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, ...

Dear James: I have an older house and want to upgrade the decor with a more modern fireplace mantel and maybe some cabinets. What is a simple, functional design I can build myself?—Mimi C. Dear Mimi: ...