Shedding the Mantel

Fireplace 10Good Morning Lacquered Lifers! Fall is in the air in Charleston, and this morning on the blog I am putting on layers and shedding mantels. These fireplaces all have something surrounding the opening, but none of these fireplaces have a ledge on which to place a cluster of ginger jars or a flower arrangement. They stand alone, accented only by their surround and sometimes a piece of art. While the lack of a mantel immediately makes on think of a modern fireplace, that is not always the case. There are several pictured below that have a distinctly traditional aesthetic. Fireplace 16Starting with one of my favorites. This is from Cherryfields, the home of John Dransfield and Geoffrey Ross. I actually modeled the fireplace in our study at Church Street on this mantel.
Adobe Photoshop PDFWhile this fireplace doesn’t even have a surround, the rounded shape of the opening and the herringbone brick pattern inside the fireplace provide detail enough.Fireplace 3Fireplace 4The arrangement of panels on this wall and the brass detail provide a more than adequate accent for this luxe fireplace.
Fireplace 6Fireplace 7Fireplace 12Despite the fact that this modern fireplace is indoors, it provides a connection to the outside with its glass fire back.Fireplace 8 Fireplace 13 Fireplace 9 Fireplace 15Instead of having a mantelpiece that sits in front of the wall, this fireplace surround is set back into the wall, creating a very subtle cove detail.Fireplace 1
Photos via House Beautiful, Elle Decor, Dwell, & Domaine Home

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3 Comments

  • Thanks for this post! My dining room fireplace is missing a mantel (it looks very much like the Cherryfields photo you included) — I have always thought it was a bit strange and wanted to add a mantel. That photo is making me rethink it, however! Do you have a photo of your study? I would love to see more inspiration!

    1. Kate, thanks for stopping by! The lack of a mantel in your house is not strange! It is perfectly normal and beautiful. Southern Living didn’t take any photos of the mantel during the shoot, but perhaps I will post one on instagram … stay tuned 😉