subject: Tips For Designing Custom Mantels [print this page] The fireplace mantel is the focal point of any home, usually. This means it often dictates the decorating style of the rest of the house. Those who get the opportunity to design their own custom mantels will get to start from scratch and make everything exactly the way they want it. This kind of freedom is both liberating and daunting to many. It's important to follow some helpful tips before one begins designing their custom wood fireplace mantels.
The first thing that should be ensured while designing the custom mantel is to make it child safe. As everyone knows, fires get hot. Children should be protected from the heat of the fires at all costs. This can be done by raising the fireplace up a bit and then putting a protective gate around it. It doesn't matter if the home owner has children or not. Making a fireplace child safe is a smart choice to make.
Something else a mantel can be good for is to organize items and cut down on clutter. Many people end up putting their various items all over the shelves and counters because they do not have places to put them. By incorporating drawers in the custom mantels, people will then have more space to place various household items.
There are several types of woods and stain colors. It's important to put a lot of thought into what type of wood and what color of stain will be used. The reason for this is that those who select something they don't really like are those who will end up regretting their decision. If there are wood floors or cabinets in the house, it's a good idea to make the wood match.
Shelf space is something that mantels are excellent for. Aside from the previously mentioned tip of creating a lot of drawers in the mantel, ensuring there is lots of shelf space is another good way to de-clutter a house. It can be dressed up with custom stained glass to add a little color to the design as well.
One of the most important things to remember is that it's not a good idea to make it too customized. What this means is that it shouldn't be overboard or too incredibly unique. Whenever designing anything in a house, it's a good idea to think about the future sell ability factor. Would the design appeal to other people? If not, it's not a good idea to invest in creating as it will make for a difficult home sale in the future.
