Back when the fireplace was used as a primary source of heat, the mantelpiece would be the focal center of the room; the furniture would be arranged around it and people would gather around the fire as they talked. Designs for mantelpieces were more beautiful and elaborate. Many contemporary houses are built with smaller, plainer, more boring mantels, as they are no longer considered so important, but a beautiful custom-designed mantelpiece can still add beauty and elegance to a room. If you have a fireplace in your house, right now the focal center of that room is probably a television set, so imagine how much warmer and inviting that room would be if your eye were immediately drawn to a beautiful mantelpiece and a cozy fire.
Mantels
