Determining what type of ceiling fan you should add to your room of choice can seem like a surprisingly complex decision when you are first starting out. You need to consider the dimensions of your room, the size of the fan, airflow and CFM, the length of its blades, how many blades, their materials, and more.

1. How to Choose Between Ceiling Fan Sizes
   • Room Size vs. Fan Size
   • Ceiling Fan Size Guide / Chart
   • Hanging Height
   • Sloped / Special Ceiling Types
2. How Does a Ceiling Fan Work?
   • Ceiling Fan Controls
   • What is CFM and Airflow?
   • DC Motor Ceiling Fans
3. How to Choose the Right Ceiling Fan Blade
   • How Many Ceiling Fan Blades? Does it matter?
   • Fan Blade Finishes and their Advantages

Q: How do I choose a ceiling fan size that fits my room?

A: The first thing to consider when deciding your ceiling fan size is the size of the room in which it will go. The square footage of a room dictates how big the ceiling fan will need to be because a fan that is too small or big for a space will not circulate the air properly.

In larger spaces, depending on the shape of the room, another option can be to go with two smaller fans. When sizing a ceiling fan to your room size, you want a minimum of 18″ to 24″ of clearance on all sides of the fan.

Ceiling Fan Size Guide:

Q: How do I determine the hanging height of the fan?

A: To meet building codes, the bottom of the fan should be at least seven feet off the floor; eight to nine feet will allow for optimal circulation. For higher ceilings, you can use fans with downrods, such as the Ball Ceiling Fan, to achieve the right height. The more space between the ceiling and the blades, the better for air flow and circulation. Ideally, aim for at least 12 inches.

• Low Ceilings: For rooms with ceilings eight feet or shorter, flush mount fanslike the Cirrus Flush Mount Ceiling Fan from Modern Fan Company are the ideal option. As their name suggests, these fans “hug” the ceiling to create a low profile. In order to achieve their short height, these flush mount fans do not incorporate downrods in their design.
• Average & High Ceilings: To hang a fan at the appropriate height in a room with a ceiling nine feet high or higher, a ceiling fan that uses a downrod is the right fit. A downrod ranges from 3 to 72 inches in length and is what  suspends the fan from the canopy. This is ideal because more space between the fan blades and the ceiling will result in better air circulation.

Fans will typically come with one or two downrods, in different standard lengths. However, if more length is needed to achieve the ideal hanging height, additional downrods in other sizes can be purchased. For a room with a 9-foot ceiling, select a fan with a 6” downrod. For ceilings that are taller than nine feet, add 6” to the downrod for every foot of height: 10-foot ceiling, 12″ downrod; 11-foot ceiling, 18″ downrod; and so on.

Q: What is CFM and ceiling fan airflow?

A: Airflow quantifies the amount of air a ceiling fan delivers and is measured in CFM which stands for cubic feet per minute. CFM measurements are taken when a fan is on high speed, then that number is divided by the watts used. This means that the higher the CFM, the more efficient the fan, and the more air it moves. 75 cfm/w is the minimum to be considered efficient, according to Energy Star requirements.

At a glance, this information helps you to gauge a ceiling fan’s airflow and efficiency. This makes it easy to compare two or more fans of similar size. But what CFM is the best?

• Good CFM ranges from 4,000 to 5,000
• Better ranges from 5,000 to 6,000
• Best is over 6,000

Q: What is a DC Motor ceiling fan and what are its benefits?

A: DC motors are a new addition to household ceiling fans that generate additional torque while consuming less than 70% of the power of a typical ceiling fan. They do this by transforming electric energy into mechanical energy as they rotate.

DC motor fans have a slightly higher upfront cost than regular ceiling fans since they need a more expensive electronic speed controller. However, their benefits more than make up for it. These benefits are:

• Virtually silent operation
• Much smaller motors that result in smaller, lighter fans
• Efficient energy use that prolongs the fan’s life span
• Higher torque resulting in faster startup speeds
• The possibility for up to 6 different speeds

In cases where lighting is included, DC fans typically utilize LEDs, which only add to the fan’s energy efficiency.

