20 Inspiring DIY Faux Fireplace Ideas to Try Yourself

There's nothing quite like having a working fireplace in your home, but these days, non-functioning ones are highly sought after too. Yes, faux fireplaces are really having a moment—and it’s well-deserved. Fireplace mantels add a lot of coziness to any space, offer endless styling opportunities, and come in various shapes, sizes, and styles. They’re a blast to decorate for the holidays, look fabulous when filled with candles, and can add personality and charm to that blank wall that’s been driving you crazy.

However, because buying a premade faux fireplace can be a bit of an investment, many people are choosing to DIY, creating beautiful mantels from wood or creatively using common household items to construct them in just a few simple steps. We've rounded up 15 faux fireplace mantels that are inspiring us right now, and you'll definitely want to read on to learn how you can replicate one of these stunning pieces in your own home.

Mantel With a Shelf

This faux mantel features a small shelf at the bottom, perfect for displaying candles! Even if you can’t light a fire, candles are truly the next best thing. Flameless candles can be left lit all night for major ambiance. Oh, and the herringbone insert? Believe it or not, it's actually wallpaper.

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20 Inspiring DIY Faux Fireplace Ideas to Try Yourself

Curved Limewash Mantel

This mantel was made of wood and painted with limewash for a chic, vintage look. Inside the fireplace, travertine tiles add sophistication and depth to the living room.

Simple White Wooden Mantel

With some basic wood from the hardware store and a coat of paint, you can design and customize a fireplace mantel to fit your room’s size and style. This white mantel is the perfect blank canvas—you can decorate it with seasonal items throughout the year.

Chic Marble Mantel

Consider sourcing a marble fireplace that looks just like the real thing but can be easily moved from room to room if needed. This mantel comprises a few different marble pieces but looks as if it's original to this New York City apartment. You could recreate the look with salvaged pieces from a historic mantel.

White Mantel With Herringbone

This wooden mantel features a herringbone insert made from extra wood pieces. Opt for any design that speaks to you when customizing; herringbone remains a classic style for inserts and makes this mantel look high-end!

Wooden Mantel With Shiplap Insert

A wooden mantel with a beautiful shiplap insert surrounds a working freestanding fireplace, elevating the piece. The new mantel adds a cozy touch to the space and allows for plenty of decorating possibilities—we love the addition of a pom-pom garland and plants as shown here.

Mantel With Brick and Summer Shield

This mantel came together from scratch; the mantel itself came from Facebook Marketplace, the summer shield was added separately, and the hearth was a DIY. This setup looks original to the space and proves that a little creativity can go a long way in creating the custom mantel of your dreams. Even the brick mortar was added to the insert!

Mantel With a Built-In Chalkboard

Why not add a fun touch to your non-working mantel by placing a chalkboard where the firebox would normally go? This mantel is perfect for the whole family—kids will enjoy drawing and leaving notes for each other with chalk or writing messages for a special event or holiday.

Faux Antique Mantel

This mantel was designed to replicate the look of antique barnwood. Brown wax added an aged quality to this new wooden piece, which is wide enough to accommodate two chairs underneath. Note that if you do not wish to make an insert for your faux mantel, there are many ways to get creative with styling so the opening isn’t as obvious.

Curved Mantel Made from Plasterboard

Love arches of all kinds? Then this is the fireplace for you! Plasterboard and wood were used here, but you’d never guess this fireplace wasn’t made from actual plaster.

Small Mantel Shelf

While this home already had a fireplace, it didn’t feature a mantel above it. The new addition adds extra flair to the wall and makes it easy to lean a mirror or artwork and style decorative objects. It was painted white to match the style of the existing fireplace.

Bookshelf Turned Mantel

Believe it or not, this mantel had a previous life as a bookshelf. Removing the shelves, distressing the piece, and adding decorative embellishments were all part of the process, proving that reusing furniture has never looked better!

Door Turned Mantel

Here’s another fantastic upcycle: a door turned into a fireplace mantel! White paint and adding a shelf gave this extra door new life. With the addition of decorative accents typically displayed on a mantel, you’d really never know this piece once served a different purpose.

Thrift Store Mantel Given New Life

Some new paint and a sander brought this old thrift store mantel to life. In this picture, the mantel is set up outside on a porch, proving that any space can benefit from a faux mantel—it truly adds so much character.

Mantel With Trim

Take a DIY wooden fireplace to the next level by adding some trim to it. Keep it simple or cut gaps into the trim for a more ornate look (as seen here), and it will make a statement.

Tiled Frame

Many fireplaces have a tiled frame around them for added aesthetic appeal, and there’s no reason you can’t add this feature to your DIY mantel. Here, a shiplap mantel got a bit of a fancy finishing touch with some tile.

From Brick to Grout

Would you have ever guessed this fireplace was once brick? It got a significant makeover with some grout—the finished look is much more Mediterranean and modern, and it really brightens up this living room.

A Headboard is Transformed

Have an old headboard you’re no longer using? Go ahead and revamp it like this one; you’d never guess its former purpose. This fireplace got a fun touch with a chalkboard insert that adds a whimsical vibe.

Roman Clay Addition

A wooden fireplace mantel found on Facebook Marketplace got a custom upgrade with a roman clay surround. This adds much depth to the piece and makes it look much more luxurious. You could also consider painting or sanding a wooden mantel like this one.

Shabby Chic and Sweet

Mantels are great pieces because they can be customized to reflect various aesthetic preferences. For example, if you love a shabby chic style, a mantel like this one may appeal to you. A chippy paint technique helped achieve this look.