Few house features provide the beauty, warmth, and feeling of home that a fireplace does. But homeowners often find themselves both charmed and intimidated by this architectural wonder. This updated edition of the classic Better Homes and Gardens guide walks readers through the steps of decorating and renovating an existing fireplace and explains basic fireplace maintenance. It also offers detailed advice on arranging furnishings around a fireplace to make it the focal point of a room. Updated to include striking before-and-after photos, coverage of currently available products and materials, and new trends such as hanging flat-screen televisions over the mantel, this is the one guide readers need to fully enjoy their hearths.