A medallion is decorative piece that’s used to cover the ceiling box where a light fixture is attached. If you’re replacing your light fixture you may find a large hole or mismatched paint that’s not quite covered by by the new piece. This is where a ceiling medallion can come in handy. In this article we go over how to use medallions to cover ceiling holes.
Types of Medallions
Medallions first became popular in the 19th century in upper class homes. Quite often they were made of wood, plaster or paper mache. These days medallions can be found in all kinds of homes and they’re typically made of polyurethane foam. Because they’re now mass produced instead of handcrafted they’ve become affordable for everyone. You can get them to match the paint scheme of your room, but they’re also available in metallic coatings that make them look like brass or other metals.
Choosing A Medallion
Choosing the right medallion comes down to getting the right size and the right style. You want the medallion to be large enough to cover the hole in the ceiling, but you don’t want it to be so large that it dominates the entire room. A rule of thumb used by home decorators to find the right size of medallion is to divide the square footage of the room by seven, which will give the appropriate diameter for a medallion. For rooms with a lot of trim, you can go larger, whereas in rooms that are more plain, you’ll want to stay smaller. Similarly, use the trim in the rest of the room as a guide as to what type of medallion to install.
Medallion Installation
Make sure to turn off the circuit breaker that controls the electricity in the room before installing a medallion. From there you’ll be able to remove the light fixture. With modern medallions made of polyurethane foam, all you need is some adhesive caulking and some finishing screws to keep it in place. Make sure to clean the area first and check to make sure the threaded bolt