Are you looking to create a classic kitchen with traditional features such as a mantel to place above that impressive range cooker you have just purchased? Then you have come to the right place. We can design this classic centrepiece to suit your taste and lifestyle and make it the perfect place to house that extractor fan.
Mantels serve as a focal point, offering both aesthetic appeal and practical benefits. Unlike standard kitchen elements, bespoke mantels are tailored to your specific tastes and needs, ensuring a one-of-a-kind addition to your heart of the home.
We are an established, family-run business with a history spanning over 25 years and based in Bishop’s Stortford out of our stunning Bridger’s Barn. We have been designing beautiful kitchens for discerning clients for over two decades, and our wealth of expertise helps us to design breathtaking bespoke furniture, bringing your dreams to fruition.
Below we look at some of our different bespoke mantels, how they have been designed into some of our clients’ homes and how you can customise them to suit your style and needs.
The Kitchen Mantel at a Glance
A kitchen mantel is a handmade, chimney-breast-style surround built over the range cooker, most often to house the extractor discreetly within a traditional design. A canopy does the same job as part of the wall cabinets, without taking up any worktop space. Both can be hand-painted to match the kitchen, and the supporting columns can be built with cupboards for extra storage or a ledge for display.
As previously said, the primary function of a mantel is to house the extractor fan, making this appliance discreet and keeping within the traditional design. You can also opt for a canopy that houses the extractor in the same way but doesn’t take up any additional work surface.
Amongst this inviting atmosphere in Chalfont St Giles, the focal point has to go to the Wolf Range Top; our client does like a culinary challenge. The mantel above is something a little different, introducing a white-washed oak shelf.
Joining the world-known chefs and realising their culinary creativity, our clients in Essex opted for Sub-Zero & Wolf appliances. This secret ingredient is elevated with a bespoke mantel hand-painted in Studio Green by Farrow & Ball.
The focus remains on achieving a delicate balance that pays homage to the past while incorporating contemporary sensibilities in this Ingatestone home. For the centrepiece of this kitchen, a Lacanche range cooker sits beneath a bespoke chimney breast mantel and a Westin extractor fan.
Further elevating this handleless design in Orsett, Essex, accents of burnt orange have been thoughtfully integrated throughout the styling, and this porcelain splashback is no exception. Our beautiful bespoke hood sits above the impressive Wolf Range.
We love this stunning mantel in our Matching Green project. This kitchen was pre-fitted with an Aga oven, and it was important for the client to keep this as a main feature of the kitchen. This aspect made the project even more interesting for our craftsman. Even the same colour AGA in a teapot ornament is located above!
The canopy in our Epping project is a great example of how it can be part of the wall cabinets, leaving the worktops clear. This is our classic shaker style, hand-painted in Cornforth White by Farrow & Ball. The canopy sits above the magnificent 60” Wolf Dual Fuel Range with the chargrill and griddle, with an extra ledge to place prized possessions.
This is another great style of canopy our client chose for their classic shaker kitchen in Hadley Wood. This time built above a Wolf Range Top which is 1219mm and features 6 dual-stacked burners and a Teppanyaki plate. Hand-painted in Little Greene French Grey 113.
The mantel itself and the support structure can be designed to suit your taste with as much detail as you like. The columns can be designed to include additional storage such as a cupboard to keep cooking essentials within easy reach.
This beautiful bespoke mantel in our Woldingham project sits above the Wolf Induction Hob and Cooktop Modules for a truly multi-functional cooking experience. Cupboards have been designed in the columns to offer our client extra storage space. Hand-painted in Weald Green @firedearthuk.
In this two-tone colour scheme in Hadley Wood, the bespoke mantel is hand-painted in Rolling Fog by Little Greene. It looks beautiful sitting above the range cooker.
To match that robust stainless steel Wolf Range Cooker is a robust handmade mantel made by us! This kitchen project in Standon is built within a large open-plan space, raised on its own platform and showcasing our Classic In-Frame shaker.
A large bespoke mantel has been created in this Brentwood kitchen. The structure of the walls has been finished with cupboards for our client to store extra kitchen essentials, a handy place for spices and something to make the feature stand out more. The ledge above the range cooker provides an open shelf for decorative plants and accessories. Hand-painted in Little Greene’s Dolphin 246.
Kitchen Mantel FAQs
What is a kitchen mantel?
A kitchen mantel is a handmade, chimney-breast-style surround built over the range cooker. Its main purpose is to house the extractor fan discreetly, keeping it within a traditional design, while acting as a beautiful focal point in the room.
What is the difference between a mantel and a canopy?
A mantel is a chimney-breast structure that frames the range, often with columns either side. A canopy does the same job of housing the extractor but is built as part of the wall cabinets, which keeps the worktops clear and suits a slightly more streamlined look.
Does a kitchen mantel hide the extractor fan?
Yes. Concealing the extractor is the mantel’s primary function, so a powerful hood can do its job without a modern metal unit interrupting a traditional kitchen.
Can a kitchen mantel include storage?
Yes. The supporting columns can be built with cupboards to keep cooking essentials and spices within easy reach, and the ledge above the range gives an open shelf for plants, ornaments and accessories.
Where does Handmade Kitchen Company design kitchen mantels?
We design and hand-build bespoke mantels and canopies as part of our kitchens, from our workshop in Essex, for clients across Essex, Hertfordshire and North London.
A bespoke mantel is more than just a decorative element; it’s a reflection of style and a testament to the craftsmanship that went into creating it. Your kitchen is transformed into a truly unique and inviting space. By choosing this custom design, you ensure that the mantel not only enhances the beauty of your kitchen but also meets your specific needs and preferences.
If you would like to know more about our handmade traditional mantels, contact us today. We look forward to hearing from you, and we have designed many throughout our kitchen projects and look forward to sharing more designs with you.
