Why San Francisco houses nonetheless have ceiling medallions

The Victorian homes of San Francisco are known for their ornate elements. From moldings to carved fireplaces to the coats of arms looming over you as you step on the front door, these features showcase architecture that is anything but boring.

But while their opulence can easily be taken for granted as a defining characteristic of the time, these choices were often largely functional.

If you’ve stared hard at enough from the ceilings in San Francisco, you’ve probably noticed the intricate carving of the circles around the lights. Today these ceiling medallions, sometimes called centers, are used purely for decorative purposes, but this was not always the case.

“Ceiling medallions were used to hide soot because all of these houses were gas-lit and emitted soot, especially if they were too high or dirty,” said Bonnie Spindler, a real estate agent and “the Victorian specialist.” “From San Francisco. “If you have the locket there, the soot will collect in the crevices of the ceiling locket, giving it more dimension than usual. It basically hid the dirt.”

Gas lighting was widely used in homes in the 1880s and was installed in homes in the 1910s to both light and warm the home. It quickly fell out of fashion in favor of electric lighting in the early 20th century, but not before a building boom started in San Francisco. It all coincided with the emergence of the bourgeoisie, who now had better access to furnishings such as plaster of paris.

Ceiling medallions on display at Lorna Kollmeyer Zierputz in Hunters Point Shipyard.

Patricia Chang / Special for SFGATE

At the time there were numerous plaster of paris shops specializing in features such as the ceiling medallions. Today there is only one decorative plaster shop left in San Francisco – Lorna Kollmeyer Zierputz. Kollmeyer said her store in Hunters Point sells more ceiling medallions than anything, but before it opened 37 years ago, the closings of many of the city’s plasterer stores likely fell on lower demand for plasterwork.

“[Ceiling medallions] went out of style, probably because many of them fell from the ceiling. After the Victorian era, after 30 to 40 years, the houses deteriorate and the plaster is dismantled and requires maintenance. But in the 1940s and 50s all the plaster shops were gone, ”she said. “There was no production and people took it down.”

As people became interested in restoring Victorian homes over the past 30 years, artisans who specialized in these features opened stores like Kollmeyer’s. Now customers flock to their store to replace, or restore, or even add crumbled lockets if they weren’t there in the first place.

She said that most of the time she already has an impression of the locket in her shop that someone would like to fix because the designs of these lockets were so regional. “Every single one of our pieces, except for one or two custom-made items, all come from homes in San Francisco and the Bay Area,” said Kollmeyer. “Back then it was a very regional production. There was no need to pack and ship them. The designs and patterns here are so distinctive and look so different than, for example, on the east coast, which can be more federal or more colonial. “

Ceiling medallions on display at Lorna Kollmeyer Zierputz in Hunters Point Shipyard.

Patricia Chang / Special for SFGATE

The various medallions in their store are named after the streets of the houses they originally came from in San Francisco. She said Pine, Jackson, and Del Mar were the most popular styles because they were more neoclassical. She said they don’t look overly Victorian – they’re more humble and can go with a modern style – but still from that era.

When customers come to their store looking for orientation, Kollmeyer first learns a little more about their house. She wants to see photos, know what year of construction and what kind of rooms they will be in. She also has a firm opinion about which room of the house your favorite locket should be in. “In my humble opinion, the most important locket is the one in the bedroom. You lie there and stare at it every day! ”She said with a laugh.

Kollmeyer even gives its customers detailed instructions on how best to assemble the medallions, which usually weigh around 7 to 8 pounds.

Ceiling medallions on display at Lorna Kollmeyer Zierputz in Hunters Point Shipyard.

Patricia Chang / Special for SFGATE

Cliff’s Variety, the housewares and hardware store in Castro since 1936, sells Kollmeyer ceiling medallions. Store manager Terry Asten Bennett said that there are around 40 medallions on display in the store and that they can order anything a customer wants from Kollmeyer.

“Customers are always so excited when they look up in the toy department (the only place in the main store with a ceiling low enough to display) and see them. … We started selling ceiling medallions in the 1970s when gay couples started buying and restoring the old Victorians in the Castro. “

Asten Bennet said they have only sold 58 medallions so far this year, which is a lot fewer than usual. They would normally have sold double that this time of year, she said, but she blames the COVID-19 pandemic for the slowdown.

A common mistake that both Spindler and Kollmeyer see is buying a locket that is too small for the space. “I tell people that Victorians can accommodate decor. It’s okay to overdo it a little. Something will stand out like a sore thumb if it’s too tight, ”said Kollmeyer. “If the room calls for grand, go grand. It’s better to push the limit than to be too small. “