Create an inviting focal point in any room by bringing out the hidden potential and true beauty of your fireplace.  A Fireplace Mantel upgrade or update isn’t hard to do and is an easy way to take advantage of the latest style trends.

The Cambridge wood fireplace mantel is a perfect example of a classic, traditional mantel.

Classic styles are almost always the most popular and are available in a wide variety of materials to suit most any home.  Wood fireplace mantels offer great looks depending on the type of wood, the grain of the wood, and can be painted or stained to your specific color needs.  These mantels are available in either mantel shelf or full mantel surround styles.

A Fireplace Mantel Shelf is a great way to instantly update a tired fireplace or add visual interest to a fireplace with no adornment.  Their unique mounting system make them incredibly easy to install, giving you a great new look with very little effort.

Mantel surrounds, on the other hand, are perfect if you are trying to completely update your room décor.  They are available in a variety of materials – wood, stone, or marble.  Wood Mantels can be custom sized to fit almost any pre-existing fireplace.  They can come either fully finished at the factory or unfinished to be painted or stained at the job site.  Mantels Direct offers custom color matching where your mantel will arrive ready to install pre stained or painted to perfectly match your exiting room color.

A fireplace mantel shelf is a perfect alternative to a full three-sided mantel.

Stone mantels are quickly becoming the strongest trend, and for good reason.  You will be amazed at the variety of styles – from clean and simple lines, to classically ornate or modern and bold.  Stone Mantels can also be customized to fit almost any fireplace size or shape. Elegant stone ages gracefully and will add beauty and value to your home for years to come.

Custom Stone Mantel and Overmantel with TV and Media

For another option, adding an overmantel for height and visual interest is a unique way to finish out a fireplace. An overmantel is basically a mantel or additional framing over the lower mantel surround.   A current trend is to incorporate a television to fit within the overmantel.  There are several overmantel styles available in matching material to stone mantels.  Almost any wood or stone mantel can have an overmantel created to match.

Make the most of your fireplace year round by adding decorative touches that draw the eye to one of the largest features in any room.

When you look around your home, does your fireplace look a little uninviting?  Let us help you reestablish it as the focal point of your room. An easy update to most fireplace mantels is to add new fireplace surround facing material.  “Surround facing” is the material which is between the edge of your firebox and the inside legs and bottom of your mantel surround.  Facings are typically brick, granite, marble or other natural stone material.  Many older homes may still have the unfinished brick which the chimney was made from.  If your fireplace features a hearth, this can also be updated with natural stone.  Adding a new stone facing gives an instant fresh face to your room!

This Granite surround facing brings a lot of appeal to this traditional mantel.

Natural stone facing is the obvious choice for most fireplaces since it is fireproof and easy to maintain.  Granite is a popular choice and if your fireplace is near your kitchen, you may want to select granite in a complementary color to your counter tops.  Marble is always an elegant upgrade and the cost is probably less than you think – so it’s definitely worth considering.  For a more casual feel, natural slate has become a very popular choice.

Using our online measuring guide, we can assist you with the process of selecting the correct size stone for your needs.  Once you have selected your stone, you may either order online or contact one of our helpful sales representatives to assist you.

The Emperador Marron Marble surround facing makes a bold statement against this white mantel.

Worried about installation? Don’t be, it’s easy.  Full installation instructions are online and included with your shipment.  Start by preparing your surface for mounting.  Once this is ready, you will prepare your hearth with adhesive (if installing) and align as you desire.  Once this is done, the facing legs are placed, then the header. If needed, the optional riser would be the final installation.

Consider upgrading your fireplace today with beautiful natural stone facing. We’re here to help you every step of the way.

Unlike decorative accents such as picture frames or small vases, mantels are major assets and are often the primary showpiece of a room. Because of this, it is important to choose a mantel that fits in with your decor but also makes the right statement. With over 100 mantels and mantel shelf designs, plus a variety of finishes and custom sizing, Mantels Direct is sure to have the perfect fireplace mantel for your home.

