I asked, dear readers, and you responded. You told me that you want Friday Furnishings to focus on sustainable living in small spaces and on a small budget. Perfect! That's what the DCGF knows best. But we'll still have to dream big, right? Of course...
It's been super fantastically hot in D.C. lately. Like, melt-your-ice-cream-on-the-way-home-from-the-market-one-block-away hot. And we all know how high energy costs are skyrocketing. Not every place can be as resourceful as Juneau, AK (you have to read about how they cut electricity use by 30% in a matter of weeks), or Rock Port, MO (they are laying claim to being the first 100% wind-powered U.S. town). But there are small things we can each do to stay cool and be eco-friendly, too.
Fans are a huge help whether or not you have air conditioning in your home. But I can't fathom keeping a white plastic thing around my carefully curated apartment. Luckily, there are a number of incredibly design-friendly options on the market today, at a variety of price points.Restoration Hardware makes some of the best models out there, even though they'll set you back about $200. I had a friend who swore by his telescoping Allaire model, though. Never a moments trouble. Seen at right, the Allaire comes in two different sizes and adjusts to suit the height of your furniture and whatnot.
The best part about this particular model is that it's very, very quiet, even at high speeds. And that's key, especially in a small apartment. You don't want to have to be turning your TV up so high to compensate that the neighbors start complaining!
Oh, this fan comes in brushed nickel (shown) and black, either of which will suit just about any decor. And I know the price is high, but think about this: how many cheap fans have you gone through in the last year or two? Twenty or twenty-five bucks might not seem like much, until you shell out for a new fan at that price twice a year. Just sayin'...
For a more economical option, I highly recommend the Deco Breeze Oscillating Fan from Target. Why? Because I own it! I've had it for two years now and it's fantastic. At $50, it's still not cheap, but it's a fraction of most metal fans. And it's available in a huge selection of vibrant colors and patterns, the latter of which cost around $60.I have the mandarin orange, shown at left, but there's also green, blue, fuschia, gray, gold, orange flowers, green flowers, and cow print (not making this up!). If you cannot find a Deco Fan to match your apartment's or home's color scheme, the apparently you have invented new colors of which I'm not aware!
Seriously, though, it's well built (and cat tested, in my household) and exceedingly efficient at cooling off my 200 square foot living room. I use it with the A/C on to circulate the cool air. So far, my electric bill hasn't exceeded $22 and change this season. Fingers crossed!
For those of us with low ceilings, floor and table fans are the perfect portable option. But let's say you have a home where ceiling fans are a possibility. And let's also say that you want only the best, most amazing conversation-starting ceiling fan known to personkind. Then you probably was the Brisa 2000 (even the name is awe-inspiring!) by Matthews Fan Company, which explains that, "Like satellites orbiting a planet, the Brisa's select mahogany blades and lunar counterweight gently orbit about its spherical gear housing."Blah, blah, blah. It just looks freakin' amazing! Although it comes in a variety of finishes and blade combinations, my favorite is this, the bronze and mahogany version. The mahogany is ecologically harvested and the fan knob is crafted of marbleized Bakelite. Truly awesome. But here, of course, is the rub: it's gonna set you back anywhere from $850 to $1200!
Figures. Certainly the price doesn't diminish its lust factor. It just makes the Brisa 2000 that much less unattainable. That and the fact that it would probably give me a serious haircut were I to install it in my own basement apartment. Stay cool!
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