A floor medallion can be an excellent way to add a subtle splash of interest to an otherwise drab area, pull off a bit of branding in a semi-public walkway, accent a carefully decorated living space, or otherwise modify, enhance, and improve a room. Don’t just throw a medallion you think looks nice into any given space and have that ‘niceness’ rub off, any more than you could do the same with paint, pictures, furniture, or other décor. Here are a few factors to consider:
1) Materials
What materials do you currently have in the area? Do they suggest a certain time period or demand a certain set of textures and color schemes? Think carefully about what your medallion is going to do as it interacts visually with the other materials, and you’ll avoid those subtle clashes, which can utterly ruin a room in some indiscernible way.
2) Colors
Colors are a fairly obvious factor to consider, yet many forget to do so. So stop, look at the colors in the room — even the ones you don’t really notice, from accessories and accent points — and then look at what you’re trying to do with your medallion. Do you want it to be a point of contrast? To complement? Maybe you even want it to clash, to catch the eye before all else — it can be a useful idea, if you’re using it to stamp your logo on a space.
3) Textures
Medallions suggest textures of their own, even when they’re perfectly smooth, so think about how they’re going to look alongside the rest of your floor, alongside your walls, and alongside your furniture. It’s OK to choose a subtle bit of misalignment, especially if you want more attention on your medallion than it would otherwise provoke, but it needs to be an intentional decision.
4) Balance
Think about where you’re putting your medallion, and ask yourself what it’s going to do to the balance of the space. Will you need to counter it with something on the other side of the room, something on the walls or something on the ceiling? You’re going to create a natural focal point when you place it, especially if it stands out quite a bit; use that to your advantage, instead of allowing it to become a problem.
None of these points will make a floor medallion an inappropriate choice for your floor, of course. You simply need to find the right medallion for the task, and think of areas holistically. Do so, and you’ll be ten times as satisfied.