Hampton Traditional Wood Mantel, shown in Poplar with white finish, Emperador Marron Marble facing kit

Traditional Wood Mantels Our wood fireplace mantels come in 5 unique collections. The Prestige Collection mantels are characterized by elegant fluting and detailed carvings that pair well with marble or granite facing kits. The Traditional Design Collection includes classic, versatile designs, and the Valueline Collection is composed of value-priced mantels in a variety of basic styles.  We offer adjustable Cabinet and Corner Mantels for unique needs and spaces.  Additionally, the handcrafted Timber Mantel Collection is perfect for a cabin or any rustic decor style.

Marble Fireplace Mantels  We offer 7 high quality imported marble fireplace mantels. Each marble fireplace is hand-sculpted by skilled master craftsmen. They are available in a variety of fireplace sizes and return depths, and they are available in white, black, beige and green marble.  These marble fireplace designs exude culture and class.

Stone Fireplace Mantels  Our stone fireplace mantels are true showpieces and exquisite additions to any room. The Majestic and Classic Series stone fireplace mantels offer over 50 beautiful designs ranging from simple to extravagant, and each is available in 8 stone colors.  They include options for facing, hearths and overmantels. The Builder Series and Standard Mantel Kits include hearths and offer simpler, budget-conscious designs. All of our stone fireplace mantels are lightweight, so installation is quick and simple.

Clark Stone Mantel Shelf

Mantel Shelf Designs  For those who are on a budget, have limited room, or just need extra shelf space, our mantel shelf designs are a great option. We offer traditional wood, Timber, and stone mantel shelves.  Ranging from traditional to contemporary in design, each mantel shelf is easy to install, and each wood and Timber mantel shelf is available in custom lengths.  Many are also available in custom U and corner shapes.

No matter your style and budget, one of our mantels will be a perfect match for your home.  Want more information? View our previous post, and then explore your options at MantelsDirect.com.

In April, we discussed three advantages of a cast stone fireplace mantel.  It is simple to install, is available in a variety of colors and stone finishes, and comes in styles to complement any decor.  Today, we’re going to share the four style series in our cast stone fireplace mantels collection.  Each series in the cast stone mantels collection carries a unique style and personality and has numerous options to make it your own.

Majestic Series The Majestic Series of custom-size cast stone fireplace surrounds is our most elegant collection of timeless European stone mantel designs. The scale and detail of this mantel series is exceptional. The beautiful custom facing, along with optional hearths and overmantels, will enhance the fireplace mantel and create a unique focal point for your home.

Classic Series The Classic Series cast stone fireplace surrounds are hand-crafted stone mantels inspired by European designs. Each stone mantel has variations in color and finish that capture the true essence of natural stone. Optional matching surround facing, hearths and overmantels  are available for this collection and are sized to fit your specific situation.  The Claire stone mantel is the most popular item in this series; it is created using a strong composite stone mantel material and is a beautiful accent to a living room or den.

Standard Series Kits These cast stone mantels are available for immediate shipment in a Limestone color. Each stone mantel comes complete with hearth and adjustable facing panels that allow for both small and large firebox openings. The Standard Series Stone Mantel Kits are great choices for a contemporary decor style.

From the Standard Series, this Craig Mantel is shown in the Natural Stone Finish.

Builders Series Kits Our Builder Series Kits are an economical way to have a terrific-looking stone mantel. These simple American cast stone fireplace mantels can be installed quickly with little effort.  The Builders Series Kits include adjustable legs, header facing panel and hearth.

Part of the fun of purchasing a new fireplace mantel from Mantels Direct is decorating it once it’s been installed.  Here are five creative suggestions to keep in mind when planning your mantel decor:

Make it seasonal. The fireplace mantel is a natural family gathering place that is easy to reach and accessorize, making it a great spot to celebrate the season. Reflect an upcoming holiday with simple touches such as lining the mantel’s edge with seasonally-appropriate ribbon, or placing holiday items like ornaments or Easter eggs in a tall, clear vase.  Another way to add a seasonal touch to your mantel decor is to incorporate accents from nature.  For example, welcome summer by enhancing your mantel with seashells, starfish, and a lantern.  Also consider purchasing a natural timber mantelto achieve a year-round natural look.

