A beautiful fireplace more than just heats up the room. Since fireplaces are located at the center, they become the focal point of attraction in the rooms. You can liven up even the most simple of furniture and decor by placing a fireplace in a room. Even the minimalist straight line decor can have a contrast with the addition of an ornate fireplace. Among the earliest materials used to build fireplaces were stone, especially marble and limestone, other than fine wood used as fireplace mantles with exquisite and ornate designs.
The original piece
The antique marble fireplaces were ornate and large too. The finest white marble or the rarely found colored marbles were ornately carved and designed according to the period of their existence. They were done in heavy designs to make the fireplace the center of attraction in a room. This practice of the fireplace holding prime place in the decor of the room has evolved from the original practice of families gathering around the single source of heat in the room during bitter winter evenings. Originally, the place where wood and charcoal was burnt was kept covered with a hood in order to allow emanating smoke to go up, out of the room.
Marble in antiquity
However, with time these gathering places started being done up more elaborately with practical shelves inserted in the mantle introduced in the seventeenth century. It is since the eighteenth century that we find the French extravagance in the ornate carvings of the fireplaces. This was replaced by the less extravagant and more somber Neo-classical design during the reign of Louis XVI. The marble continued to be among the premier materials used to build the fireplaces. The choice of color of the marble used for the fireplace was determined by the kind of ambiance that the room would radiate – formal or informal. For formal rooms, dark colored stones were used, whereas for rooms with an air of informality, light colored and pristine white marbles were used.
The antique era
If you are looking for an authentic piece of marble fireplace mantle, the antique market will not disappoint you as it abounds with such pieces. You can find mantle pieces from the
The intricate designs
Installing an ornate marble fireplace in the room gives an old world charm and a feel of extravagance and leisure. If you have the right kind of space, you can opt for the more ornate early French and Italian. You can choose from among the designs that predominated:
In your home
Apart from installing real marble fireplaces, you also have the option of erecting a marble fireplace surround. These ornate surrounds can be incorporated in the decor and giving the room an overall effect of grandeur and old world charm. The surrounds too come in Faux marble and with this you can blend and set a contrast color scheme depending upon how much attention you want for the piece. Whatever way you may choose marble fireplace surrounds, erecting an antique style or customize it according to modern design, it will have a transforming effect on the room.
The original piece
The antique marble fireplaces were ornate and large too. The finest white marble or the rarely found colored marbles were ornately carved and designed according to the period of their existence. They were done in heavy designs to make the fireplace the center of attraction in a room. This practice of the fireplace holding prime place in the decor of the room has evolved from the original practice of families gathering around the single source of heat in the room during bitter winter evenings. Originally, the place where wood and charcoal was burnt was kept covered with a hood in order to allow emanating smoke to go up, out of the room.
Marble in antiquity
However, with time these gathering places started being done up more elaborately with practical shelves inserted in the mantle introduced in the seventeenth century. It is since the eighteenth century that we find the French extravagance in the ornate carvings of the fireplaces. This was replaced by the less extravagant and more somber Neo-classical design during the reign of Louis XVI. The marble continued to be among the premier materials used to build the fireplaces. The choice of color of the marble used for the fireplace was determined by the kind of ambiance that the room would radiate – formal or informal. For formal rooms, dark colored stones were used, whereas for rooms with an air of informality, light colored and pristine white marbles were used.
The antique era
If you are looking for an authentic piece of marble fireplace mantle, the antique market will not disappoint you as it abounds with such pieces. You can find mantle pieces from the
- French
- Italian
- Regency
- Gregorian
- Victorian era
The intricate designs
Installing an ornate marble fireplace in the room gives an old world charm and a feel of extravagance and leisure. If you have the right kind of space, you can opt for the more ornate early French and Italian. You can choose from among the designs that predominated:
- Versailles
- Fontainebleau
- Pompadour
- Regence
- Provençale
- Deauville designs.
In your home
Apart from installing real marble fireplaces, you also have the option of erecting a marble fireplace surround. These ornate surrounds can be incorporated in the decor and giving the room an overall effect of grandeur and old world charm. The surrounds too come in Faux marble and with this you can blend and set a contrast color scheme depending upon how much attention you want for the piece. Whatever way you may choose marble fireplace surrounds, erecting an antique style or customize it according to modern design, it will have a transforming effect on the room.
