Mantel Inspiration Is Easier
Than You Think!
What does a mantel symbolize? To best answer this question, perhaps a brief digression into the history of mantels is in order. Mantels began to surface and were popular with the European royalty from the Dark Ages to the early 17th century. They became places for self-expression. Some of these mantels were extravagantly ornate. Many would span whole walls and even had sculptures fashioned into them. Around the turn of the 17th century the style turned more to Italian. This marked the end of the lavish appearance. Simple mantels came into vogue about the time pragmatism {began}?? . Since then, styles have fluctuated, sometimes using sculptured corbels, sometimes extremely basic, and have evolved into the basic styles we see for mantels today. Mantels had been used in the past mainly as a place for the family portrait.
Basically, a mantel symbolizes what is close to your heart. Fire and warmth are closely linked with survival... A fire in the kitchen is used for cooking and food prep, which is also necessary for survival. But a fire in the living room means safety, relaxation, leisure, warm conversation with friends, etc. For me this means family time, relaxation at the end of the day, and a late-night place for both concentrating and learning, free from the daily distractions related to work. As far as design goes, I love it when pragmatic solutions are wed to artistic creativity. I prefer having some practical criteria to work with, some type of dilemma to solve and then using artistic creativity to work it out. That said, what does a mantel symbolize for you?
Hopefully you will have the answers to your questions regarding mantels upon finishing this article. You will probably want to pause to visualize your mantel while you read this entire article. Keep a pen handy so you can jot down a note when inspiration flashes through your mind!
To start with, let me give you four examples of mantel styles and how the decision process has unfolded for other clients. This will give you an idea of how many layouts are available and which elements you can use to personalize your mantel.
- Pragmatic
- Western/Lodge
- European
- Contemporary
Pragmatic
Pragmatic style is just a simple mantel to display family heirlooms
For those who want a simple, straightforward mantel, the decision process will include the following questions: What width is needed to place items upon the mantel? What is a desirable mantel height? What are the height and width criteria regarding fire safety? All of which is followed by: How big should our mantel be?
For the pragmatic types, a mantel is a mantel. They will think about embellishments only if it will serve a practical purpose, such as rounding or easing sharp edges. Corbels will be considered only if they are needed for support. The style question is simplified to "What dimensions will feel right for the fireplace and the room?" Just a simple solid mantel.
Read the full article here for more mantle inspiration.