Ceiling Fans 101 - Home Page

What's New in Ceiling Fans Bring home a reminder of the tropics or your favorite beach with a new ceiling fan. There's nothing cooler than the hottest ceiling fans.

Ceiling fans are available with multiple speed settings, powerful whisper-quiet motors and the Accu-Arm system, designed to minimize blade vibration and wobble. Plus, with the addition of remote controls, fans can be controlled from anywhere in the room.

From traditional to modern, you'll find a large selection of ceiling fans at Lightingandceilingfans.com. Check out the Mix-and-Match program, which lets you choose each fan component – the housing, light kit, blade style and finish – so you can create a custom ceiling fan for every room.

Blades: Fan blades come in many shapes and styles, from large metal paddles to handcarved wood blades or wicker. Keep in mind that elaborate designs work well in large spaces but can overwhelm small rooms.

Downrods: Downrods and canopies (the decorative cover that encloses the mounting bracket ) are also available with intricate detailing, such as decorative castings and scrollwork.

Finishes: There are numerous finishes available, such as iron, bronze, brushed nickel and pewter, to suit every décor from traditional to contemporary. Choose a finish and blade combination that complements your room's color palette and existing accents.

Light kits: Many fans are designed with integrated light kits. Lighting styles range from basic halogen bulbs with chandelier-style shades, to alabaster glass uplights and textured Tiffany-style glass downlights. Workspaces such as kitchens or home offices need bright light, so pairing your fan with a light kit is a practical idea. Ceiling fans push the design envelope with new styles that have retractable blades.
Ceiling fans aren't just decorative ornaments that stir up air to make you feel a little cooler. Attractive as some of them are, they can actually save you about 30% of your cooling costs and 10% of your heating costs when run in combination with adjusting your home's temperature, two degrees. And ceiling fans (without a light fixture) only use about as much energy as a 100-watt light bulb. Pretty cool! Classic style shines when a fan is paired with elegant lighting.
Choose the largest fan your room will allow. A larger fan moves more air at lower speeds, which reduces noise and increases the fan's life span, since it doesn't have to work as hard.
Install your fan at least seven feet from the ground and make sure there's ample room for the blades to spin unencumbered, at least 24" from the closest wall. Purchase a fan with a light kit to increase its versatility. Fans that don't come with a light are adaptable in case you ever want to add one.

The right type of mounting maximizes the cooling effect. If you have low ceilings, choose a ceiling-hugging flush mount and/or semi-flush mount fan (3- to 6-inch downrods); for higher ceilings, use longer downrods to bring the circulating action down into the room. Sloped ceilings require an angled mount, usually sold separately.

If you're going to use your fan outside, the motor should be designed to withstand moisture and temperature changes and the blades should be constructed from a man-made material that won't warp with humidity.

It's not the number of blades, but the blade pitch (from 8 degrees to 15 degrees) that affects air circulation. The higher the pitch, the more air the fan circulates at slow speeds.
Fans labeled with the ENERGY STAR® logo use less energy so you save money on utility bills while protecting the environment.

Simplify installation with a Quick-Connect system. A fan with this feature installs in a matter of minutes because the motor housing comes pre-assembled and the blades slide and lock in.

The ultimate convenience? A remote control! Some remotes even have special sensors that will turn the fan on and off automatically or adjust fan speed based on room temperature.
A cast-iron motor absorbs and removes the motor heat better than steel motors, is rustproof and is extremely stable, making the fan virtually wobble-free. Whether it's the family room, bedroom, living room, porch or sunroom, a ceiling fan will add ambience, energy efficiency and comfort.
Traditional fixtures and finishes continue to influence style.
Homeowners are using more exterior wall-mounted lanterns, which conceal the lamp.
Chandeliers are the most functional of fixtures: hang one in a dining room to set a soft mood, in an entry to welcome guests, or in a bedroom for a relaxing glow.
There’s a chandelier made for every room, no matter your style or the décor. Adding a light kit to a ceiling fan is a popular option among homeowners, but be aware that some lights kits produce only enough illumination for general purpose lighting and not for task lighting.

A ceiling fan’s electrical box must be labeled (by under writers Laboratories) to carry the weight of the fixture.

If you place a light kit on you ceiling fan, you can install wall switches to control the fan and light independently.

TRADITIONAL CEILING FANS

Q. How is the traditional ceiling fan evolving in response to home design trends?
A. Lighting has become a very fashionable part of the home, and ceiling fans shouldn’t be an exception. With its latest designs, LCF strives to make its ceiling fans reflect the aesthetic sensibilities of existing lighting in the home.

Q. Are there ceiling fans available that are decorative enough to replace traditional fixtures?
A. Mimicking the look of a chandelier LFC features crystal accents and silk shades on some light kits. These added touches, which are popular in other decorative lighting categories, make the fan fashionable, as well as functional.

