Condo Blues: Ceiling Fans with Lights, Energy Efficient Yes. Stylish? Yeah or Nay?

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Ceiling Fans with Lights, Energy Efficient Yes. Stylish? Yeah or Nay?

Ceiling fans are an inexpensive way to cool and heat (by running the blades in reverse during the winter) your home. I had a ceiling fan and an attic fan in my old rental and between the two, they kept the place cool during the summer until the temperature climbed into the humid 90’s.

Too bad that ceiling fan with lights was from 1976 and for as well as it cooled our apartment, it didn’t do it with any sort of style. I can do ceiling fans. I can do lights. I cannot do ceiling fan and light combos. Can. Not. Do. Ick.

I recently got a very nice email from Del Mar Designs. She wrote:

“I’ve read how much you loathe ceiling fans with lights. My company Del Mar Designs offers a wide selection of decorative ceiling fans that are also energy efficient.

I have put together a few of our most popular energy efficient decorative ceiling fans with lights and was wondering if you found them appealing?”
Well. Gosh, now I feel like a heel because I have a constant reader and I’ve knocked what she does for a living. What’s the harm in taking a look?

10 Stylish Ceiling Fans with Lights

The Monte Carlo Vectra Titanium Flush Mount Fan with  Light  is a flush mount which would be great for someone who has low ceilings like me. This one’s not too bad with the light and fan combination but I lean more towards the model without the light.


The Minka Aire F518-ORB Concept II Bronze Flush Mount with Light is another flush mount in Bronze, which is very hot this year in fixtures. I like the old timey ice cream parlor look.




Quorum Colton Oiled Bronze Ceiling Fan with Light is a fan I think it would look best on a mid to high ceiling. Again, it reminds me of an old timey ice cream parlor look, which is a plus because my favorite local ice shop has ceiling fans similar to these but without lights.


The Hunter Fanaway Brushed Chrome Ceiling Fan changed my mind. If I were to choose any fan with a light for my house, it would be this one. I like the retro modern design. I especially like that the fan blade stay hidden until you turn on the fan. The only downside to this fan is that the blades aren’t reversible for winter. However, that wouldn’t be such an issue for me because I’d put this fan in my computer room to cool down the room with the big computers that act like space heaters.


 

I’ve seen the Hunter Sonic Brushed Nickel Energy Star Ceiling Fan with Light  in real life. A friend had it installed in her living room with the cathedral ceiling of  her condo. It worked with the retro 50’s vibe she had going on in her kitchen and living room.




I dig the Quorum Bronx Satin Nickel Ceiling Fan with Light. It is similar to the Hunter Sonic but I keep came coming back to it because it’s retro, it’s modern, and the blades remind me of an airplane propeller. Like.


I had to include this piece of eye candy. The Casablanca Chandelier Oil-Rubbed Bronze Uplight Ceiling Fan with Light is rustic elegance. The candles are actually electric powered flames so there’s no worry of fire hazard or changing the candles. Spendy, but it would look great in a lodge setting or in a room with a pitched ceiling like say, my bedroom.



I think I’m becoming a convert. Is it me, or is this crow tasting pretty good?

I wanted to feature the Quorum Jellyfish Chrome Ceiling Fan with Light  because it’s design is nothing like I’ve seen before. I like the blade shape and the cables. I’m not too sure of the light, it’s an odd shape that reminds me of a jellyfish which is cool but also reminds me a bust line because my mind goes to there sometimes. What do you think? (Besides the whole I make inappropriate analogies thing. I know that already.)


I kept coming back to the Emerson Highpointe Brushed Steel Ceiling Fan with Light too. I like the cable detail although I’m not sure if the blade design is sparse/simple = good or sparse/simple = bland. What are your thoughts?




The Minka Aire Gauguin Bahama Beige is an Outdoor Ceiling Fan with Light but I’m including it because I like the blade design and the Bahama feel.  If they had an indoor version, I’d consider adding it to a room for a tropical vibe. Come February, I’m usually dying for anything that reminds me of summer, my favorite season. It makes me want to pour a nice tall glass of something and stick a paper umbrella in my drink.



