Fireplace tile ideas – 15 fabulous ideas to make your fireplace a focal point

If you’re lucky enough to have a fireplace in your home, you might not have considered using tiles to enhance it, but they can completely transform the look of a neglected or dated alcove. Fireplace tiles are an effective way to create a standout focal point in your living room or bedroom. They can look so good that no one will notice whether you have a fire in your fireplace or not!

Not only can tiles be used to tile fireboxes, the inside of the fireplace where you light the fire or place a stove, but you can tile behind wood-burning stoves, use them to clad chimney breasts and of course lay them as hearths. Tiles are a perfect way to create an attractive focal point and with such a huge choice of styles, patterns and colours, you’ll be able to pick a tile to suit your style, whether it’s traditional or contemporary.

Image credit: @thehousethatcolourbuilt

What tiles are suitable for a fireplace?

The type of tiles you can use around a fire depends on the heat source. If your fire is more than 20cm away from the tiles, then you should be able to use most tiles. If your fire is closer, it’s advisable to use stone or porcelain tiles. Porcelain tiles are fired at very high temperatures and will absorb heat in the same way as fire-resistant bricks, making them a trusted material to use around a fire.

If you are tiling under a stove, it’s a good idea to use porcelain or stone tiles because they’re extremely chip resistant and will stand up to the odd tool or log being dropped on them.

If you have an alcove that you want to refresh, and no fire, then you can use whatever tiles you like.

Can I tile over my fireplace?

Absolutely. Porcelain tiles are the ideal choice for tiling entire fireboxes, back walls and hearths. Depending on the style of your fireplace and your taste, you can also tile the chimney breast.

Fireplace tile ideas

Whether you want to create a beautiful backdrop for your wood burner or an attractive alcove to place candles in on dark evenings, check out our fabulous fireplace tile ideas and prepare to be inspired. 

Geometric fireplace tiles

Liven up an otherwise plain fireplace with bold geometric tiles. You can continue the tiles onto the hearth or just tile the inner walls of the fireplace. Using bold tiles is a great idea if you don’t have a fire in your fireplace as it creates an equally attractive focal point. 

Image credit: @jayne.s.davies

Bright fireplace tiles

If you have a plain fireplace with no surround, it’s a completely blank canvas and you can choose any tiles you like. Be bold and go for the brightest tiles you can find!

Herringbone subway fireplace tiles

Always chic, herringbone subway tiles are both stylish and practical when it comes to tiling fireplaces. Stick with neutrals, match the fire surround or pick bold colours, the choice is yours. 

Image credit: @theneutralhome

Checkerboard fireplace tiles

There is such a huge variation in fireplace designs but there’s almost always the option to add tiles. We love this bold checkerboard tile design which contrasts perfectly with the white surround and painted walls.  When tiling small areas like this, you can be adventurous with your tile choices. Go for really bright, bold and patterned tiles and know that they will look fantastic.

Image credit: @emma__ainscough

Victorian fireplace tiles

It became popular to add tiles to cast iron fireplace surrounds in the Georgian era and the fireplace insert tile trend really took off with the Victorians. If you have an original Victorian fireplace, you may prefer to leave the tiles as they are but many fireplaces are designed so that you can remove the fire surround and replace the tile inserts.

Image credit: @no.4safehaven

Traditional patterned fireplace tiles

For a beautiful, period look, tile the inside of a fireplace with a mixture of plain and patterned tiles. The more ornate the patterns, the better. You can combine different layouts and tile sizes too.

Super star fireplace tiles

What better way to dress a fireplace than with gorgeous vintage-style star tiles? This popular design is so elegant and will really lift a fireplace alcove. Because star tiles are so striking, you won’t miss having a fire if you don’t have one already! 

Image credit: @harleyhousebythesea

Chevron fireplace tiles

Another adventurous pattern, make a statement with contrasting colours and bold prints. You can achieve a similar look with two colours of subway tile. Have fun with colours and experiment with different layouts.

Image credit: @kenilworth.house

Metallic fireplace tiles

Often overlooked for plainer tiles, metallic tiles can look incredible in a fireplace. If you’re keen to tile your fireplace but want to go for something a bit different, metallics could be for you. They make the perfect backdrop for a fire or wood burner or let their elegance shine through as they are.

Image credit: @becca_in_bath

Hexagon fireplace tiles

If you’ve got a modern inset wood-burning stove, you can choose to leave the wall that surrounds it plain or tile it. Hexagon tiles make a bold statement, they look great when combined with other colours and you can have great fun with the layout. They’ll look equally attractive lining a more traditional fireplace too.

Patterned wall fireplace tiles

Another fireplace tile option is to tile the area around the fireplace opening, going right up to the mantlepiece. Small patterned, large format or stone tiles will all work well. As well as looking fabulous, it’ll be extremely easy to keep clean, especially if you have a notoriously messy open fire.

Image credit: @indigo_haus_

Chimney breast tiles

No fireplace surround? No problem!  Pick a bold tile and go from floor to ceiling for a fabulous feature in your room. We often paint the chimney breast a different colour to the rest of the room and tiling is no different. If you like this effect but prefer something a little more subtle, consider cladding the wall with more neutral splitface, marble or travertine tiles.

Mermaid fireplace tiles

We’ve written a whole article about these ocean-inspired tiles and they don’t need to be confined to the bathroom or kitchen.  Be as creative as you dare and cover a fireplace surround with mermaid tiles, don’t forget to use tile edging strips or straight-sided tiles for the edges to keep the finish neat and elegant.

Splitface fireplace tiles

Cut from natural stone like slate, or crafted from realistic stone-effect porcelain, these attractive tiles are an excellent choice for fireplaces. Splitface tiles can also be used to clad entire walls around inset wood burners and used to tile walls behind open woodburning stoves.

Image credit: @highfield_reno

Moroccan-style fireplace tiles

There’s always a place for the ever-popular Moroccan style tiles and a fireplace is no exception.  Full of character and packed with interesting patterns, these tiles are a winning choice for a fireplace, whether you tile the inside of the fireplace, the hearth or both.

Image credit: @molenaarandmcneice

Fireplace tile tips

• If your fireplace is empty, you can use any tiles you like but if you’re tiling behind a log burner or open fire, use porcelain or stone tiles as they can withstand extremely high temperatures.
• You don’t have to stick to just the inside of the fireplace, try extending the tiles onto the hearth or up the wall.
• Be bold! Small areas are perfect for experimenting. If the rest of your room is fairly neutral, a standout feature fireplace will transform the whole room.

If you’re inspired to tile your fireplace, Atlas Ceramics has a wide range of tiles to choose from. Browse our selection yourself or call one of our experts for advice.