Q. What are some other new trends in traditional ceiling fan design?
A. Traditional ceiling fans seem to be growing larger by the day. Increasingly detailed housing and blade irons are also very popular, as are rich, sophisticated finishes and intricate, textured glass options.

Q. What are some extra features consumers look for in a traditional ceiling fan?
A. Consumers are looking for a fan that is both attractive and functional. They want something that will coordinate with home’s décor but also provide quality air movement and light output. LFC manufactures have worked hard to incorporate larger motors and increased blade pitch in there latest models. Both of these things increase air flow. Newer fan designs also incorporate both up lighting and down lighting, which offer customers various options and effects.

Q. What is the best way to display a traditional ceiling fan?
A. The best way to display the more decorative fan designs is to present them with similar lighting fixtures they can be integrated into your home’s design aesthetic. Use fixtures from the fans design family in order to create an attractive scene.

Lighting and Ceiling Fans, Train lighting consultants

LIGHTING AND CEILING FANS EQUALS EXCELLENCE

The most important part of any ceiling fan is the motor; Take the fan that looks good in a showroom and put a cheap motor in it-which is what the makers of budget, unbranded fans do. Within a short time, you’ll end up with a noisy, wobbly fan that will begin by working inefficiently and may end up not working at all.

10 tips for better lighting design

The ability to help clients understand lighting and design a space that fits their needs is the hallmark of every independent lighting retailer. But are you sure that your suggestions reflect the best thinking the industry has to offer?
We asked three veteran lighting designers with nearly 80 years’ combined experience to weigh in the issue. They came up with 10 tips to help you ask the right questions and take into account the necessary elements to create a lighting plan that’s perfect for your customers.
Good design begins with a thorough understanding of a client’s home – including architectural details, ceiling height and wall space.
Lighting that’s localized for a specific task, such as preparing and cooking food, needs to provide the homeowner plenty of lighting with mineral glare and shadows.
Bathroom lighting is usually directed horizontally and vertically, with the lights on the mirror’s side positioned at least three feet apart.
Rooms require four or more switches benefit from a master control the appropriate lighting setting for their activity.
Scones – which may have either fluorescent, halogen or in candescent sources, depending on the application – help establish a hallway’s mood, particularly when used with dimmers.

LIGHTING AND CEILING FANS LIGHT KITS:

Lighting and Ceiling Fans offers a tremendous variety of light kits in styles to match any décor. Customers can also choose fitters and glass shades to create a look that is customized just for them-and easy to install with any Lighting and Ceiling Fan’s fan model. The quality of our light kits is as impressive as our fans themselves, including a selection of genuine lead crystal shades.

VARIETY. Lighting and Ceiling Fans offers a wide array of ceiling fans and accessories to match any décor. Lighting and Ceiling Fans offers new fans, exclusive finishes and unique light kits, making the fan and light combinations nearly limitless. The result is one of the most impressive selections of ceiling fans anywhere!

STYLE. There’s no better way to add the finishing touches to a room, than with a ceiling fan. Made of only the highest quality materials, Lighting and Ceiling Fans excel in beauty and style. With so many fans and accessories to choose from, customers can always design the perfect fan combination for years of enjoyment.

10 tips for better lighting design

1. UNDERSTAND THE SPACE

This one sounds like a no-brainer, but design features such as ceiling heights, architectural details, available wall space, fireplace, mantel, cabinetry and a room’s dimensions all affect the design.
Especially for multi-story, open spaces, choose bulbs with extra-long lives so homeowners don’t have to drag out a tall ladder or pay someone to change that faraway bulb too often. If the project is a renovation, walk the space, examine the nooks and crannies and see the architectural details for yourself.

2. KNOW HOW THE ROOM WILL BE USED

The function of a bathroom is wholly different from the function of a kitchen, living room, how do the home owners use that room? Do they watch TV? Read? Entertain frequently? All of the above? How is their lifestyle affected of enhanced by lighting? The design begins with examining the functionality of the room and how the owners expect to interact with it.

3. LISTEN TO THE BUYER

A good design starts by asking questions, Questions should include how the space will be used, ages of family members and favorite activities in that room. Make sure there’s enough light to see and perform tasks, then look for the decorative lighting additions. If the homeowners are consulting with an interior designer on the project, gather as much information as possible about colors, textures, furniture types, cabinet designs and finishes. The more you bring to the plate in terms of understanding, the better the design will be.

4. EDUCATE THE COSTOMER

The luxury of offering regular lighting seminars to help customers understand cause-and-effect relationships between light and color, light on fabric, light on granite countertops and other ways that light interacts with its surroundings. Even if you don’t conduct lighting classes, you should be able to demonstrate for customers the interplay of light with its surroundings to help them understand the design you have in mind. Often customers come into a meeting with preconceived ideas that are simply wrong.

