Roseana writes:
I’ve looked and looked on your site, but I’m not seeing much in the way of what folks have done about replacing ceiling fans in their ranch or modern homes. Here in Texas, they are just essential. I’ve used fans from Modern Fan Company (the Ball fan) in a couple rooms, but I’m looking for something that’s less “minimal” than that design. And NO light fixtures in the fan, please! Who’s got some great leads on ceiling fans that aren’t garish and still fit in with the retro look we’re all after?
Okay, I started poking around and came up with some thoughts:
Roseana, one of the first stories I ever wrote on the blog — back in Nov. 2007 — provided some ideas to Kelly about decorating an attic in retro style. Haha, I had NO readers! Back then, I found Emerson Traditional Fans. I still like the look of these.
Also, the Prima Deluxe.
Roseana, as you have said, the Modern Fan Company fans are very… modern/contemporary … they are not what I’d call “retro – authentic”… not that I know exactly what retro-authentic means. But what I “tend” to believe is that they would be… simple and traditional: Wood blades… Chrome or probably even more so, unlacquered brass base.
Where else to look for a traditional / retro ceiling fans?
Some very nice looking classic – traditional – therefore, retro — designs at the Monte Carlo Fan Company.
Above: Fanimation seems to have some basic ceiling fans.
Above: Hunter has a number of traditional ceiling fans, but I think their styling with those pfoufy attachment-to-the-blade designs are a big much.
This Sterling Manor design from Kichler is pretty basic.
Progress has a basic design.
Kelly’s attic retro renovation: Ideas for vintage fans, mid century sofas and steel kitchen cabinets 
2 retro exhaust fans 
Midcentury home design and renovation ideas from 8 retro housebloggers 
Become a fan
I found a great ceiling fan at Home Depot – brushed nickel with grey paddles to match. Think the design on a 1950s style stool in a diner – I put it in the kitchen and it really looks nice. Not sure if they have it on the website – I found it in my local store.
We found a really nice fan at Lowes when we did up our holiday home in Ormond Beach Florida. I think they still do them. It looks like a fifties aviation propeller.
Home depot just revamped there whole lighting department tons of great
products including ceiling fans
Did people have fans in their homes in the 1950′s??
I love the ones you chose.
Beth, I don’t think they did much, but we really have to down here these days. It would be like going without central air conditioning, which they actually had here in Texas back in the ’30′s and ’40′s if you could afford it.
If we don’t keep the air circulating in our rooms, our air conditioning bills are way too high.
I would like to replace my ceiling fans, too. The previous owners of my house put in ones that are really gaudy and ornate, with almost Victorian style globes on the lights.
That’s down pretty far on my list, though. I have floors to do, first, and a bathroom that is falling apart. I am going to have a busy spring.
Then comes summer, when my mid century home gets the treatment. I promise lots of pictures for that one. The Texas house is a 1980′s one, so it won’t be so interesting. No pictures for you!
I’ve got quite a collection of fans in our little house…you can sort of follow the decades room to room! We only really use the one in the living room, which is from the 70s/80s and is my favorite: wood blades and half with cutouts showing a basketweave texture, a light globe with a design of brown roses. I’m definitely with you on the unobtrusive, traditional look for ceiling fan in mid-modest homes.
I think to get the most appropriate look you need to find a fan that has 4 blades. Most of the fans from this era had 3 or 4 blades and usually had exposed motors (meaning that the base of the fan turned with the blades) Most fans you find now have a non moving cover over the motor and 5 blades. There are still some models made that have the 4 blade configuration. Fans are one of my favorite things to look for at estate sales.
Thanks, Allen, for those tips. I have never paid attention to this issue when I go to see estate sales…. now I will!
This is what we have in our dining room: http://www.hansenwholesale.com/ceilingfans/minkaaire/model.asp?ProdNo=F814-BNZ
Wow – that is a great retro modest looking fan! I’m keeping that in my “want” file!
I didn’t think that ceiling fans were all that common back in the 50s and 60s. I remember that my grandparents instead had table fans, and even cooler, the small floor fan that looked like an ottoman.
