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Media wall with bioethanol fireplace

How to Design a Modern Media Wall Fireplace in Your Living Room

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Imaginfires
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In short:

If you’re looking for media wall fireplace ideas for your living room, we recommend keeping the layout simple and centred, with a sleek, linear fireplace design for visual interest. Feature integrated storage and hidden cable management for a seamless, clutter-free look, and add some subtle lighting to enhance the overall atmosphere. Wall-mounted bioethanol fireplaces are the perfect choice for modern media walls, introducing real flames without the need for a chimney or flue.

Media wall with fireplace

Media walls have quickly become one of the most popular features in modern UK living rooms, and it’s easy to see why. It brings together your TV, fireplace, and storage into one clean focal point, without taking up valuable floor space. Whether you have a spacious open-plan living area or a more compact, cosy room, a contemporary fireplace wall can be tailored to suit your exact layout, giving you a flexible and stylish solution that works seamlessly with how you use your space.

In today’s blog, we share our top media wall fireplace ideas to help you get the look in your own home, and explain why our bioethanol fireplaces are perfect for modern media walls.

Media wall fireplace ideas to help you design the perfect living room setup

1) Start by planning the layout

Before you start thinking about fireplaces or decor, you need to plan out the layout of your media wall. 

If your living room is on the smaller side, we recommend opting for a simple, centred design. Your TV should be positioned at eye level when you sit down, with a fireplace directly beneath to create a natural visual flow. But if your living space is larger or open-plan, you can look at more expansive designs. For example, you could extend the media wall across the full width of the room for added visual interest.

Our top tip: Always consider viewing distances. If your TV is too high or too close to the fireplace, this can disrupt the overall balance of your space.

2) Choose a contemporary fireplace design

The fireplace is the heart of any contemporary fireplace wall, so it’s essential that you select the right style for your space. 

Sleek, linear fireplace designs work especially well on media walls. They align naturally with the horizontal layout of TVs, helping the entire wall to feel cohesive rather than crowded. Slim fireplaces are also easier to integrate into shallow wall builds, which is especially important if you have limited space in your living room.

Our top tip: Choose a fireplace that closely matches the width of your TV to create a more balanced and visually connected design. 

3) Consider integrated storage or shelving

As well as being visually appealing, your media wall needs to be practical, with storage or shelving that allows you to watch, store, and access everything with ease.

Built-in shelving helps to frame both the fireplace and the TV, giving you space to display your favourite books, decor, and personal touches. If you want to create a more balanced look, we recommend keeping your shelving symmetrical – but if you want something more contemporary and relaxed, then asymmetrical layouts could be worth experimenting with.

Our top tip: Mix open shelving with closed storage so you can display your favourite decor but also tuck some practical items away.

4) Get the proportions right

Proportion is what separates a good media wall from a great one. Everything from the width of the fireplace to the spacing of the shelves should feel balanced within your room.

As a general rule of thumb:

  • Your fireplace should be slightly narrower than your TV to create a clean, layered look.

  • The wall shouldn’t feel overcrowded, so make sure you include some negative space.

  • Your shelving and side panels should complement the central features rather than compete with them.

Our top tip: Leave enough breathing space around the TV and fireplace to prevent the wall from feeling overcrowded. For bioethanol fireplaces, we recommend leaving at least 30cm on each side of the biofire.

Media wall fireplace

5) Plan how you will hide cables and devices 

One of the biggest advantages of a modern media wall is the ability to hide unsightly cables and devices.

We recommend planning for recessed areas or cable management systems early on in the design process. For example, you could create a shallow recess behind the TV for plug sockets and cables, or run wiring through hidden channels within the wall. This will ensure that all technology is neatly concealed within the structure rather than being on display.

Our top tip: Incorporate discreet panels so you can easily access key components such as plug sockets and connections.

6) Add lighting for visual impact

Lighting can transform your media wall fireplace into a warm, atmospheric feature that makes you never want to leave your living room in the evenings. 

Here are a few lighting ideas you could try:

  • Add LED strip lighting beneath your shelves or around your TV to create a soft, ambient glow.

