FIREPLACE MANTELS

Fireplace mantels are my favorite part of the fireplace (other than the relaxing heat of the fire). They come in as many styles, materials, and colors as you can think of. My absolutely favorite are wood. Most people have their mantle match the wood trim of the room its in, although some will get an offsetting color to make it stand out more. Pure white and even metal options are also available. Some mantles are huge, taking up most of the wall and definitely dominating the decor of the room. Others are flush with the wall to the point where you barely notice them.

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Originally it served as a place to warm food before there were modern kitchen appliances. Then it graduated to the primary location for hanging Christmas stockings. Some mantels aren't really mantles at all, they're just stone all the way up the wall to the ceiling and around the fireplace opening. Growing up we had several fireplaces, at least one in each house. I always thought it would be neat to have one in my bedroom, but now I live in a 1913 house that has no fireplace. Can you believe it?

We are considering knocking out a wall and making a spot for a fireplace, but that can be more expensive than I want. Next in line would be a self contained electric or gas unit that could be put in a corner, or perhaps a portable fireplace. We aren't sure yet, but we know out options are out there, I've done tons of research on it.

Whenever I think of fireplace mantels I always think of a big hunting lodge with a huge moose head hanging over it. Those two images just seem to belong together. Plus a big fire burning and an old man sitting in a wing back chair smoking a pipe. Quite the vivid imagination I have, huh?