Complex sentence: Tin ceilings originated in the 1880s as an affordable way for people to decorate the ceiling, and was meant to emulate high-end decorative plaster while providing some fire protection.
Split into simpler sentences: Tin ceilings originated in the 1880s as an affordable way for people to decorate the ceiling. Tin was an aesthetic meant to emulate high-end decorative plaster, and provided some fire protection.