Mantel History

When you have a room with at fireplace that you are redecorating your choice of fireplace will have a dramatic impact on the overall look of the room whether you use the fireplace or not. In most cases a fireplace is big enough that it is going to occupy a large section of the wall it is a part of or in the case of a corner fireplace, it may dominate the entire room. When you have guests walk into your room, their eyes are going to be naturally drawn to the fireplace and you want it to look good.

Most of us tend to think of fireplace as the shelves above a fireplace that hold a random collection of knick knacks and assorted family photographs. While this may true of some, it is far from the only style of mantel and you can use almost any material you can imagine as your fireplace surround or mantel. The materials you use and the style you go with are limited only by your imagination and whether or not you use the fireplace as a source of heat.

If your fireplace is designed to burn wood or gas, and you are going to use a mantel built out of wood, a combustible product, you need to insure that your new mantel surround meets any local building codes regarding fire hazard clearances. Codes vary across the county and you should contact a local building code official for information about fire hazard clearances required in your city. Popular vent-free gas fireplaces burn exceptionally hot, and typically, the fireplace itself has an owners manual that lists required clearances that must be maintained. You usually can be much less concerned with fire hazard clearances (as far as it relates to a fireplace mantel) if you select a mantel that is made from non flammable materials such as stone or marble.

For many years copper was a very popular material for a mantel as different designs could be hammered into the copper before it was mounted to the wall around the firebox. Copper also tended to reflect the heat of the fire out into the room acting almost as a radiator. Materials like stone and marble tend to hold the heat in and acts as heat radiators long after the fire has gone out. If you have a fireplace-like opening but not actually a working fireplace, you have a much wider selection of as you do not have to worry about flammability. This opens your decor selection to practically any of our mantels.

You can have a custom made mantel that has been custom sized and designed for your home or you can select from any of the pre-sized stone or marble mantels from Design The Space. Just remember that if you select a wood mantel you should always check with your local city or town building inspectors to make sure that your plans do not violate any regulations and create a fire hazard and remember, since the fireplace you choose are going to be a highly visible part of the decor in your home you should make sure to take your time and shop around to find the perfect mantel. You may shop with us online as there are many exquisite on our website and we can send you samples of stone or wood to help you with your selection. If you are looking for a mantel that will have you guests admiring your fireplace every time they come to visit, let Design the Space supply your next fireplace mantel and you will not be disappointed!