Ceiling fans are a great way to increase the comfort of your home while decreasing your heating and cooling costs. Luckily, there are lots of options when it comes to finding the right ceiling fan to match the mood of your indoor space. Here's what you need to know:

Tips for Choosing the Right Ceiling Fan

Size Matters

When choosing a ceiling fan, you want to match the blade size to the square footage of the room you'll be placing it in. A new fan will have the blade size on the package. The measurement is the size of the circle the blades make; you're looking for the diameter, or the distance across that circle. If you choose a fan that's too small, it will be ineffective, and one too large can be overpowering. Here are some common guidelines to keep in mind:

• 75 Square Feet. For a room of this size, choose a fan with 36-inch blades or smaller.
• 144 Square Feet. Medium sized rooms will do best with fan blades in the 36- to 42-inch range.
• 225 Square Feet. Large rooms call for large blades in the 50- to 54-inch range.
• More than 225 Square Feet. Look for oversized fans or consider installing multiple fans.

Pro Tip: Tall ceilings can impact your fan's effectiveness. If you have high ceilings, consider increasing the size of your fan blades, especially if the square footage of your room is on the higher end of the range.

Details, Details

Along with blade size, the number of blades and the pitch – or angle – of the blade are important. The steeper the pitch, the more air movement you'll feel. In most cases, larger fans will have more blades. However, some very large fans with eight or more blades are designed to simply create circulation rather than a breeze.

There's more than blade size to consider in terms of ceiling height, too. For ceilings less than 8 feet high, look for a flush-mount model. Ceilings between eight and nine feet can use the standard hanging rod that's about three to five inches long. Higher ceilings might require a longer hanging rod for optimal circulation.

Lastly, choose a model with a high-quality motor, especially for rooms that will use the fan frequently. You may be able to get by on a cheaper model in the guest room, but you'll want a quality fan that’s both stylish and durable in your main living spaces.

With so many styles to choose from, you should have no trouble finding the perfect one for your home’s aesthetic. Want more interior design tips for both style and functionality? Check out these blog posts:

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