The humble wood burning stove has undergone a remarkable transformation. Once a purely practical appliance for heating our homes, it has now firmly established itself as a stylish, desirable centrepiece for the modern living room. The crackle of logs and the radiant warmth are timeless, but the way we design our spaces around them is constantly evolving.

As we look towards 2026, interior décor trends are beautifully aligning with the very essence of a stove: a celebration of warmth, sustainability, and authentic design personality. It’s no longer just about placing a stove in the corner; it’s about creating an entire experience around it.

This guide will walk you through the most exciting wood burning stove décor trends, offering a wealth of inspiration and practical ideas to help you style your living room and make your stove the true heart of your home.

The Rise of the Cosycore Aesthetic

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If you love the comfort of Danish ‘hygge’ and the rustic charm of ‘cottagecore’, you’ll feel right at home with Cosycore. This trend is a warm, inviting evolution of minimalism, focusing on comfort, tactility, and a feeling of sanctuary. It’s about creating a space that feels like a warm hug on a chilly evening.

To achieve this look, think in layers of natural textures. Imagine your stove’s gentle glow illuminating soft boucle fabrics on an armchair, light-filtering linen curtains, and a chunky knit throw draped over the sofa. The key is to create a sensory experience.

  • Materials: Pair your stove with a surround made from tactile materials like honed Aegean limestone or natural slate.
  • Focal Point: A rustic, reclaimed oak beam installed above the stove recess acts as the perfect mantelpiece, adding character and a place to display simple, cherished objects.
  • Atmosphere: Soft, warm lighting is crucial. Avoid harsh overhead spotlights and instead opt for table lamps and floor lamps that create pools of gentle light.

Japandi Calm: Minimal Meets Earthy

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Japandi, the beautiful fusion of Japanese minimalism and Scandinavian functionality, continues to be a dominant force in interior design. Its emphasis on clean lines, natural materials, and a clutter-free environment makes it perfect for creating a serene and calming living room, especially in smaller spaces.

For a Japandi-inspired scheme, choose a stove with a simple, elegant design and clean lines, such as the Charnwood Aire or the Arada Holborn. These models have an understated presence that complements the aesthetic perfectly. Pair them with walls painted in soft, neutral tones like off-white, greige, or a very pale, earthy green.

  • Décor Tips: Introduce pale oak furniture, slender stems of pampas grass in a ceramic vase, and subtle matte black accents in your fire tools or window frames.
  • Log Storage: A key feature of Japandi is clever storage. A recessed log store built into the chimney breast keeps firewood tidy and turns it into a deliberate design element.
  • A Note on Balance: Remember, simplicity doesn’t mean sterile. The warmth comes from the natural grain of the wood, the texture of a single woollen cushion, and of course, the living flame of the fire itself.

The Modern Media Wall Mash-Up

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One of the most requested moder living room features is the media wall, which neatly houses a television, sound system, and storage. A common question we hear is, “Can you have a media wall with a wood burning stove?” The answer is a resounding yes, but it requires careful planning and strict adherence to safety regulations.

The most popular approach is to use an inset stove, which sits flush within the wall structure, often positioned below a recessed television. A freestanding stove can also work beautifully when placed in a dedicated alcove to one side of the TV unit, creating an asymmetrical but balance feature wall.

Important Safety Note: Heat and electronics do not mix. It is absolutely critical to maintain the manufacturer’s specified safe distances between the stove and any combustible materials, including the television. Use a non-combustible beam or shelf (often made from concrete or specialist composite materials) to create a heat-deflecting barrier between the stove and the TV. Always consult a qualified HETAS installer to ensure your design is safe and compliant with building regulations.

For those who love the look but want a simpler solution, modern electric stoves offer a stunning flame effect without the heat clearances, making them an incredibly popular and straightforward choice for media wall styling.

Colour Trends: Moody Greens, Clays, and Charcoals

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The 2026 colour palette is moving away from cool greys and embracing warmer, earthier, and more dramatic tones. A feature chimney breast is the perfect canvas to experiment with colour.

Deep, moody hues like forest green, rich terracotta clay, and sophisticated charcoal create a stunning backdrop that makes the fire’s glow even more mesmerising. These darker tones absorb light, making the flames appear brighter and the room feel cosier and more intimate. For a striking look, pair a dark chimney breast with a crisp white or limestone fire surround for a sharp, graphic contrast.