Q: What should I consider when picking ceiling fan blades?

A: The number of ceiling blades is often an important point in deciding what type of ceiling fan to purchase, but this is becoming less of a question of function and more of personal choice with advancements in technology.

It used to be the case that a five or six-blade ceiling fan would translate into more efficiency as opposed to a three blade or four blade, but that’s no longer the case. Since the CFM is the measure for a fan’s airflow efficiency, the number of blades are more related to embellishing the style for your space. For example, a four or five-blade ceiling fan provides a more conventional, balanced look, whereas a fan with two or three blades possesses a modern and sleek style.

Q: How do different blade finishes affect their function?

A: Choosing the finish for your ceiling blades will largely be dependent on what room it’s going in and what your budget is.

1) ABS

ABS plastic is used in a lot of fans, mainly because it is easy and inexpensive to manufacture. Plastic can be molded into almost any shape and can be finished to look like real wood. And ABS blades hold up well outside.

(Note on reversible finishes: Blades that offer two different wood finishes are usually able to do so because of two different laminates being applied on either side. That being said, ABS blades can also be made with two different finishes. So, while reversible blades are most likely made out of MDF, it’s not a hard and fast rule.)

2) Wood

Wood is best for indoor applications, but it will also work for outdoor damp. Sourcing and processing natural wood into fan blades takes more effort and cost than other materials. So generally, when a fan has “real wood” blades, it is a premium fan. Most wood blades are balsa wood–which is solid, but lightweight and aerodynamic–although other types can be used as well. Visually, real wood blades tend to have a carved look, with a thicker profile than standard flat blades.

3) Metal

Metal is best for large spaces where the fan is high above the floor. By code, they are supposed to be hung at 10′ or higher. Metal is a popular blade choice with smaller oscillating ceiling, wall and portable fans.

However, installation anywhere near the ocean and they will rust. Even a “marine grade” version will eventually rust. 

4) MDF

With medium density fiberboard (MDF) blades, sawdust and other wood remnants are compressed together with a hardening material. Then, a laminate (a sticker) is put over it to protect it and give its finished look. This type of blade is the least expensive and so is generally used for inexpensive fans, but not always. It does not hold up well outside; if there’s any moisture, the blade will start to droop fairly quickly after being installed. But in dry indoor locations, these kind of blades work great.

Q: Can the fan also light my room?

A: Most fans come with light kits or will offer a compatible option. A great consideration, they will provide overhead ambient illumination, but may need to be supplemented with other fixtures.

Q: Can I use a ceiling fan outdoors? 

A: Yes, fans can be used under covered porches and patios where they will not come into direct contact with the elements.

Q: Can I install a ceiling fan if I have a sloped ceiling?

A: Aside from hugger fans, most fan canopies (the part that attaches to the ceiling and covers the junction box) can accommodate some degree of slope-usually up to 30 degrees. An additional longer downrod may need to be purchased to ensure enough blade clearance. For steeper slopes–or in cases where sloped ceiling installation is explicitly not allowed–manufacturers offer sloped-ceiling adaptors, often called angle mounts.

Just like a healthy balanced breakfast, your kitchen requires the right balance of lighting to get you on the right track to accomplish the day’s tasks.

From homework, to list-making to actual meal-prep and cooking, the kitchen is a veritable workhorse in the home. And the proper lighting mix—recessed downlighting, island-highlighting pendants, under-cabinet LEDs—will make sure it’s fit for all of those uses.

With this guide, we’ll walk you through the ins and outs of modern kitchen lighting.

