Fan + chandelier = fandelier?! Say whaaaa?! While you might not be able to find the word “fandelier” in the dictionary, it’s definitely becoming a more well known term! Matter of fact, there are very strong opinions on the fandelier ceiling fan.
How do I know, you ask? Well, I had an Instragam reel of our fandelier go viral. (See it here!) For months, hundreds of comments of all kinds rolled in. Most people were just awe of this magical creation. But some people were horrified by the idea. (Internet trolls tend to be very dramatic)
We got our first fandelier for our guest bedroom a few years ago and loved it so much that we’ve gotten two more since then!
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1. They Actually Work
I’m just gonna go ahead and get this out of the way because it’s the most common question that I get:
Are fandeliers as good as ceiling fans?
Fandeliers are absolutely comparable to your traditional ceiling fan. Now, like anything else, quality matters. Not all fandeliers are created equal and there’s a lot of options out there so do your research! You’re in the right place 😉
Personally, we’ve had awesome experiences all the fandeliers we’ve had in our home! We’re always shocked with the amount of power that comes from these beautiful crystal fixtures with retractable blades.
Most fandelier ceiling fans have multiple speed levels to choose from. Ours all have 6 speeds. In the video above, it was level 2!
What size fandelier do I need?
It’s important to consider the space you’ll be using your fandelier ceiling fan before deciding on the size!
For the average bedroom, or a space like an office, a 36″ or smaller diameter fandelier will work great! We have a 36″ in our guest bedroom and it’s perfect!
For a larger bedroom or an average sized living room, you can go with a 42″ diameter fandelier. This is the size we have in our primary bedroom!
For a large living room or a space with high ceilings, i’d definitely go with a 48″+ diameter! Our guest bedroom fandleier even comes in a 52″ version!
2. Aesthetics, of Course!
As always, form follows function. But man, it’s a beautiful thing when form and function can coexist. This was the number one selling point for me.
When designing our bedroom, I envisioned a modern, oversized statement fixture. But guess what? We went a couple weeks without a ceiling fan and now realize they are an absolute must for us!
Our fandelier ceiling fan keeps us cool all night and we get to admire its charming beauty all day.
There’s a fandelier style for everyone!
Now I realize not everyone is into the flashy crystal fandelier look. That is totally okay because as fandeliers are becoming more popular, there’s so many different styles to choose from!!
Fandelier Amazon roundup
Ya gotta love Amazon, right? That’s where we found all of our Fandeliers! There’s so many great options so I did a roundup of the best fandeliers from Amazon.
These are the ones I loved but trust me, there’s so many options out there!
- Our (previous) bedroom fandelier
- Our guest bedroom fandelier
- Double shade fandelier
- Our (current) bedroom fandelier
- Beaded fandelier
- Boho fandelier
- Rattan fandelier
- Modern black fandelier
- Double layer fandelier
Note: Most of these come in multiple different finishes (such as nickel, black, gold, etc) and sizes.
Don’t forget your ceiling medallion!
I’m a huge fan of ceiling medallions and find that they pair really nicely with fandeliers… especially the crystal fandeliers that I love so much!
- We have two of these!
- Diane ceiling medallion
- Attica ceiling medallion
- Traditional ceiling medallion
- Berkshire ceiling medallion
- Rose ceiling medallion
- Oakleaf ceiling medallion
- Cole ceiling medallion
- Vienna ceiling medallion
3. Settings upon Settings!
Most fandeliers come with the convenience of a remote that gives you all kinds of options! I love being able to turn the fan on from bed!
How cool that you can adjust the color temperature? I’m personally a warm light kinda gal, but my sister loves cool light so she would be happy to make that choice while staying in our guest bedroom!
The most popular feature on two that we’ve had, other than the 6 speeds of course, is that the light is dimmable! I’m all about dimmable lights. I’m sure all retractable fans will have their own features, but another great setting on both of ours is the timer!!
