Are You a Fan of the Fan?

What if I were to tell you that you can have a fan in your room and not destroy the romantic ambiance you are working so hard to create?  No, not a sports fan.  Think of fans that bring a gentle, refreshing breeze to a room.  Are we talking about you laying back on a lounge and waving a plume of feathers back and forth?  Hardly!

When you think of a fan in the room it may bring back annoying memories.  Yes, that chattering fan in your room that couldn’t run without making that infernal ping…ping…ping…ping, as that one blade kept clipping the frame as it passed and made that endless sound?  And it seemed like every fan had been manufactured with that same insidious blade, as if by design!

Or, when you think of a fan, you may envision that unobtrusive member of many rooms; the ceiling fan.  That’s right; it’s up there almost going unnoticed.  After all, the last thing you want is some ugly electronic object in the room that completely destroys the mood of the room, especially when you are trying to create a romantic design! Yes, we tend to ignore fans these days, but they weren’t always the “ugly stepchild” that they are today.  Here’s a brief history.

The earliest electric fans appeared in the early 1880’s.  Around 1900, the earliest oscillating fans began to appear.  By 1910, most fan makers were using rounded edge blades, if not designs they had patented themselves.  Fans were being made for residential use. These “Residential Fans” were made for the bedroom.  They had six wings, and ran at a slower speed for quietness.  But, fans were still a major appliance.  By 1920, refrigerated air was appearing in commercial buildings, so fan makers began to market fans more towards residential use.

Early in 1930, a young woman named Jane Evans came to St. Louis to do some interior design work. She was introduced to the President of Emerson Electric. She proposed a radical stylish design. In 1932 Emerson introduced the Silver Swan. It used a blade made of aluminum, but was based on a yacht propeller design. The design was a major success.

In the 1940’s World War II gripped the world. Fan makers used their capacity to help with the war effort. Few, if any electric fans were made for the market. There were no design changes. Production restarted after war ended, with the same designs as pre-war.  By 1950, air conditioning was becoming available for homes. A few makers offered fans for homes with wooden cases, to blend with the televisions. With the introduction of residential refrigerated air, the decline for the table fan began.  Cost-cutting took over design as a selling point.  Cheaper fans were made, which probably explains that annoying fan from your youth that made that ping…ping…ping, that drove you crazy.

Well, I seem to remember mentioning that you could have a fan in your room and not destroy the ambiance you are working so hard to create.  Magnolia Hall has discovered a wonderful line of designer fans that do just that; add to the authenticity of your decorating plans.  You can see here the  Josephine Fans, or the Grand Rococco table fan. Both designs would be a beautiful feature in any romantic room. Check our website for more exciting designs.
So, rather than just being an “appliance”, a stylish fan can serve to keep your room pleasantly cool, and provide a design element that harkens back to days gone by.  With these lovely items, you too will be a fan of the fan.