A vestige of a time when homes needed wood-burning heat, old fireplaces represent what Frank Lloyd Wright once described as "the psychological center of the home." Although a fireplace may be traditional, a home's decor doesn't have to be. In fact, we love the way modern art looks above an old brick, stone, or wood surround.

Although the TV may have replaced the fireplace as the home's nerve center, older homes are still built around the hearth, so fireplaces and mantel ledges create a natural place for displaying art. A few of our favorite examples from Apartment Therapy readers and house tours are shown above. For more from their homes, click through the links below.

FIRST ROW
• 1 Jenny and Cristina's Rustic Modern Apartment
• 2 Martha and Ben's Southern Mix
• 3 Ann and Dabney's Splendid Blended Storefront
• 4 Amy and Stephane's Minimalism Meets Hoarding
• 5 Brad and Kendra's South End Drama

SECOND ROW
• 6 Anna's Old and New Newburgh Victorian
• 7 Scott's Airy Simplicity
• 8 Becke and Lee's Vintage Cabin
• 9 String Art Above the Mantel
• 10 Sa's Family Home in the City