Though none are specifically mid century, this site has some great photos of classic vintage and antique ceiling fans for reference: http://www.vintagefans.com/
Some of them had six blades. That’s a lot.
This is another great site for vintage fans.
http://www.vintageceilingfans.com/
Yes, that is a great site, Allen. I took a quick run-through, and found this design from Emerson Electric that is believed to have been manufactured from 193-1950. My experience/guess is that this was Pretty Typical of what you saw back in the 50s: http://www.vintagefans.com/gallery/ceiling_fans/emerson/1937-%2050c.%20Emerson%2036.html
The atomic designs that others are posting are coolio, but they are likely not “authentic” to even high falutin midcentury modern architect designed homes back in the day. Even so: Design changes — if the atomic interpretation suits your house and your style, go for it!
Thanks Pam, but you will have to give props to Nathan on the link you posted. The site he listed is http://www.vintagefans.com which is a cool site that has some of the oldest ceiling fans. The site I listed http://www.vintageceilingfans.com has the typical fans you saw in the late 60′s-70′s and even in to the 80′s. Be sure to check both out!! I would love to see more posts on fans!
Well, thanks, for being all honest and humble like. PROPS to NATHAN!
My midcentury home built in 1962 did not have ceiling fans.
I did however find some cool ones here:
http://www.lumens.com/indoor-ceiling-fan-Mid-Century-/search
Love them all! I have seen some similar to those styles at Lowe’s.
http://www.lowes.com/pd_75849-22716-L05BN_0__?productId=1260197&Ntt=ceiling+fan&pl=1¤tURL=%2Fpl__0__s%3FNtt%3Dceiling%2Bfan&facetInfo=
Found the Lowes fan we have. They have a few others there that are nice too
Diana
See, I was going a different direction with it. I was looking for modern ceiling fans that could look mid-century. In particular, I was looking at the Emerson Curva:
http://www.lumens.com/Curva-Ceiling-Fan-by-Emerson/uu309389/product
Which resembles the classic ‘hanging globe’ lights in MCM homes. I’m also looking at the streamlined Ellington Ellipse for something closer to the ceiling:
http://www.lumens.com/Ellipse-Ceiling-Fan-with-Light-by-Elllington-Fan/PAAAAAAHKCDIDDDJ/product
Looked at b’zillion fans for our (not to period, really: don’t hate me) kitchen re-do. Ended up with the Artemis Minka Aire, clear blades w/ visible stainless motor. It’s up and very cool looking, plus really, really powerful.
http://www.lumens.com/Artemis-Ceiling-Fan-with-Light-by-Minka-Aire/PAAAAAGONAAJPKCK/product
In addition, the fact that the blades are transparent means it’s less obtrustive in our not-too-big kitchen.
I found mine at Lighting Direct a few years ago: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7002/6760550313_be6c44f62e_b.jpg
The one below is more modern than modest, but it is my favorite. You can get it with different colors/finishes on the blades. It’s yummy.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&sugexp=pfwl&cp=18&gs_id=7&xhr=t&q=cirque+ceiling+fan&gs_sm=&gs_upl=&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&biw=1024&bih=576&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=QSIgT9ubGcPptgfm76XOBQ
Oh, yeah, Wendy. I waffled about that and several others. It is trippy and fun in the extreme. I was just afraid we’d tire of it, but man, wouldn’t it be jolly good ’til then?
The red, yellow and blue one looks like a Calder mobile, doesn’t it? So cool for the right basement rec room.
On that same page of images — how about the fan with the bat wing blades? Not MCM, but kind of amazing looking! If I lived in a Victorian house I’d be quite tempted by that one. Maybe with the Underwood devil Midsummer Night’s Dream wallpaper…
My parents 1962 house didn’t have any ceiling fans, but did have a wonderful attic fan and window air conditioners. I think they considered ceiling fans old fashioned and sort of ugly. After we got central air conditioning in 1974 (it was a big year we got color TV and cable too), we didn’t use the attic fan anymore.
I think it depends on where you lived. Ceiling fans might not have been common in the Midwest or New England, but I grew up in FL and I’m sure they had ceiling fans before everyone had central air.
