The best media walls are built around one decision: the fire and the TV have to look like they belong together. Get the proportions right (a fire slightly wider than the TV, at least 200 mm between them) and almost any finish works. Below are twelve media wall ideas with an electric fire, from simple chimney breasts to full floating walls, with the sizes that make each one work.
1. The classic plastered chimney breast
A false chimney breast built from a stud frame and plasterboard, with a 3-sided panoramic fire set low and the TV above. It suits almost any room and lets the flames show from the sides as well as the front. A deep panoramic fire needs a 300 mm recess, so the breast usually projects about 400 mm from the wall.
2. Lit alcove shelving either side
Shelves built into the alcoves either side of the breast, each with a small LED strip or downlight. They balance a big TV, give you somewhere for books and plants, and hide the router and set-top boxes.
3. Slatted panels and LED strips
Vertical timber or acoustic slats either side of a smooth central panel, with slim vertical LED strips between them. The slats add texture and soften the sound in the room; the light strips give a soft glow in the evening without needing the main lights.
4. A sage or colour-drenched panelled breast
Painting the breast, panelling and alcoves the same colour makes the wall feel calm and built-in rather than bolted on. Sage, mushroom and deep green all work well with the warm orange of the flames. Panelling with simple battens is cheap to build and easy to paint.
5. Charcoal and walnut
A dark microcement or charcoal-painted breast with fluted walnut alcoves is the moody, hotel-bar version. The flames look brighter against a dark wall, and a backlit TV keeps it from feeling heavy.
6. Stone or travertine
A stone-effect or travertine-clad breast with a floating stone hearth. It looks expensive, works with both modern and traditional rooms, and needs no flue because the fire is electric.
7. Full-width wall with a TV recess
Instead of a breast, build the whole wall forward and recess the TV into it, with the fire in a long opening underneath. It hides every cable and gives the cleanest look in new-build lounges with no chimney. A slot for a soundbar between the TV and the fire keeps the sound where it should be.
8. Corner fire on a raised plinth
In an L-shaped or open-plan room, fit the fire as a 2-sided corner fire on a raised plinth so it can be seen from the kitchen and the sofa. Every Econovex panoramic fire can be fitted 3-sided, as a corner fire or flush, so you aren't locked in. Our layout guide shows the build sizes for each.
9. Floating cabinet and TV panel
No building work: a wall-hung cabinet with the fire built in and a matching panel behind the TV. Our floating cabinets are cut on a CNC machine and edged with PUR glue in our own workshop, in any EGGER colour, and start from £995.
10. Fire cabinet with a log store
A low cabinet with the fire at one end and an open log store at the other. The logs are decorative, but they make the wall feel like a real fireplace and add texture next to flat cabinet doors.
11. Slimline for shallow rooms
If you can't lose 400 mm of floor, a slimline panoramic fire needs under 200 mm and an insert fire only 150 mm. The wall stays slim and the fire still shows on three sides. Our slimline vs deep guide compares the heat and sizes.
12. Extra-wide for big TVs
For a 75" to 85" TV, the fire needs to be wide enough to frame it, or the wall looks top-heavy. The Econovex 2000 is 2032 mm wide and frames even an 85" screen.
Sizes that make any media wall look right
| TV size | Deep 3-sided fire | Slim insert fire |
|---|---|---|
| 50" to 55" | Econovex 1270 | B150 |
| 55" to 65" | Econovex 1600 | B160 |
| 65" to 75" | Econovex 1800 | B174 |
| 75" to 85"+ | Econovex 2000 | Ask us |
- Gap above the fire: at least 200 mm to the TV, mantel or ceiling.
- Height of the fire: at least 150 mm off the floor.
- TV height: most people like the bottom of the TV around 900 to 1000 mm from the floor. Our TV above a fire guide explains why.
- Power: the fires plug into a standard socket; plan it inside the wall, close to the fire.
Want it built for you?
We supply and fit fires, media walls and floating cabinets anywhere in the UK. Tell us your TV size and town on our supply & fit page and we'll send you a quote, or see the fires running at our Bradford showroom first. For more step-by-step detail, read how to build a media wall with an electric fire.
