Dress Up an Unused Fireplace

Turn an empty hearth into a visual treat with these five easy ideas.

Create a Sylvan Scene in Your Fireplace

There’s an enchanted quality to this placement of greenery, as if delicate plants are spilling in from the chimney.

How to Do It

First check to see that your fireplace gets at least a little bit of sun. Then shop the garden center (or your house) for about a dozen low-light plants—ferns and mosses are perfect—and nice-looking terra-cotta pots of different heights and shapes. Use a stump (again, at the garden center) or a stool to elevate one plant. Turn over spare pots to serve as stands for others, creating a sense of organic randomness through varied levels. Place some plants inside the fireplace opening, with others inching out and a few flanking the opening. Matched pairs pull the look together. Leave some blank space, rather than filling every inch. The intricate leaves can be appreciated (and watering is easier) with a little air around them.