We installed two ceiling fans in our mid-century ranch. One Hunter and one Hampton Bay (Home Depot’s house brand). You’re right about Hunter fans having larger blade attachments. It looks great on a fan with a light, because you can actually see the blade attachment, but it might be a bit much on fans without one.
For me, a modern fan is all about simple blades and an interesting blade attachment, like the Progress or Prima Deluxe you have in the post.
In 1969, my parents bought a house in one of the ritziest areas of Richmond, Va. The house has a large Florida room overlooking the pool. The previous owners, who had built the house in 1960, had hung a ceiling fan from this room’s cathedral ceiling. I remember that they/we were so proud of the daring decor — imagine, a ceiling fan in a house! This one had been purchased as salvage from a department store and tarted up with black and white paint. It was pretty industrial looking. I don’t think the original owners would have settled for a secondhand fan if residential ceiling fans had been available. It was definitely the first ceiling fan I ever saw in a home, but I was only 8. It was also the first time I heard the word “salvage.”
This was our first house with central air. Before that we had one window unit in my parents’ bedroom and one in the kitchen (leading the kids to beg to be allowed to sleep on a cot in the kitchen). You couldn’t have a window unit in EVERY window, so we had relied on those heavy-metal fans that would sit on a table, threatening to sever kids’ fingers. If you were fancy, the fan oscillated.
So I don’t think there IS an “authentic” mid-century look for a ceiling fan. But a lot of retro aficionados hold their noses and buy microwave ovens even though there’s no such thing as a midcentury microwave. I’d just get a fan that isn’t trying for a specific style and doesn’t call attention to itself.
I hate ceiling fans, but my house is hot in the summer time. When I was looking to replace my fans I liked the Hampton Bay Bryant ceiling fan. (http://www.homedepot.com/buy/lighting-fans/ceiling-fans-accessories/hampton-bay/bryant-brushed-nickel-46-in-ceiling-fan-35886.html) at I found at Home Depot. I thought it would look decent with my sixties walnut furniture. I have since scrapped that idea and put in real lighting. I have an awesome vintage capiz chandelier that I just love and no ceiling fan can compare to it. Anyway, I will just have to deal with window coolers in the summertime (something else I hate), but I have fabulous lighting.
I just bought the Capitiva indoor-outdoor ceiling fan from Home Depot for $99 to install on my new back porch/veranda in the spring. It has the cleanest lines I’ve seen on a ceiling fan and a simple light fixture as well.
http://www.homedepot.com/buy/lighting-fans-ceiling-fans-accessories-ceiling-fans/hunter-captiva-52-in-indoor-outdoor-new-bronze-ceiling-fan-35746.html
Great story, Brian! I don’t remember any ceiling fans in the actual mid-century period either. That may just be a California thing, as they would be swell in a humid climate. I do remember, and actually have, a few great table and box fans from my folks.
When I was a kid there was a box fan about 28″”square at the top of the stairway to keep things flowing all summer. And none of us ever messed with it- just walked around.
And it was a huge treat to sleep on patio furniture in the kitchen. Why did that seem so cool? It was fun, though.
Table fans! I loves em! -specially them fancy ocelots. I like feeling the breeze going by in the summer, but it’s a bit much in the home office to keep papers down.
I got a great army surplus Emerson fan this summer. Apparently, Emerson was THE industrial and basic fan to have. With a tune up, works perfectly and MOVES a lot of air. Looks like this, but with military inventory stencil on back…
http://www.vintagefans.com/gallery/desk_fans/emerson/1940em12-77646-an-3spd.html
Gotta say, for all the fears about kids losing their fingers in em, I have yet to meet anyone who has been hurt by a fan.
I like them down where I can enjoy them.
I can’t remember even having fans in our house when I was a kid. I don’t know whether we didn’t need them in the north woods of Wisconsin, or if it was just that my parents were too cheap to buy them. Probably a combination of both. I do know my dad took the first opportunity he got to put in central air. It was probably about 1965. He gave us a choice, air conditioning or a color tv.
