Reclaimed Limestone Mantel

A reclaimed limestone fireplace mantel with a heavy silhouette and a broad, projecting shelf. Thick block-built legs curve inward along the firebox opening before stepping back out at the base. Above, a deep header and layered molding run under the shelf. The stone is warm: cream, sand and honey, with darker weathering settled into the joints, recesses and rougher areas. Heavy pitting, open pores and softly worn edges give the surface a dry, tactile texture; nothing about it is polished.

It measures 71 inches wide, 22 inches deep and 66 1/2 inches high; the opening is 45 1/2 inches wide and 46 1/2 inches high. The blocks separate for transport and go back together with a numbered drawing.

An antique fireplace mantel of this weight suits a large living area, an entrance hall or a restored house that leans on natural stone. The projecting shelf is a generous platform, and the scale will define a great room hearth, give structure to an open kitchen or settle a library. Hand-troweled plaster, aged oak and blackened steel all hold their own beside it. The limestone fireplace mantel is in our yard in Marina Del Rey; see it by appointment, or ask for photographs and a delivered price.