Ceiling Fan Favorites

During this recent heat wave we've been experiencing in Toronto I've had the cool task of specifying and shipping some ceiling fans to a client project north of the city.  In total I've actually specified about half a dozen ceiling fans in the past couple of months.  Ceiling fans have a bad reputation as being um, not so attractive, but truth is I don't have any issue with them at all (it must be my fascination with all things mechanical) in fact there are some beautiful fans on the market these days.  Aside from how cool they look,,,they are simply a must have in certain spaces in order to achieve proper air circulation.  I personally enjoy rooms that are cooled by fan rather than air conditioning, particularly bedrooms.  No matter how hot or humid the temps may be, I'd chose to sleep in a room with a ceiling fan vs airconditioning any day.

Below are a few of my favorite fans I've recently selected for projects that may inspire you to consider a ceiling fan in your city, country, or outdoor living space.

This is what I consider the quintessential classic modern fan.  The Ball Fan by Modern Fan Co.  I'm having several of these installed on a renovation project in the resort town of Collingwood....  

A snap shot of the new master bedroom addition (taken yesterday) with its cathedral ceiling clad with v-groove boards, the boards will be painted white, the walls the palest silvery grey and I've chosen to go with the the ball fan in the aluminum finish.  Underneath the floor protection is a gorgeous wide plank grey washed, white oak wood floor by Moncer.  I am sooo looking forward to seeing the floors revealed!!!

I'm particularly partial to the Ball Fan in gloss white, especially in white interiors.  This version is being used in a guest bedroom and in the living room below....

The living room has 11' high ceilings and the old fireplace is getting a complete modern update, it will be floor to ceiling, all white except for the hearth and surround.  The electrical on the chimney wall is for an art light, not a TV!  For this room I selected the white ball ceiling fan for a cool relaxed white on white on white space.  The wide plank grey washed Moncer floors are buried (but protected) beneath all that mess too.

From the country to the city, back on my NYC reno project a couple of ceiling fans were necessary because the interior rooms of the apartment don't have windows or convector units so fans are needed to keep both warm and cool air flowing all year round.

I selected this Cirque ceiling fan by Minka Aire for the kid's lounge area.  The design reminds me of a mobile, and the asymmetrical nature of the blades lends itself particularly well to our installation where we couldn't get the ceiling box in the centre of the room.

In the small Den/Guest Bedroom of the need for good air circulation was really important for the comfort of overnight guests.  I selected this elegant looking small scale ceiling fan/light by Moooi with its fan blades concealed by a drum shade.

The Mistral ceiling fan by Moooi.

Another favorite of mine is the Artemis ceiling fan by Minka Aire.  I havn't installed this one on a project just yet but I love its sculptural lines and think it would be a beautiful addition to any space for a cool contemporary vibe.

Keep in mind when selecting a ceiling fan that unless you have ceilings higher than 8', you'll need to go with a low profile, ceiling hugger style fan in lieu of a stem rod.   Code requires that ceiling fan blades be no lower than 7'.   If your ceilings are much less than 8', look for a table top or a floor model fan instead.   If your pre-planning for ceiling fans, be sure to include extra support at the junction box to compensate for the movement/vibration of the fixture and always use the mfg's own wall switches for best performance and longevity.