The ceiling medallion
is an architectural feature that perhaps reached its apex in
Renaissance Italy, where it seems nothing – in architecture
or dress – was too ornate. In those decades, the medallions
around chandeliers were often the centerpiece in a ceiling
that was trimmed with cross members, paneling, painted artwork
or additional plaster creations. The ceiling medallions produced
today do not require a master craftsman or a professional painter
to be a lively addition to your home. Nor do they require anything
at the center.
Nonetheless, many homeowners who wish to
dress their dining room or living room a little use medallions
to provide an ornamented setting for a ceiling fan or an overhead
light fixture, whether it is a chandelier or not. Home remodelers
who have improvements in mind but not massive makeovers have
the option of the two piece medallion, which can be mounted
on the ceiling without removing an existing fixture that is
to be at the center of the medallion.
Ceiling medallions are available
in diameters of up to 60 inches. Not all of them are round;
there are oval versions as well as more unusual shapes such
as an elongated diamond and several designs that incorporate
four or more ridged points into a symmetrical shape – some
circular, some more like a figure with the four compass points
connected with convex curves.
Ceiling Medallions Key Features:
The two piece ceiling medallions
are carefully designed to fit together in such a fashion
that the seam is virtually invisible.
Split medallions with a lot of floral
ornamentation in deep relief will be designed, for example,
such that the ornamentation on the edge of one half will
overlap a flat surface beneath it on the other half. Medallions
with raised ridges radiating from the center will be split
so that one of the ridges is incorporated as the top of the
over-and-under seam.
Today’s ceiling medallions are
made from polyurethane, a resilient, strong and long lasting
synthetic that will not peel, crack or fade. Urethane takes
paint easily and has the appearance of plaster.
A room’s crown moulding can be
selected to coordinate with the design of a ceiling medallion.
Oval or diamond shaped medallions make
an excellent choice for framing the lighting fixture over
a dining table in a narrow room.
Ceiling rings can be used to provide
further emphasis on the combination of a ceiling medallion
and the fixture at its center.