5. KNOW THE BUDGET BEFOREHAND

Qualifying customers on the basis budget will help you steer them the right direction. We have to know what it is because it can make a big difference in the way we proceed, when functional lighting is the aim, it doesn’t make sense to recommend top-end fixtures, for example. You have to have the wherewithal to have this discussion up front. When you’re asking survey-type questions to gauge their design tastes, ask them what type of budget they have. If they don’t know, suggest ranges and let them pick. Catalogs and manufacturers have all different levels of expense, so it’s important to know up front.

6. PICK FIXTURES AROUND LIGHT SOURCES

The types of light sources depend on the wattage allowed, which can get complex. Light distribution is critical. If there are four fixtures in the room, it’s important that each over-laps the others so there are no hot spots low spots. Bulb designs, features and functionality change often, so we make sure to keep up to date.

7. GIVE COSTUMERS OPTIONS

This point, in some part, has to do with budget, but even within a budget range, design styles can range widely. We always look for the opportunity to do cool, different stuff. When we come up with concepts, we always offer two or three to approach the same space.
For example, a hallway or galley-type area can be lit with recessed, low-voltage lights, which would be a standard approach. Another, more playful design would be to run lights along a flexible rail track. While the results would be similar, the approaches are totally different.

8. REMEMBER CONTROLS

In rooms require four or more light switches, Lighting and Ceilings Fans recommends using a master control with A-B-C-D-off functionality so homeowners can choose the light effects to reflect the use of the space. The costumer gets five looks for one space, it cleans up wall clutter and the costumer interface is better. It’s amazing to us that the industry doesn’t think about controls a lot. With dimmers or rheostats under cabinet lights can double as both functional/task lighting, helping bridge the gap between the two. The on/off switch is as archaic as push buttons on car radios, with scene control; you can take advantage of the dynamics of the design versus just low, medium and high settings.

9. DESIGN FOR FORM AND FUNCTION

Lighting and Ceiling Fans divide lighting into two categories: task/functional lighting and decorative lighting. We’ve seen designs that are more on the decorative side that look fine, but you can’t see to read or put on makeup. Lighting is most effective when the two work together. Lighting and Ceiling Fans advise designing around the light source before choosing fixtures. Once you have the light source set, then you can move on to aesthetics; Match the motif in the space and coordinate so that the light blends into the décor. Anytime you can see the bulb, it’s not a good design.

10. FOLLOW THE BUILDING PROCESS

The design isn’t finished when the costumer walks out the door with blueprints or product in hand. Wiring harnesses sometimes don’t fit where specified because of joists, pipes, or other obstructions, and, just as often the electrician doesn’t hang the fixtures where specified, which throws off the design’s integrity.
Walk the job with the contractor, Lighting and Ceiling Fans advises. Check with the electrician to see if he has any questions and understands where everything goes. While you’re at it, look for spaces that have changed structurally – which happens about 95 percent of the time. And before the electrician is paid, check to make sure the right bulbs are in the right fixtures and that the fixtures are aimed correctly. Lighting and Ceiling Fans offers a light aiming service to help ensure that was envisioned in the lighting design is exactly what the homeowner receives.

ADDING SPARKLE TO LIVING ROOMS

What’s the first goal with living room lighting? Dispelling the darkness, of course.
Then concentrate on task lighting and accent wall lighting.
The first step is to understand the space, including architectural details, fireplace and mantel, ceiling type, the desire for an art wall and the customer’s stated uses for the space. For example, a tray ceiling opens up the possibility of utilizing up lighting to help set a mood for the room.
Then, using ambient light, chandeliers, pendants, wall scones and lamps will light the space, adding drama and high lighting certain features.

Ask your customer what they spend for air conditioning in an average month.For example , 30% savings on a $100 bill is like saving $30.When you look at it that way, it's easy to sell up to the quality of Lighting and Ceiling Fans. It will pay for itself in a matter of months.

What size is your fan?

Fans, like rooms, come in diffrent sizes.For optimum air movement and comfort from a fan, recommend the proper size, as shown below.

Bathrooms, halfways, walk-in closets - 29 inch fan.

Breakfast nooks, bathrooms, laudry rooms - 36 inch fan.

Small bedrooms, small kitchens, large baths - 42 inc fan.

Standard bedrooms, kistchens, family rooms, screened proches - 50/52 inch fan.

Great rooms, large areas - 54 inch fan, or two fans.

Garages - 52 inch fan, or 56 inch industrial fan.

For long or large rooms, suggest using more than one fan.
Customers are sometimes afraid that a 52 inch fan will overwhelm the room. Reassure them that will not happen.

For maximum confort , the fan should be placed as close as possible to the center of the room. Blade tips should be at least 18 inches from any wall.

Ceiling Fans 101 - Home Page