A fireplace is much more than a way to create warmth and ambiance during the colder months. It is an architectural focal point for any room it is in. Remodeling your fireplace can quickly elevate the look of your home. Updating a fireplace mantel is an easy step to take to change the look of your home, and I have helped many clients complete this project. Below I offer some examples to help inspire your fireplace design ideas:
Updating a Fireplace Mantel with a Modern Look
My clients were updating their home to a more modern style and the fireplace was central to the design. Like many open concept style houses, the great room had nothing to help anchor the space. Designer Elaine Pauley decided to turn the fireplace into a full feature wall. The homeowners essentially started from scratch, changing out the old firebox so they could alter the shape of the fireplace. The new surround was covered in tile and I was brought in to add the wood elements. I installed shiplap on the wall from top to bottom and crafted and placed a new offset mantel. Everything was built from unpainted poplar and then stained to match other wood elements in the home. The previous fireplace was lost on the huge wall; now it is the highlight of the room.
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Creating a New Mantel for a Historic Fireplace
My clients loved their historic Ft. Benjamin Harris home, but it needed to function well in today’s world. I helped them add both architectural details to accentuate its old-world charm, and added many new elements to help them live in it more efficiently. Mahogany was a common theme in those projects, and when it came time to create a new fireplace mantel, it was the natural wood species to use. If you talk to an interior designer, there are specific proportions that should be used to scale a fireplace mantel correctly, based on the height of the ceiling, the shape of the fireplace and the size of the room. My clients and I spent a lot of time coming up with the perfect proportions for the space and their aesthetic. The rich wood complemented the existing tile surround while also serving as a visual masterpiece.
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The Perfect Mantel for a Fireplace TV
Since TVs started getting larger and lightweight, people have been installing them over their fireplaces. One problem with this design is managing all the wires, especially if there are no plans to remodel the wall behind it. I kept being faced with this issue, so I developed a fireplace mantle design with a cord chase within it. While some holes had to be created to channel the cords to their associated electronics, I was able to hide them behind the new mantle. My clients were able to have the functionality they needed without all the ugly cords or wall repair bills.
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Hiring a custom woodworker for updating a fireplace mantle means the sky is the limit for your design. I have experience helping clients find and create the perfect look for their home. Send me an email or give me a call at (317) 679-5890 for a free consultation.
