Dress up your dining room with a ceiling medallion - it creates an elegant focal point and is a great way to draw attention away from wall or ceiling imperfections!

Ceiling medallions come in many styles, from ornate, traditional looks to sleek-lined styles that add dimension and interest to modern interiors. With today's lightweight, inexpensive materials, installing a medallion is a quick, easy and fun weekend project.

Before selecting a medallion, consider the size and style of the room. A smaller room will need a smaller medallion so as not to overpower the space. Having said that, the medallion should be either larger or smaller than the chandelier below it to create the most pleasing effect.

Most medallions are made of a lightweight material that is pre-primed and ready to paint. Choose a good quality paint that matches the trim in your dining room - for best results, use a Dynamic paintbrush and apply two coats of paint. Alternatively, you could get bold and paint your medallion with a Paint Wizard Metallic paint color! These can be brushed or sponged on to add depth and shine. Allow the paint to dry between coats and then let dry overnight.

To install your medallion, begin by shutting off the power to the chandelier at its source (the breaker switch or fuse box). Then, remove the chandelier and protect with a drop cloth.

Use a countersink bit to drill pilot holes into the medallion. Then, with the decorative side of the medallion facing down, reconnect the chandelier wires and secure the connections. Run a heavy bead of adhesive caulk onto the back of the medallion, and press it into place. Then secure the medallion to the ceiling with screws - these usually come packaged with the product. Be sure not to over tighten the screws - they only need to hold everything in place until the adhesive dries!

Caulk around the medallion using Dynamic Styrenated Acrylic Caulk for a smooth, professional-looking finish. Fill nail holes with DynaPatch compound and sand smooth with Dynamic 220 grit Aluminum Oxide sandpaper. Wipe with a tack cloth, dab a little primer over the patched areas and touch up with a little more paint. Now that you've installed your new ceiling medallion, step back and admire - instant glamour and a beautiful addition to your dining room's décor!