Today, there is a big demand for the extremely stylish antique French fireplace and these are readily available. Whether in the elaborately decorative graceful- curved Rococo of the Georgian era or the clean-lined and simple Empire style of the early Victorian period, there is no doubt that an antique French fire adds character and elegance to any home, be it period or contemporary.
Many fireplace specialists stock antique French fireplaces, and there are many of these on the Internet. Chesney’s is one such website, and they have an extensive selection of period French fireplaces, from the Georgian era onwards -obvious benefits of looking for such a fireplace online include the scope of choice available and being able to compare prices.
Antique French fireplaces are available in many materials, including marble, limestone and wood – common woods used in the manufacture of antique French fireplaces include pine and the more expensive walnut and mahogany. Obviously, the price of an antique French fireplace depends on the material and level of decoration -for example, an elaborately carved Rococo mantel in marble will be considerably more expensive than a simple pine Empire-style surround. Today, it is the Rococo-style Louis XV fireplace, with its graceful curves and elegance, which is in big demand. The more masculine Louis XVI fireplace looks much like the traditional English fireplace and thus is not as sought after.
Naturally, antique French fires are very expensive. Much of the expense is down to the intricate and extensive restoration of such fireplaces, and so a good way to save money is to look in an architectural salvage/reclamation yard. These often offer antique fireplaces in their original state and, if you are comfortable doing the renovating yourself, can be a good way to save a considerable amount of money.
Another way to save money is to buy a reproduction antique French fire Modern materials mean that these look remarkably like the real thing, at a fraction of the cost. Whichever antique French fireplace you decide on, there is no doubt it will make a beautiful addition to your home.