  • Top Colours: Think Farrow & Ball’s ‘Green Smoke’, Little Greene’s ‘Tuscan Red’, or a bold matte black.
  • Metallic Accents: These deep colours are the perfect partner for metallic accessories. A set of brass fire tools, an antique gold mirror above the mantel, or elegant wall sconces will add a touch of glamour and reflect the firelight beautifully.

Textural Contrast and Natural Materials

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To create a living room with real depth and character, think beyond colour and focus on texture. Layering different materials is a professional design trick that makes any space feel more considered and authentic. Your fireplace is the ideal place to do this.

Combine the sleek, hard surface of your metal stove with the rustic, organic nature of wood and stone. Some popular combinations include:

  • Reclaimed Wood: A chunky, weathered wooden beam used as a mantelpiece.
  • Stone Cladding: A feature wall clad in split-face Cotswold stone or slate tiles for dramatic texture.
  • Limestone Surrounds: A classic Portuguese limestone surround offers a smooth, refined contrast to a textured wall.
  • Woven Elements: Add softness and another layer of natural texture with woven log baskets, a large jute rug on the floor, and linen cushions.
  • Practical Tip: If you want to maintain a light, modern feel or show off beautiful wooden flooring, consider a glass hearth. It provides the necessary protection while being visually unobtrusive.

Layered Lighting Around the Stove

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The ambience of a room with a lit stove is magical, and your lighting scheme should enhance it, not overpower it. The golden rule is to avoid harsh, central overhead lighting. Instead, build layers of soft, indirect light around the stove.

  • Task & Accent Lighting: Place a floor lamp next to an armchair to create a cosy reading nook. Use picture lamps to highlight artwork in the alcoves.
  • Wall Lights: Sconces placed on the chimney breast or in the alcoves provide a gentle, diffused glow that adds warmth and sophistication.
  • Smart Idea: For a truly contemporary touch, consider installing warm-toned LED strip lighting on the underside of shelves or even behind a stack of logs in a recessed store. This creates a stunning, low-level glow in the evening, even when the fire isn’t lit.

Styling the Alcoves: Shelves, Art and Storage

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The alcoves on either side of a chimney breast are prime real estate for both decoration and storage. How you style them can define the room’s character. You can opt for perfect symmetry for a calm, traditional feel, or go for an asymmetrical layout for a more, dynamic modern look.

A popular and practical solution is to combine open shelving for displaying décor with closed cabinets below. This gives you the best of both worlds: a place to showcase books, plants, and personal treasures, and a hidden spot to store everything from firewood and kindling to media equipment and board games.

Don’t be afraid to use the wall space. Frame your stove with a large piece of art or a collection of smaller prints in one alcove, balanced by a large, ornate vintage mirror in the other to bounce light and create a sense of space.

Sustainable and Upcycled Touches

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Eco-consciousness is more than a trend; it’s a fundamental shift in how we approach our homes. This ethos ties in perfectly with the world of wood burning stoves. You can reflect this in your décor choices by incorporating reclaimed and upcycled elements.

Hunt for a unique mantelpiece from a reclamation yard, give an old log basket a new lease of life with a coat of paint, or find a beautiful, pre-loved armchair to reupholster. These choices not only reduce waste but also add a layer of history and personality to your room that you can’t buy new.

This sustainable mindset should also apply to your choice of stove. Modern Ecodesign and DEFRA-approved stoves are engineered for high efficiency and low emissions, making them a significantly cleaner and more environmentally friendly way to heat your home. They burn fuel so effectively that they produce minimal smoke, making them suitable for use even in smoke control areas.

Your Stove, Your Style

A wood burning stove is so much more than a heat source; it’s the emotional centre of a living room, a place to gather, relax, and connect. The décor trends for 2026 are all about enhancing this experience, creating a space that is not only stylish but also deeply personal and comforting.

Whether you’re drawn to the rustic warmth of Cosycore, the clean lines of Japandi, or the dramatic flair of a dark feature wall, we encourage you to experiment and choose the elements that truly reflect your personality.