It’s Time To Burn Things
I don’t know if it’s my red hair or the fact that I was born in August, the month of the sun, but I love to burn things. If you’re like me, you will enjoy these mantel options for your fall/winter set up.
Whether you live in an urban log cabin, a 17th floor condo or a remote farmhouse, a fireplace can really set the tone. Wood burning, gas or “just for show”, the idea of a fire adds a warmth both real and atmospheric.
The mantels below represent over100 years of variation but, in all cases, their purpose is immediately understood. Which one works for you?
Featuring elements of the Art Nouveau, this oak mantel made around 1895 is softer looking than most from that era with its shapely side stiles and carved spindles. It’s also a bit smaller than most fireplaces that have an overmantel. Makes me think of an overstuffed armchair you love to sink into with a good book.
Almost two centuries old, this painted pine mantel came from a modest but strangely grand farmhouse in Caledon built prior to 1845. Its classic Georgian styling is complimented by a crosshatching of the façade – a whim of the owner that was either a good idea or bad idea. What do you think?
Our most recent arrival is in the late Aesthetic Movement styling with a little Eastlake thrown in – strong, bold and graphic – from a home in leafy Dundas. These mantels were usually made from quality hardwoods like cherry, walnut and, in this case, oak. Fischer The Demo Dog was there when we got it and seems unwilling to let it make a move. Don’t let that stop you.
This is one of the more unique mantels we’ve had and by far the youngest of the bunch at maybe 70 – 80 years old. While it came from London, ON, its carved and painted panels of a far, eastern, sensibility make its origin difficult to nail down. Nonetheless, I like to hover nearby because it makes everything around it look better.
My favourite mantel came from Newmarket, ON and is the epitome of the Greek Revival influence in the Upper Canada of the 1840s. The owner of this mantel was brimming with confidence and the rest of the home must have been equally stunning. While it may not be the mantel for you, it’s hard to deny the force of design and execution seen here.
A classic, late Victorian mantel with its columns and mirrored overmantel, this piece is unusual in that it is pine. Most of these pieces would have been hardwood but the pine lends a softer, more approachable quality to the high styling of the piece in general. Also, is it just me or does it look a little like a baby giraffe?
I would love to hear what you think about these mantels – which one is your favourite? Does your home already have an awesome mantel? Do you have other ways to keep warm?
