I currently have an ugly light fixture above my kitchen table. It’s brass, and appliances are stainless. I want to put a stainless ceiling fan in the kitchen, and I’m thinking it will be Ok to put it above the table. If I don’t put it there, I will have to pay more for installation elsewhere, and I will need to replace the ugly light fixture too. Advice?
could be helpful if it is hot in the room while cooking
That’s where we have one. I just turn it off if I put hot food on the table that I don’t want to get cold right away.
We have one above the kitchen counter/table in the kitchen. It does gather a lot of dust, but that’s easy to clean. I like the air flow. 
Thanks. I’m just trying to make sure I’m not doing something stupid.
Our townhouse doesn’t have space for a table in the kitchen, but there is a ceiling fan right where most people would put their dining set in the dining/livingroom. We don’t have our table there, but the people who we bought the place from did.
I like a fan above the table because I sometimes get hot while eating hot food (women of a certain age…).
When we bought this house, there was a ceiling fan above the kitchen table. I never turned it on except sometimes when I was folding laundry on the table (it is very near the dryer). We didn’t enjoy the “breeze” while we were eating. When the light quit working, I replaced it with a normal dining room light fixture.
I am thinking of replacing an old flourescent light “box” in the cooking area of my kitchen with a ceiling fan, but there is no recessed or can lighting in the ceiling, so it would be the only light source. I’m wondering if it will put out enough light.
Ceiling fan is great in the kitchen. We had them in the kitchen in 2 previous houses.
In our renovation (in progress), we’re positioning it above the table. Fan has a lightkit included.
We’re also putting in recessed lightcans in the ceiling, surrounding the ceiling fan. Cabinets will also have undercounter lighting.
If u are replacing an existing light fixture, just make sure there’s a proper electric box SECURELY attached to the ceiling joist to support the weight and torque of a fan.
I say put it wherever you want to put it. You live there. It’s an easy fix if you ever decide to sell and need to change it
It’s very common. My only caveat would be that even if you are good about using your kitchen hood over your range (assuming you have one) grease still is likely to escape and eventually stick to the fan. And GMT is correct, there are extra strong boxes for fans, make sure you have the right one.
Right. Not just a strong electric box. Make sure you use the correct fasteners. Ceiling fans wobble and they need to be firmly attached to joists!
I had a shiny brass light fixture in my formal dining room. I replaced it with something else, then spray painted the shiny brass one and put it over the kitchen table in place of the ceiling fan that no longer worked. I painted it turquoise and antiqued it. I have also spray-painted outdoor light fixtures and a metal patio table with an oil-rubbed bronze metallic color. You could probably find stainless-colored paint, if the only thing ugly about your fixture is the color.
And just make sure you dust the top of it regularly. They can get pretty gross and dusty where you don’t see it.
I would not put one above the dining table. Not only a dust collector but a fan/light fixture creates a strobe effect in a lot of instances when the fan is turned on. I hate it. Not too bad in a bedroom maybe but at a table where you eat, or work it’s very annoying.
And the proportion of a fan to table size can look very weird.
^^^Which just points out that there will be lots of variables in this decision including, your personal preference, the size of your room, the current ventilation (do you have cross breeze? many windows? Do you need a fan with light kit or no light kit?), the size of your table, the quietness of the fan, etc.
My family loves ceiling fans. Each bedroom has one which are used year around. We have one on the sunporch. And one in the kitchen. It is what is right for us and style is important to me and they all look fine. Have to look around a bit to get ones that are decent looking though. Ceiling fans can be really ugly!!!
If it feels right for you, your layout, your family - go for it!
How high is the ceiling?
I’m not a fan of ceiling fans with light kits. I just don’t like how they look.
If you do it…don’t set the table with paper napkins and turn the fan on…they will blow around. And don’t plan to leave the newspaper sitting there either…or the mail.
Personally, I would get a tasteful light. No fan.
You can put the fan on a lower speed for most occasions. It’s rare that I up the speed. The lowest speed generates a nice LIGHT breeze in my size kitchen - again, depends on your situation!!!
The only thing I might have had “blown off” the table under the fan would be a random paper receipt. No trouble with napkins, newspapers, etc.
Look beyond Home Depot & Lowes. Light fixture stores carry high-end & specialty fans. There are some truly beautiful ones available. I just bought several fans from Minka Aire to install in our project. Just like @abasket, we’re putting one in each bedroom.
http://www.minkagroup.net/minka-aire/fans
When we lived in the South, there were some fans we just about never turned off. When we did, the fan blades had yucky dust bunnies the size of bunnies.
You shouldn’t get a strobe unless the lights are above the blades. There some really gorgeous sleek ones, but unfortunately for me, all my favorites can’t be put in damp locations. I love the idea of spray painting one turquoise!