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Best Rated Fandeliers + DIY Ceiling Fan Makeover

ByLauren
41 Comments

A round up of the best rated fandeliers, what rooms to use them in, and how to paint a ceiling fan to customize your space.

best fandeliers and how to paint a ceiling fan

I know I was an English teacher and all that, but I’m coming at you with an equation today…

1 ceiling fan + 1 chandelier = the fandelier !!!

It was the greatest addition problem to ever happen to our living room, and since we installed it a year ago, we’ve found so many beautiful fandelier ceiling fans to use in several rooms.

This post is full of designer-worthy bladeless ceiling fans, plus tips to show you how to paint a ceiling fan if you need a quick DIY ceiling fan makeover.

fandelier painted gold in a living room

As much as I liked our ceiling fan before, our style has evolved quite a bit in the 5 years since we put it up.

I always craved something that looked more like a chandelier without sacrificing the function of a ceiling fan. (Because your girl does not glisten, she sweats. Mmkay?)

BEFORE

farmhouse style ceiling fan in a living room

What is a Fandelier?

Fandeliers have come a long way in the past year or so, and they are a great lighting solution when you want to combine the comfort of a ceiling fan and the style of a chandelier.

At first glance, a fandelier looks like a chandelier, but internal disguised fan blades still allow the function of air circulation.

To be brutally honest, when I first saw the whole fandelier / bladeless ceiling fan idea hit the market, I was not cool with them (no pun intended).

They are hit or miss in my book when it comes to the “cute” factor. I look at some of them and think, “That has absolutely no business being in existence.”

Some of them cross the line into looking just plain weird. But a few really balance the line of function and beauty so well. So I’ve rounded up lots of chandelier ceiling fans of which interior designers would totally approve…

chandelier ceiling fan spray painted gold

The Best Rated Chandelier Ceiling Fans

I spent weeks searching for the “perfect” chandelier ceiling fan in our living room, read more reviews than I should admit (because I’m a review junkie), and made a wishlist of my absolute favorite fandeliers.

All of them pass the “designer test” but, most importantly, they function well according to others who have used them first hand.

Affiliate links are provided below. Full disclosure here.

gold spray painted chandelier fan in a living room with white walls and black French doors

Do fandeliers work as well as ceiling fans?

I get this question a lot. After over a year of owning several, we are totally happy with all of our fandeliers. They move air every bit is well (sometimes better) than our traditional ceiling fans with blades. (We are hot-natured people who live in South Carolina where it’s very hot and humid, so air movement is very important to us.)

I still am so pleased with this fandelier we just put up in the living room over a year later! It surprised Robert and me both that the air movement is even more powerful than with our old traditional ceiling fan we had before.

A nice added feature our old fan didn’t have before is this one has a light kit dimming feature that creates a moody ambience in the evenings if we only want soft overhead lighting.

The remote control allows us to reverse the fan direction in the winter months to pull warm air down from the ceiling too.

glass and gold fandelier in a living room with limewashed brick fireplace white walls and black doors

How to Paint a Ceiling Fan

I really wanted an antique brass or gold chandelier ceiling fan, but of course as Murphy’s Law would have it, the one I really loved only came in brushed nickel or black. The shape was our style but the color wasn’t.

So I busted out my tried and tested favorite gold spray paint to paint the fan instead.

Supplies

Before Painting the Ceiling Fan

  • Remove the fan light, glass pieces, and any other removable non-metal components from the fan
  • Completely cover wires and cords with a plastic trash bag and/or painters tape
  • Place on a drop cloth or scrap cardboard in a well ventilated area
how to paint a ceiling fan chandelier

Steps

  1. In an even, sweeping motion, 12-18″ away, apply the automobile primer on the metal surface of the fandelier.
  2. Once the primer is dry, flip the fan over and apply primer to the underside.
  3. Repeat Steps 1 and 2 with the gold spray paint.
  4. Install the ceiling fan after the paint dries completely overnight to prevent fingerprint marks.
priming a chandelier ceiling fan
spray painting a fandelier gold

TIP: It’s best to apply 2-3 even light coats of paint rather than 1-2 thick coats to prevent drip marks. Be sure the first coat is completely dry before flipping the fixture over to paint the underside.

It’s such an easy ceiling fan DIY project to create an entirely new look whether you’re working with a traditional ceiling fan with regular blades or a fandelier. The hardest part is waiting for paint to air dry between coats.

Where to Use Fandeliers

1. Home Gyms

We installed our first bladeless ceiling fan in our home gym shed two years ago to keep the air circulating during workouts. Having the ability to retract this ceiling fan’s blades when not in use creates ceiling space for the occasional pull-up or medicine ball toss.

