27 Linear Fireplace Ideas That Are Sleek, Modern, and Low-Maintenance

More compact and low-maintenance than wood-burning fireplaces, gas or electric linear fireplaces are normally built into the wall for a seamless look. With their sleek, elongated rectangular shape, linear fireplaces work especially well in modern homes, but can be incorporated into any style interior with the right finishes and decor.

Check out these linear fireplace ideas in a range of styles and settings for inspiration.

Linear Fireplace on Shiplap

A linear fireplace can add balance to a modern living room with a prominent TV on the wall. Chango & Co. added a linear fireplace that is as wide as the flat screen above it, creating a polished feel against the tall vertical white shiplap walls.

Textured Linear Fireplace

Linear fireplaces are often flush with the wall, creating a somewhat flat look. You can add dimension to a linear fireplace with a tile surround coupled with a textured treatment on the fireplace wall. Michelle Boudreau Design softened the linear fireplace in this modern living room with a simple gray tile surround that acts like a frame against a channel-tufted pistachio green wall that echoes the upholstery on a pair of armchairs.

Extra Wide Stone Surround

While some people opt for an extra-long linear fireplace when outfitting a blank wall, you can also embed the fireplace in an extra-wide surround for a polished feel. Sissy + Marley Interior Design created a wall-to-wall feature with a linear fireplace with a black frame against a black veined stone surround that is finished with closed white built-in cabinetry on the wall above for a contemporary feel.

Linear Bathroom Fireplace

A linear fireplace is a sleek addition to a modern primary bathroom. In this en suite bathroom from Jacqueline Blum Design, a double-sided linear fireplace embedded in the gray herringbone tile above the bathtub adds warmth and a spa-like feel.

Linear Bedroom Fireplace

On the other side of the bathroom wall, the double-sided linear fireplace warms up the white walls of the primary bedroom for a cozier feel. The black fireplace complements Moroccan design accents, like a trio of perforated metal pendant lights and a Beni Ourain rug with graphic detailing, as well as a black bed frame and nightstand.

Framed Linear Fireplace

To make a linear fireplace work in a transitional or farmhouse living room, consider surrounding it with an oversized frame. Becca Interiors framed the linear fireplace in this family room with a light gray and white stone surround that adds dimension and subtle contrast against vertical shiplap walls.

Monumental Fireplace Wall

Play with proportions to create drama in your great room by embedding a compact linear fireplace at the base of a monumental double-height stone wall, like this airy space from Michelle Berwick Design.

Colorful Linear Fireplace

Soften the look of a linear fireplace with a textured wall finish painted in a refreshing color, like this bright space from Louis Duncan-He Designs.

Linear Fireplace Ledge

A slightly raised linear fireplace with a built-in ledge creates a focal point in this contemporary black-and-white living room from Brophy Interiors.

Minimalist Linear Fireplace

Place a linear fireplace at eye level on a blank wall to create a minimalist feel, like this all-white open-plan living room from Louis Duncan-He Designs.

Rounded Chimney Wall

Create a sculptural modern feel by placing a smaller black linear fireplace in a curved, minimalist chimney wall, like this New York City townhouse from Chango & Co. that is finished in soft beiges and curvy furniture.

All-Black Linear Fireplace

Choose an all-black palette for a custom built-in linear fireplace, and contrast with light wood tones on the flooring and built-in bookshelves, like this modern home office from Sissy + Marley Interior Design.

Linear Fireplace Wall

Use a double-sided linear fireplace to create a sleek divider in a spacious bedroom. A gray wall with a linear fireplace and a built-in niche for a Frame TV divides the sleeping and lounge areas in this spacious Miami Beach, FL, primary bedroom from House of One.

Double-Sided and Framed

Give a linear fireplace a more substantial look by surrounding it with a large stone frame, like this living room from Sissy + Marley Interior Design that mixes old and new for a timeless feel.

Textured Wall Finish

A lightly textured beige wall and a chunky stone ledge beneath this slightly raised linear fireplace add a sense of modern luxury to this living room from Chango & Co.

Linear Wood Slat Fireplace

A linear fireplace surrounded by a black wood-slat wall creates a modern focal point in this Southern California living room from Brophy Interiors.

Modern Kitchen Fireplace

Combine a modern linear fireplace insert with a thick black frame and a wall of painted white wood paneling to create a modern traditional feel, like this kitchen fireplace from Crisp Architects.

Black and White Fireplace

A simple linear fireplace with a black frame on a white wall adds a minimalist focal point that allows other elements to shine in this living room from Sissy + Marley Interior Design. With the fireplace receeding into the background, the mixed finishes and sculptural modern seating, lighting, and wall decor really take center stage.

Linear Basement Fireplace

A linear fireplace is an easy way to add coziness to a finished basement living room, like this space from Michelle Berwick Design.

Beige Stone Fireplace

Create a polished modern feel with a beige stone fireplace wall finished with a linear fireplace insert with a recessed frame, like this living room from Chango & Co. Semi-sheer drapes on the windows flanking the fireplace wall add softness.

Black and Gray Fireplace

A gray concrete fireplace wall with a linear fireplace insert with a black frame and a smaller flat screen above adds a contemporary focal point in this living room from Gray Space Interiors.

Linear Fireplace Built-Ins

Incorporate an off-center linear fireplace into a wall of built-ins to add warmth and coziness to a modern living room like this space from Sissy + Marley Interior Design.

High Contrast Fireplace

Create contrast by pairing pale stone with a black linear fireplace, like this space from Louis Duncan-He Designs that mixes neutral tones with two-tone wall paint and colorful art and textile accents.

Rustic Linear Fireplace

This stucco fireplace from Fantastic Frank has a linear open firebox that follows the curves of the chimney wall for an original and modern rustic feel.

Low Linear Fireplace

Create a seamless look with a low-slung linear fireplace flanked by built-ins of the same height, like this beige and black lounge space from Forbes + Masters.

Small Linear Fireplace

Create a focal point on a smaller wall flanked by double closets with a linear fireplace. Tina Ramchandani Creative painted the narrow frame around the fireplace insert in the same gray-blue as the rest of the space to help it to blend into the background when not in use.

Stacked Stone Fireplace

Modernize a stacked stone wall with a linear fireplace and a built-in TV niche above, like this living room from Louis Duncan-He Designs.

Are linear fireplaces better than a regular fireplace?

Linear fireplaces appeal to people who want a contemporary or updated look and the visual appeal of a flickering fire without the maintenance, mess, or smoke. Linear fireplaces run on gas and can be adjusted and turned on and off with the flick of a switch.

Do linear fireplaces give off any heat?

Linear fireplaces are designed to give off heat. Ventless linear fireplaces that run on gas will retain more heat than a traditional fireplace, where heat escapes through the chimney.

How tall is a linear fireplace?

Linear fireplaces vary in height but are always longer/wider than they are tall. The general height range for a linear fireplace is from about 12 to 36 inches. 

Read the original article on The Spruce.