Dear James: I have an older house and want to upgrade the decor with a more modern fireplace mantel and maybe some cabinets.

Sage advice from a seasoned carpenter. In the finish carpentry world, fireplace mantels are often the aesthetic showpiece of a room. People use mantels to display family photos, treasured artworks, ...

When January arrives, even Christmas-loving homeowners might be happy to put away Santa and his reindeer. But the post-holiday mantel and fireplace can look strangely bare. The days are still short ...