life in a tiny apartment.

June 20, 2012
ceilingfan

Tip #18: Sweat the small stuff.

 
that’s terrible advice. i know. especially from me. i sweat a lot of small stuff and a lot of that sweating only makes me…sweaty. but still, there are some things you have to fight against and in the world of tiny apartments, ghastly home ‘improvements’ are one of them.
 
anyone who’s looked to buy a ceiling fan knows that there are some real doozies out there. anyone care for this one? but despite the horrific selection, there are some fans that are less bad than others. {hell, some are downright pleasant}. faux bois and gold ceiling fans are not among these. faux bois and gold ceiling fans that take up 50 % of my ceiling and replace a perfectly modestly-sized white ceiling fan that was broken and inefficient but for goodness sake didn’t make me want to cry, border on tragic.
 
yesterday, i returned to my apartment to find our new friend staring down at me. james had beaten me home and i swear he almost didn’t let me in, afraid of what i might do when i looked up. not that i really had to look up. the behemoth is so overwhelming that i could see it in my peripheral vision before i even had a chance to crane my neck. when i flipped the switch to see the thing in action, giant gobs of some other unfortunate soul’s dirt spun off in all directions. la classe.
 
i didn’t do anything about it last night. i crawled up the ladder to our loft, climbed into bed and cast sidelong and angry glances at the thing while i attempted to read myself to sleep. this morning, i emailed the landlord. i’m 100% aware that this makes me finicky and picky and generally out of my gourd, but seriously. i live in 240 square feet and i can’t stand up straight when i get out of bed in the morning. forgive me while i sweat the oversized and ugly small stuff.

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21 Comments

  • Reply Sue @ SimonsSistaSaw June 20, 2012 at 1:13 pm

    Oh my. I do feel you might need a stronger warning before linking to the first one. No one should have to see that. I'm trying to think of a room or situation it might suit and I'm coming up empty. Will you landlord replace yours or allow you to paint or something? fingers crossed.

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    • Reply Erin June 20, 2012 at 8:55 pm

      here's hoping! i'll keep you updated!

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  • Reply Daniella June 20, 2012 at 1:55 pm

    Oh man, i'd be just as irritated! If your landlord doesn't change it, get it done yourself instead. So worth it!

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  • Reply Julia June 20, 2012 at 2:24 pm

    I feel you. In my last apartment, I asked for a ceiling fan and got one that must have been intended for a child's room, since each limb was painted a different bright color. That was the least of my worries in that apartment, though, where we had bed bugs for months among other things. And some friends of mine had their ceiling fan fall down out of the ceiling, which is always a fear of mine… I hope your landlord is nice and cares about what you have to say.

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    • Reply Erin June 20, 2012 at 8:57 pm

      terrifying!

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  • Reply Meg June 20, 2012 at 2:51 pm

    no one should have to live with one of these things. EVER. i don't care if it's in the rec room in the basement of your massive house and you only go down there once a week to look at old slides of your parents childhood projected on to the wall (oh yes, we used to do that). they should be banned from existence. blech!

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    • Reply Erin June 20, 2012 at 8:57 pm

      yes, totally reminds me of childhood friends' basement fans!

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  • Reply tinajo June 20, 2012 at 7:06 pm

    Haha, you have my deepest symphaties..! 😀

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    • Reply Erin June 20, 2012 at 8:56 pm

      thanks, sweet tinajo 😉

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  • Reply Laura June 20, 2012 at 8:26 pm

    Have you seen Big Ass Fans' Haiku model?? (It also comes in white.) http://www.bigassfans.com/product/haiku/

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    • Reply Erin June 20, 2012 at 8:56 pm

      yowza. not bad!

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  • Reply Beth June 20, 2012 at 8:40 pm

    Why?!?!? (Especially the part about the dirt. Sends shivers up my spine.)

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  • Reply Melissa June 20, 2012 at 9:42 pm

    That's just gross in more ways than one. Maybe if your landlord won't replace it, he/she will let you paint the blades? That wood grain is pretty awful. Sorry!

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  • Reply Rachel June 20, 2012 at 11:06 pm

    Oh, god. I hate ours and it isn't nearly so offensive. You're totally justified. Or at least in good company.

    Maybe if he'll let you paint the blades white it won't be so bad?

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  • Reply Joan June 21, 2012 at 4:24 pm

    A good can of paint! 🙂
    Love the third link.

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  • Reply Charmaine June 22, 2012 at 6:02 pm

    I had one of these when I moved into my apartment it was an ugly mottled '90s aqua/green colour with blonde faux bois fins. I had left over matte black paint (from painting the brass louvers on the fireplace) that I used to paint over the awful green. Significant improvement…the blonde faux bois even looked ok with it.

    You could always do that with white paint, if the landlord OKs it. Although I wouldn't recommend painting the fins; a whole lot more crap gets stuck to them & is harder to clean off when it's not the factory finish. But you could always buy white replacement fins which would help lighten things up a lot.

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  • Reply Hello Katey June 22, 2012 at 9:10 pm

    As an employee at Schoolhouse Electric I am constantly getting requests for fan co. recommendations.

    The only one I've found to be dependable with tons of styles, (good and bad) is fanimation.com.

    check it girl and good luck

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  • Reply Anonymous June 23, 2012 at 1:46 pm

    Since all of the electric stuff is hooked up replacing it shouldn't be too hard, besides getting a nice arm workout.

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  • Reply Vanessa {Vanilla and Rose} July 2, 2012 at 4:48 am

    Oh wow! I definitely would have had the same reaction!

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  • Reply Anonymous July 12, 2012 at 7:09 pm

    I just took the initiative and threw out/ replaced that exact fan (albeit with cream blades) in my apt. Just got the best and least garish option from home depot and had a friend help install it. Totally worth the effort. I also live in BH….coincidence? I think not. #uglyfanconspiracy.

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  • Reply Juli Payton July 13, 2012 at 4:30 am

    Actually it is a beautiful fan but hey it might just not be what you want but it is really pretty, but then again I am from the south (Dallas,Texas) and right now I am living in Rochester New York and our apartment is small for me over 800 square feet but hearing about all your deals going on no bitching from me! So Iwill enjoy reading about your life in your little tiny apartment! lol

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