A fireplace is the natural focal point of almost any room. Its architecture commands attention, whether it features a grand marble mantel or a warm brick hearth.

In homes decorated for the holidays, the fireplace mantel is often a focal point. Stripped of whatever adorns it the rest of the year, this shelf becomes a blank slate for everything from greenery ...

Wyckoff House Museum. Photo by Susan De Vries Early hearths were large to accommodate a variety of cooking jobs, as well as to provide heat for the main room of the house. Federal and Georgian homes ...

If you have a fireplace, your mantel will be front and center during holiday gatherings. Why not do something magical there? Architect Peter Pennoyer and interior designer Katie Ridder have a ...

Rather than letting your mantel sit bare to gather dust, now is the perfect time to seek out some winter mantel decor to bring your fireplace back to its festive former glory. I'm talking a touch ...

A tone-on-tone mantel makeover completely revamps a historical fireplace. Photo: Victoria Ninette All products featured on Architectural Digest are independently selected by our editors.

I suggest cutting a few strips of cardboard 9-1/2-in. wide (the height of our mantel) and asking a helper to hold the cardboard above the fireplace, cutting off or bending over pieces until you ...