Helpful Hints When Shopping for Ceiling Medallions

Shopping online is a great way to buy - you have a huge variety of ceiling medallions to choose from, you don't have to worry about what's in stock, and you don't have to fit your new purchase in the car to take it home. It can be an overwhelming process though, and the options might seem endless. When you're shopping for anything visually online, it's important to take a few steps before you buy to make sure you're getting something you love. Here are some ideas to make your ceiling medallion purchase easy, successful, and satisfying.

Take a good look around your home and see what kind of a style you like. Spend some time and really pay attention to what the other items in your home say about you. Think about what kind of looks you gravitate towards. Are you classic or modern? Do you like strong statements or subtle whispers? Usually, your gut is the best indicator of what you're going to love. You'll be seeing your new ceiling medallion every day, so you want to make sure to pick something that is going to work well with the other decorative items in your room, and in your home in general. If you know what kind of style you're looking for, it will be a lot easier to narrow down your choices than if you go into the buying process without an inkling of what you might like. If you tend to prefer simpler looks, you'll know to limit your search to ceiling medallions without a lot of embellishment. If your style is more ornate, you'll know to stick with medallions that work with that, no matter how nice a plain or beaded style looks on the website.

Measure out the size of the medallion on your ceiling before you buy. Since ceilings are so much higher than eye level, sometimes you can't adequately gauge what size you'll want. Think about making small marks with pencil on your ceiling to show how big your medallion will be. If it's feasible, you might even want to create a mock-up of the medallion and tape it up so you can see before you buy how much space it will take up on your ceiling. That way, you'll have an idea of what your new piece will look like in relation to the other parts of your room before you're up on a ladder installing it.

Before you buy your ceiling medallion, think about what you're going to do with it. Are you going to paint it? Stain it? Is it going to be installed around an existing light fixture, ceiling fan, or chandelier? Buying a two-piece medallion is a good choice if you have a fixture already in place that you're not comfortable taking down.

Once you've narrowed down your choices, take some time to think about the medallions you like before you buy. With so many ceiling medallions to look at and choose from, it's easy for them all to blend together on a website page. Bookmark the ones you like and come back to them in a few hours or days so you can really get a feel for the one you love. Show your options to other people who are sharing your space and see what they think about them - you're not the only one who'll be looking at it every day, and they might have some valuable input.

When you're ready to make your purchase, make certain you're clear on the company's return policies and warranties. Obviously, you want to buy a ceiling medallion you're sure you're going to love, from a reputable company. Every now and again, though, something goes wrong. Find out what the company's policies are if your new ceiling medallion doesn't work in your space, or if it was damaged in shipping.

Ceiling Medallions in Home Improvement

Once reserved for use in architecturally classic homes, ceiling medallions are quickly becoming one of the most popular ways to give any interior a fresh look. Ceiling medallions are easy to install and can be painted or stained in any color, making them a simple and elegant method for beautifying your home. Because they are so affordable, especially when compared to other types of architectural home improvements, ceiling medallions are a small, risk-free investment. Adding or changing medallions can be done simply, making them a good choice for home-owners and renters alike.

In home decorating and organization circles, many experts advise that homeowners utilize vertical space for their design elements. With so many beautiful things you can buy for your home, it's easy to fall into the trap of cluttering up your floor and your walls. With so many elements competing for attention, the beauty of many pieces ends up going unnoticed. Ceiling medallions are unique. They bring beauty to an area of your interior that is virtually untouched, adding drama and splendor all on their own.

Practically speaking, ceiling medallions can perform a few different functions in your space. They can either conceal existing imperfections in your ceilings by directly covering them up, or redirect the eye from less than perfect areas by creating a focal point at a different part of your ceiling. If over-enthusiastic cutting during the installation of your light fixture led to a hole that was too big or uneven, a ceiling medallion can make your ceiling flawless simply and easily, without costly and time-consuming re-plastering.

From a decorative standpoint, there isn't much a new ceiling medallion can't do. It can be used to complement your existing decorative elements like crown molding and baseboards to create a unified look throughout the room. It can add a splash of color to your space. Decorative pieces on the ceiling lead the eye upwards, giving the visual illusion of height. Even if they're not used for functional purposes, ceiling medallions can stand alone as stunning pieces of three-dimensional art.

