Take the room's square footage and divide it by 7. That's roughly the medallion diameter you want in inches, so a 12' x 12' room (144 sq ft) wants about a 20" medallion. Then adjust up for high ceilings and a big chandelier, and down for a small fixture or a busy ceiling.
That's the short answer. Below is the chart we use, the three checks that change it, and the sizes we actually stock, from a 6" plug to a 71" showpiece.
What size ceiling medallion do I need? The quick chart
This is the room rule (square feet divided by 7) worked out for common rooms, matched to sizes we carry. Prices are from foamcore.ca at time of writing.
| Room size | Square feet | Rule of thumb | Size to look at | Example from our range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Powder room, hallway | Under 60 | 6" to 10" | 6" to 12" | M102, 6", $26.31 |
| Small bedroom, 10' x 10' | 100 | about 14" | 12" to 16" | M516, 16", $58.33 |
| Bedroom or dining room, 12' x 12' | 144 | about 20" | 18" to 24" | RM2424-EG, 18" or 24", from $104.43 |
| Living room, 12' x 16' | 192 | about 27" | 24" to 30" | RM2424-EG, 30", $219.11 |
| Large living room, 16' x 20' | 320 | about 45" | 40" to 45" | RM37569-3636, 40.5", $373.61 |
| Great room, foyer, open concept | 400+ | 57"+ | 45" to 71" | RM40000-45, 45" or 60", from $307.14 |
Treat the chart as a starting point, not a law. Three things move it.
Check 1: the light fixture
A medallion is there to frame the light. So look at the fixture before you order.
- Chandelier: go clearly bigger or clearly smaller than the chandelier's width. A medallion that's the same width as the chandelier looks like a mistake. For most dining rooms, a medallion a bit wider than the chandelier reads best from below.
- Flush mount or small pendant: the medallion needs to be at least twice the width of the fixture's canopy (the round plate against the ceiling), or it disappears behind it.
- Ceiling fan: keep it tight. The blades cover most of the medallion anyway, and a big ornate one just gets lost in the motion. Pick something in the 12" to 20" range with a simple profile.
Check 2: ceiling height
The higher the ceiling, the bigger the medallion. From the floor, a 24" medallion on a 12' ceiling looks about like an 18" one on an 8' ceiling.
- 8' ceiling: stick to the chart or go one size down.
- 9' to 10' ceiling: go one size up.
- Vaulted, two-storey foyer or 12'+: go two sizes up. This is where 45" to 71" pieces earn their keep.
Check 3: the rest of the room
If the room already has crown moulding, match the medallion to it. Heavy, detailed crown wants a detailed medallion. Clean, modern crown wants a simple ring profile.
In our range you'll see the style in the product name:
- Simple: clean rings, works in modern and transitional rooms.
- Pattern and Leaf: repeating detail, the safe middle.
- Ornate, Floral and Fruit: heavy Victorian-style detail for older homes and formal rooms.
If the ceiling has pot lights, a coffered grid or a textured finish, go smaller and simpler. The medallion should be the one thing on the ceiling people look at, not the fifth.
Small, medium or large: what we stock
| Size range | Where it works | In our range |
|---|---|---|
| 6" to 12" | Hallways, closets, powder rooms, fan plugs | M102, M512, M560, RM2424-SM 12.5" |
| 16" to 24" | Bedrooms, dining rooms, most chandeliers | M516, RM37589, RM2424-EG, RM2424-SM, ME-CM series |
| 27" to 36" | Living rooms, bigger dining rooms | RM2424-EG 30", RM2424-SM 33", RM37506-32, RM1818-32 |
| 40" to 71" | Foyers, great rooms, commercial lobbies | RM37569-3636 40.5", RM40000-45 45" and 60", RM4471 and RM4671 71" |
The whole collection is at foamcore.ca/collections/ceiling-medallions. Some patterns, like RM2424-SM, come in six sizes from 12.5" to 60", so you can use the same design in the hallway and the dining room.
Plaster vs wood vs polyurethane medallions
Plaster is the traditional choice. It's heavy, it cracks if the house moves, and a big one needs real anchoring into the joists. Wood can be carved beautifully, but it's expensive and it moves with humidity.
Our medallions are high-quality polyurethane. That means:
- Light. One person can hold it up to the ceiling while the adhesive grabs.
- Primed white and paintable. They arrive primed white. Paint them the ceiling colour so they look like plaster, or pick out the detail in a second colour.
- Stable. It doesn't crack or swell like plaster or wood.
How a ceiling medallion installs
The short version, for a standard fixture:
- Turn off the power at the breaker and take the fixture down.
- Dry-fit the medallion and mark its outline. Most of ours come with the centre hole already cut, so the wires just pass through.
- Run a bead of instant grab adhesive on the back.
- Press it up, centred on the electrical box, and pin it with a few brad nails or screws while the adhesive sets.
- Caulk the outer edge, fill any nail holes, paint, and rehang the fixture.
If you're changing a fixture anyway, it's a 30-minute job. If the fixture is staying up, you need a split (2-piece) medallion that goes around it. We have a couple of split designs, so ask us which ones fit your size.
Ordering in Canada
Medallions are one of the lines people order from us most. Most sizes ship by courier, and even the big ones usually don't need freight. Your exact shipping cost shows at checkout before you pay.
We don't sell medallion samples, so here's the next best thing. Not sure between two sizes? Cut a circle out of cardboard or kraft paper at each size, tape it to the ceiling, and look at it from the doorway. It takes five minutes and saves a return.
Long, narrow room or a rectangular table? A round medallion can look off over a long dining table. We carry some oval and rectangular medallions, like the RM37568-3042 rectangular medallion in 42" and 50".
Need something that isn't in the range, like a size between two of ours, or a medallion to match an existing one in an older house? We make custom medallions. Send us the room size, ceiling height and a photo and we'll come back with a quote within 24 hours.
FAQ
What size ceiling medallion for a chandelier?
Clearly bigger or clearly smaller than the chandelier's width, never the same. For most dining room chandeliers, a medallion a bit wider than the fixture looks right. Then check the room chart above.
What size ceiling medallion for a 12x12 room?
144 square feet divided by 7 is about 20", so look at 18" to 24". Go to 24" if the ceiling is 9' or higher.
Is a 24 inch ceiling medallion too big?
Not for a room of about 150 to 200 square feet, or a smaller room with a high ceiling. In a 10' x 10' bedroom with an 8' ceiling, it will feel heavy. Go 16" there.
Do you make oval or rectangular ceiling medallions?
Yes. We carry some oval and rectangular shapes, and we make custom ones. Send us the size and we'll quote it within 24 hours.
What size ceiling medallion for a ceiling fan?
12" to 20" with a simple profile. The blades hide most of it, so detail is wasted.
Can I paint a ceiling medallion?
Yes. Ours arrive primed white and take paint well. Most people paint them the ceiling colour so they read as plaster.
