Hey, y’all!

Adding a decorative ceiling medallion as a frame for a chandelier is a simple do-it-yourself job if you go with a polyurethane model.

You’ve seen those fancy ceiling medallions in formal dining rooms—and you probably never knew that putting one up is a pretty simple do-it-yourself project.

Medallions tend to be formal, but a simple one can fit nicely into a contemporary room. You can even make one yourself—or something like one—by creating a square or oval space in the center of the ceiling with crown molding.

If you’d prefer to buy a decorative medallion, measure your room before you go shopping. Once you know the square footage of the room (length times width), divide it by seven. That number tells you how big your ceiling medallion should be (in diameter) to proportionately “fit” your space.

If you can’t find a big enough medallion, group two or three together or install several in different spots on the ceiling.

You can buy a medallion in heavy cast-plaster, but it will be heavy and could require you to reinforce the ceiling before hanging it. A tip: Look for a medallion made from polyurethane; it will look like the real deal.

You can attach it with adhesive and screws.

Paint the medallion a different color from the rest of the ceiling so it stands out.

Don’t forget to tune in to the Rosie on the House show on NewsTalk 790, KNST, this Saturday at our new time: 8 – 11 a.m. Call me on the air with your home-improvement questions. The number is (888) ROSIE-4-U. I’d like to hear from y’all!

’Til next time, pass yourself a good dose of joie de vivre!

Next blog: Tuesday

Topic: Switching your switches

Hey, y’all!

Tired of your plain white ceilings? Who says they have to be white? Here are a few ways to add color and pattern—with nothing but paint:

Ceiling paint doesn't have to be white. Use it to add interest and color to your room.

• A faux finish, which begins with a coat of white paint but includes a colored glaze over top, can leave the look of clouds or a subtle wash in a color that complements your walls.
• For a bolder look, paint stripes on the ceiling in a bright color. Use blue painter’s tape and a measuring tape to “draw” the lines before painting. Because stripes make the ceiling the centerpiece of the room, paint the walls a lighter color with no pattern.
• Extend the color of the walls to the ceiling for about a foot all the way around. Then paint the rest of the ceiling white, off-white or the same color as the walls but in a shade two to four times lighter. You can accomplish this with a wallpaper border, too. Paste the border on the edges of the ceiling instead of on the top of the walls.
• Paint the ceiling the same color as the walls and add decorative crown molding all the way around the top edges of the walls. Paint it white. You also can add similar trim around doorways, windows and baseboards—and paint those white, too.
• Choose a metallic paint for the ceiling. Metal tones and shiny paint are popular for ceilings in any room of the home and can be applied with brushes or spray guns, depending on the look you’re going for. Tip: Hire a pro if you want to spray-paint your ceiling; they can make a mess if you’re not an expert!
• Paint the ceiling blue. It’s the color of the sky, so it suits a ceiling. Plus, blue is a color that “feels” calm and cool—a plus in our hot climate.

’Til next time, pass yourself a good dose of joie de vivre!

Next blog: Friday

Topic: Ceiling medallions