  • Incorporate recessed spotlights to wash the light across textured panels.

  • Install small feature lights within your shelving to highlight decor and add visual interest.

Our top tip: Don’t be tempted to add too many bright or colourful lights. The overall goal is to complement the fireplace, not distract from it.

Media wall with fireplace

Why our bioethanol fireplaces are ideal for modern media walls

Our wall-mounted bioethanol fireplaces are increasingly becoming the go-to choice for modern media walls, and for good reason. 

Powered by clean-burning bioethanol fuel, these fires give you all the joy of a real flame without any of the drawbacks. Unlike log burners or gas fires, our biofires don’t require a chimney, flue, or fixed connection, which gives you far greater flexibility when designing your media wall layout. They give off real heat (2kWh – similar to an electric fireplace on a medium setting) without smoke, soot, or ash, so you don’t need to worry about getting your fireplace down from the wall to clean and maintain it. 

Our bioethanol fireplaces are suitable for use in rental accommodation, homes in smoke control areas, and flats or apartments, thanks to their ease of installation and smoke-free nature. Our wall-mounted range features a variety of different styles, from minimalist black domes to glass-fronted statement pieces, so you can choose the perfect design to suit your space.

An important note on safety

  • Our biofires are only suitable for living spaces with a minimum volume of 40 cubic metres. 

  • Allow a minimum clearance of 30 cm between the top of the fireplace and the bottom of the TV. 

  • Never position any cables or wires behind or near your biofire.

Ready to design the ultimate media wall for your space?

Explore our wall-mounted bioethanol fireplaces

Frequently asked questions

  • How do I fix a bioethanol fireplace to a wall?

    We’re happy to say that fixing an ImaginFires wall-mounted fireplace to the wall is very simple. 

    All our wall-mounted bioethanol fireplaces come with full hanging instructions and all the fittings and fixings you’ll need to fasten your beautiful fireplace to the wall securely.

    Can I fix a wall-mounted fireplace to any wall?

    The exact process you follow to attach your fireplace depends on the type of wall holding the fireplace in position. 

    For brick and plaster walls, all you need is a drill with a masonry drill bit. We supply the rawl plugs, brackets, and screws. 

    For other wall types, such as stud walls, ask for advice from your local DIY store or a reputable builder — you may need hollow wall anchor fixings to secure your bioethanol fireplace to the wall safely. 

    What’s included with a wall-mounted fireplace?

    We deliver all our bioethanol fireplaces with secure packaging to ensure your product remains safe during transit. 

    Simply unpack your fireplace, and it’s pretty much ready to go. Ensure you remove all packaging before you first light your fire.

    We supply easy-to-follow instructions, including advice about the safe placement of your fireplace. We also provide everything you need (apart from a drill) to fix your wall-mounted fireplace to the wall. 

    Once you’ve drilled the holes and inserted the rawl plugs, you can hang the included bracket. Make sure it’s securely fastened to the wall before hanging the fireplace. 

    Do my walls become hot with a wall-mounted bioethanol fireplace?

    Yes, your walls will likely get very warm above and around your bioethanol fireplace. Don’t allow children to touch the surrounding walls while your fireplace burns. 

    And remember, the walls will maintain heat for a while after snubbing out the flame.

    Can I place wires behind my wall-mounted bioethanol fireplace?

    Keep all wires from other appliances, such as TVs, away from the back of your bioethanol fireplace. 

    Wires behind the biofire could overheat and potentially damage your electrical equipment or cause a fire hazard.

    How much space above the top of my biofire should I leave?

    Some wall-mounted bioethanol fireplaces, such as our Alden range, are open at the top, which means that there’s no “roof” to enclose the fireplace. In this case, we recommend leaving an additional gap of at least 60cm around the top and sides of your biofire. 

    If your wall-mounted fireplace has a top (or roof), such as our Arlington or Marlow ranges, we recommend a gap of at least 30cm. 

    Can I attach my wall-mounted biofire underneath a TV?

