We spoke recently with a friend who abashedly admitted she didn’t know squat abut ceiling fans. That, in fact, she avoided buying fans altogether as it was too daunting. This post, is for her and anyone else who is wary about shopping for ceiling fans. 

Ceiling fans have gotten a bad rap from interior designers lately with many design-fluencers opting to remove ceiling fans from homes altogether. While we admire their determination – we also know they don’t live in South Florida, otherwise, they’d be making different choices. After all, design is primarily about function and when it comes to Florida weather, cool air is a necessity. 

When talking with our friend, we found out that she felt pressured to remove ceiling fans from a design standpoint because they are “eye sores.” Well, that could not be further from the truth. In fact, there are plenty of ceiling fans out there that are quite stunning and really enhance the overall design of your room – including some you can find at Home Depot! 

We’ve compiled some of our favorite ceiling fans and brands for you here in the hopes to alleviate any pressure you feel about finding the right fan for your home.

The Debowsky Design Group Round Up: Ceiling Fans

But first! Choosing the right size fan for your room is as easy as knowing your approximate square footage. A 42-inch fan is efficient for a room up to 200 square feet – 14 by 14 feet. This is the best size for most bedrooms and offices. Larger rooms up to 400 square feet can use a 52-inch fan to circulate air more effectively throughout the whole room. The number of fan blades is more a matter of aesthetics than anything else. Five blade fans may be a bit quieter, but a good quality fan should add very little ambient noise regardless.

• Casablanca Fans: Casablanca Fans are a great place to start looking for a fan that will match your style. They are made by Hunter – a well-respected brand in the field. With a variety of styles and a diverse price range, this is really our first recommendation to those looking for ceiling fans.  

• Rejuvenation: If you lean towards more modern tastes, consider Rejuvenation. Their selection is less diverse as Casablanca, but they have some great styles. What we love most about Rejuvenation as a brand is that it offers a large variety in colors per fan type – allowing you to customize your look to better fit your home’s style. 

• Big Ass Fans: Yep, this is a brand. And yep, they make some big fans. But they also make the Haiku which is one of the top selections for smart-home fans. It has motion, humidity, and temperature detectors that allow it to turn on itself and adjust the room’s conditions. It can also integrate with Alexa and Google Assistant for voice control. 

• Monte Carlo: The Maverick (Hi, Tom Cruise) by Monte Carlo boasts a 60” sweep – which is huge, if you remember our notes about sizing earlier. While it doesn’t offer a light, this fan was described as the “Prius of ceiling fans” by New York Magazine as it is powered by an energy-saving DC motor. Essentially, it can is so good that Energy Star rated it as one of the most-efficient fans. Not too shabby. 

• Design Within Reach: The LeatherLuxe ceiling fan from Design Within Reach is worth a mention on our round-up. Is it because the blades are wrapped in leather that it caught our eye? You bet. Its modern design harks back to the 1980s when designer Ron Rezek created a sleek fan design that became an instant hit. Wrapped in leather, this fan evokes a warm, inviting feeling that redefines luxury. We’re here for it.   

So, there you have it. 

Oh, and a quick note about safety: those 5 or 6 blades whirring overhead are nothing to be concerned about – unless you’re a 7′ dude or an active kid who likes to jump on the bed (in which case, sure, maybe get a high powered AC unit and a flushmount light).