Add a Touch of Elegance With a Ceiling Medallion

Once considered a stuffy traditional architectural detail, the ceiling medallion is actually a gem that can transform your room in just a few hours.

Historically made from plaster, ceiling medallions can also come in wood, metal or affordable and readily available molded polyurethane. Polyurethane is lighter than plaster so those version are much easier to install, and they take paint well.

Here are a few ideas to get you started. Then check out some installation videos, and you’ll be on your way. The best news: Many ceiling medallions can be purchased online for less than $100.

The first thing to consider is size. A good standard diameter is one that’s approximately the same as your light fixture.


The medallion can be larger than your light fixture as long as you have high ceilings — more than 8 feet high — to balance out the greater diameter.


The next consideration is style, and given the amount of choices out there, the selection process can be tough. A good rule of thumb is to take cues from the architecture of your space. In this room there are plenty of ceiling and trim moldings, but each layer has a consistently simple profile. This ceiling medallion is fitting because it too has conservative, clean lines.


Here a traditional floral-motif ceiling medallion has been combined with vintage pieces (in the dining room and living room), but the combination of styles and simple backdrop serve to draw attention to the beauty of it.

The curves of the white ceiling medallion reappear in the chandelier, but in a simplified manner. Then, in contrast to the curves and swirls, the straight lines of the black door mullions and black rectangular table draw attention to the shift in shape. The ornate ceiling medallion is the key to this mix.


Here again contemporary furnishings have been combined with a classical ceiling medallion, creating a nice contrast that sets off both.


For those of you who like the idea of a ceiling medallion but just want a light accent — because you have other amazing architectural detail in the room, such as this fireplace (and the mirror above it), or you just want to keep things simple — search for a filigreed medallion.

Another consideration when purchasing a ceiling medallion is logistics. Most medallions come as either one piece or two (cut down the middle). One piece lets you avoid having to adhere the two halves together over your head. Two pieces work well when it’s a very large medallion or when removing the current lighting fixture is not a viable option.

Once the medallion is installed with the proper adhesive, you’ll need to paint it to match your ceiling (or not, depending on your taste). The center of the medallion is usually cut open to accommodate the light fixture’s ceiling canopy. When purchasing a medallion, make sure the opening fits the canopy on your light.


Ceiling medallions add character as well as style to a space. To attract even more attention to your accent colors or architectural trim, paint the medallion’s outer rim a matching color.


Another option is a wood medallion. In this example the medallion is more modern in style, but it creates a similar effect as the more traditional medallions. The square shape mimics the panelling in the room and ties the elements together. Consider a wood medallion if you have unpainted wood moldings in your space.


If you prefer not to have a standard medallion, this example shows how you can use ceiling molding to create a similar effect, but one that spreads that focus out to the edges of your room. I like this treatment because of the wide openings on either side of the mirror leading into the adjacent room. The ceiling molding, unlike a ceiling medallion, creates a larger perimeter that “holds” you in the room. If you were walking behind the upholstered armchair at the end of the table, on your way to the room in the background, you would still feel as if you were part of the dining room because of the ceiling molding’s embrace. A central medallion wouldn’t do that.


Whether a ceiling medallion already exists in your house, you add one to your existing house or you plan for it in your new home, it will be an eye-catching detail that can be adapted to fit your style.

More: Decorated Ceilings Are Looking Up

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