Timber mantels make for wonderful holiday decorating in the right setting.

Embrace the fire, even in the summer. Just because it’s summertime does not mean that you have to ditch the fire.  With most electric fireplaces, you have the option to activate the beautiful flame feature without the heat.  These products provide four-season enjoyment and have options to fit every style and budget. So remember to light your electric fireplace to complement the mantel and add a soft, welcoming ambiance to your home.

Try layering. Layering the decor on your mantel is easy to do and works on just about anything, whether it is frames, candles, vases, or other accessories. The trick is choosing items that represent a variety of sizes and share some characteristic such as color family or basic shape. Then, place (or lean) the smaller, more detailed accessories in front of the larger, plainer items. This picture demonstrates how proper layering can transform a cluster of objects into a lovely, consistent design.

Be bold. Use the fireplace mantel to make a statement and set a fun tone for the rest of the house.  The simplest way to do this is to use bold colors.  For example, frame the mantel with an orange and yellow wallpaper, or paint vintage vases a bright blue and set them on a contrasting white mantel.  You can even paint the mantel itself! Purchase an unfinished mantel shelf from Mantels Direct (select “unfinished” option at checkout) and color it however you’d like.  Be sure to coat it with a protective sealant once it’s been painted.

Get personal. Your mantel is a centerpiece of your home, so use it to tell your personal story.  Incorporate vintage family photos, frame heirloom jewelry, or place a stack of favorite books on the shelf’s corner. These possibilities are endless, and they give an instant dose of character to your fireplace mantel.

With the summer renovation season quickly approaching, many homeowners are searching for a way to add beauty and value to their homes. Ironically, the warming of outside temperatures every summer ensures that prospective renovators often overlook remodeling one of the most valuable heating elements of their home, their fireplace. A fireplace mantel upgrade can add thousands of dollars in value to a home and are highly valued by almost every consumer looking to purchase a new house. One of the best ways to add to this value is by installing a cast stone fireplace as part of your summer renovation plans. With this in mind, this post list 3 advantages stone fireplaces can offer consumers who are looking to complete a fireplace remodel.

A Beautiful Stone Fireplace Installation

1. The first advantage of remodeling with a cast stone fireplace is the ease of installation. Cast stone fireplaces are much lighter than traditional stone or marble mantels, allowing for an easy installation that can be completed in a single afternoon. These stone fireplaces are made by utilizing old-world techniques, ensuring top of the line quality is produced with every single unit.

2. The second advantage of these stone fireplaces is the variety of colors and finishes that are available with cast stone. Cast stone fireplaces come in a variety of colors including olive, chocolate and taupe. Depending on your color selection, each mantel is available in a variety of finishes including Natural Stone and Honed. With this many options to choose from, it is clear that cast stone mantels can be customized to fit almost anyone’s interior design taste.

Color Variety Available With Cast Stone Mantels

3. A final advantage of Cast Stone Mantels is the variety of styles that are available to consumers. For home owners looking for a more contemporary or ornate style of mantel, the Majestic Series includes some excellent options. Mantels like the Innsbruck Style fit seamlessly into formal spaces, while units such as the Palermo Style are a great choice for a more modern room. For consumers looking for a more traditional, simplistic style of mantel, the Classic Series of cast stone fireplaces is sure to offer plenty of options that can suit your design needs.

With the variety of colors and styles available and the ease with which they can be installed, cast stone fireplaces can make a perfect summer renovation project for home owners looking to add some value to their home.

Today’s post is about adding style to one of the most important elements of any home, the fireplace. A fireplace is one of the most important focal points that homeowners neglect. However, this does not have to be the case. With a little creativity and the right tools and accessories, a fireplace can be completely transformed into the formal centerpiece of any home.

