A traditional fireplace has a mantel over the top, but not all homes that have fireplaces are fully built out with mantels. There are a variety of benefits that come with having a fireplace mantel—the mantel was traditionally placed above the fireplace to display special items, and it was usually a symbol of luxury.

If you want to create a traditional, attractive-looking fireplace, then you should be certain to include a fireplace mantel in Wausau, WI. Mantels, cabinetry and other structural additions add a sense of style to a fireplace, but also extra functionality. When paired with a stone surround or other architectural elements, you can find unmatched beauty.

Here are just a few of the main benefits of having a fireplace mantel:

• Appearance: Adding in a custom mantel and surround will significantly overhaul the look and feel of the room in which you install it, and will do so for the better. There are many different architectural styles you can choose from, so you’re guaranteed to be able to find something that will blend in with your home’s style and décor. You can go simpler and understated, or you can choose something complex, ornate and unique to help your fireplace become the focal point of the room in which it’s installed. There are many different types of materials you can select, as well as different finishes that will allow you to customize the color of the mantel, whether it’s painted, stained or uses the natural tones of your chosen material.
• Protection: The mantel doesn’t just provide aesthetic benefits—it also adds some protection to the wall around the fireplace while it’s being used. Of course, any fireplace built in a home must be up to code for the area, so hopefully safety shouldn’t be too much of an issue, but some extra protection in the form of the mantel and surround will certainly not hurt.
• Display: Another aesthetic element of a mantel is that it makes for an ideal location to store some of your favorite possessions, including various keepsakes, art pieces, sculptures and knickknacks. You have a lot of different options for what you can do with the décor of your home when you have a mantel over your fireplace.
• Versatility: While you might not use your fireplace during all four seasons, you can still use the mantel to create seasonal, versatile types of decoration in your home. If your mantel is designed to make your fireplace the focal point of your room, you can swap out seasonal decorations you place on or over the mantel, allowing you to change out the colors of items by season, or add some specific items for certain holidays, like Christmas, Easter, the Fourth of July, Halloween, etc.