Fireplace Mantels Information: The finishing touch to a beautiful hearth

Here's a great article about Fireplace Mantels and The finishing touch to a beautiful hearth.

"Historically, the term “mantelpiece” was the large hood which was built over a fireplace in medieval times to catch smoke from the fire, channeling it up the chimney instead of into the room it was meant to heat. Because of this function, it was also known as a “chimneypiece”. Today, the term has been shortened simply to “mantel” and refers only to the decorative stone or wood surrounding the upper part of the fireplace, which can stretch all the way to the ceiling. The term “mantelpiece” has now changed to refer generally to the jambs (vertical pieces of stone or wood at the sides of a fireplace, like the frame of a door), mantel shelf across the top, and other external accents, mostly above the fireplace. Although mantels and chimneypieces were once the most ornate and decorative piece of any room, their prevalence and significance has decreased over time as more modern heating methods have become common.

A well-crafted fireplace mantel can turn every kind of fireplace, whether wood- or gas-burning, into an attractive centerpiece for any room. Mantels are typically made of wood, metal, or stone, but can come with porcelain, gold, silver or other metal accents. Mantels frame a fireplace and can be used to collect and display fireside knick-knacks."

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