Landing a place with a century-old mantel was beyond my expectations, and having a functional fireplace would be total housing lottery jackpot. Mantels are great for their solidity and often their detail, and they help anchor any room. They'll fit with traditional or more modern styles, and as a built-in focal point they're a perfect place to start decorating.
Shown Above:
1. Sweet William via Decor8
2. Elle Decor
3. Nancy Mims' Playful and Patterned Home
4. The Marion House Book
5. AB Chao
6. Design*Sponge
7. Tommy Smythe's Master Vignettes House Tour
8. Design*Sponge
9. David Coote
10. Elle Decor
MORE MANTELS ON APARTMENT THERAPY
• Perfectly Paired: Mantels & Bookshelves
• How To: Transform a Fireplace Mantel into a Headboard
• Tips for Hanging a Flat Screen TV Over a Fireplace
• Best of Fireplaces & Mantel Decor
• Good Questions: Neat Ideas for Non Operable Fireplaces?
Images: As linked above.
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We've been thinking of buying a portable fireplace from Lowes or Home Depot etc. I'd like to hear what people think about the warmth and functionality of these. Also, if we built a surround for a fireplace and someday sold it with our house, would that make the value go up? Even though it doesn't have a chimney? I am really missing having a fireplace during the holiday season...
what's with the VAST majority being white mantles on white walls? i had been hoping for a little more inspiration and variety than this.
PS I like lit candles in holders inside of faux fireplaces...adds firelight and ambience...
Curved arch fireplaces never draw air in correctly , that's why you see the smoke marks on the mantel in these pictures, and one arch fireplace here had to have a bit of sheetmetal added to fix the bad draw. And books made into decorations by stuffing them into a fireplace in a configuration that makes it impossible to actually easily take one out to read is just being a poser.
Another good alternative for existing fireplaces (that have been closed up or are non-functioning) are the grate range fireplaces from EcoSmart. http://vastudc.com/cat.php?cat=9&subcat=37
They run on bio-ethanol, are clean burning, don't smell and actually produce quite a good amount of heat..
Thanks for the ideas! We're in the midst of building a faux fireplace to cozy up the living room. Thank god I married a furniture designer.
I was going to make the same comment - why are they almost all white?
We have a nice enough gas fireplace. We had the builders install 2 inch slate tiles around the opening a foot wide. Then we put a dark IKEA Lack shelf over this. The standard Lack shelves were wider than the slate tiles, and since the shelf is fairly deep, I feel a bit bothered that there is no support visible for the shelf on the sides. On the one hand, it looks fine and functions well as a mantle. On the other, it seems to cry out for brackets or pillars or something, just as a visual thing.
Would you do anything or leave it alone?
The fireplace in #1 is a hideous eyesore. But don't miss the hilarious chandelier in #10! That's blowing my mind. I also love the turquoise hassock and the Moroccan table -- and the fireplace that WORKS.
Putting books in a fireplace sends an iffy message. It might be clever if you live in NYC or some other place where the dwellings are starved for square footage, but otherwise, either display them on shelves or store them in boxes.
I disagree about the fireplace in #1. I like it and the design of this room.
@When: I don't think it's being a poser to display a bunch of books in a configuration that makes it difficult to remove one. I doubt anyone went out and bought a bunch of books just for their fireplace. I have tons of books (already read) that I rarely touch but that I would like to display... that being said it does send a weird message.