apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Look at Artemides - some beautiful ones that fit what you're looking for.

I don't really think you can beat the Modern Fan Company for awesome fans. They're priced relatively affordable too at YLighting.com.

Surprisingly, with the speed contols that come with the Westinghouse fans, they won't blow your bed out of the window at all. I was in the same dilemna as you were, and installed an industrial fan in my bedroom. I found plain white, 60" industrial fans at Home Depot from Hampton Bay for $60 bucks a piece. They're not fancy but they work and are Energy Star­® rated. Good Luck.

orangepaperbike: how quiet is your industrial fan? is it a westinghouse as well?

Orangepaperbike: Ditto! Is it quiet?

We got the Minka Aire Concept II fan in white at Lightology (here in Chicago and online) for our bedrooms and kitchen and LOVE it. It is sleek and pretty with no pull chains (it has a wall-mounted remote) and the light (which is optional) is on a dimmer when it comes on. We paid about $200 last summer when it was on sale but it retails for $245 or so. The Lightolgoy showroom has it and many other great fans on display.

I love the fans at Modern Fan.
www.modernfan.com

They have a new fan coming out in August that looks like it might be what you're looking for.

http://www.modernfan.com/pensi.html

We just installed to Hunter Sonic fans in our bedrooms. But in the brushed nickle finish... which I like much more than the white. One with light wood blades and the other with black blades. I love them.

My fan is quiet except on the top speed. The Hampton Bay models are 4 speed, not 5 speed like the Westinghouse, and the lower 3 speeds are not loud at all. The top speed creates quite a "whoosh."

I can second the Minka Aire fans. I have one also and was very impressed with how quiet it is, and how much air it moves. Love the remote too.

Like other posters, I really like Modern Fan. We have four and they really do the trick. We use the ac much less frequently and they are stylish to boot.

Got this for our bedroom and liked it so much, we got more for our office and our spare bedroom.

http://lightingbygregory.com/lighting/product/el-eps48bc3lk.html

It's 48" and pretty quiet.

Our ceiling is higher in the living room so we installed this one.

http://lightingbygregory.com/lighting/product/el-tdr48bc4lkrcr2.html

They really help with cooling in the summer and circulating heat in the winter.

Third vote for the Minka Aire Concept II. We've installed 5 over the years (in 2 different houses) and they are wonderful...powerful, quiet, and the remote is fantastic. We keep the ceilings white and get a white fan - you really don't notice them up there.

I really like the Minka Aire Artemis with translucent blades:

http://www.hansenwholesale.com/ceilingfans/model.asp?Mfg=MF&ProdNo=F803-TL&Ceiling%20Fans=Minka%20Aire Artemis Ceiling%20Fan

Very different, quiet and powerful

We absolutely adore our Modern Fan 'Cirrus Hugger'.

Look at Minka Aire's Acero also...I have it in oil rubbed bronze with walnut blades...really great retro-modern look.

Also, you really can't beat the old school good looks and bullet proof reliability of a white Hunter Original.

Gumbo, we have the Ellington Ellipse in Brushed Chrome with the light and I can't stand it. Sounds like the walls in our bedroom are humming. Maybe it is off balance.

3 ceiling fans from Modern Fan Company. Sleek in stainless and quiet. Unfortunately, the air conditioners still get their fair share of use:(

honestly, you can't beat the Minka Aire, especially the ceiling hugger models. I too have installed 5 of them, in 2 different apts. White 44" is great for a room up to about 15x20, plus they're relatively inexpensive. Only thing is you've got to get the ceiling plate level or they'll wobble.

Oops, meant to say Minka Aire Concept II

I'm looking for a ceiling fan for the kitchen--needs to be energy star and have a light kit that uses CFLs well. We NEED good lighting! I've been thinking about this one-- http://www.ylighting.com/mod-aurorahugger.html?pgo=5,12,ceiling-fans
but would like to find one cheaper if possible.

Doe anyone know if the Hunter Sonic produces decent lighting?

Another Minka Aire vote here.

We got this one:

http://www.lumens.com/lumens/product.asp?path=Search&path=Minka Aire&search_handle=A%3dMinka Aire%7eB%3dMinka Aire%7eD%3d40%7eK%3d4%7eL%3d1%7eM%3d2%7eN%3d3%7e&scid=SearchResults&pf_id=PAAAIAAPENNIICBJ&spoffset=2&s_id=0

which is traditional enough to fit in well in our old bungalow, but modern enough to suit our taste. There are three finishs. It is really beautiful in person.

sorry about that hideous link...didn't realize how long it was.

Here it is again. It's the Acero fan.

http://tinyurl.com/6rdhle

we have a minka concept I (not flush). like the design but we've had two problems: the humming noise from the motor is very audible. we sent the first back and they replaced it right away but we have the same problem with the new one. wouldn't be bad were it not in the bedroom...
and the remote was flipping out and would drain batteries in a few days and keep the fan running only on the fastest speed.

I've had a 52" white Hunter original suspended 3 feet from my ceiling/over my bed for decades. One of the things that I like about it is that it has a very simple, functional 4 blade design and is a low gloss white.

I don't like Modern Fans. I find the shiny white finish cheap looking? like something from a factory? except, perhaps, in a completely modern apartment. I'd prefer a pure white satin finish. I also find the 3 blade and, especially, 5 blade, versions off-putting. It seems like their designs are trying hard but don't succeed. I don't know quite why.

Consumer Reports says that all fans are fine and the way to judge how quiet they are is by the design of the blades. Anything that isn't plain will make noise.

When I re-do my loft, I'll have the same problem you do - finding new fans that need to hang 3' down for a space that is a mix of styles, so this is a post I'll bookmark.

I have two Minka Aire Acero ceiling fans in brushed nickel. They look great, are quiet and really do the job. 3-speed, light on a dimmer. I'm sitting under it right now...

Agree with others on the Minka Aire Concept II. My electrician is coming to install them on Friday in the downstairs rumpus room. They are VERY close to the ceiling (11" ish) so ideal for downstairs. Also, they're very sleek, with no little nooks and crannies to collect dust. I don't know yet how quiet and/or reliable they'll be, since they aren't up yet, but I asked my electrician after I'd ordered them and he likes Minka fans. I don't think the Concept II looks super-modern, but it's most definitely not flowery.

We actually purchased & returned the Westinghouse Industrial fan. We wanted it for outdoors. The lower settings hardly blew any air around & the higher setting sounded like a plane was taking off.

Plastolux, now that you mention it, when we installed the first Ellipse, it was louder than normal. After some tinkering, we found it was not balanced. Since it's been adjusted, it's great. Low=can't hear anything; medium=slight buzz from the motor; high=soft buzz from the motor. Check the balance and good luck!

more props for the Modern Fan Company. Not only are they well designed, but well built.

I got a Hunter about 8 years ago. I chose it over a Hampton or other "builder's quality" fan from the Depot mostly because of the remote feature, which wasn't all that common at the time.

After a year, the remote died so I called Hunter and they immediately sent me a replacement remote and receiver, without even asking for proof of purchase or RMA the parts. Amazing service; it's been running great (mostly year round) since and now I even have a second remote for the bed stand.

One summer during high school, I worked for a fan company called Fanimation in Zionsville, Indiana, and I've been obsessed with fans ever since. They have a really wide selection of beautiful and efficient fans. Most of the fans come in a variety of colors-- both for bodies and blades. You should definitely check out the webiste! www.fanimation.com