In this guide, we help you choose a ceiling rose that is both historically accurate and properly sized for the room in which it will be installed. We recommend selecting stucco and ceiling roses according to the period in which your home was built, while also considering the size and function of the room!
Style
Ceiling Roses from the 1890s
Ceiling roses from this period were often highly decorative and detailed. The style, called Neo-Renaissance, was strongly influenced by earlier centuries with a focus on symmetry and ornamentation. Decorative design elements such as acanthus leaves, floral garlands, and repetitive patterns were common.
Ceiling Roses from the 1900s
Ceiling roses from the Art Nouveau period differed significantly from the symmetrical, classicist decorations of earlier eras. The Art Nouveau style was characterized by organic forms and a softer decorative language. Inspiration was drawn from the animal and plant kingdoms, and it was not unusual to combine flowers and delicate tendrils with, for example, peacock feathers.
Ceiling Roses from the 1910s
During the 1910s, Swedish interior style was influenced by National Romanticism, a movement that sought to reconnect with Swedish building traditions and craftsmanship. Ceiling roses became less decorative and more robust in form, with a certain weight and simplicity. Decoration was often very modest, consisting mainly of marked edges, stylized star shapes, or rhombic patterns.
Ceiling Roses from the 1920s
In the 1920s, forms became simpler and more streamlined. The style was inspired by classical antiquity, with symmetry at its core, but without the lavish ornamentation of the 19th century. Ceiling roses were often relatively plain but well-crafted, with the more decorative ones resembling a stylized flower head or a classical emblem.
Size
A good rule of thumb when choosing a ceiling rose is that, around the turn of the century, the most care and money were invested in the spaces shown to guests. Extra attention was therefore given to entrances, parlors, and dining rooms, while kitchens, pantries, and bathrooms were decorated more simply.
TIPS: If the room has a high ceiling (e.g. 3200 mm / 126 in. or higher), you can size up even in smaller rooms – it creates better balance.
| Room size in m² | Ceiling rose diameter Ø | Type of room |
|---|---|---|
| <10 m² (<108 ft²) | 20–40 cm (7.9–15.7 in.) | Small hallway and study. |
| 10–15 m² (108–161 ft²) | 40–50 cm (15.7–19.7 in.) | Bedroom and small dining room. |
| 15–25 m² (161–269 ft²) | 50–65 cm (19.7–25.6 in.) | Living room and parlor. |
| 25–35 m² (269–377 ft²) | 65–80 cm (25.6–31.5 in.) | Lounge and formal room. |
| >35 m² (>377 ft²) | 80 cm (31.5 in.) or larger | Large parlors. |