Like crown molding, ceiling medallions were traditionally only used in dining rooms and other formal areas. Now more versatile than ever before, the more practical and flexible modern ceiling medallions can be beautiful and appropriate in any room of your home. Instead of the old-fashioned plaster, wood, or metal, medallions are now made with urethane, a durable and lighter material that can be crafted simply or with rich and ornate detailing. Urethane is much sturdier than other materials and well suited to handle extremes in temperature and humidity. Modern medallions are as beautiful and easy to incorporate in your guest bathroom as they are in your study. Precision molding techniques make it effortless to give your ceiling old world charm or sleek simplicity with lush acanthus leaves or crisp, clean lines. Modern ceiling medallions feature generous internal diameters, making it easy to incorporate the piece you love into the fixtures already in place in your home.

Many people think of ceiling medallions as round plaster pieces that surround a chandelier or ceiling fan. While many homeowners still use them in that way, ceiling medallions can be so much more. Consider hanging a row of small medallions in the center of your hallway to increase the appearance of space. Several pieces can be used in a grid pattern to evoke images of old cathedrals and libraries. Instead of the classic white or bronze, try bringing in colors from your walls or furnishings to create a well-balanced and coordinated look. You could even consider using two or more colors in your medallion to create a striking focal point in the center of an otherwise minimalist room.

Whether your style is rich and detailed or clean and simple, a new ceiling medallion is an inexpensive and charming way to update the look of your home.

Choosing the Right Medallion for Your Room

Choosing a ceiling medallion doesn't have to be difficult. There are a wide variety of shapes, styles and sizes, but the selection process is not as overwhelming as it might seem. Look around your home and consider a few of the following factors to make your choice an easy one.

When choosing a ceiling medallion, consider the size of your room.

The size of your room is one of the most important considerations when choosing a ceiling medallion. In traditional home decorating wisdom, it was believed that the larger your room, the larger your decorative elements should be, and vice versa. While this is still a good guideline for many interiors, the opposite is quite frequently also true. Displaying a large ceiling medallion in a smaller room can look stunning, creating an expansive and dramatic look. Modern homeowners are starting to play with color and creating extravagant three-dimensional ceiling art pieces in rooms that would previously have been ignored for being too small. At the same time, in a larger room, several small medallions in a row or pattern can be a beautiful way to evoke images of classic architecture. Even in narrow hallways, a row of small medallions can be lined up to create a flow for your space.

Think about the decorating style your ceiling medallion needs to incorporate.

Styles of ceiling medallions run the gamut from richly detailed and ornate to clean, simple and sleek. Think about the prevailing decorating style of your home. If you generally lean towards elaborate and elegant fixtures, furniture, and art pieces, you'll want that style to extend to your ceiling medallion. You could choose a Florentine piece to bring back the beauty of the detailed carvings of the Italian Renaissance, or go with the lush look of Roman acanthus leaves. If your style is more modern, a simple ringed or beaded medallion will complement the style of your home without looking too fussy or out of place. Diamond shapes can enhance an angular, geometric style while oval ceiling medallions can soften edges for a subtler, more feminine appeal.

Consider what else is going in the room with your ceiling medallion.

Keep in mind what is already in your room, and what you plan to put there in the future. If you have or are planning to install crown molding or decorative trim, choose a ceiling medallion that will complement it. Is your ceiling medallion going to stand alone or be used to enhance a chandelier, light fixture, or ceiling fan? Would you like a dramatic piece that captures attention, or is your chandelier the real focus and you just want something to smooth the transition between the light and the ceiling?

Keep in mind what your ceiling medallion is being used for.

Size, shape, and style decisions can be simplified by knowing what your ceiling medallion is going to be used for. If you want to enhance an existing light fixture or fan and don't want to remove it to install your new medallion, a two-piece ceiling medallion can be installed right around your existing fixture. If you're looking to redirect the eye and remove the focus from less than perfect areas of your ceiling, a large, dramatic piece will get people's attention in the right places. If you want to conceal something directly with your ceiling medallion, check your dimensions to make sure the size and shape of your new piece will fully cover the imperfection.

Choosing a ceiling medallion is virtually risk-free. With such an affordable variety of medallions to choose from, you can take the opportunity to be creative and playful with the look of your room without investing in expensive pieces. You can update or change your medallion easily and affordably. Whichever ceiling medallion you choose, it's sure to make a beautiful difference to the look of your room.