Three types of lighting you need to know about: Ambient, Task and Accent

1. Ambient: This will be your main source of light—whether in addition to natural light, or to fill in for lack of it. You want to cast as much of it as evenly as possibly from your ceiling. You can do so with a combination of (but not limited to) chandeliers, pendant lights, recessed lighting, and flushmounts.
2. Task: While ambient lighting is used to enable you to navigate throughout the kitchen, it often leaves shadows in areas that require more focus. With the help of task lighting, work surfaces and cabinetry are properly illuminated so you can safely prepare meals, read recipes, and easily spot ingredients on a shelf. Common kitchen task lighting options include strip lights and puck lights.
3. Accent: Consider these flourishes the cherry on top of your well-designed kitchen: toe kick lights, cabinet lights and any other light that might accentuate your favorite elements. They also might cross over into ambient and task lighting as well.

Illuminate Key Lighting Areas

Over Your Island: Task or Ambient Lighting

Depending on whether your island has an integrated cooktop/workspace or is more for hanging out, you’ll want to light accordingly.

For task-oriented islands (food prep, recipe reading), try for a mix of recessed downlighting and hanging lights. But for ambient hang-out islands (like counter seating), something as simple as mini-pendants will do: Pendants should be placed at least 30-32 inches apart and 30-36 inches above the island, with at least six inches from edge of island.

Option One: Pendants. When it comes to installing your pendants, as a general rule of thumb, a set of two pendant lights installed over a kitchen island should be at least 30 inches from the center of the island and have 30-32 inches between the countertop and the bottom of the pendant. A set of three pendant lights should be just as high up, spaced apart evenly, and be at least six inches from the edge of the island.

Another Option: Linear Suspension Lighting
Linear suspension lights work well in the kitchen especially if you have higher ceilings and can hang one at least 40” above your countertop.

Under-Cabinet Lighting: For Tasks and Accents

A little bit task lighting, a little bit accent and a whole lot more than just a design frill

While ambient lighting is used to navigate throughout the kitchen, it often leaves shadows under cabinets, in areas that require more focus. With the help of undercabinet task lighting, work surfaces and cabinetry are properly illuminated so you can safely prepare meals, read recipes, and easily spot ingredients on a shelf.

Good to know: A great sales or support person can help you ensure the size, material, and brightness of a particular fixture is exactly what you need, or even map out a whole lighting scheme. Common kitchen under-cabinet lighting options include:

• Strip Lights: Versatile and great for illuminating a cabinets interior, especially low cabinets that hardly receive any ambient lighting. LED strip lights are also used under the cabinet to fully illuminate counter spaces.
• Puck Lights: Round and oval, puck lights are great mood lights and can be used to illuminate countertops in the form of a scallop, spot or pool of light.

Focus on the Ceiling: Ambient Lighting Where You Need It Most

The higher and brighter, the better to fill your kitchen with light. Recessed downlighting is the sine qua non of ambient kitchen lighting. In a smaller kitchen, you might get away with one larger flushmount ceiling light smack dab in the center of your kitchen, but recessed lights will give you a more customized lighting scheme. You want to splash the light evenly throughout your kitchen, with an emphasis on lighting high-use areas, so grid out the lights in straight lines along the axis of your counters. And if you’re worried about going too bright, add dimmers to give you control in a range of lighting scenarios.

Another Option: Flushmount or semi-flushmount lighting, as we mentioned, works better when you don’t have as large a space to light. And, unlike recessed lights which are hidden in the ceiling, these lights give you the option to add more stylistic touches to your kitchen.

Make Your Design Shine: Add Kitchen Accent Lighting

The right placement of accent lights can really help emphasize your favorite elements. Common kitchen accent lights include:

• Recessed: This type of refined, out-of-the-way lighting can go anywhere. But it is particularly important when you want to illuminate areas of visual interest like open shelves and glass cabinets.
• Overcabinet: Placed between the cabinet and ceiling, overcabinet lights add a dramatic touch to your kitchen. Created in a similar fashion to undercabinet lighting, overcabinet lighting can provide even illumination to accent decor and architecture.
• Toekick Lights: A great way to distinguish kitchens and to illuminate a pathway. Toe lighting is produced via rope lights or LED tape.

Focusing on the right layers will help you make the most of the space in your kitchen and enjoy every meal from breakfast to midnight snacks.