Dean's got a problem with a big fan:
Ugh, help!
My studio apartment is absolutely perfect, except for one thing: the hideous ceiling fan! It's much too large for my small space and looks silly with the three big lamps that hang from it. I'm more of a mid-century modern girl and the fan's Victorian "charms" do absolutely nothing for me. Here's the tough part...I rent! What's a girl to do??
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Hi Dean, hm... this is a good question! We recommend first, finding out just how attatched (no pun intended) the landlord is about the fan. Perhaps they'll be willing to replace it with a more contemporary fan (if you even use it) or maybe just a simple light fixture. Sometimes, landlords don't care what you do as long as you leave the space just as it was when you got it- this could mean that you could theoretically, take it down, and replace it with something more to your taste, (of course you would want to hang on to the original, and when you move, just put it back up. Although, admittedly, that can be a hassle.) Another crazy idea could be to remove the fan blades, and put up a large drum shade to cover it? Does anyone have any other suggestions for Dean?
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Comments (14)
i rent too and i went with the "i'm going to change out the fan and put back what was there when i leave" option. of course, i've been in the same apt for 10 years and by the time i leave, i doubt that my landlord will even remember the hideous fixture that was there when i moved in. nevertheless, it's stored away til then.
oh, i like the suggestion about the drum shade...that might be a good, inexpensive option until i could afford to replace it with something a bit smaller and more modern.
also, i just have to say that the photo above was taken on moving-in day. im horribly embarassed by how messy and bare the place is! ;)
thanks, Apartment Therapy!!
I wish someone would round up all landlords and give them a class in "less is more." Ceiling fans are great. There's no need to tart them up with contrasting Victorian-look accents and rattan inserts or render them in brushed aluminum for a more "contemporary" look. It doesn't make them prettier or more desirable, it makes them look like they are owned by a person with no taste. I was apartment hunting recently and by the end of the search, I wanted to take a sledge hammer along with me to destroy every bad celing fan I saw in the spirit of public service.
I had the same problem and asked my landlord if I could remove the fan and replace it when I left. She said it was no problem as long as I used their electrician and covered the costs - I think it cost $60 to the electrician and $100 for the new fixture. I also took the opportunity to add dimmers. That was 4 years ago and well worth the investment if you plan to stay in your place for a couple of years.
On a side note, the landlord said that she had never had a reinstalled ceiling fan work properly, so she told me to toss it - I didn't even have to take up precious closet space with a stored fan.
hey, you guys are awesome!
thanks for the encouragement...i love ceiling fans, but i might take the blades off and try a drum shade first...but if i miss the breeze too much, i'll definiately spring for a new fan. my landlords are pretty relaxed, so im sure they'll give me the go-ahead.
on that note...does anyone have any tips for nice, simple, small-ish, ceiling fans?
If you use the fan, check out the home stores for a more contemporary version. If not, get a drum light fixture which you can find pretty cheaply. I've installed both fan and light fixture in my rental. It's really pretty easy to do as long as you MAKE SURE the juice to the outlet is off AT THE FUSE BOX....
hey dean- keep us posted on what you end up doing and how it turns out!
oh, i will for sure!
and you'll see me in next year's Smallest Coolest, when i'm all settled in :)
mcQuaidLA - you would love the ceiling fan that came with my new place. It has faux granite blades. Yes, faux granite. I put in the contract that the sellers were welcome to take it with them and they declined. :)
AiC: it beats real granite, no? (in that context, anyway!)
A few years ago, I bought some cool ceiling fans from Target. Unlike the gaudy ones at Home Depot, these were white, streamlined and modern looking. Even better, they were only $50 or so.
update: i found a big drum shade at Target that was missing it's lamp, so i bought it for $2. i took the blades off the fan and rigged the shade around the fixture, and it looks aright! the shade is too small though, and i'd like to find something more proper this week...any suggestions on where i could find big, deep drum shades? and maybe even with a pattern?
Last week, someone on here said that if you replace a light fixture in a rental, the new fixture becomes the landlord's property, and if you switch it back when you leave, they could sue you.... sounded crazy to me, but what do I know?! Has anyone heard of this (or do you remember who posted that)?
I tried to install a ceiling fan once, using the the "black, green, white" theory of wiring. When I removed the circa 1940 light fixture there were only thick, black cord-coated wires.
If you're in a older building, you may need an electrician after all.