feels warm, and you did not have to build anything.
The electric fireplace works because it is a real focal point with none of the mess. No ash, no smoke, no chimney, and the flame is a light, not a fire, so you can hang a garland right above it. An electric fireplace costs 100 to 300 dollars if you buy one, but most apartments that have one already own it. If you are buying, choose a freestanding unit 24 to 30 inches wide, which fits a small living room without dominating it. The electric fireplace is the modern version of the Christmas living room ideas, with the fireplace as the anchor.
How to make it work
Keep the garland at least 6 inches above the electric fireplace opening, since the unit still gives off heat. Use battery fairy lights on the garland, not plug-in lights, so there is no cord running to an outlet. Put a fire screen in front of the electric fireplace if you have kids, since the glass still gets warm.
2. The Faux Fireplace Build
A faux fireplace is a fireplace built from cardboard, wood, or a console table, and it is the best Christmas decoration for an apartment with no fireplace at all. Build a simple box shape from cardboard or plywood, paint it white or brick red, and hang a garland and stockings on it. It looks like a fireplace, it holds the stockings, and it folds flat in January.
The faux fireplace works because it gives the room a focal point. A living room without a fireplace has no obvious place for the stockings, and the faux fireplace solves that. A cardboard faux fireplace costs 20 to 40 dollars in materials, and a plywood one costs 50 to 100 dollars. Both fold or disassemble for storage. The faux fireplace is the most ambitious idea in this post, but it is also the one guests remember. The same build-it-yourself spirit drives the Dollar Tree Christmas crafts, with cheaper materials.
How to make it work
Measure the wall before you build, since a faux fireplace that is too wide overwhelms a small room. Keep the fireplace 36 to 48 inches wide and 36 inches tall, which is the size of a real small fireplace. Use battery candles inside the fireplace opening, not real candles, since cardboard and open flame do not mix. Anchor the faux fireplace to the wall with removable hooks if it is tall, so it cannot tip over.
3. The Fireplace Wall
The fireplace wall is the whole wall around the fireplace, decorated as one unit. Hang a wreath above the mantel, drape garland along the mantel, and put two lanterns on the hearth. The wall becomes a Christmas display, and the fireplace is the center of it.
The fireplace wall works because it treats the fireplace as part of the room, not as an isolated object. A wreath above the mantel, garland on the mantel, and lanterns on the hearth create three layers of decoration, and each layer is visible from the sofa. A wreath costs 10 to 20 dollars, a garland costs 15 to 25 dollars, and two lanterns cost 20 to 40 dollars. The fireplace wall is the full version of the Christmas mantel decor ideas, with the wall and the hearth added.
How to make it work
Hang the wreath with a removable hook rated for at least 3 pounds, since a wreath is heavier than it looks. Keep the lanterns on the hearth, not on the mantel, so the mantel stays clear for the garland. If the fireplace is working, keep the wreath at least 12 inches above the mantel, since heat rises and dries out a real wreath.
4. The Hearth Display
The hearth display is lanterns, candles, and decorative logs on the hearth, and it is the easiest fireplace idea there is. Put two lanterns on the hearth, one on each side of the fireplace opening, and stack three or four decorative birch logs beside them. The hearth looks dressed, the fireplace looks used, and the whole display costs under 40 dollars.
The hearth works because it is the floor-level layer of the fireplace. Most people decorate the mantel and forget the hearth, but the hearth is where the eye goes when you sit on the sofa. Lanterns cost 10 to 20 dollars each, and decorative birch logs cost 10 to 15 dollars for a bundle. Use battery candles inside the lanterns, since the hearth is low and kids and pets can reach it. The hearth display is the floor-level version of the Christmas mantel decor ideas, with lanterns instead of garland.
How to make it work
Keep the lanterns at least 6 inches from the fireplace opening, since the opening still gives off heat. Put a fire screen in front of the fireplace if the lanterns are close to it. If the fireplace is working, use battery candles only, never real candles, on the hearth.
5. The Stocking Wall
The stocking wall is stockings hung on the fireplace surround, not just the mantel. Hang three or four stockings from the mantel, and two more from removable hooks on the fireplace surround, at different heights. The stockings fill the whole fireplace wall, and the fireplace looks like it belongs to a family.
The stocking wall works because it uses the whole fireplace, not just the shelf. A mantel holds three or four stockings, but the surround holds two more, and the different heights make the display look dynamic. Stockings cost 5 to 10 dollars each, and removable hooks cost 5 dollars for a pack. Use hooks rated for at least 2 pounds each, since a filled stocking is heavy. The stocking wall is the fireplace version of the Christmas mantel stocking lineup, with more stockings and more heights.
How to make it work
Hang the stockings at different heights, with the highest at the mantel and the lowest at the hearth, so the display has a diagonal flow. Keep the stockings at least 6 inches from the fireplace opening, since heat rises and dries out fabric. If the fireplace is working, use stocking hooks, not nails, so the stockings come down easily if they get too warm.
