Tips for Choosing a Fireplace Mantel

Fireplaces are beautiful décor. They supply warmth, coziness, and comfort in living rooms across the globe. People can eat, drink, play games, or socialize around their fireplace in a relaxing environment. Of course, every fireplace needs a fireplace mantel to prevent fire or smoke hazards. However, finding the right mantel can be difficult, especially if you don’t know what to look for. Fortunately, these tips for choosing a fireplace mantel can help.

Size

First, before considering the style or material of your mantel, you must determine its size compared to your fireplace. You want to avoid picking a fireplace mantel that’s too large or too small for your living room. Otherwise, your room could look clumsy or off-balance. Simply measure the dimensions of your fireplace’s edges, such as the width and height. This will help you choose the best materials without throwing the fireplace off-kilter.

Style

Of course, don’t neglect style. As with any interior design, keep in mind what you want for your home. Fireplaces offer more than just decoration or warmth; they’re often the go-to spot in a living room to read, play games, or socialize. Some styles to consider include asymmetrical, layered, elegant, artful, soothing, traditional, energetic, extensive, bold, and more. Each of these styles features unique color palettes, lighting, paint, décor, accessories, furniture, and mantel materials to give the room a unique aesthetic.

Material

A significant tip for choosing a fireplace mantel is material. Each material provides its own look and functionality. Although brick and stone are two common fireplace materials used in many homes, there are some others to consider as well, such as metal, wood, or marble. Welded metal gives a modern, sleek look without covering much of the wall. Traditional hardwood, such as oak, walnut, or mahogany, adds authentic charm that also gives more space to a room. Still, marble columns or dentil molding can give the illusion of Greek Revival or Renaissance designs, respectively. Whether it’s wood, natural stone, or metal, each material is usually hand-crafted with intricate designs for traditional, unique, or modern designs in that space.

Price

Finally, don’t forget price. Even when choosing the ideal fireplace mantel, it’s important to create a budget. Those on a strict budget should consider which mantel aspects are most important to them. Those with more to spend have more leeway in their choices. Even still, no matter the budget, there are many cost-efficient but well-crafted fireplace mantels to fit any home.

For those installing their own fireplace mantel, be sure to use our mantel brackets for a tight, secure hold. Consider going the extra mile by hanging a shelf above it using our hidden floating shelf brackets. Regardless, we make all our heavy-duty brackets with 100% American steel, which offers exceptional weight capacity and durability. With easy drywall mounting for left and right wall studs, you’ll never face bracket installation issues again. Call today with any questions, and an expert will help you find the right bracket for a shelving unit, fireplace mantel, or whatever other home project you’re currently working on.