The Stone Fireplace Surround... A Timeless Classic!
The timeless designs of a traditional stone fireplace surround range from relative simplicity and understated elegance . . . . .
to
Gilded Age
monumentality and magnificence. The grand and palatial mantel styles of yesteryear are reclaiming their rightful place in today's homes!
The classic stone fireplace surround began as a lowly hood that projected
over the fire to vent smoke during the Middle Ages. During the Renais- sance,
however, the surround -- or chimneypiece -- evolved to an "art form."
Magnificent mantels were sculpted from
lime- stone
and
marble
by highly skilled artisans. Often rising to the ceiling, the chimneypiece was a commanding architectural element that dominated everything else in the room.
The coming of the Industrial Age and subse- quent emergence of America's
Gilded Age
during the last quarter of the 19th century brought about
a renewed appreciation for these extraordinary works of European crafts- manship.
The simultaneous emergence of the
Beaux Arts Movement,
an architectural
move- ment that drew upon earlier period styles, created a huge demand for
historic European architectural elements such as chimneypieces.
Rising American capitalists and their agents roamed the European continent
to find historic artifacts to furnish their lavish new mansions. If the
desired piece could not be found, skilled artisans were brought over to the U.S.
to create "instant history" in stone . . . from fireplaces to grand staircases.
American architects educated at the prestigious Ecole de Beaux Arts in Paris
were in great demand and eager to supply their clients with elaborate designs
for French chateaux, Italian palazzi, and Elizabethan manor houses. Vanderbilts,
Morgans, Pulitzers, and Hearsts retained such notable archi- tects as Richard
Morris Hunt (1827-1895), Stanford White (1853-1906), and Julia Morgan (1872-1957)
to incorporate elaborate mantelpieces -- both antique and reproduction -- in the luxurious town houses,
seasonal retreats, and country estates they designed for them.
No longer required for heating the home, the stone fireplace surround of the Beaux Arts
period was purely ornamental and symbolic. The magnificent chimneypiece in the
entrance hall announced the style of the house to everyone that visited.
As popular today as ever, traditional man- tel styles
continue to be produced -- or reproduced -- in limestone and marble. Many are sculpted
with the same degree of care and attention to detail as their predecessors more than
a century ago, such as this beautifully crafted marble mantel (right and below).
Beautiful Marble Mantel Pictured Above By DMS Studios In New York. Please
Click Here
To See More Extraordinary Mantels By DMS Studios!
Though generally reduced in size to better fit in today's more modestly scaled
homes, they continue to make a classic design statement.
In a living room or family room with a soaring two story ceiling, a monu- mental
stone fireplace surround can be absolutely awe-inspiring!
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as we continually add new images of fireplace surrounds made of stone on our website.
