The stone fireplace mantels with stately and imposing overmantels in the photos below portray an elegant, old world ambience and sophistication that evokes images of English country manors, European castles, Italian palazzi and French chateaux . . . . .
Judging by the wide range and variety of traditional stone fireplace surrounds
currently available, it ap- pears a new
Gilded Age
has arrived!
Though in modern times the overmantel is a purely aesthectic adornment,
it was originally a very functional architectural element. Beginning in
the Middle Ages, it took the form of a hooded cover that was placed over
the fire to create a draft and to direct the smoke into a flue vented to
the outside. De- spite its lack of functionality today, it continues to be
a highly (no pun in- tended!) decorative -- even regal -- design element that
commands atten- tion and makes a dramatic statement when placed atop a compatible
fire- place mantel.
For more information about any of the fireplace designs pictured here, please
let us know
and we'll be hap- py to provide it for you.
Also, please check back often or subscribe to our
RSS feed,
as we continually add new fireplace photos to our site.