Fireplace panache possible with and without a mantel
Once an important part of the structure and function of a fireplace and a place to hang the stockings with care, the design and ornamentation of the majestic mantel is now a matter of personal choice.
For those who love the modern or industrial interior esthetic, the decision to be sans mantel is now a popular one says Calgary interior designer, Sharon Maguire.
As a design whiz for Augusta Fine Homes in Calgary, Maguire purposely left the mantel off the fireplace in the builder's contemporary estate show home in Harmony.
“I wanted an elegant appeal. Modern and slightly rustic. I didn't want the fireplace to dominate the room,” Maguire says.
“I think it's a trend to have a clean look. Fireplaces now are simple, faced with a 12-inch by 24-inch or even larger body tile. Some have a marble-type face, white with grey veining through it or that industrial look in a charcoal grey with a matte finish,” she says.
When the fireplace is a focal point, surrounded by cosy loveseats and sofas plump with cushions in a traditional setting, a mantel is appropriate, she believes.
“You can have artwork up there, a few candle sticks and maybe a TV,” she says.
When a fireplace is in a room the whole family uses, a television above the mantel is functional. The mantel is necessary as it stops the heat from rising and potentially damaging the TV'S electronics.
Homeowners can update existing fireplaces by painting red or orange brick either white or grey, or covering it with a large format tile. A lacquer finish can be applied to a stained, wooden mantel, in a colour that matches baseboards or stair rails in the room.