Ikea Kitchen Information

Relaxing around the fireside on a cold winter's evening is simply magical. The roaring blaze helps take the bite out of the room while creating a special ambience. For centruries, fireplaces have served to provide warmth and a place to cook as well. They have never lost their celebrity and, in fact, have made substantial gains. During my 50 plus years, their popularity has steadily traveled south though winters are stunted and summers are gargantuan. improved over the years, fireplaces are still in vogue|Although the latest enhancements have been made in climate control for our living spaces, fireplaces continue to be in style.

With improvements in home heating the purpose for fireplaces has clearly diverged. They are definitely not about simply heating your home. Nor is it about cooking. Stoves have been around for some time. So why this ever growing liking for fireplaces? My guess is that fireplaces provide that special ambience when they're lit. And when they are not, they continue to add interest, focus and character to a room as well as charm. It would seem that fireplaces, and the mantels that surround them, have been one of the definitive architectural elements that enhance the style of our homes much like embellished stairways, arched entry ways, or decorative range hoods. In these examples, there is a wonderful marriage of function and art.

"Wonderful marriage" is a conditional statement because not all marriages of art and function are wonderful marriages. I lately had the opportunity to observe a home that was probably eighty percent finished and witnessed some pretty ugly unions. There was an island cabinet that had incredibly large and ornate corbels supporting the counter . The fireplace also had magnanimous stone pillars supporting the mantel shelf. The best thing that could be said is: "More is not necessarily better". Thankfully, there are many decent examples of form and function-just not in that home.

Over the years millworks companies have become adept at building mantel shelves and surrounds. Demand is usually one step ahead of supply Because most cabinet makers craft with wood, most mantels are fashioned from wood. Thick wooden slabs, undergirded with crown molding supported by ornate corbels and fluted pilasters are a familiar style for many cabinet makers. Not so common are the hand carved kind still made available by artisan carvers in foreign lands. The beauty of these carved showpieces is unparalleled by the latest 21st century technological marvels. The small variations and minor imperfections are a signature that says "hand carved" and adds a special charm and unique quality. Mass production techniques will in my humble opinion, never match the skill of the masters. These artisans can undercut and form sharp interior cuts that are presently not possible with modern machinery.

It is obvious that fireplaces and the mantels that frame them are here for a long time. This is a marriage that has passed the test of time. As long as there are homeowners and designers that can appreciate the charm and homey pleasure afforded by them, we should not expect their demise. More likely they will continue to grace the homes in the cold North as well as the hot and humid South.