Sitting around the fireside on a cold wintry night is simply wonderful. The hypnotic blaze helps take the chill out of the air while begetting a special atmosphere. For many decades, fireplaces have served to provide heat and,for years before that, a place to prepare meals as well. Fireplaces have never lost their attraction and, in fact, have made considerable advances in popularity. In my lifetime, fireplaces have been running southward where winter seasons are punctuation marks and summers are overextended sentences. improved over the years, fireplaces are still in vogue|Although the latest advances have been made in climate control for our living spaces, fireplaces continue to be in fashion.

With improvements in home heating the purpose for fireplaces has clearly changed. They are definitely not about simply warming your home. They are no longer used for preparing meals There has been no shortage of cook tops or ovens for years So why do we have this ever growing fondness for fireplaces? My guess is that fireplaces impart ambience when they're ablaze. And when they are not, they promote interest, a focal point and character to a room as well as charm. Fireplaces and the mantels that frame them, have been, for some time, one of the definitive architectural forms that adorn our homes much like embellished stairways, arched doorways, or decorative range hoods. These are good examples of a marriage between utility and art.

"Wonderful marriage" has to be qualified because not all marriages of art and function are made in heaven. I lately had the occasion to walk through a home that was probably 80 percent finished and saw some really ugly unions. There was an island cabinet that had incredibly oversize and ornate brackets supporting the counter top. The fireplace also had oversized stone columns supporting the mantel counter. The best thing that could be said is: "Bigger is not necessarily better". Thankfully, there are lots of beautiful cases of form and function-just not in that home.

For many years millworks companies have specialized in fireplace mantels. Demand is usually one step ahead of supply And since the "media" of cabinetmakers is wood, most mantels are crafted from wood-which is OK with me since wood is my "media". Heavy wood planks, under laid with crown mold supported by carved corbels and fluted legs are a common style for many cabinet makers. Not so common are the hand carved variety still offered by artisan carvers in other countries. The quality of these carved showpieces is unequaled by the latest 21st century technological marvels. The small nuance and minor imperfections are a distinction that says "hand carved" and adds a special charm and unique quality. Mass production techniques will in my humble opinion, never attain to the techniques of the masters. Carvers can undercut and form sharp interior cuts that are not possible with high tech tooling.

It is obvious that fireplaces and the mantels them are here to stay. 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.