Fireplace Mantel Blog » Fireplace Shelves

Stage Fireplace Mantels to Sell

Evelyn Roberson — Thu, 13 May 2010 16:29:46 +0000

Have you noticed FOR SALE signs popping up all over town? Now that the school year is winding down, this is a great time to get your home listed. First impressions are crucial because studies have shown that most buyers make a decision about a house within 15 seconds of walking in the door! I wanted to share a few more thoughts on home staging in a competitive real estate market.

Experienced real estate agents will give staging tips that include cleaning until your home is spotless, next declutter, followed by depersonalizing. You may have taken the photos off the refrigerator, hidden stacks of paper from your desk and freshened up with a new coat of paint. Look past your furniture, art and fireplace screen, it’s the bones of the house that must have a draw to the buyers.

Homes with strong architectural details add interest and anchor the home in a period or style. These features include crown molding, the stairwell and fireplace mantel. As you walk into a room the eye is drawn to the focal point, most commonly the fireplace mantel. To declutter and freshen up the mantel fireplace is one of the biggest staging tips I could give. A fireplace make-over project could include refacing the fireplace surround and installing a new mantel shelf. Fireplace mantels can be designed to overlap your existing facing material and provide a completely new custom look. Remodeling the fireplace mantel is completely adaptable keeping staging to sell and the home improvement upgrade within your budget. Think of this as an investment in your home. You may find illustrated measuring instructions or an installation guide helpful in deciding fireplace mantels that would best stage your home for buyers.

Enhancing the architectural elements of the fireplace mantel, as your room’s primary focal point, will add to the overall home value, get it staged to sell and impact your showings. Staging is a short term marketing tool focused on the showing keeping the end goal in mind: SOLD!

Make a Fireplace Mantel Stand Out When Home Staging

Evelyn Roberson — Tue, 11 May 2010 20:19:21 +0000

Real estate staging helps a home seller make their home more attractive and appealing to potential buyers. The goal of staging is to make your home look its best while on the market. This may include repositioning furniture, adding plants or a new rug. While these elements create a warm attractive atmosphere, the buyer will look beyond these soft furnishings to the bones of the house. An investment into the home’s architectural features could have an immediate impact when that buyer walks into the door. Features like crown molding, built-in cabinetry and fireplace mantels are features that remain when your rug is rolled up and moved out.

Studies show staged homes sell for more money than un-staged homes. Where could a short term investment in your home have the greatest impact? The first step is getting buyers to actually come to see your house. Staged houses look better on the MLS pictures. Naturally these photos of your home would include a living or family room. The fireplace mantel is the focal point within a space that draws the eye and makes your home stand out. Beef up or update the mantel fireplace and surround could be what makes your home memorable during a showing.

Review competing listings and compare your fireplace mantel to others found inside homes in your market. This may help determine the extent of work the fireplace mantel needs. Out with the old shiny brass fireplace accessories. A new updated fireplace screen may be the only staging needed. A do-it-yourself update of the fireplace mantel shelf, replacing the facing on the fireplace mantel surround or complete remodel of the wood fireplace mantel with the help of a contractor may be in order. Putting a little work toward to stage your home and make-over the fireplace mantel may be what gives your home the edge over competing properties.

Rustic Fireplace Mantels Bring the Outdoors In

Evelyn Roberson — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 17:09:46 +0000

Timber frame construction is often seen in period homes and lodges, so appealing it is increasingly being used in newer homes. Incorporating the natural elements of rustic decor into your home will balance out the modern elements such as home electronics and kitchen appliances. Introducing the contrast of a rustic fireplace mantel to the smooth, thin, shiny elements is what prevents your room from being too serious or boring. Post and beam style mantels and shelves, proudly made in America by a family owned company with three decades of experience, are available in four types of solid wood. I am thrilled to see craftsman producing mortise and tenon joinery, secured with oak pegs, still exists. Specially formulated finishes that they use definitely enhance and protect the character and natural color of the wood, whether you select Douglas Fir, Hemlock, Oak or White Pine. A solid wood fireplace mantel combines perfectly with river rock or stacked stone, easily found at your local home and garden store. Other natural stones such as granite, marble or travertine would be suitable facing; these kits could be shipped to your door, along with the timber mantel. You need a few simple tools and basic skills to install the rock surround facing and wood fireplace mantel, bringing texture from the outdoors into your fireplace mantel surround.We also have a variety of wooden fireplace mantels in addition to these timber fireplace mantels and rustic fireplace shelves. Home interiors have glass, mirror and now granite and stainless steel seems to be the “go to” surface choices. These hard edged materials call out for textural relief found in a rustic wood fireplace mantel. We can have the guys in the shop begin cutting and prepping materials for your fireplace mantel today.

