Let's Talk About Picking Out A Ceiling Fan
via Rejuvenation*
A couple of months ago I got an email from a blog reader named Allison (hi, Allison!), who needed to replace the one in her master bedroom. She doesn't personally love having ceiling fans around, but needs one, and she was having trouble finding one that wasn't hideous and that cast a nice, warm light. She had seen my ceiling light roundup and thought it would be great to do something similar with ceiling fans - I agreed! So Allison, this post is for you...and anyone else who is running into the same issue!
Ceiling fans can be quite a polarizing subject, can't they? They're often viewed as a "necessary evil" in homes where you need to have them either because of the climate you live in or just personal preference. A lot of them are pretty terribly designed unfortunately, but there's hope! In the past few years a whole new crop of - dare I say - nice-looking ceiling fans have popped up, and I couldn't be happier.
There are actually quite a bunch of well-designed ones to choose from that will complement your home's decor rather than take away from it. Fan and design lovers rejoice! If you need proof, just scroll through the inspiration images I pulled for this post, like this bedroom below from Amber Interiors:
via Amber Interiors | Photo: Tessa Neustadt
I tend to gravitate toward simple, modern shapes, so that's what you'll see here today with this ceiling fan roundup. The less it has going on, the better - even if you don't have super modern taste. You don't want it to be the star of the show in your room either - if it is, let's talk, because there are so many other pieces that deserve to be front and center! Ideally, a ceiling fan should almost go unnoticed or at least fade into the background.
If you truly want your ceiling fan to blend in, my recommendation is to go with white in a three or four blade version. Since most ceilings are white, it will practically disappear from a lot of angles. Emily Henderson's bedroom below is a good example of that. If white isn't your favorite, try a brushed nickel, black, or even one in a natural wood tone if it fits the style of the room. Walnut, for example, can be beautiful and help warm up a space.
You should also make sure you choose a fan that has the correct drop height. Drop height refers to how far down the fan comes from the ceiling. If you have 8' ceilings or less, go with a flush mount or what's called a "hugger," or maybe a semi-flush depending on how far it comes down. If you have higher ceilings, you'll want one that has a down rod to make sure it's at an effective height to do its job well in the room. Many fans come with a short down rod by default, and if you need a longer one, you'll have to order it separately. Be sure to read through the specs to see what comes in the box.
via Emily Henderson
Another decision you'll need to make is whether you want a ceiling fan that has a built-in light or not. I generally prefer the ones without a light, but sometimes it's the only option if you only have one electrical box up there and no recessed lighting. The good news is that if you do need one with a light kit, many of them come with low profile LEDs that are subtle and energy efficient.
The key thing to pay attention to though with those LEDs is the color temperature - in other words, whether the light it puts off is on the warmer or cooler end of the spectrum. To find out what that color temperature is, you'll want to look for the Kelvin number on the specs. It'll be listed as something like 2700K or 3000K. If you like a warm, soft white glow, 2700K is just about perfect (and happens to be my favorite!). The lower the number, the more yellow/warm the light will appear, and the higher the number, the more blue/cool it will look. I'd stay away from the super cool temperatures - it will feel like sterile hospital lighting.
Finally, let's talk logistics on how you actually turn that fan on and off. Many fans come with a remote control that you can stick on your wall or lay on a table. Some are old school though and have a pull chain (especially the less expensive ones). Generally, pull chains tend to make fans look more dated, so if you can, opt for one with a remote. It's also just more convenient! If you're feeling real fancy, you can even look for one that's Bluetooth-enabled to integrate with your phone or smart device like the Amazon Echo or Google Home. This one from Fanimation that I have listed in my roundup fits the bill!
So now that you're up to speed on how to pick the right ceiling fan for your home, let's get to the fun part and actually look at some! I've rounded up 14 modern ceiling fans that don't sacrifice style for function to get you going on your search. There's a mix of sizes, lights/no lights, and colors here, but many of them come in different versions, so be sure to click over to the website to see what they have.
1. Viceroy White | 2. Modern Metal + Wood | 3. Falcon Semi-Flush | 4. Fanimation Matte White | 5. Roto Brushed Aluminum | 6. Raven LED | 7. Java LED Indoor/Outdoor | 8. Ossu Semi-Flush | 9. Casa Arcus Brushed Nickel | 10. Cassius Outdoor | 11. Simple Oil-Rubbed Bronze | 12. Merwry White | 13. Classic Metal White | 14. Piston Matte Black
You can also shop the fans using the graphic below. If you're on a feed reader or in your email, you'll need to click over to the full site to view it. Simply hover over (or tap on) a fan and click the "+" to head to the retailer!
*This post contains affiliate links, which means Mix & Match Design Company earns a small commission from your purchase at no cost to you.