6. The Fireplace Screen Decor
A fireplace screen covered in garland is the fireplace decoration for a working fireplace. Drape a garland along the top of the fire screen, and weave battery fairy lights through it. The screen becomes a Christmas display, and the fireplace stays safe and functional.
The screen works because it is the one part of a working fireplace you can decorate without worrying about heat. The screen sits in front of the fire, so the garland is protected from the flames, and the battery lights are safe. A garland costs 15 to 25 dollars, and a battery fairy light string costs 3 to 5 dollars. The screen decor is the safest fireplace idea in this post, since nothing touches the fire. The screen is also the fireplace version of the Christmas lights ideas, with garland instead of window lights.
How to make it work
Use a fire screen with a flat top, so the garland sits stable. Keep the garland on the screen, not inside the fireplace, since the fire will burn it. Use battery lights only, never plug-in lights, on a fire screen, since the cord would run too close to the heat.
7. The Firewood Stack
A firewood stack is a neat pile of decorative birch logs beside the fireplace, and it is the most natural fireplace decoration there is. Stack 8 to 10 birch logs in a pyramid or a rectangle beside the fireplace, and the fireplace looks like it is ready for a fire, even if it never holds one.
The firewood stack works because it is texture. White birch bark against a dark fireplace is a striking contrast, and the stack adds a natural, rustic element to the room. A bundle of decorative birch logs costs 10 to 15 dollars, and a log holder costs 15 to 25 dollars. Keep the stack 12 inches from the fireplace opening, since the logs are flammable. The firewood stack is the natural version of the Christmas mantel natural decor, with logs instead of pinecones.
How to make it work
Stack the logs with the cut ends facing out, since the rings look better than the bark. Keep the stack stable, with the largest logs at the bottom, so it cannot tip. If the fireplace is working, keep the stack at least 12 inches from the opening, and never stack logs inside the fireplace unless you are building a fire.
8. The Fireplace and Tree Pairing
The fireplace and tree pairing is the Christmas tree placed next to the fireplace, and it is the classic Christmas living room. Put the tree 2 to 3 feet from the fireplace, on the side away from the door, and decorate the fireplace and the tree in the same colors. The room has two focal points that work together, and the whole living room feels like Christmas.
The pairing works because the fireplace and the tree are the two biggest Christmas decorations, and they belong together. A tree next to a fireplace looks intentional, while a tree in the opposite corner looks like an afterthought. Keep the tree at least 2 feet from the fireplace opening, since heat dries out a real tree and melts an artificial one. The pairing is the living room version of the Christmas tree ideas for small apartments, with the fireplace as the partner.
How to make it work
Put the tree on the side of the fireplace away from the door, so guests do not brush past it when they walk in. Decorate the tree and the fireplace in the same color family, like red and gold or silver and white, so they look like a pair. If the fireplace is working, use an artificial tree, since a real tree dries out faster near heat.
9. The Cozy Corner
The cozy corner is an armchair, a plaid throw, and the fireplace, and it is the most inviting spot in a small apartment at Christmas. Put an armchair at an angle to the fireplace, drape a plaid throw over the arm, and put a small side table beside it with a mug and a book. The corner becomes the place where everyone wants to sit.
The cozy corner works because it is a destination, not a decoration. A chair by the fireplace is where you read, drink cocoa, and watch the lights, and at Christmas it is the best seat in the apartment. A plaid throw costs 15 to 25 dollars, and a side table costs 20 to 40 dollars if you do not own one. The cozy corner is the fireplace version of the Christmas living room ideas, with the chair as the focus.
How to make it work
Put the chair at a 45-degree angle to the fireplace, not straight on, so it feels conversational and not like a waiting room. Keep the chair at least 3 feet from the fireplace opening, since the heat is intense up close. Put a small rug under the chair and the side table, so the corner feels defined.
10. The Safe Fireplace
The last fireplace idea is the safe fireplace, and it is the one that matters most in a small apartment. Use battery candles instead of real candles, keep all decorations at least 6 inches from the fireplace opening, and put a fire screen in front of a working fireplace. The fireplace looks festive, and nobody worries about it.
Safety matters more in a small apartment, because the fireplace is close to everything: the sofa, the tree, the curtains, and the guests. A battery candle gives the same glow as a real candle with none of the risk, and a fire screen keeps sparks inside the fireplace. The safe fireplace is the rule that makes all the other ideas in this post possible. The same safety logic drives the Christmas lights ideas for small apartments, where battery lights are the default.
How to make it work
Test the battery candles before December, so you know they work and the batteries are fresh. Keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen, not in the living room, since the kitchen is where you will reach for it. If the fireplace is working, never leave it unattended, and never hang a garland inside the fireplace opening.
