Fireplace Surrounds

These ornate fireplace accouterments were built to last, and it shows. Many were salvaged from some of the finest homes in St. Louis and around the turn of the last century and were likely in use at the time of the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair, aka the Louisiana Purchase Exhibition. These heavy (34 to 42 pound) cast iron guards are decorated with bas-relief filigree, faces, columns, and decorative grillwork. Mark disassembles them, removes any asbestos, files away any rust, primes, and paints the restored iron. Choose traditional black, maroon, aqua, or any shade that matches your room’s décor. “You can tell these were made with quality in mind,” Mark says. “I’m just bringing them back to life.”