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Furniture & Furnishing & Decorations
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Fireplace Mantles
Decorating a Fireplace Mantle
Introduction: When considering decorating fireplace mantles, the first thing most homeowners and decorators think of is the mantle shelf itself. They think of the flat surface at the top of the fireplace where pictures, candles, figurines, or mementos are placed on display. Actually the whole framing of the shelf is called a mantle, including the legs that go down each side of the fireplace.
Some fireplaces mantel designs have a mantle that
is flush against the wall and doesn't provide a
shelf at all. Other mantles may stick out from the
wall only slightly, about as much as a door frame
but not enough for anything to be displayed on top
of them.
If you want to display things on your fireplace
mantle you need to make sure that the mantle you
are constructing has an adequate shelf. If you are
purchasing a ready-made mantle shelf buy one that
has a wide shelf. Measure the flat surface on top
of the shelf to make sure that whatever you want to
put there will actually fit. If you're going to be
putting up free-standing picture frames insure that
the mantle shelf is deep enough for the frames to
stand in an open position to support the pictures.
If you have a vase that will be perfect for the
mantle you want to know that the vase will not only
sit on the mantle shelf but sits far enough back
that it won't accidentally get knocked off when
someone walks by or straightens up in front of the
fireplace after having lit the fire.
If your current mantle doesn't have a shelf, and
you want one, you don't necessarily have to replace
the entire mantle.
Fireplace
mantel shelves can either be purchase as a
standalone shelf or they can be installed on top of
an existing mantle. If you are a DIY handy-man you
can construct a mantle shelf yourself. A larger
mantel shelf will provide the additional space
needed for you to set out your display items
without having to tear out and replace the mantle
that's already there.
The advantage to extending the mantle shelf or
installing a readymade mantle is the cost savings.
Adding a standalone mantle shelf to your fireplace
will cost approximately $250 to $300 as opposed to
several thousand dollars to tear out and
reconstruct the entire mantel.
The mantle shelf should be flat on top but other
designs can work too. A standard design is simply
to have the new shelf blend into the rest of the
mantle structure. But the shelf can also be broken
into several steps like an upside down staircase
for easier display of ornaments and pictures. There
are many mantle designs that you can choose from.
You can entertain a more ornate design such as
having leaves and flowers carved into the wood or
stone to create a traditional look. You can have a
more rustic look with scenes of mountains, trees,
and woods. Whatever mantle design you select, choose the design that works best for your fireplace and room. You'll have an enjoyable time deciding what goes on top of your new fireplace mantles.
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