Wainscoting, Cornices, Wood Columns, Ceiling Medallions

Installing a Ceiling Medallion

Even a ceiling with an elegant chandelier can look plain. Sometimes ceilings have stains or damages that need to be covered up. A great way to hide imperfections or dress up a ceiling is to install an inexpensive and lightweight ceiling medallion.

Take the room and surroundings into account before choosing a medallion. When installing a medallion above a light fixture, choose a medallion that is either larger or smaller than the fixture for a more aesthetically pleasing look.

Materials needed:

- Measuring tape
- Needlenose pliers
- Circuit tester
- Drill, with Phillips driver bit and countersink bit
- Putty knife
- Small paintbrush
- Safety glasses

Steps:

1. Turn off the power to the chandelier at the circuit breaker box.

2. Loosen and remove the escutcheon plate.

3. Disconnect the wire nuts, and test the wires with the circuit tester to be sure the power is off.

4. Use pliers to open a link in the chain supporting the chandelier. Then, remove the chandelier.

5. Use a countersink bit to drill pilot holes in the medallion. This will allow the screw heads to be recessed under the surface of the medallion.

6. Thread the fixture chain and wiring through the medallion . Be sure the decorative side of the medallion is facing down.

7. Reconnect the wires, and secure the connections with wire nuts.

8. Hang the fixture on its chain, and close the gap in the chain.

9. Run a heavy bead of adhesive caulk onto the back of the medallion, and press the medallion into place against the ceiling.

10. Secure the medallion to the ceiling with the screws included with the medallion, but don’t overtighten. The screws just need to hold the medallion in place until the adhesive dries.

11. Caulk any gaps around the perimeter of the medallion.

12. Use patching or spackling compound to fill in the recessed areas over the screw heads. Sand the compound when it dries, and touch up the areas with paint.

Medallion Mirror

Materials:

- ceiling medallion
- primer
- yellow/gold base paint
- wood stain (medium brown )
- mirror that fits medallion opening or sheet mirror tile
- heavy-duty glue
- straightedge
- glasscutter
- picture hanger

Steps:

1. Prime medallion if necessary and allow to dry. Apply two coats of base coat paint .

2. Once dry, apply stain. Let it sink into the crevices and pool. Wipe the top edges of the medallion to create an antiqued look, depth and texture.

3. Secure mirror (and cardboard backing if necessary) to the medallion back with glue. If using a tile, cut sheet mirror to size. To cut a mirror, hold a straightedge ruler in place and score once along it using a glasscutter. Hold the line over a table edge and snap the mirror along it. Attach to medallion as above.

4. Attach picture hanger on the back.

Medallion Card

Materials:

- Holly Berry House Originals stamp – Plainly Hearts – #1527M
- 1/2 ounce each of UF glitter
o #202 – pansy
o #85 – crystal
- two ounces of Designer Dries clear adhesive
- ultra-fine metal tip
- six pieces each of light orchid and purple uncoated cardstock – 8-1/2″ x 11″
- opaque white embossing powder
- clear embossing pad
- 12 1/8-inch thick, 1/2-inch round foam mounts
- double-sided clear tape
- scissors
- heat tool

Steps:

1. Remove the paper or plastic disk in the glue bottle. Twist on the black spout included in the package with the metal tip.

2. Pop off the tip cover. Do not cut.

3. Push down and twist the metal tip onto the black spout. Tug up to see if it is securely attached.

4. Use a cloth to wipe the tip often for precision application.

5. Stamp the image on each piece of card stock with embossing ink. Stamp the largest image on the orchid-colored card stock, the next largest image on the purple card stock, the next largest image on orchid-colored card stock, and the smallest image on purple card stock.

6. Sprinkle on white embossing powder, tap off the excess and melt the powder with a heat tool.

7. Cut out the largest image from orchid-colored card stock, leaving a 1/8-inch border of paper around the outer edge. Cut out the other images without leaving a border.

8. Apply glue and glitter within the boundaries of the lines, not on the lines.

9. Glitter the perimeter area of the three largest images, leaving the centers blank for mounting purposes. Glitter the smallest image completely if desired.

10. Assemble the pieces by adding mounting pads to the backs of all pieces except the largest one.

11. Attach the smallest image to the next largest (and so on to largest) by directly matching up the two images or by twisting the upper one a quarter turn before mounting.

12. Press down firmly.

13. Apply double-stick tape to back of largest medallion.

14. Cut several layers of background papers out of coordinating colors, alternating wider edges with narrower edges or straight edges with deckle or decorative edges, for example. Place the medallions centered on the background papers.

15. Frame the medallion as art, use as a card or add to a wrapped gift with sheer ribbon.

How do I determine what size of medallion to use for my room?

The size of the ceiling medallion you select is a function of the size of the chandelier with which it will be used. The rule of thumb for chandeliers is that they should be at least half the width of your dining room table. The ceiling medallion should have about the same diameter as the chandelier. That’s a general guideline, but some variation based on your preference is fine.

Can I paint or faux-finish a ceiling medallion?

Paint or finish your medallion before it is installed. Some people prefer to leave them plain white, or painted to match the room color. Another attractive technique for some rooms is to create an antique finish using a base-coat of paint followed by a gold antique-finish applied with a rag. An antique finish like this can highlight the relief pattern of an ornate medallion.