Your Ceiling Fan Guide For 2021

Ceiling fans, just like lighting, make your home look stylish and create a comfortable ambience inside and outside. Today, we’ll help you get on top of the latest trends this year and give you all the information you need to choose the right fan for your space.

To start off, you’ll be excited to learn that at Beacon Lighting, we’ve just released a new collection of innovative and trendy designs which makes Australia’s biggest range of fans even bigger! This means you now have more options when choosing a fan to complement your lifestyle and the decor of your home. Our new collection includes designs that suit natural, Scandi-inspired homes, minimalist aesthetics and spaces with low ceilings. You also have a wider range of direct current (DC) powered fans to choose from which offer greater energy efficiency, slim looks and silent operation.

Ceiling fans have become an additional show-stopping feature in people’s homes offering the same impact and presence that a pendant had in the past. Take our new Peregrine fan for instance – it’s a statement fan with a world-class design. Peregrine would sit nicely in a coastal home right through to a contemporary city dwelling with its sleek lines and elegant curves. It also takes top spot when it comes to functionality: it is coastal/outdoor rated, direct current powered and includes a 6-speed remote and built-in LED light.

The latest trends in fan colours are minimalist black, Scandi/ Hamptons-inspired white and our popular koa and teak ranges. As for materials, ABS blades are still perfect for creating different textures like the deep ridges in our new Bali fan to give it that tropical, organic plantation look.

With lights incorporated into a wide selection of our fans, you can now create beautifully lit rooms while staying cool and comfortable. In addition, many of these built-in lights are energy-efficient to help you save on your power bills and dimmable to give you greater flexibility in customising your room ambience. Consider installing a fan with a dimmable light in your bedroom to help you wind down at the end of the day or outdoors where a dimmed light won’t attract too many insects.

Our oil-rubbed bronze and koa ranges like our Flusso and Climate III fan are perfect for mid-century and contemporary homes. If you have a coastal-style home, lighter finishes like straight white or whitewashed oak blades like our Shoalhaven work well to add that brightness and contrast of materials. White continues to be popular because of the way it blends into white ceilings giving it the impression that it’s disappearing into the ceiling. This is a clever styling idea particularly if your room doesn’t have high ceilings.

Timber and ABS plastic blades are a bit quieter than metal blades and provide a wider variety of finishes and details. Timber blades complement nature-inspired interiors and are ideal for creating an organic look. ABS plastic is popular because it can be easily modelled into trending shapes that produce excellent airflows, and they’re easier to clean too. Being plastic, ABS-bladed fans are suitable for both indoor and outdoor areas. At Beacon, we have a large range of outdoor ABS-bladed fans like our new IP66 rated Abyss. With its sleek angled blade, this fan is as contemporary as they come. Or if you want a tropical look in your alfresco area, go with our new Bali fan which will make you feel like you’re on holiday in your own backyard.

It’s very important to choose a fan size that is proportionate to the size of your space. This is to ensure that you are getting the best airflow and efficiency from your fan. See our guide on how to choose the perfect ceiling fan. 

Besides the size, there are other factors to consider when choosing your fan. Discuss the following with a team member when you visit any of our Beacon stores:

• The height of your ceiling
• Is your ceiling flat or on a pitch?
• How many walls outside are protecting your outdoor fan?
• Do you need a fan with an integrated light, or do you have another source of light, and how far from the fan is this source of light?

Once our teams understand your requirements, they’ll be able to give you the best options for every situation.

Direct current (DC) powered fans are fast becoming more popular and with good reason. They use up to 40% less energy than alternating current (AC) fans which means your power bills will be smaller. In fact, DC fans cost just one cent per hour* to run, however, with AC fans costing around 3 cents per hour* they’re still cost-effective and energy efficient.

DC fans offer more speed options giving you greater flexibility to choose from gentle breezes to super high airflows.  The new technology in their motors enables DC fans to operate silently so they’re perfect for quiet areas of your home like the bedroom. Also, as the motor is compact and light, DC fans feature slim designs that blend better into your interiors. All DC fans can be controlled with a remote, so you don’t have to get up from your couch to change the speed, turn on the built-in light or activate the reverse function.

Having said that, I would not go as far to say one is better than the other, as AC fans have a lower purchase price and many also offer similar features like remote control operation.

If you’re renting or have a small space, consider portable fans like our Breeze range that can be easily moved from room to room. At Beacon, we have pedestal fans, tripod fans and table fans in a variety of styles and colours. They’re all DIY, so you can simply plug them in and switch them on. With their oscillating heads, speed options and comparable air moving capabilities, they’re a great alternative to ceiling fans.

One last thing to keep in mind is the importance of engaging the services of a licenced electrician for installing your ceiling fans. They will also be able to advise on the best placement especially if you have pitched ceilings or difficult spaces or even if you’re just unsure a fan will fit. For your safety and peace of mind, let only a licenced electrician install new or replace existing fans. Besides, you might void the warranty of your fan if a licensed electrician hasn’t installed it. At Beacon, we offer fixed price fan installations to make it easier for you. You can find more information about this service here.

Now that you’re all updated on the trends and tips, head to Beacon Lighting in-store or online and explore Australia’s largest range of fans to suit every room and budget. If you need professional advice, just speak to any of our specialists in-store or book an appointment with our experts at Beacon Design Studio.

*The calculation of costs and savings are approximates only and may vary according to use and size of the fan and energy provider.