Wood Mantel Styles

Tuscan

• A built-up Tuscan mantel is simple but rich looking and often features a warm brown tone. Use mahogany with a clear finish, or cherry with a reddish-brown stain. Mount a suitably thick mantel on top of two wide, wooden L-brackets, corbels, made from the same material. Step their fronts down in three steps from top to bottom. Place a piece of 3/4-inch stock between the corbels that is two-thirds their depth and fasten a quarter-round molding covering its length at the bottom of its face. Do an appropriate carving at the center of the 3/4-inch stock to tie the piece to a family coat-of-arms or household motif.

Rustic

• For a space with a natural stone fireplace and wood accents everywhere, the mantel brings the hearth area into the rustic symphony. This looks best with a robust mantelpiece at least 6 inches thick. Choose pine with showy knots in the face for visual interest. The more imperfect the knots are, the better, since they gobble up stain to create vibrant patterns. Place the mantel piece on top of two or three corbels that are at least 3 inches thick with simple rounded edges. Make the corbels wedge shaped, scrolled or notched.

Box

• Use 3/4-inch stock lumber of ash or poplar to build a box that is 7 ½ inches square and the same width as the firebox. Fasten quarter-round molding to the bottom of the face and extend it back on each end. Attach a 6 3/4-inch square piece of lumber that is 3/4-inch thick to the center, and then match that with one on each end. Mount fluted crown molding to the top and extend it back on each end. Mount a 2-inch thick mantelpiece to the top of this assembly. Let it extend beyond the edges by 3 or 4 inches. Stain everything to a warm tone that complements your decor.