So your home is decorated with fine furniture passed down from two generations of your family.

You're thinking about setting up a fireplace with an effective mantel, but don't want to sacrifice the traditional feel of your living space. An Antique Fireplace Mantel will allow you to maintain that classicism.

These mantels capture a timeless and sophisticated look that has long been associated with ornate fireplaces in mansions and palaces.

An older type home, say one that's colonial, will also benefit from an antique mantel because it will create an historic presence.

These vintage fireplace mantels weren't built to mesh with today's fireplaces, so even if you visit an antique or salvage store and purchase one, you will still have to make some adjustments to it.

Most of the time, the mantels are bigger than the fireplace and must be trimmed down. It won't hurt if you copy the dimensions of your fireplace to take along with you when you are going to the store.

Next, ensure that you choose a design that you can live with and ties in well with your personal taste and style.

It is imperative that before construction, you verify the building and fire codes. Considering the labor and the monetary aspect of it, these mantels don't come cheap. Experts say that this type of job is for the professionals only. But bear in mind what a fireplace of this caliber can do for the resale value of your house.

In keeping with the vintage theme, as far as accessorizing your mantel, we suggest antique bottles or miniature sculptures to complete the look. And if after installing your mantel, everything in the room looks clustered, mirrors overhead will create an illusion that the room is huge.