I begrudgingly admit that ceiling fan with light designs have thankfully come a long way from the traditional white 1976 style fan with lights that was in my last apartment. If you notice, most of the lights I like either fan is subtle or the light is subtle because that is probably what I would go with if I bought a fan with a light for my own home

What do you think? Are you a ceiling fan person? Do you give ceiling fan with lights the thumbs up or the thumbs down?

Did you enjoy this post? Get more like it by subscribing to the Condo Blues RSS Feed or to Condo Blues by Email.

Disclaimer: I was not paid to mention any of these fan in this post and opinions are my own. I thought you should know that.

11 comments :

Jen on the Edge said...

My husband and I built a new house two years ago -- a sleek modern house, which is quite the contrast to all the traditional architecture in our town. We all (us + our children) like to sleep with ceiling fans on, so finding some that looked good with the house's style was important. Plus, our previous two houses did not have overhead lighting, so having built-in lighting in rooms was important to us too. I spent months looking for the right ceiling fans with lights and it was a challenge, no question about it. I eventually found two styles that I like -- one for the kids' rooms and one for our room -- and have been pleased with how they look and function. We did not put ceiling fans in other rooms, however, because I had already chosen great mod lighting for those rooms and didn't want to give them up in favor of ceiling fans.

Pop and Ice said...

Three out of four in our household must have ambient noise (and a bit of a breeze) in order to sleep, so we have ceiling fans in all the bedrooms (even the guest room) and they all have lights. I especially like the light/fan in our Master Bedroom, but I spent a good amount of money on it. However I do believe our Family Room Ceiling Fan needs updating (I lazily added a light kit and it's less than optimal in style) so it's good to see some new ideas out there in ceiling fan land.

Robj98168 said...

I have to admit to being a YAY on ceiling lights. in particular the energy effiecent ones you listed. I have one in the living room. It even had an energy star rating (as did my ceiling lamp) although I am guessing thay was due to the fact they are flourescent fixtures. Anyway helps cool tge living roon naking for less AC usage

Robj98168 said...

Rather that should be I am a YAY on Ceiling Fans with lights

Lisa said...

I love the one where the blades don't show when it's off. I wish I had $300 laying around!

Melissa said...

Thanks Lisa, I really enjoyed the article. I would of course vote Yeah on ceiling fans with lights.

Ceiling fans with lights have come a long way in recent years.

The Fanaway ceiling fan, the one with retractable blades, looks really neat in motion.

Check out the video @

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H51yfEHN-fI

Lisa Nelsen-Woods said...

Pop and Ice - We use Blitzkrieg's snoring for ambient noise :) Seriously. When I was at BlogHer last summer I didn't sleep the first night because he wasn't snoring under the bed. Yeah I know I'm pathetic.

Trinity said...

I'm not really a fan of ceiling fan but now I must say they are really so cooool...I love the design. I guess I never saw one like this that I don't really love the idea of having a ceiling fan installed. This is great.

Ms. F said...

The first one looks like a wayward propeller that fell of the plane that had a gaggle of Canadian geese attack it over the Hudson last year. I love the giant flower petal-like blades, very over the top and would look beautiful in a den/living room. The last one, with all the candles is right up my alley. Wacky, manic and I'd no doubt hate it half the time...

The apartment I am in has a plethora of ceiling fan/light combos and they are rather innocuous, they blend in and aren't too offensive although I'm partial to the one at the top of the stairs. Brushed silver with bordering on (scandalous!) artsy light fixtures.

Oh, and I went to visit my mom this summer and stayed in my old bedroom where they have taken the blades off of the ceiling fan, but since that always looks deranged they had to replace it. With a macramé toque thing. I sh*t you not.

healy said...

I love the casablanca Chandelier. For me it's romantic. Fit on our place.

Casey said...

In the Southwest were I am, ceiling fans are an essential. I cannot sleep without moving air. It's nice that there are more decorative options available that will match any room's decor. That's a million miles away from the standard white fan!

Post a Comment

I love comments and read them all! If you’re shy and don’t want your opinions made public, you can always email me at condoblues [at] gmail [dot] com.