Fireplace Mantel Shelves
There is no way to really complete the look of a fireplace without fireplace mantel shelves. Whatever style of fireplace you own, it will look its best with a shelf. There are many different styles of shelves. You may be surprised and the beautiful combinations of fireplaces and mantel shelves you can find.
Fireplace mantel shelves can be purchased separately, but they are often sold along with the fireplace, or the surround. An easy way to update your existing fireplace would be to replace the mantel shelf with something new. It’s amazing how much a new mantel shelf can improve the look of an outdated fireplace. Fireplace mantel shelves can even be used for decoration somewhere other than above the fireplace. There are some creative and stunning looks that can be produced using the shelving.
Wood fireplace mantel shelves are the most common. All types of wood are used for this application: pine, oak, cherry, etc. There are no limitations on what you can find. Wood can easily be carved with a simple or very ornate design. Wood shelves look great and can be matched with any sort of décor. In addition, they go well with many types of fireplaces. A stone fireplace can look great with a wood mantel shelf. They can be stained to the color of your choosing, or painted. A wood shelf that has been painted white can look very stunning up against a marble tile fireplace.
You can purchase these mantels finished, and add them to your fireplace. Also, you can find shelves that are unfinished that you can paint or stain how you wish. This may allow you to save money, but don’t forget to consider the amount of time you will need to spend finishing the product.
Stone fireplace mantel shelves are a little less common. This is likely because they generally cost more, and are more difficult to work with. This is partly because they are much heavier that wood shelves. One of the most common types of stone mantel shelves are cast-stone. This is a man made stone that has some benefits over natural stone. It is less expensive, and not as heavy.
Rustic fireplace mantel shelves are great on river rock or slate fireplaces. One great way to get a rustic look is to use your favorite type of wood, but leave it unfinished. Or, even slice a log in half, remove the bark and sand as needed, and use the log as the shelf.
Contemporary fireplace mantel shelves are pretty popular. What makes them contemporary is not only the material they are made of, but the design of the shelf. A lot of these modern shelves are made out of darker stained woods, or even metal. These styles generally include simple lines.