Hot fashion
Design trends provide fans with both cool function and distinctive styling.
BY JOANNE KEMPINGER DEMSKI
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

These days, it's a breeze to find the perfect ceiling fan. They come with blades covered with cloth, hand carved into leaf shapes, made of saw grass and wicker — even double-deckered to look like the wings of a bi-plane.

Some have elegant, crystal-like or etched glass and lots of ornate detail. Others are simply styled, made of brushed nickel and aluminum. Some even have an industrial look to them.

When the weather gets hot, fan sales heat up, too.

Brian Sponsler, vice president and general manager of Emerson Ceiling Fans in St. Louis, calls ceiling fans the "hottest accessory in home fashion" that can be a "reflection of the homeowner's personality."

His firm has been making ceiling fans since 1895 and has more than 150 models.

"They are a statement of style, no longer just a functional element," he says. "At first, they were just round with paddles, and people put them on the ceiling and perhaps wanted them to fade away into the ceiling. But that's not the case anymore."

Fans are so elegant and distinctive today, they could take the place of a chandelier, he says.

Marsi Black, owner of Pegasus Design Group, calls the ceiling fan of today "a design element" and says you can mix and match the fan's blades and fixtures to create an original look.

Black is an interior designer in the Milwaukee area who decorates homes for builders.

When choosing a fan, Black says, look at the height of the ceiling. "That's a big consideration. Then figure out if you need a fan only or a fan with a light. What's the purpose of having the fan? What function does it serve?"

Black says homes with high ceilings require fans with extension rods.

"You want to get the fan down a little bit so that it functions well. It needs to have clearance to move air around. You don't want it to hug the ceiling. That would look odd."

When it comes to size, just about any room can use a 54-inch fan. In rooms that are really large, more than one fan in the same style can be used, she adds.

"That's a really elegant look. It really enhances the room and adds drama, but it's also functional."

Whether you add a light to your ceiling fan depends on the other lighting in the room.

"Usually, you only put lighting in the fan when it is the main source of light when you enter the room. Most of the time ,we feel that a fan should not have a light in it. It should function on its own as a useful ceiling sculpture," she says.

If a light is needed, Black says popular styles are dome lights and so-called up-lighting that shines on the ceiling.

Up-lighting can be a good choice because it gives "a soft look and is a nice way to light up a room when you walk in. It's also good if you want to show off a ceiling — perhaps one that is textured or colored in some way, or when there is a ceiling medallion."

Buyers should look at the general architecture of the house when picking a fan, she says.

"If you have a more rustic or casual house, you want to try to choose a fan that reflects that. It might have a beautiful metal patina that gives it a little bit of surface interest."

Hank Albert, owner of BBC Lighting & Supply in Milwaukee, recommends using full-size fans for most rooms.

"A 10-by-13 or 10-by-10-foot room can take a 52-inch fan. I have a small kitchen nook and it has a full-size fan in it. The room has an eating area, and it's a smaller space, but the bigger fan looks fine."

The only time a buyer should go to a smaller fan, he says, is when there are size restrictions in a room, such as cabinets that jut out in a small kitchen or a narrow hallway space. Then, a 24-inch fan works well. (Fan sizes are measured by the diameter of the blades.)

As for prices, Albert estimates that ceiling fans can range from around $39.95 to $1,000.

For those who would rather have a fan that is sleek in style, there are lots of options.

Ron Rezek, founder of The Modern Fan Co. in Ashland, Ore., formed his company in 1997 "to give the contemporary architect an alternative."

He describes his fans as sleek metal sculptures and says they work in contemporary or traditional homes. Many have lights integrated into the design or can be added.

Rezek likes the sleek look because he says most other fans are too complex in terms of parts.

"Most ceiling fans on the market are copies of antiques or at least influenced by them. They have lots of brass and ornate glass. The ceiling fan was invented in the 1890s and everything was ornamented," he says. "A ceiling fan that is simple works OK in any environment. It disappears."

Fans in his line range from $290 to around $500.

Linda Bishop, owner of Elektra Lights & Fans Inc. in Wauwa-tosa, Wis., says outdoor fans also are gaining in popularity.

They have been around for about 20 years, she says, but until the past few years, have been casual and generic looking.

"Now, some of the new fans are so nice looking that I use them a lot inside, too," she says.

These fans can be used in gazebos, open porches and areas where water could hit them.

"The motors are completely sealed so water and moisture aren't going to hurt the motor, and the blades are usually made out of elements that are water resistant," Bishop said.

TIPS FOR DRAWING THE MOST BENEFITS FROM FANS

Here are ceiling fan basics from Hank Albert, owner of BBC Lighting & Supply:

• In summer, run your fan counterclockwise to draw cooler air up. In winter, run it clockwise to push warm air down.

• Fans range in size from 24 to more than 60 inches. Most have three speeds that go forward and in reverse.

• Fans come with three to five blades, but the number of blades doesn't make a difference when it comes to efficient air flow.

• Fans come with short down rods, unless you buy a fan that is meant to hug the ceiling. A short rod is better than no rod, as your fan will operate more efficiently because it can create airflow.

• Rods are available at up to six feet, but it's generally best not to use more than a 4-foot down rod as your fan may wobble.

• Many fans can be installed on sloped ceilings, but a special bracket is required.

• Most fans can be used with lights and some come with their own.

• For rooms with very high ceilings, the bottom of the fan can be 10 to 11 feet from the floor. If the room is very large, you can go up to 12 feet.

• The lower your ceiling fan is, the more effective it will be at pushing air down. If there is no space above it, there is no air to pull down.

• When building a home, inform builders in advance so the correct wiring can be done for fans.

• Remote controls are available for some models.

BUYING WHAT IS BEST FOR YOU

Wondering what size ceiling fan to buy? Emerson Ceiling Fans provides this information:

• 29-inch fans are for bathrooms, hallways or rooms up to 50 square feet.

• 36-inch fans are good in breakfast nooks or rooms up to 75 square feet.

• 42-inch fans are a good choice for small bedrooms and kitchens or rooms up to 100 square feet

• 50- or 52-inch fans work well in standard-size bedrooms, family rooms or rooms up to 400 square feet.

• 54-inch fans or larger can go in great rooms or other areas that are more than 400 square feet.