Do these dimensions look ok for fireplace mantel?

2 years ago

last modified: 2 years ago

Hello, we are building a house this year and are getting this wood burning fireplace: https://www.valcourtinc.com/en/products/high-efficiency-fireplaces/fp10-lafayette-ii-wood-fireplace/

Combustible mantels have a clearance requirement. With a heat shield, this means the mantel has to be 50" off the floor if the depth of the mantel is 6".

Our ceiling height is 9'

Our living room is 16' wide with a 6' fireplace, and two 3' windows on either side. *See attached image below of the mockup. Person is 6' tall in it.

I know a mantel should be about 54" from floor, but ours will be taller than that since I want a beefier matel. I'm also bummed but I don't think we can have a raised base for this fireplace. My brother is a brick mason and is doing our fireplace. I so wanted to have a 4" raised base step, but I just don't think we have the space.

So here is an example. Is this OK?

Is it ok if the mantel is 58" off the ground if we do a mantel that is 8" in height? There would be 50" to the ceiling. I want to put art above the mantel, not a TV FYI.

I might go a bit more yet with it and have a mantel that is 72" X 10" X 6", and that would mean the mantel is 60" off the floor, and there would be 48" of height above the mantel.

I'm probably overthinking this but can't help it lol!

Any input would be great thank you! I hope I included all relevant information.

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littlebug Zone 5 Missouri

2 years ago

last modified: 2 years ago

My fireplace is a similar width and height but my room is 26x35 with two windows on both sides of the fireplace. Our fireplace is centered under the ceiling peak (about 11 1/2’) in that room. I have artwork resting on the mantel - vertical art about 30”, so we still have some blank space between it and the peak. I wish I had put a horizontal piece up there instead, but it’s so high and with the raised hearth it’s a PITA to reach.

Are you concerned that your mantel and/or fireplace are too big for your room? You said this wall is 16’; what’s the other dimension?

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Comments (7)

littlebug Zone 5 Missouri
2 years ago
You’re not hanging a tv above the mantel, are you?
Katelyn Dawn
Original Author
2 years ago
Nope, it will be artwork above.
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Katelyn Dawn
Original Author
2 years ago
Hey littlebug, I am not too concerned about the fireplace being too wide, moreso high. I'll attach the floor plan so you can see how open it is.

I am mostly concerned if a mantel that is 58" from the ground is too high. I read somewhere it should be 54" from the ground or whatever. I don't think the top of our mantel can really be any closer to the ground than that. With the clearance requirement (50" from the ground before the mantel can start), and the fact that I would like the mantle to have some height to it, it will be about 58" from the ground. It leaves 48" to the ceiling. Our house is a 2 story and not a bungalow so there are not vaulted ceilings. The ceiling is 9'.

Our living room, dining room and kitchen is all open as you can see in the plan.

I just want to make sure there is enough space above it for artwork, and that things look balanced.
littlebug Zone 5 Missouri
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
I found this general rule of thumb, but there are many articles like this on the internet. I googled “art over fireplace.” According to this one, your art should not be very tall at all since your mantel is high.

But obviously, the further back you can view your art from, the better. My room is very large so it can balance my large fireplace and art. Your room looks like it’s about 16x16 so you can’t get too far back. On the other hand, you have an open floor plan, so you can view your art from farther back from the kitchen area.
littlebug Zone 5 Missouri
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
One more thing - I searched Houzz for ”compare fireplace to room size” and found an old post about this. It has several helpful comments.

I don’t know how to link it for you, but if you search here you could probably find it too. (Click the little magnifying glass at the top of this page.)
Katelyn Dawn
Original Author
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
Thank you so much for this. I will read that post too.

To be honest, I doubt I will have one large painting up there. Probably a mix of smaller items with one larger piece.

I plan to swap out what is up there depending on the season.

Some ideas include the attached, though some are a little too cluttered for my tastes, but I like the idea of including 2 smaller prints, including a couple antique books, candle sticks or vase, and then having one larger piece, be it a mirror, antique window, clock or larger print.

I just want things to look balanced. So I gues I just have to plan things accordingly with a mantle that is 58" in height?