Sitting around the fireside on a cold frosty evening is purely magical. The roaring blaze helps take the chill out of the room while begetting ambience. For centruries, fireplaces have furnished heat and,for years before that, a place to prepare meals as well. Fireplaces have never lost their attraction and, in fact, have made significant advances in popularity. During my 50 plus years, their popularity has steadily traveled south though winters are stunted and summers are gargantuan. improved over the years, fireplaces are still in vogue|Although the latest advances have been made in climate control for our homes, fireplaces persist in being stylish.

With developments in home heating the purpose for fireplaces has clearly diverged. They are definitely not about simply warming your home. Nor is it about cooking. Stoves have been around for some time. So why do we have this ever growing fondness for fireplaces? My guess is that fireplaces offer ambience when they're lit. And when they are not, they promote interest, a focal point and character to a room. Should I add "charm" as well? Fireplaces and the mantels that surround them, have been, for some time, one of the definitive architectural details that add to the flavor of our homes like embellished stairways, arched entry ways, or decorative range hoods. These are good examples of a marriage between function and form.

"Wonderful marriage" is a conditional statement because not all marriages of art and function are good marriages. I recently had the opportunity to observe a home that was about 80 percent done and saw some pretty awful marriages. There was an island cabinet that had incredibly oversize and ornate brackets supporting the counter . The fireplace also had gargantuan stone columns undergirding the mantel shelf. The most gracious thing that could be said is: "Bigger is not necessarily better". Thankfully, there are many beautiful examples of form and function-just not in that home.

For many years millworks suppliers have become adept at building mantel shelves and surrounds. Need is always jogging ahead of supply. And since the "media" of cabinetmakers is wood, most mantels are fashioned from wood-which is OK with me since wood is my "media". Heavy wood shelves, undergirded with crown mold supported by ornate brackets and fluted legs are a familiar form for many cabinet makers. Hand carved mantels fashioned in foreign lands are not as ordinary but are still to be had. The beauty of these carved showpieces is unmatched by the latest twenty firstcentury technological marvels. The slight variations and minor imperfections are a peculiarity that says "hand carved" and ehances the charm and unique quality. Mass production techniques will in my humble opinion, never equal the methods of the masters. These artisans can undercut and form sharp interior cuts that are not possible with high tech tooling.

It is obvious that fireplaces and the mantels that frame them are here for a long time. This is a marriage made in heaven. 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.