Today’s ceiling fans are a far cry, aesthetically, from the wood-and-rattan numbers of days gone by. In 2022, you can buy a ceiling fan that will not only move a lot of air but will look fantastic doing it. A ceiling fan can really cool things down in a room, or warm them up, if you reverse the direction of the blades during the winter months.
First, you need to make sure you choose a fan that goes with the rest of your decor. It needs to be the right size for the space you’re putting it in, and it needs to be the right distance from the floor to work effectively without being a concussion hazard. Of course, it should also provide the lighting you need to keep your space functional.
Match the Fan to Your Decor
There are so many ceiling fan designs available to match any decor. You can buy cage ceiling fans for small spaces, dual ceiling fans with lights, chandelier ceiling fans, vertical blade ceiling fans with lights, and fans with any number of blades ranging from just one to eight or nine. If your decor is more traditional, you can go with a traditional fan, but there are sleek two- and three-blade options to blend in with contemporary and mid-century modern aesthetics. You can choose palm-leaf fans for a coastal aesthetic, or industrial fans for a more steampunk look.
Choose a fan that matches the hardware and wood surfaces in the room – if your doorknobs and light switch plates are brushed nickel, you should buy a fan with brushed nickel trim. If the dominant wood colour in the room is cherry, you should buy a fan with cherry blades. Of course, you can also turn a fan into the focal piece of the room or buy a white fan that blends into your ceiling and looks unobtrusive.
Choose the Right Size Fixture
The size of your ceiling fan is important. If the fan is too large, it will overwhelm the space, move too much air, and perhaps get in the way. If the fan is too small, it won’t move enough air.
Fans come in different sizes, as measured across the sweep of their moving blades. The smallest fans are 29 inches across or smaller, while the largest fans might have a sweep of 80 inches or more. Measure your room to determine the fan size you need. If the room is smaller than 75 square feet, you need a fan no more than 36 inches wide. If the room is 75 to 144 square feet, you need a fan 36 to 42 inches wide. If the room is 145 to 224 square feet, you need a fan 44 to 50 inches wide. If your room is 226 to 400 square feet, you need a fan 50 to 54 inches wide.
Choose the Right Profile
You should hang your fan seven to nine feet from the floor and at least eighteen inches from the wall or ceiling on either side. That means if you have low ceilings, you will need a low-profile, flush mount fan. If you have exceptionally high or vaulted ceilings, you will need a longer downrod that will lower your fan to the correct level. You can usually hang a fan from a slanted or vaulted ceiling simply by lengthening the downrod. If you can’t fit a traditional fan design into a space with a vaulted ceiling, try a vertical-blade ceiling fan instead.
Get the Lighting and Features You Need
Of course, you can’t switch to ceiling fans and just give up your light fixtures. You still need some light in your spaces, and you get it by choosing fan designs that incorporate light fixtures, too. Most ceiling fans have lights on them, so it shouldn’t be hard to find one you like. Make sure you get the other features you need, too, like multiple speed settings, a reverse-motor switch, dimmable lights, smart connectivity, wall controls, and pull chains. The right features can greatly improve the functionality of your fan.
If you’re interested in getting a ceiling fan but want something that looks good, you’ll have plenty of options to choose from. Today’s ceiling fans tend to lean towards the sleek and contemporary, but there are ceiling fans available in all kinds of design aesthetics nowadays. Your biggest problem might well be making up your mind which ceilings fan or fans you want.
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