How to Install a Ceiling Medallion

How to Install a Ceiling Medallion

When we decided to add the new light to our living room, we figured it might be fun to also add a ceiling medallion. We liked the idea of juxtaposing a new, modern Ikea light with something more traditional while also upping the drama factor in the room. Ceiling medallions are great because they add architectural interest without a lot of money or a lot of effort. Sounds like a win-win.

Until a few days ago we had no idea how to hang a ceiling medallion, so we thought it may be helpful to break it down for you, too. It’s really easy!

We bought our ceiling medallion at HomeDepot.com, where there are tons and tons of choices, in all different sizes, patterns, and prices. Ours was less than $30 and is made of foam, which makes it really lightweight. I chose it based on being a similar dimension to our light (too small and it’ll just look, well, too small) and that the pattern wasn’t too ornate. We like simple, modern designs.

Here’s how to install it:

Step one: ceiling medallions come pre-primed, so I first gave it a quick coat of the same paint we used on our ceiling using a small brush.

Step two: take down your existing light. This is the face Andy makes when he’s thinking. When he took down our old light, he found some crazy electrical situation, like this thing sticking out of the ceiling. I don’t really know what was going on, but I know he figured out a way to make it work and that’s what matters to me. He’s the amateur electrician. I’m the person who stands there and looks worried.

Step three: you are eventually going to need to screw your ceiling medallion into the ceiling, so drill two pilot holes into it ahead of time, one on each side.

Step four: put construction adhesive, like Liquid Nails, on the back of your medallion. You’ll find construction adhesive in the same section as caulk and apply it with a caulk gun (always fun).

Step four: press the medallion with the adhesive onto the ceiling, and then drill the screws into the ceiling. It’s really helpful to have one person hold it while another person drills, especially if you have a fancy ladder that lets you both go up at the same time (seriously, this thing is awesome). The glue will be really wet at this point, so it’ll want to wiggle all over the place until the screws are in. You can use a little bit of putty to cover up the screw holes when you’re done.

Step five: caulk around the outside edge and install your new light. You’re done!

I’m so glad we took the extra step to add a ceiling medallion when we installed the new light in our living room. It adds a pop of drama and gives the light more substance. It really looks like it could have been there forever. All that and super easy to boot!