Fireplace Mantel Shelves Decoded

Evelyn Roberson — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 19:26:30 +0000

What is a Mantel Shelf? A mantel shelf accentuates the entire design of your home bringing the center of attention to the fireplace mantel. These shelves are functional practical alternatives to a full mantel surround. Hardwood is the most common material, which is easily maintained and will last a long time. They can be installed over existing brick, or what we call a “brick pocket”, they can be installed as free-hanging, and for special situations such as “U” and “L” shapes, examples of these follow below.
Hanging Mantel Shelf:	This picture shows a free-hanging mantel shelf, the Weston black on poplar wood. Once you measure, you will determine if you have a standard size situation or need a custom shelf. If you need a longer or shorter shelf, we can make it to any measurements!
Brick Pocket Situation:	A fireplace mantel in which the brick sticks out from the wall requires a mantel shelf with a brick pocket. This mantel shelf would recess the brick in the shelf allowing it to sit flush with the brick. The shelf lip will cover approximately 1/2″ of the existing brick. As you can see from the illustration,the Brick Pocket shelf overlaps the brick and creates a cap.
“U” Shape Situation:	Some fireplace mantels project from the wall requiring a “U” shape as the one shown in the photograph to the left. We can customize all dimensions in a “U” shape shelf. We would need your fireplace mantel surround dimensions for 1, 2, and 3.
“L” Shape Situation:	Fireplace mantel designs sometime extend around a corner requiring an “L” shape mantel shelf. We can customize the length of each side in an “L” shape mantel shelf. We would need your dimensions for 1 and 2 as well as the direction of the “L”.
You do not have to hire a contractor to install a mantel shelf, you can do it yourself at an affordable price. To order a custom mantel shelf visit us at www.mantelsdirect.com and check out the styles offered. Our custom and standard sizes with wood type and stain options will ensure that your mantel matches the existing decor of your home. Measuring is easy with our online worksheet, or take a picture of your existing fireplace if you’re not sure what kind of shelf you need. Email it to info@mantelsdirect.com and customer service representative will give you options for fireplace mantel shelves that will get the fireplace the attention it deserves!

Cast Stone Fireplace Mantels with Overmantels

Evelyn — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 19:20:39 +0000

The fireplace mantel is the focal point of my family room, I want classic features I know will stand the test of time. As I familiarize myself with the terms used to describe parts of a mantle, I come across “over mantel”. Over mantels are decorative structures, originally constructed of plasterwork or carved wood, basically a mantel set on top of the horizontal shelf of the bottom. The upper mantel may often be found having an ornamental panel with a mirror or painting in the center area.

I would love to introduce these classic features but am sure plasterwork or commissioning hand carved woodwork cost prohibitive; not to mention the challenge of locating skilled craftsman in my hometown. Cast stone is a masonry product used as an architectural feature, which is an excellent replacement for natural cut stone. Classic Cast Stone Mantels call upon renaissance details adapting over mantels to add to the interest of the mantel shelf, hearth and fireplace mantel surround facings. That oil painting once found in the center panel of the overmantel would have to be replaced by a flat screen television. A niche, 16th century recess introduced into the design especially for a statue, can be fashioned within an over mantel to accommodate our t.v. Cast stone crown molding could be customized to coordinate with the fireplace for our new mantel and over mantel.

Overmantels seem to be most commonly found in homes that have ceilings of ten feet or more because rooms with tall ceilings can definitely support the visual impact of an overmantel. This classic architecture really appeals to me, but I eight foot ceilings. If you want this look too but don’t have tall ceilings either, don’t lose heart. Custom fireplace mantel designs with over mantels are an option with fully customizable widths and heights, made to order, based on dimensions dictated by your home. Deb is the MantelsDirect.com cast stone expert and an excellent resource for questions about cast stone fireplace mantels. Adding details to my fireplace mantel will enhance the architecture of my room, plus the introduction of an over mantel would definitely achieve the ‘wow’ from anyone who enters the room.

A Fireplace Mantel By Any Other Name?…..

Rick Morse — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 21:41:09 +0000

One of the most interesting challenges we face is how to describe our Fireplace Mantel products. Ex., when you say “mantel”, are you referring to a mantel surround, mantelpiece, mantel shelf, fireplace shelf or fireplace mantel. Do you use an alternate spelling like mantle? Confusing to say the least!

We find ourselves digging a bit deeper to get to the crux of what the customer is looking for, as a “Mantel” can mean a Mantel Shelf (one piece above fireplace – alt. Fireplace Shelf, Mantelpiece) or Mantel Surround (shelf and legs surrounding the firebox – alt. Fireplace Mantel).

Whatever you call it, we will figure out what you are looking for and deliver the best solution for your needs.

Welcome To The Fireplace Mantel Blog!

Rick Morse — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 19:22:44 +0000

It is our intention to provide useful information about fireplace mantels, fireplace shelves, and fireplaces. We are hoping to share insight on selection, installation, and other useful (we hope) topics. MantelsDirect.com has a staff of friendly experts who help homeowners, builders, and designers size and specify mantels for homes across the U.S. I do not believe there is another company that helps more individuals with their fireplace purchases. This is written for you, so feel free to comment, ask questions and participate.