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Foxy Box Fan Revamp

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I’m getting more daring with color, project by project.

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I’ve always said I like neutrals with a pop of color, but the pop you get from orange spray paint is a new adventure for me!

For this box fan, a $5 garage sale find, we were looking for function over form. I promise you I’ve cleaned this fan in the past, but it was way over due. This is all the baked on dirty, greasy goodness:

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I opened it up and cleaned it out, but it didn’t do much.

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The almond/dirty white color was awful. Gimme a can of spray paint, stat! I took the whole thing apart, taught myself how to use a socket wrench, and scrubbed

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bagged and taped up any electrical parts very carefully, went through my spray paint stash and decided against the regular black, white, heirloom white. Our kids mostly use this fan in their room and I needed a pop of color. I had been meaning to bring in a bit of orangy-red into the room, so…

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CRAP. That’s ORANGE. And it’s glaring at me.

After seeing the color, I decided that a gloss white on the grate would be a nice two-toned compromise between “AHHHHH!!!” and “ahhhhhh.”

…and would keep Doug from saying “what did you do to our fan!?”  😉

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I got to work putting everything back together, and printed this label for around the fan controls

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And there you have it! Our foxy box fan revamp:

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(I couldn’t be happier with the color)

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And now I’ve got one

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(yes, I purposely used the word foxy in order to get this stuck in your head…)

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Comments

  1. Adorable! Reminds me a bit of a vintage fan we inherited from my grandparents that was an awesome shade of light turquoise. 🙂

  2. Oh my I love everything about this. I think I have to do the same! Love everything about this. Thanks for sharing.

    • awww, thank YOU for the sweet comment, Katie!

  3. Hi Emily - Very cool fan and lovely colors! I just revamped my old galaxy box fan this weekend and wanted to get your input on getting the paint in every crevice of the front grill? I'm using silver so you can see where some of the paint isn't totally even. Also, I'm now considering painting the blade as I was hesitant to take it all apart. : ) Thank you for sharing your creative inspiration!

  4. LOVE THIS IDEA! We have a problem in our house. That problem is that we ALL have to have box fans to sleep. We are addicted to white noise. White noise is good, but white/almond/blah color is not. Bring on the COLOR! I WILL be trying this for sure!!

  5. I love this. I did two fans with a blue ocean breeze krylon. They came out so Beautiful and Vintage. A look that can be used anywhere. I love it. Thank you!!!

  6. I am sooo excited to see what you have done with your box fan. I just my 2 out from the attic and they are filthy. Cleaning them never does enough. Can't wait to go to the hardware store in the morning so I can start spraying!!! Absolutely love it and thanks for the idea!!

  7. Sooo cute!!!! I've been looking for a way to make mine better because I cant sleep without one but it's a eye sore in my room!!!!! Thanks for sharing!!!

  8. That is awesome! So creative! Who woulda thunk to paint a fan? Good luck with "Crafting with the Stars".

    • thank you! I need to edit this post and take that out, haha. Unfortunately I did not get in, but things happen for a reason, and I'm glad I didn't. Things were crazy and I would not have gotten far.

      Glad you liked our fan, thanks for visiting! 🙂

  9. wow! super job painting that fan! I have a new one, but it sure would make me happy if it were painted a bright color! they are soooo boring!
    thanks for sharing!
    gail

    • Thank you so much, Gail! It was a bit more tricky since this fan was so old and grimey, I'm sure it would be a lot easier on a new fan. In fact, now I want to paint mine! 😉

      Thanks for visiting! I love what you've done in your new post about the bench, it looks so much better in the turquoise.

  11. I love this idea, so clever, so ou-of-the-box and also so accessible. I really think you should have been nomintated for crafting with the stars. but since you're not, and I wasn't either, would you be interested in a parallel contest? I want to do something like, "crafting from the sidelines" and anyone can put in their project, we'll vote on the same days... just an idea i'm letting stew.

  12. Brilliant idea! I am so going to copy this!!

  13. I cannot believe what you did with such a dumpy fan! I am sad I left mine in my old classroom. Absolutely adorable with a little vintage flair. Love the pop of color.

    • Months later, this comment makes me smile, cause it's the first time we met! I'm glad this little fan introduced us to one another! 😉

  14. Blogger is freaking out tonight, but I'll try to leave a comment. This is so cool {pun intended!} & creative. Who would think to dress up their box fan?!Warmly, Michelle

  15. I L.O.V.E this! (love the color too!) i love when people show me things i can do with spray paint that i never would have thought i could do! I have 2 box fans and you can bet they are getting a makeover soon 🙂 thanks!

  16. This was a great idea. You took ugly to wow.

  17. Love! GOOD LUCK GIRLFRIEND! You rock!

  18. This is great--makes me wish I didn't toss my freakin ugly box fan last spring! Fabulous tutorial! Best of luck at the Crafting with the stars! :)natdoodlecraft.blogspot