1. The first fireplace mantel idea that is guaranteed to spruce up your fireplace is the addition of the right fireplace accessories. Although many consumers rarely use their wood burning fireplace, a set of fireplace tools and a fireplace screen can be the perfect accessories to give the appearance of formal luxury to a living space.  Fireplace accessories imply the use of a fireplace even if a homeowner rarely chooses to burn an open fire. The right combination of antiqued copper or wrought iron fireplace accessories can often portray a formal, old world decor that will draw your guest into your living space.

This is a 3 Fold Arched Antique Copper Fireplace Screen

2. The second fireplace mantel idea that is guaranteed to give your living room some style, is remodeling your mantel with cast stone. Unlike traditional stone mantels that can require reinforced floor boards and the installation of reinforced steel supports, cast stone mantels are a relatively manageable weight and can be completed as a DIY project in a single afternoon. In addition to their light weight and ease of installation, cast stone mantels can be ordered in a variety of finishes to fit nearly any space.  With styles ranging from very clean and simplistic to very ornate, a cast stone mantel renovation can help to rejuvenate almost any living space.

This is a very ornate style of cast stone mantel called the Seville.

This is a very simplistic style of cast stone mantle called the Franklin.

3.  The final fireplace mantel idea that can help to rejuvenate a space is the addition of gas, or electric fireplace logs. The fact of the matter is, a large portion of traditional, wood burning fireplaces in America do not get used. Whether they do not like the smell of smoke or the hassle of chopping wood, most Americans avoid using their fireplace because they view it as a hassle. In recent years however, gas and electric log sets have given homeowners a new way to enjoy their fireplace without any of the hassles that traditional wood fires produced. Once a gas or electric log set is installed, a homeowner simply must flip a switch and they can be enjoying the warmth and ambiance of a fire within their very own home. The simple truth is, the best way to spruce up your fireplace, is to use it.

This is an example of an Electric Log Set.

This is an example of a Vented Gas Log Set.

Nothing adds to the permanent and beautiful nature of fireplaces like stone. A cast stone mantel from Mantels Direct offers ease of installation and an appearance that makes your fireplace look as though it has been in place for a hundred years. Adding a stone fireplace is a fantastic way to renovate your home and can add hundreds of dollars in value to what might once have been an ugly, unused corner of your house. With the easy installation and great prices of cast stone, there is no reason consumers cannot have the stone fireplace of their dreams.

There is a common misconception that renovating a mantle has to be a complex and lengthy enterprise requiring the knowledge of a master contractor and the strength of a dozen men. Fortunately, for those of us who have neither of these qualities at our disposal, there is a relatively simple solution that can give our living rooms the renovation needed. Cast stone mantels perfectly merge the look and feel of traditional solid stone while remaining relatively lightweight and easy to install.

Because of the process which is used to create these mantels they remain manageable to install, allowing for a homeowner or handyman to complete the installation.  With a few common household tools a cast stone mantel can easily be installed in a single afternoon. Cast stone provides the perfect balance between strength, durability and easy installation. They are fire resistant and durable enough to hold up any conceivable mantle decoration yet they are easily installed and provide the texture and organic look of stone.

A Beautiful Stone Fireplace Installation

In addition, cast stone mantels also come in a variety of styles, ensuring that they can be used in a large variety of homes and settings. Models such as the Chelsea offer a more subtle style while more ornate models such as the Venetian can add  to the formal nature of almost any living space.

Regardless of the style you choose, there is no denying that a cast stone mantel is the perfect option for anyone looking to complete a stone fireplace renovation.

Considering remodeling your home? We recommend replacing an older or outdated fireplace mantel to update the look of an entire living space. Even if you are not an expert craftsman, you can anticipate completing this project within a few hours. Considering that the enjoyment you’ll get from your new mantel will last for years to come, it would be time well-spent.

