Tips on How to Find the Best Fireplace Mantels and Surrounds

The nice fireplace mantels and surrounds give a great look to the living room that is already decorated by an elegant fire place. If you are among the lucky ones to have a fireplace in your house, you should make every effort to include a stylish mantel as well. The mantels and surrounds not only look good, they protect the walls from the smoke and the stains. The mantels are available in a number of designs and materials and depending on what you like, you can buy one that suits your requirements.

The different kinds of fireplace mantels and surrounds

• Traditional fireplace mantels and surrounds – If you like the old fashioned things, you would surely want to check out the traditional mantels for your fireplace. These mantels look chic, classy and old-school. They are very well suited for old bungalows, villas, traditional homes and homes that have Victorian furniture sets. If you have a grand piano in the room, you can consider having such a surround in your room and it will go very well with the grand old piano set.
• Wood fireplace mantels and surrounds – Wooden mantels look very classy as well. if you have a wooden fireplace or you have some classic wooden furniture items in your house, you can get a wooden fire place and a mantel to go with it. You can either buy a ready made one or get the mantel custom made.
• Cheap fireplace mantels and surrounds – The next option is to get an inexpensive surround and mantel for the fireplace. The cheap mantels are available in various designs and materials and you can buy the one you like the most. People who have limited budgets often go for these kinds of mantels. You can buy a new or a used cheap mantel for your fire place.

Plans for fireplace mantels and surrounds

Before you buy or build a fire place mantel, make sure you have a solid design plan in place. With a plan in hand, your job will become a lot easier. You must mention the design, the budget, the material, the time limit and other such factors related to the mantel clearly in your plan. If you want the plan to be very professional and completely free of errors, you can consult a professional designer or architect and get the plan made. This will cost you some money but you will surely get the best plan possible. Alternatively, you could also make the design plan yourself. Keep the ideas in mind and make sure you match the mantel not only with the fire place, but also with other elements of the living room such as the furniture, the color of the walls and so on. Once that is done, your mantel and surround will look lovely. If you are confused, you can go online and look at pictures and read articles about fireplace surround and mantel plans. This way, all your doubts will be clear and you will be able to build the nicest possible mantel in your house.

So go ahead and get a fabulous mantel for your fire place. You can have it custom made, install a prefabricated kit or buy a readymade fire place mantel and surround. Whatever you do, make sure the design of the mantel matches the overall design and decor of the living room. If you have a contemporary gas fireplace, do not go for a traditional wooden mantel and surround, as such a design would look very mismatched and confusing. Consult your friends and family members and buy from among the best and most elegant fireplace mantels and surrounds.