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The Fireplace Mantel: The Focal Point Of The Room
Written by Jon Kilminster

Every room needs a focal point. Without one, the room is an empty space, lacking color, a place with nothing to enchant the eye.

And there's nothing like a well-designed fireplace mantel to really set a room alight! A fireplace mantel is the focal point of the room, especially on those cold winter days when the snow is falling and the fire is roaring. As such you should make the most of your fireplace mantel to ensure it really enlivens your room.

There was a time when most fireplace mantels were made from wood. These days there is a huge range of materials available for fireplace mantel construction.

Wood is still a good choice, and can add a real touch of elegance to a room. This is especially true of antique mantels, which can be found with a little searching. The most favored woods are mahogany and walnut.

But other materials are well worth considering for your fireplace mantel. Metal has become popular for some people. Concrete mantels are also a choice material for some. Another choice is a plaster mantel, and even glass fireplace mantels have made an appearance.

But no matter the material, some design elements of the fireplace mantel have stayed much the same since Greek and Roman times, when they first made an appearance. The question comes down to: how much do you want to spend on your fireplace mantel?

The cost will depend much upon the materials used.

Fiberboard mantels are the least expensive. Pre-cast concrete and plaster cost more. Stone and wood are at the top of the range and can cost several thousand dollars. On top of the materials, you might want to have your fireplace custom built in order to make sure it fits in with the decor. This will add more to the cost than buying a ready-made mantel.

To save money, consider a mantel kit. It takes some work to assemble a fireplace mantel kit, but the results can be very good.