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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Antique Renaissance mantels were well known for their extravagance as well as their beauty, as lavish as it may have been. They often took up the entire length of the wall on which the fireplace was installed. On narrower walls, the mantels would accommodate for their lack of width by stretching to the ceiling. Mantels from this period were typically meant to be a centerpiece in the room, rich with elegant carvings, fine sculptures, and elaborate details.

Italian Mantels

Antique fireplace mantels from the height of the Italian style are some of the most subdued, yet stunning pieces on the antique market. Created and inspired by the designs on Inigo Jones, a renowned British architect, Italian style mantels were known for their simple styling and lack of extraneous component parts. The Italian mantels were typically composed of a fireplace frame and a shelf. They had a strong visual emphasis on architectural design and relied heavily on the look of columns and pillars in their designs.

French Mantels

French mantels remained very simple structure-wise, similar to the Italian styles. They focused on the detail of the pieces, however, with a heavy emphasis on elegant curves and fine scroll work. This was a major break from the Italian style and opted more towards soft lines than cold columns.

Victorian Mantels

Victorian mantels were known for their combination of medieval and Gothic influences into cohesive and stunning designs. They combined high arches and sharp angles, seemingly unlikely components to be found together. The overall design, however, was reminiscent of cathedrals and other great buildings of the period.

Keep in mind, while antique fireplace mantels are truly things of beauty, they can require a significant amount of money, time, or both. The majority of these pieces were also hand cut and sculpted from marble, raising their worth and price tag even more significantly. For more affordable options, modern mantels can be custom designed to mimic the period pieces for a fraction of the cost.

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Why Rustic Mantels Are So Popular

One of the biggest consumer markets for rustic fireplace mantels are people who appreciate nature even when it's in its more unpolished forms. The charm of rustic mantels comes from the fact they are typically made from lumber that may not appear completely finished, which lends to its handmade charm. They are very affordable and ideal for casual settings, unlike many cultured and cast stone mantels. Rustic fireplace mantels also, almost always, have a one-of-a-kind appearance due primarily to the individual variations within the grain and shape of the wood itself.

Finished or Unfinished

The two main types of rustic fireplace mantels are finished and unfinished. Finished pieces are ones that have been cut into symmetrical planks or logs. They are typically sanded smooth and often finished with a glossier lacquer or sealant. Finished pieces tend to look more modern than unfinished pieces, but they still maintain that unique appearance based on the color and grain of the wood being used to make them.

Unfinished rustic mantels are some of the most unusual while also being unmistakably one of a kid. Unfinished pieces are made from whole branches of trees that are not sanded or planked and still retain their natural outer surface. Because they are not cut, these pieces also retain the slight twists and curvature of the branch, creating a beautiful, albeit not always functional, frame and shelf for your fireplace. Like finished pieces, unfinished rustic mantels have to be coated with a sealer as well in order to protect the wood, however, it tends to be slightly less glossy to maintain a more natural appearance.

Choosing Your Wood

The best woods to use for creating rustic mantels are those with the most variation within the grain. The color of wood, along with the variations of color within the same timber, are also a key factor when choosing. While some woods are easier to work with than other types, nearly any wood can be transformed into a beautiful rustic fireplace mantel.

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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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Wood Types

The most common types of wood used for fireplace mantels today are oak, walnut, and cherry. Pine, hickory, and poplar are also used frequently, as well, primarily in regions where they are harvested. These woods are popular choices because they are all durable, affordable, and easy to care for. Exotic woods are harder to come by and, therefore, much more expensive. Some wood carvers are also not as experienced with the various levels of softness an exotic wood can possess, which makes custom designs more difficult. Pre-made mantels are typically limited to the more basic types of wood unless you are in an area where one of the exotic types is naturally abundant.

New or Old

While new fireplace mantels can be created to reproduce the various details and design aspects from various periods in time, a new trend is emerging, and consumers are beginning to seek out older antique pieces for the purposes of restoring them. These collectors feel that, while the look from a particular period can be replicated, an actual piece that was created then is worth the extra effort. On the other hand, the majority of consumers prefer to have their mantels custom designed or select from a variety of new pieces on the market. While having a genuine antique piece is nice, the time and effort that must be put into restoring them are intensive.

Regardless of your preference of wood or inclination towards modern or antique, a wood fireplace mantel is an easy way to add a touch of elegance and beauty to your fireplace and your home.

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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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