When we look at fireplaces we tend to see how well the fireplace blends in with the décor of our homes. We look at fireplaces in a mundane way. This is mainly to make sure that the fire has not gone out. We will also make sure that we see if there is any chance of a fire starting in the rest of the house because of the fireplace. The one place that we rarely look at is that of the fireplace mantels.

While the fireplace mantels are great places to keep ornaments they also serve another purpose. This seldom considered purpose is the fact that the mantels serve as the ceiling area of the fireplace and the beginning of the chimney flue. The wide area of the fireplace mantel will ensure that there is a wide area all around the fire to let it grow to a proportion that will heat the room where the fireplace is located.

Fireplace mantels help to reinforce the walls of the house around the area of the fireplace. They act as an extra wall near the beginning of the flue. These are just the design modifications you will find for the working conditions of the fireplace. Now once you have looked at how the fireplace is made you will also get to see the decorative embellishments which are placed above the opening of the fireplace.

These decorative looks of fireplace mantels are made by craftsmen. Today the finest examples of mantel art can be seen on fireplace mantels that have been made in Italy, USA and England. The other types of mantel work are of a lesser quality that does not match the beauty of the earlier fireplace mantels.

While these mantels look spectacular they are now very rarely seen as many of us have different forms of fireplaces. Where the earlier fireplaces were large and wood burning the ones of today are smaller sized. These fireplaces cater to the needs of gas burning and electrical fireplaces. These types of fireplaces are also designed to fit in with our living space.

For this reason there is almost no need to have any type of fireplace mantel. For those people who are lucky enough to have a large sized fireplace in their homes you will definitely see an example of fireplace mantels.

The next time that you are about to light a fire in your wood burning fireplace take the time to check out how your fireplace looks. You may see fabulous art work craved and sculpted on the front part of the mantel. These are how the master sculptures of yore made sure that fireplace mantels became the focal point of a room.