He may have been a little disappointed that we chose the air conditioning, because he kept trying for the color tv. New vinyl floor in the kitchen, new dishes (Corelle, of course). We were perverse little brats. We always chose the other thing. He finally got wise to us and just went out and bought the color tv one day when I was in college.
We have a funky chrome with cobalt blue bulbs in in our LR. One thing to keep in mind if you have only 8′ ceilings like we do, is thatif you can mount the fan flush or with a shorter downrod. Not every fan model has that option.
Our 1963 time capsule has ceiling fans. Two of the bedroom ones are newer. The kitchen one was original and beautiful, with pale blue blades and a cream and blue housing. The two new ones are flush mount because the ceilings are quite low and they have five blades. The beautiful blue one had to go as its motor was dying. We got a Home Depot Hammond Bay replacement with a light. It looks pretty good in here. The two remaining ones are older, not sure if they are original. They are not flush mount. The motors hang down from the ceiling. Both have brass metal vented motor housings and four walnut tone wood blades. One has a gold stencil pattern on the blades. One has a stained glass light fixture attached to the bottom, very late 60s looking, orange, gold and cream.
In helping to renovate my daughter’s 1962 MCM, I find several good looking fans at both Home Depot and Lowes. Problem is, anything with light included is remote controlled and those components simply do not last. So, still looking for something with pull chains.
Back in the day, I don’t recall ceiling fans being in any of the authentic midcentury homes here in North Texas – any kind of fans would have been considered too “old fashioned.” Only Grandma’s porch and really old commercial establishments, like old hardware stores and soda fountains had ceiling fans. Residential central air conditioning was thought (at the time) to be modern and sufficient enough to eliminate the need for fans. Fast forward to the 1970s, however, and people were becoming more aware of conserving energy. I remember two different friends (always with smart decor and up with the times) finding genuine antique fans and having them restored, then installed. Those old fans were cast iron and weighed a ton! It wasn’t long before new ceiling fans became commercially available and the market was flooded with everything – good, bad and ugly!
My favorite fan choice is classic black with medium-toned wood blades. Hunter might still make one – I think at one time it was called “Archive Series” or something similar.
As an afterthought, the real, classic midcentury fan might not be a ceiling fan, but a Westinghouse Mobilaire! Those came in pink, turquoise and a sort of yellow-beige shade. I still see them sometimes at flea markets and estate sales.
Alas! We are not allowed to surf the ‘net at work, so I can’t participate in comments in real time — only after hours when everyone is away, probably asleep. But, I wanted to say anyway: in my 70′s ranch I have (what I believe is) an original fan. It looks just like the Kichler fan, second image from the bottom of the post.
When I first started reading this post, I thought “Oh good! Some ideas to update my ceiling fans with!” But by the end of the post, I realized that what I have is exactly what I should have.
Catching up! I think if you want to be authenticlly retro, you need to find an old GE or Westinghouse table fan. My 57 ranch does not even have ceiling lights in the bedrooms and living room – switched outlets for lamps. No central air either because no one ever bothered with the ductwork. Window units in the bedrooms for me. Ceiling fans would be out of place with just 8 ft ceilings.
We have an Emerson Atomical. As the name implies, it’s more “Atomic” than the others show above. It’s a gorgeous fan, and extremely efficient.
My 1960′s split level MCM home came with these types of ceiling fans in all 3 of the bedrooms. I don’t have this exact model, but they look similar, complete with the control box. I’m not sure if they are original to the house or put in by a previous owner.
http://www.vintageceilingfans.com/mosscaribbeanbreeze36_3blade.html
I have wood tongue & groove ceilings, so the fan is mounted to one of the beams, and the electrical cord is run against the beams, down the wall, to an inlet. The cord is a bit unsightly, But the fans still work well, and I do appreciate them in both the summer & winter! The upstairs of my split level (where the bedrooms are located) tend to always be the warmest places in the house.
Bruce, my husband and I found one at Lowe’s with a pull chain… here is a picture of it: http://www.imageshack.us/photo/my-images/580/photodyd.jpg/
We were trying to match this lamp which is from the 60s: http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/708/photo1hw.jpg/