When it抯 cold, nothing beats gathering around the fireplace with friends and family for a meal or an evening of games. How is your living room decorated? Would you like a different theme, or perhaps a most sophisticated visual representation?

Art can make a huge difference in how people experience your winter fireplace gatherings. Here are some creative ideas to create the perfect ambiance for your family and your guests.

3D art pieces

Adding some 3D art made from ceramic, porcelain, or pewter to your fireplace mantle is a great way to enhance the experience of gathering around a fire. If you don抰 already have a mantle, you抣l want to get one before winter.

Mantels are great for more than just hanging Christmas stockings. Not only does a fireplace mantel add visual appeal to your home, but it抯 essential for decorating with 3D art.

You don抰 need to fill your mantel with art pieces end-to-end to make it look good. All you need are a few carefully selected pieces placed across the mantel. It抯 probably better when you don抰 add too many art pieces to your mantel so it doesn抰 become cluttered.

Framed reproductions

What kind of famous art do you enjoy most? Maybe you like Picasso or van Gogh, or perhaps you抮e into Matisse, Salvador Dali, or Edvard Munch. Whatever famous art you enjoy, consider getting some framed reproductions to add some character to your living room space.

You can hire someone to create reproductions in custom dimensions, but it抯 easier and cheaper to buy existing works. You can even find digital reproductions that are basically perfect. Some people argue that digital replicas ruin the experience of original masterpieces, but if you truly appreciate art that抯 not going to be an issue.

Buy your works unframed and then bring your reproduction to an art store to have it matted and framed professionally. Too often, people sell artwork with a poor mat job and you抣l have to get it reframed.

Your own artwork

Do you draw, paint, or sculpt? Maybe you do batik or work with clay? Whatever kind of artwork you do, hang some of your art by the fireplace. Or, create some pieces just for that purpose.

Having some blank walls and an empty mantle is an opportunity to showcase your work to your friends and family. It抯 also a great way to get used to seeing your art hanging on the wall. If you抮e struggling to sell your art, it will help you visualize what your art might look like on other people抯 walls and that will boost your confidence in your ability to sell your work.

Your child抯 artwork

Imagine the smile on your child抯 face when they see their artwork hanging on the wall next to the fireplace. When you gather by the fire, your child will feel appreciated and loved, especially when other people see their artwork and give them compliments.

Hanging your child抯 art by the fireplace is a great way to boost their self-esteem and make your living room feel cozier at the same time.

Driftwood

Driftwood is one of those natural artifacts that has incredible artistic potential. It抯 beautiful and easy to find just about anywhere.

Driftwood creates a cozy feeling, especially when it抯 visible around the fire. There are so many types of art you can make from driftwood. You can carve it, leave it as-is, or sand down the middle and paint a scene.

Small pieces of driftwood make interesting abstract pieces that can be placed on your fireplace mantel, the hearth, or on surrounding tables.

If you抮e going to collect driftwood, make sure you only collect it from a public beach and not a state park unless allowed by law. Be sure to check your state laws first before collecting any driftwood, as some states set limits to how much you can collect.

Art is meant to be seen, not stored

Do you have a bunch of artwork stashed away in the closet, your garage, or a storage unit? Art should be displayed to be enjoyed, not stashed away unseen. Look through your stash of art to see if you have anything that might look good around your fireplace.

If you don抰 find anything, start looking for new art that would complement your existing interior d閏or. You can抰 really go wrong with art, but at least you can try to match your d閏or style to your frames.