DIY: Installing a Ceiling Rose

A ceiling rose can be the perfect focal point for any room in your home. It can help to draw the eye upwards towards the ceiling and create depth while creating a topper for chandeliers and other light fixtures. They are often created from plaster and come in many shapes and sizes from circular to floral motifs. They are a great way to age a room, and create character in newly built dwellings. While adding a focal point to the room, they create texture, which is an important element in design.

It is a decorative fixture that is attached to the ceiling, most often over a light fixture, to complete the look of the light fixture. Many times, there is a hole within the middle of the ceiling rose to allow the fixture to be installed through the ceiling rose for a flush look. If there is no space for the fixture to go through the ceiling rose, you can make one, but be very careful. Plaster can be difficult to work with, and some ceiling roses can cost hundreds of dollars.

Most ceiling roses range in diameter from forty to eighty centimeters and can be adhered to the ceiling easily with the use of adhesive. This is a do it yourself application that can take less than a few hours but add centuries of personality to any room. The larger the ceiling rose, the more adhesive should be used.

When installing a ceiling rose it is important to remember that these can not be attached using nails or screws. Not only will this affect the ornamental design, but it could break the fixture which is most often made from plaster.

When attaching the ceiling rose, use cement as an adhesive as it is waterproof, and one of the strongest elements to attach the design element. Use a one to two inch of cement adhesive around the outside of the ceiling rose, depending on the size and weight, and adhere it to the ceiling. While it is drying, it is a good idea to use some sort of prop to hold it on the ceiling. A large piece of wood, with a soft cushion on top should prevent the ceiling rose from falling. This should be held for approximately thirty minutes, until the cement has formed a strong hold between the ceiling and the ceiling rose.

Ceiling roses are growing in popularity as we wish for homes filled with personality, and look as if they have experienced history. For the longest time, ceiling roses, or ceiling medallions were only popular in the United Kingdom, but as homeowners become more aware of these elemental designs, they are becoming widely available at the local home supply store chains.