4. Year Round Comfort
Fandeliers aren’t just for summertime! They’re also great in the winter thanks to the reversible motor! This means, in the summer the air moves down and in the winter, you can reverse it so the air moves up and circulates the warm air! Pretty neat, huh?
I’ve never personally used this feature since we live in the South and don’t have to worry much about staying warm, but I know for some people this is an absolute must!!
5. More Bang for Your Buck
Ceiling fans can be quite expensive. But most fandeliers are comparable in price to a light fixture and you get so many more features!
Keep an eye out for price fluctuations by the way! The Amazon fandelier prices are always changing and they often have coupons. Look for a little box you can check.
Now they do make traditional ceiling fans with lights, but in my opinion they don’t compare aesthetically to fandelier ceiling fans. They’re usually a simple bulb with the large and in charge blades.
What to know before choosing a fandelier ceiling fan
How to clean a fandelier
Other than the question “do fandeliers actually work” the next most common question was how to clean a fandelier.
Admittedly, I didn’t know how to answer because at that point my fandelier was relatively new and I hadn’t tried to clean it. So while writing this post I figured I was due for a cleaning. It actually did need it and it was so easy to do!
I just used your average Swiffer duster, gently lifted the blades, and slid it underneath! It’s really that simple! You can watch in the short clip below!
If you get a crystal fandelier ceiling fan…
Just know that some will project a sort of “disco” reflection on the walls. Everyone is different- some might find this magical, but i’m personally not a fan. You can see a little of what I mean in this photo here!
LED plates or light bulbs?
The first two retractable fans we got had LED plates. It’s nice in that you don’t have to worry about getting light bulbs, but I’m not sure what would happen when they eventually die?
However, they do have retractable fans that use actual light bulbs, like the one we have in our current bedroom. I actually prefer this! I like being able to choose my own light bulbs. If you’re interested in a fandelier with bulbs instead of LED lights… Check out the ceiling fans at Parrot Uncle.
The settings don’t save
At least with the fandeliers we have, the settings don’t save. When you turn the light on, it just goes to the brightest setting instead of remembering how you previously set it.
This could definitely a deal breaker for some! But again, these are with ours, and I can’t speak for all fandeliers. Just something to be aware of!
Some are silent
For the person who likes the white noise a traditional fan provides, a fandelier ceiling fan may not be for you. Ours first two were completely silent. (And no, the crystals don’t jingle!) The most recent one we’ve gotten actually does have a fan sound, which I love!
My Honest Opinion
To put it simply, fandeliers are a beautiful and fun alternative to the traditional fan.
Aesthetics is important to me, but staying cool at night is too. The fandelier ceiling fan checks both boxes and for that, I will be forever grateful for this invention!
But I have to admit, i’m a bit of a lighting snob. The fandeliers that have the LED lights, even with all the dimmable and temperature settings, still don’t provide the warmth i’m looking for. In this case, I didn’t really use the light and relied on other sources of light in our room.
Fandelier or not, it’s important to have multiple lighting sources (recessed lights, lamps, sconces, etc.) to get the best ambiance in your space.
Thanks for such a great review!!
You’re so welcome! I’m glad it was helpful!!
How do you get the ceiling medallion to stay on the ceiling..from your pictures the hole of the medallion looks bigger than the base of the fandelier and therefore just slide down.
Thanks for any help you can provide. You created a beautiful space!!
Hi Heidi! Awe thank you so much! And yes, to attach the ceiling medallion we just applied some caulk on the back of it, pressed it up there, and used brad nails to secure it in place 🙂 Hope that helps!!
what size medallion did you buy for that fandelier. we have the same one!
Hi Jenn! This is the one we used: https://rstyle.me/+z3G8ujFJJNwZrZM89KuNpQ
Looks like the link to your bedroom fan deliver is not working. Can you let us know which one you picked? Love the look.
Hi Jason! Thank you so much for letting me know!! I just updated the post so it should work now 🙂