I posted the same question six months ago when we were in the midst of our remodel. The original electrical plan removed the existing fan and when my husband noticed he argued strongly that we put it back. The response from GW was mostly keep the fan (especially from people in warmer areas; we're in central Texas). A number of people posted pictures of their fans, which looked fine to me.

So we left the fan, which is also a primary light source (we left out some of the recessed lights the original plan called for). We haven't used the fan as much as we did in the past (we added more insulation in the exterior, west-facing wall and installed more efficient windows) but I'm still glad we left it.

It depends on the fan! I am eliminating a hideous 1980's model, but I've seen some really beautiful ones out there.

I would choose a contemporary version to match a contemporary kitchen, with brushed nickel.

My kitchen leans contemporary. I got the Modern Fan Co. Aurora with a fluorescent up light. (I really do not like the lights dangling from fans!) The light quality from the circline bulb is much better than I expected. I need additional light from recessed spots, but it contributes well to the mix.

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Why not plant some trees to shade your west facing windows?

I have a small kitchen (10 x 14) and have a ceiling fan and a wall mounted pot-rack, in addition to some other lighting. I love the ceiling fan and it gets used in the summer all the time. Here's a picture, it's not the best picture of the ceiling fan, my husband stepped up the ceiling where it's mounted because I couldn't find a brushed nickel one without a downrod.

I'm not a big fan of them as decor, but they are apparently very energy efficient.

They move air around and make people FEEL cooler, so they don't crank up the AC. Or need to turn it on at all.

Use them only when people are in a room -- the saying is "fans cool people, not rooms".

(Though they can move hot air out of attics, etc.)

The ones from Modern Fan or similar can replace a Miami Vice or Bonanza style model, if that's your concern.

Your choice.

Love those fans pictured above. I installed a fan in my old Texas kitchen too. Loved it. It was the only light source and we used a 5-light model. My mother said you could do surgery in there.

I've missed having a fan in my kitchen everywhere I've lived since, but I haven't had one with appropriate dimensions.

I don't think they were ever "in style" for kitchens, so it won't be dated!

When we remodelled we threw out the ugly 1970's fan and added a new, smaller low-profile fan. Even with all the new recessed and pendant lighting everywhere we still think it fits and looks fine. When we have 2 ovens going or a lot of people in the room it comes in handy.

I did a Moderne fan in my vintage kitchen.

Generally, I don't like the look of ceiling fans in kitchens, but I really like the one sombreuil mongrel posted above.

IMHO, if you decide to go with a fan, you might want to rethink hanging a pot rack as well. Unless your room is very large and your ceiling is very high, I think it might clutter your visual space.

How high is the ceiling? With 8 feet or less, it's hard to find a fan that doesn't look a little squished.

I used Minka's version of Casey's fan in my MBR. That style provides better air movement around the room than a single downpointing fan, and looks so cool...

I like amysrq's modern fan. My contractor insisted that we put in a junction box for a fan, but we're not sold on it yet. Might just put in a coverplate for now, see how it feels this summer. I understand the Bertazzoni fan always goes on when the oven's on, so maybe a ceiling fan would be needed. I generally don't like ceiling fans, some of them look so . . . "Miami Vice or Bonanza" was it? Add in pseudo-Victorian and I would totally agree.

That said, there's lots of nice fan designs out there, some are totally modern and wild (the fan that has only one blade, that one cracks me up)others are more traditional. I think it's easy to go wrong with one of the big box store fans (the construction methods can look cheap), but there are more stylish (and spendy) options out there.

Oh -- and I have one in my Vermont house. They installed a recessed light too close to it, and it creates a terrible flicker effect when the blades pass in front of the light. Don't let that happen to you. It's totally unnerving.

We need a fan in the kitchen/dining area of the house, but I am still on the fence because I want a certain "look" for that area.

Fanimation has a pot rack w/fans..... maybe that will suit your needs. Fanimation is kinda pricey, but may be worth it!

Here is a link that might be useful: Pot rack with fans

Save money elsewhere and buy the fanimation fan if it will work (with the pot rack) or go with their air shadow (I think that's what they're called) which have blades that fold up when not in use.

I have an air shadow in our library. We still have to paint the blades dark, but here's a pic. We love this fan...and obviously we're not the only one...air shadows come with an on and off (high med and low) and a demo option LOL and we use that demo all the time...people love to turn it on and off and see it fold in and out :)
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Ours does not have a light, but if you want the option of it looking like a light most times, they have nice globes that can be added that don't resemble 80's fan hell :)

Don't go with brushed nickle :oP It pains me to hear that color mentioned....go classic silver chrome or black...it's so much more fun :oP

We had to insist over and over to our electrician that we really wanted a ceiling fan in our renovated kitchen. We told him the first time we'd met with him, and kept on telling him so. Sometime during the demo, we found the fan we wanted and showed him a brochure. He had the nerve to tell us that that was why we wanted a ceiling fan, because we found a cool fan to put up, totally discounting the fact that we'd been telling him all along that we wanted one, and for months before we'd even found the one in the brochure!

We use it often during the warmer months; with the A/C, or by itself. Its really cool looks are a bonus, and it's quite the conversation piece when we have guests! (it's the Vent Bettina from Matthews Fans BTW)

We have this one from Savoy House. It's not installed yet (nothing is because we are doing things ourselves and we are having a terminal case of 'while we're at it-itis'). It has a fan in the center and we liked the turn of the century feel...

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We will be putting a vintage Emerson ceiling fan w/ schoolhouse light fixture in our kitchen and breakfast room -- got them through e-bay and was told they used to hang in the Texas A&M cafeteria. They are VERY heavy and DH had to build special support in the ceiling for when we install.

I have a ceiling fan in my kitchen and I would not give it up for the world! My kitchen can get very hot sometimes and to be honest, my cooking has caused some smoke a few times so it is great to have the fan in there.

I'm also considering putting the ceiling fan from the living room into the kitchen.(96"ceiling height) It does match the kitchen table chandelier. I don't care for the placement of it in the living room ,plus I can't reach the light cord, so maybe in the kitchen it would be better. Good or bad idea?? We are remodeling. Can lighting is our other choice. Maybe I can eliminate cans if I put in the ceiling fan, it has lots of lighting options on it.

Do any of you feel the fan is interfering with the operation of your gas range or cooktop? We had an old one in our kitchen and took it out because it was really cruddy and falling apart.

We looked for a replacement but couldn't find anything nice in a smaller size. Also, the more I thought about it, the more I felt it was too close to the gas stove; when it was on, it would blow the gas flame around, and it didn't seem safe. The ceiling in our kitchen is pretty low, too. I also felt like it just blew the hot air around and made the kitchen feel hotter rather than cooler.

We replaced it with a light fixture.

Go for the ceiling fan. I think they can look really nice. And even if they were out (and I don't think they are) should we really care? We need to start thinking for ourselves and not let what is "in" or "out" decide everything for us.

Oh yes! Function over form. I too live in Texas and a fan in the kitchen is a MUST. We just installed a new ceiling fan. We've had three in the 27 years we've lived here. This time, I chose to make the fan "disappear" into the ceiling. I didn't want to call attention to it. With 8' ceilings, darker cabs, dark granite and floors, I wanted to make the kitchen look a little larger (or less cluttered) by using a fan that's the same color as the ceiling (off/Antique white). I couldn't believe the difference it made. The fan housing, blades and blade hardware is all the same color.
Monica