We’ve been fans of fandeliers in the home gym ever since.

a chandelier ceiling fan in a home gym with retractable blades

2. Bedrooms

Chandeliers are beautiful for creating ambience in bedrooms, but for those who need circulating air to sleep, fans are a must. So the chandelier fan can help bridge the gap between both for couples who can’t agree on their bedroom lighting. (We’ll probably go this route in the future for our primary bedroom too.)

This vintage style wicker caged fan we used in our oldest daughter’s room has been the best bedroom ceiling fan by far.

wicker bladeless ceiling fan in a bedroom

3. Kids’ Rooms

Especially in a kids’ room with bunk beds, a bladeless ceiling fan reduces risk of accidents. How many times did you whack your head on a ceiling fan blade climbing out of a top bunk when you were a kid?

This boho style woven caged fan created the perfect blend of style and function in this shared girls’ bunk room makeover.

kids bunk room with caged fan fixture

3. Living Rooms

Since living rooms are usually the larger rooms of the house, choose a larger fandelier. Rooms meant for gathering can feel stuffy, so circulating the air when entertaining a crowd helps the room breathe.

4. Kitchens

If you can’t handle the heat, install a chandelier fan in the kitchen. When cooking, it can push heat, smoke, and food smells out of the room.

Choose one that is smaller in place of semi flush mount light fixtures. Traditional ceiling fans can look awkward in a kitchen, which is why a fandelier is the best kitchen ceiling fan.

If your laundry room or dining room gets overheated, they could be helpful there too. However, I personally don’t love fans of any kind above dining tables since they can make food cold.

a painted gold fandelier in a living room with white sofas and leather chairs

FAQs

Why is my ceiling fan remote not working?

If you don’t use your ceiling fan remote for a week or more, it sometimes loses connection to the ceiling fan. If the remote isn’t working even with new batteries, look for a reset button on the remote; press and hold the reset button for a few seconds until it connects.

Do fandeliers cool the room?

Even though they look small, fandeliers are mighty in strength. We have used several fandeliers in room projects and never once were we disappointed in their air circulation. Many ceiling fans without blades work even better than traditional fans with blades.

More Lighting and Ceiling Fan Ideas

Do you have a fandelier somewhere in your house? What’s the final verdict for you? Love or hate?

It took a while for them to grow on me, but I think lighting designers are starting to get it right!

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41 Comments

  1. Not a “fan”. I never cared for ceiling fans with lights either. Actually, I never jumped on the chandelier craze for living rooms, bedrooms, etc. as I always think overhead lighting is glaring, harsh, and unflattering unless it’s dimmed so low why bother. The exception being dining room chandeliers which are hung lower and can be dimmed to a warm and flattering light while still be functional. Like you said, to each his own.

    Reply

  2. Lauren, Great article. I have been teetering on the fence post for the very same thing a “fandelier”. BTW, Great name for it. I am definitely going to look into it and she did a beautiful job making a gold. Also, your home is Beautiful. Thanks again, Patricia

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  3. Well. I see Lola approved of the new fixture! I laughed so hard when I saw her sound asleep in that one picture. 🙂 The fan looks very elegant as well. I love the light “shades” or whatever they are called.

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  4. What a beautiful fixture you chose and I do love it in the gold, it really fits well in your room. 🙂 Brilliant to put one in the gym as well. I had never even heard of this style, so thanks so much for sharing! 🙂

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    1. It really is such a great solution! When the concept first came along in the beginning, they were too bulky and clunky for me, but they’re definitely getting better these days.

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  5. hmmm….not a “fan” hehe – but I’m not on the “gold” ship either. Looks more appropriate on your shed ceiling, so for me, until they jazz up their styles, I’ll stick with the regular ceiling fans. I think that’s expensive too, plus I think your old one fit the room size better. But good for you for finding what you wanted in there! I did like the link post about gold colors, as those really do vary – so interesting to see side by side choices.

    Reply

      1. Very pretty!! I have a family room that is 20×20. Since this fan is 34” it states that it would not provide enough air or would have to work too hard to cool a room of that size. Your room looks to be that size too. Does it cool the room? Does it proportionately look good in the room since the size is only 34”? Thank you!!

        Reply

        1. Yes, our room is about that size too. But we have found it cools the room perfectly! I don’t know how it would do in a room bigger than ours, but we’re very happy with it. In comparison to this fan and the traditional ceiling fan we used to have, we’ve found this one to work just as well.