Gothic Architecture The gothic style is typically skeletal-looking with stone structures and large stretches of glass, piercing arches, bunches of columns grouped together and inventive details like gargoyles.

Rococo Architecture Rococo architectural style is very dainty and highly ornate. It often includes ribbon and floral patterns. This is a style that started in France.

Renaissance Architecture A much cleaner, simpler design option is the renaissance architecture style. There are usually fewer ornaments in this style with more straight lines. Renaissance also included the introduction of leaves, vines and plant patterns.

Romanesque Architecture Romanesque style is characterized round or slightly pointed arches, piers supporting vaults, and groin vaults. Romanesque refers to of Roman origin.

Though some styles are more suited to certain materials, you can usually find the combination of style and material you like by searching. Material choices include:

Marble The benefits of using marble for your mantle includes color variety, very easy to maintain, doesnt scratch or damage easily and since it is unlikely to be permanently damaged in a fire, you may be able to find true antique fireplace mantels rather than a reproduction. Some of the disadvantages include the inability to change the color when you redecorate, the limitation of colors since its a natural material and the high expense.

Cast Stone Cast stone is actually molded cement of one kind or another. You have a wider variety of color choices with cast stone because the cement is dyed. The biggest advantage of using cast stone is that it can be made to look like more expensive stone, like granite or marble without the big price tag. It can have a poor resistance to water, which is the biggest drawback.

Wood With endless color options and relatively simple change of color, a wood mantel is a great choice if you plan on redecorating every so often. You can refinish it to show off the natural grain or paint it with colors that go with your new motif. Oak, Walnut and Cherry woods were typical wood types used for mantel building. The disadvantages of wood include being vulnerable to home fire and water or humidity damage.

Carved Stone Carved stone mantels bring a history with them since each antique mantle of this type has been carved by hand. While these can be hard to find, because of their limited number, they can be a wonderful addition to a room. The high cost and rarity of carved stone mantels are the biggest obstacles.

There are many places to look for antique mantels. If you live in an old town, let your fingers do the walking in your phone book for architectural salvage. You can also run an online search for the same along with the style and material you are looking for.

Whether you choose a gothic mantel made of carved stone, a marble Romanesque mantle or any other combination, you should have it installed by a trained professional to make sure it lasts for decades or even centuries.