Ornate Limestone Mantel with Pierced Foliate Frieze

Openwork foliage runs the length of this frieze and gathers at a carved central shell, the whole band pierced right through so daylight passes behind the carving. Photographed in a double height room with round windows and the sea beyond it, the bleached limestone reads almost white against the plaster and holds its own beneath a heavy gilt mirror. That is a rare balance for a mantel to strike, ornate at close range and quiet from across the room. Ancient Surfaces offers this antique limestone fireplace mantel for tall salons, coastal houses and rooms built around a view.