Here is a list of items you will need in order to complete the job:

• Pry bar / Crowbar
• Tape Measure
• Level
• Saw
• Drill with Masonry bit
• Lag Sleeves and bolts
• Hammer / Nails
• Ledger board (2 x 2 inches)

Step 1: Out With The Old!

Using your crowbar or a pry bar, carefully remove the mantel from the bricks or wall it is fastened to. In most cases, fireplace mantels are usually locked together with glue and wooden pegs. Progress little by little to avoid cracking or damaging the bricks or wall to which the mantel is attached.

Step 2: Measure

The next step is to measure the width and the depth of the old mantel with your tape measure. These measurements will be used to determine the measurements of your new mantel. So remember, measure carefully! If you are planning on installing a surround mantel or wrap-around mantel, make sure to adjust your measurements accordingly.

Step 3: Install the Support Ledger

Now you will need to measure the width of the fireplace opening, and cut a 2 x 2-inch piece of ledger board to match. Position the support ledger at the desired height and level it. Drill the pilot holes in the support ledger board completely through the other side. You’ll need to put in the lag sleeves into the ledger board and screw in the lag screws with your drill or electric screwdriver.

Step 4: Prepping the New Mantel

After installing the support ledger brace board, place the mantel alongside the stone, brick or wall. Line up the new mantel so that it is in the center of the support wall and the fireplace opening, and to where it rests upon the support ledger board.

Step 5: Installing The Mantel to the Support Ledger Board

After you have properly positioning the mantel with the support ledger board and fireplace opening, secure it by nailing the mantel directly to the ledger board.

Step 6: Locking the Mantel

Remember to always follow the manufacturer’s instruction for installing the mantel to the bricks or wall. Normally, this process includes either glue and pegs or lag bolts and sleeves. Prior to securing the mantel to the support bricks or support wall, check to ensure that the mantel is level. If not, adjust accordingly.

Congratulations! You have now completed the final step of the installation process. Now the only thing left is to clean up, sit back and enjoy your new fireplace mantel.

Fireplace surround facing kits, whether they be granite, marble or slate are relatively simple to install. There are 3 steps to following in order to successfully complete your job. Prior to starting, you will need the following items: a pencil, Micore Board (available at MantelsDirect.com), 2-3 10.3 Fl. Oz. Leech F-26 Waterproof Construction Adhesive (available at MantelsDirect.com) and a tape measure.

Step 1: Installing The Hearth

Using the Micore board or a similar product to create a buffer between the hearth and floor, carefully place the hearth on the Micore with the marble, granite or slate facing the firebox, polished side up. Position it in the center it on the Micore so no additional movement is needed. Apply the waterproof construction adhesive around the perimeter of the hearth; leaving two places for handholds, then a few “zig-zag” lines down the center. Ensure that you are not allowing any voids around the perimeter that would cause a corner to break if someone stepped on it. Quickly but gently lower the hearth; this is the most critical time of the installation, as the weight of the marble can cause it to crack if held flat for any length of time.

Step 2: Adding The Facing Legs

Measure the firebox for the legs, and check both sides to ensure you are fitting them correctly. There is always a possibility you may have to cut the legs differently. Once you have the accurate measurements, cut the legs as needed. MantelsDirect.com recommends using a PY 007 dry cut marble blade because it will give you the best cut. Tape the marble with several strips of quality masking tape to protect the marble from scratches. Make sure to start your cut at the polished edge, if there is a chip caused by the blade it will be on the unfinished edge, which is normally hidden by the mantle leg. Cut with the polished side of the marble up.

Step 3:  Install your facing header and optional riser

Apply the recommended adhesive on the back of the header and place into position. It is usually acceptable if your header extends beyond the outside of each leg. MantelsDirect.com’s fireplace mantels are intended to overlap facing material and can hold up to 5″ on each side in most situations.

Fireplace surround facing kits do vary from one another, so make sure to always read the instructions carefully that come with your kit. MantelsDirect.com has many kits to choose from and their customer service representatives are experts on helping out customers pick out the right kit for their job.