    It’s possible to install your biofire underneath a wall-mounted TV set, but we recommend leaving a gap of at least 30cm between the top of your fire and the bottom of the TV if your fireplace has a “roof”.

    For open biofires without a roof, we recommend installing a fire- and heat-proof shelfbetween the fireplace and the TV.

  • How easy is it to install a wall-mounted biofire?

    We’re happy to say that fixing an ImaginFires wall-mounted fireplace to the wall is very simple. 

    All our wall-mounted bioethanol fireplaces come with full hanging instructions and all the fittings and fixings you’ll need to fasten your beautiful fireplace to the wall securely.

  • How much space should I leave around a wall mounted Bioethanol Fireplace?

    Some think a bioethanol fireplace is purely decorative, producing very little heat, but that's untrue. A bioethanol fireplace creates around 3kWh of heat from a real live flame, so you must practice the same caution you would for a traditional wood- or coal-burning flame. 

    Let's put that 3kWh into context: 

    Electric heater : a 1kW electric heater uses 1kWh in power and will heat a room of 10m². Most electric heaters are at least 2kW, use 2kWh in power, and will heat a space of 20m². 

    A bioethanol fireplace (on full) will heat a 30m² room comfortably. And just like an electric fire, you should practice caution regarding flammable objects placed nearby. 

    How much space should I leave around a wall-mounted fireplace?

    Surprisingly, there aren't any specific legal regulations regarding the installation of a wall-mounted bioethanol fireplace. However, you should definitely practice common sense. 

    We recommend leaving at least 45cm between the top of your fire and electrical equipment, such as a TV. Practice the same caution for all flammable objects, with at least 60cm in all directions from your fireplace, especially if the flame is open, as with our wall-mounted Alden range. 

    Practice extra caution around curtains, which could reach your fire if they're disturbed by a breeze. Leave at least 1m between the furthest reach of the curtains and your bioethanol fireplace. 

    Ensure that the wall is strong enough to sustain the weight of the fireplace. For example, our Alden White model is 19kg in weight and comes with the appropriate fittings to ensure that you can safely attach it to the wall. However, your wall must be substantial enough to bear 19kg. In doubt, seek the advice of an engineer. 

    Can I fit my wall-mounted bioethanol fireplace underneath a TV?

    Absolutely. 

    However, we suggest you keep the following in mind as a minimum: 

    • Remember: the flame of a biofire can behave erratically. A sudden draft could send the flame in an unexpected direction, so practice caution when opening your biofire's door. We suggest a minimum distance of 60cm between the top of the closed-top biofire and the bottom of the TV.
    • Recessing the TV into the wall may reduce the impact of heat on the TV. 
    • We suggest you install a heat/flameproof item to separate the fire from the TV, such as a shelf with a flameproof covering. 
    • Never put TV cables or leads behind your biofire, as they can overheat, creating a potential fire risk. 

  • Can a biofire be placed flat against a wall?

    Can a freestanding bioethanol fireplace be placed flat against a wall?

    You get lots of flexibility with our freestanding bioethanol fireplaces - all suitable for indoor and outdoor use. Whether you choose a traditional log-burner-style fireplace, a funky bioethanol fireplace insert, or a sleek, modern signature piece, you’ll have plenty of flexibility regarding where you choose to use it. 

    When you’re storing your fireplace, you can keep it flat against the wall to save space, but we suggest you move your fireplace off the wall when in use. 

    Where do I place my freestanding bioethanol fireplace?

    Move your fireplace a minimum of 100mm from the wall before you light it. Keep it away from the wall while it's in use. This ensures good air circulation around the fireplace.

    Never move your bioethanol fireplace while it’s lit or still warm. It will be hot to the touch so you must wait until it has cooled.

    Alternatively, you might opt for a wall-mounted bioethanol fireplace. These are fixed directly to the wall, meaning you don’t get the flexibility of a freestanding model, but you get a super-slick fireplace that will be the envy of your friends and family. Our wall-mounted fireplaces come with a wall mounting kit, which is simple to install safely without any specialist skills.