I can remember back in the days of watching Trading Spaces designers ripping out fans on nearly every show. Coming from Texas, I was always thinking, “There is no way these homeowners will stay sane and happy without that thing!” The truth is that the fan is your friend in any climate, and in all seasons. Yes, some of them are ugly, but many offer an opportunity to add style to a room. Add a light kit and you can find some even more unique combinations.
Obviously fans can save energy in the summer season. The trick is to be sure you raise your thermostat about 3 degrees and run the fan instead, to make the air feel cooler with the breeze created. This is more energy efficient than cooling the room with air conditioning alone. It can also mean more days of opening the windows and not needing the AC at all.
In winter, set the switch on the fan to a clockwise direction and run the fan on the lowest setting. This pulls air up in the center of the room so that it displaces the warm air that rises to the ceiling. This redistributes the heat around the room and minimizes the demand on your heating system.
Outdoor fans on your porch can make you more comfortable in the summer, and they are the best non-chemical way to keep the mosquitoes away.
Check out reviews with photos of a variety of styles on Top Ten Reviews. This blog post from Little Green Notebook addresses the compatibility of ceiling fans and style with some nice photography, as well.
