The fireplace mantel began as a simple hood covering a fire grate that was attached to a chimney stack. The hood allowed smoke to be funneled up the chimney instead of passing into the home. As the fireplace itself began to grown in popularity, the upper class demanded more than just a simple hood to rest above their fireplaces. Instead, rooms of the wealthy were designed around the fireplace. Mantels were elaborate and exquisitely detailed, often stretching the entire length of a room and reaching to the ceiling. They were more works of art than a simple functional component of the fireplace itself. Even as the styles and cultures hanged over the years, fireplace mantels remained things of true beauty, even as they decreased significantly in size. In fact, the more compact the fireplace mantel became, the more detail work seemed to be woven into it. Sculptors and wood carvers were known for their hand crafted pieces and were in demand throughout history. Each mantel was a masterpiece and many of them still remain today, obtained and restored by antique collectors around the globe.

The Modern Mantel Piece

Today, fireplace mantels are still beautiful, just in a completely different manner. The mantel piece, as well as the fireplace it surrounds, are almost designed to become an integrated part of the room itself. They are created form fine marble and other stone, and bear smooth lines and clean surfaces. Sharp angles are preferred over flowing curves, and hard stone is a favorite over carved wood. Vintage inspired and rustic mantels are still in demand, but the largest consumer demand is for a mantel that creates a sense of true form and preciseness of design.

Even though modern fireplace mantels are not necessarily created to be a focal point of a room, they can still be a major topic of conversation and appreciation amongst anyone with a taste for finer details.

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A fireplace mantel kit is a great way to put your carpentry skills to the test. Most often, they include detailed carpentry instructions, millwork, and lumber. It is your job to cut the lumber to the specifications included and add the detail work by hand or with pre-made accessories. Once you're done with the details, you assemble the finished piece and its ready to install. Keep in mind, while this may sound like a fun project, you must make sure that you have some basic woodworking skills to take on the task. These include being able to properly measure, miter, and cut the lumber to specs. You must also make sure you have the proper tools on hand to accomplish such a task.

Mantel Kits for Beginners

For the less construction inclined, mantel kits are available that have the lumber pre-cut. This types of kit still gives you the satisfaction of assembling the mantel and adding the decorative details, but doesn't require as much knowledge or as many tools as the first kit. These pre-cut kits also come in very plain models. Once the basic frame is assembled, you are able to select your won decorative borders, shelf style, carving details, or other finishing touches from either the mantel kits manufacturer or your local craft or home improvement store.

Fireplace mantel kits such as these can be a great way to get the exact design and style you want at a fraction of the price of pre-assembled and decorated mantel pieces. They can also be a great family activity that will let everyone take pride in their accomplishments and handiwork during the winter months when everyone gathers around the fireplace.

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Stone mantels are believed to be the first type of mantel used in history. One of the main benefits of a stone mantel, as opposed to a wood one, is that they require much less maintenance. While a wood mantel is coated with a protective seal that must be maintained and reapplied as needed, stone mantels don't require any type of coating. Aside from dusting and occasional cleaning, they are relatively maintenance free.

Cultured Stone Fireplace Mantels

Stone mantels most commonly made from granite, marble, and limestone. Slate and sandstone mantels are also available. These types of stone are sculpted and carved into various designs. shapes, and styles to suit an assortment of tastes. True stone fireplace mantels are beautiful but, depending on the stone you choose, can also be very expensive. The price tag associated with stone mantels is driven by the fact that they have to be cut from larger pieces of stone.

Cast Stone Fireplace Mantels

A cast stone mantel is made from a type of very fine concrete. It is a mix of ground up stone and sand which is mixed with a bonding agent. The thick liquid is then poured into a pre-crafted mold and allowed to set and harden. Once removed, the cast stone mantel is essentially a finished piece. Cast stone mantels offer the appearance of luxurious cultured stone at a fraction of the price.

Regardless of the type of stone or style of design you choose, a stone fireplace mantel offers an air of elegance and beauty to your home that is undeniable.

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Fireplace mantels date back to early medieval times and were originally designed to catch smoke from the fireplace and channel it outside. Unlike the fireplace mantels of today, these were simple hoods that extended over the top of the fire and connected to the chimney. The very first example of a fireplace mantel, also called a chimney piece, is English in origin and is located in the Kings House in Southampton. It is believed to have been built in the early twelfth century. Over time, the term fireplace mantel is more often associated with the outer edge of a fireplace, including the firework's framework and mantel shelf.

Form Over Function

As time passed, and the term mantel began to encompass more than just the simple hood over the fire grate, the design element became a focal point. In Renaissance times, mantels often encompassed the entire length of the wall of the room that it was located in. It was also not uncommon for their decorative aspects to extend all the way to the ceiling. Fireplace mantels became great works of art, with famous designers and sculptors being hired to create masterpieces, just as you would hire one of the great painters to create a portrait. The trend, which started in England, quickly spread throughout Spain and France as well. The demand for massive, intricate, ornate, and decorative mantel pieces lasted for centuries.

Simplicity Regains Favor

By the beginning of the seventeenth century, the Italians gained a larger influence on the art world and introduced a movement towards simpler architecture trends. Mantels were still very beautiful, but they were also extremely understated and no longer designed to be the centerpiece of the room. In most cases, they were actually designed to blend into the room's overall decor instead of standing out like the mantels from earlier centuries.

The Bold and the Beautiful

By the end of the seventeenth century, mantels had become little more than neatly contained, yet beautiful, frames around the fireplace. Most examples from this time period did not even possess a shelf component and were designed to be flush with the wall. They did, however, return to a much bolder design, intended to stand out with the return of more ornate carving techniques and materials being used. The latter seventeenth century brought the two disparate design styles f earlier times into one cohesive style that was designed to not overpower the room, but still be a beautiful focal point.

Mantel Shelves Become Functional Again

As time went on, the styles of the fireplace mantels continued to waver back and forth between ornate and bold designs and simple and understated ones. Simple designs were sometimes highlighted with sculptural pieces on either side of the fireplace which were used to hold the shelf component that had once again become a component of the overall design. The primary reason for the shelf returning was so the upper class, especially the members of royalty of the period, would have a place to display their elaborate portraits.

From Then Until Now

From the end of the eighteenth century to the beginning of the twentieth century, fireplace remained the primary source of heating for a home. The emphasis on mantel pieces continued and they gradually toned down over time. They were still ornate and intricate, often hard carved or sculpted. They were made from beautiful woods, rich stone, and other exotic materials.

As advances in heating and cooling methods took shape, fireplaces become a luxury rather than a necessity. Since they are more a matter of personal preference in most homes, there is still a great disparity in the designs of the mantel pieces. Smaller homes tend to have simple and functional mantels, while larger homes often boast more substantial pieces. They are still made from a variety of materials and can be found in designs that are inspired by every period and style that came before them.

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