Years ago, folks used their fire places to keep warm throughout the long, cold, and dark winter season. The fire place was excellent for keeping folks from freezing and provided folks with a way to tough it out in winter weather. These days fireplaces are not a primary source of heat for most people. However, fireplaces still have a place in this world.

There are plenty of homes that still have fire places to create a pleasant atmosphere within their houses. Also, people buy electric fireplaces to provide supplemental heat to warm up certain rooms. There are many great fireplace mantel ideas that can add tremendously to the charm and appeal of a fireplace.

I wrote this post to tell you about some of the fireplace mantel ideas you might want to take advantage of. You'll learn about the different types of fireplace mantel materials as well as the different items you can put on them.

There are a few different materials that have gained popularity in the construction of fireplace mantels. Wood has always been a favorite choice and this material can add an old world feel to your fireplace. If you're seeking a more elegant look, you might want to go with a marble fireplace. Others opt for a brick or stone fireplace although you'll find that most people prefer wood or marble.

At this point you are probably wondering what you can put on your fire place mantel. Over the next few paragraphs I'll give you some ideas to get started.

There are many different items you may want to place upon your fireplace mantel. Some people make the mantel a place to keep memories such as family pictures and sentimental items. Having them on top of the fireplace ensures that you will see them on a regular basis.

Other fireplace mantel ideas consist of making the mantel a work of art. This can be done by placing sculptures and other art pieces on the mantel. Placing a painting over top of the fireplace would top things off nicely.

Adding a clock to the mantel would make the fireplace even more useful. Other people take it much further and place an entertainment system atop it. Be careful if you decide to place an entertainment center on a fire place that you use for heat, this could be very dangerous.