Do you want to find the best decorative bathroom fan?
Decorative bath fans include lights and they look like normal light fixtures.
In this product review, I will go over...
- My #1 top pick for the best decorative bathroom fan
- Choosing the right CFM or fan speed
- Picking the right 'sone' level for a quiet fan
Let's get started with this guide!
| Image | Product | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Top Pick  | Top Pick | 1. Hunter Garden District
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| View on Amazon |
 | 2. Hunter Saturn
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| View on Amazon | |
 | 3. Air King DRLC702
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| View on Amazon | |
Best Budget  | Best Budget | 4. Hunter Halcyon
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| View on Amazon |
 | 5. Broan-NuTone Roomside
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| View on Amazon |
My Overall #1 Rated Pick
- Silk-road white glass shades
- Brushed nickel base
- 70-cfm
- Three lights
- 1.5 sones
My overall top pick for the best decorative bathroom fan goes to the Garden District by Hunter. This stylish bathroom fan features three lights that have silk-road style white glass shades. It also has a brushed nickel base for a contemporary look. This 70-cfm bathroom fan is suitable for bathrooms up to around 75 square feet.
Top 5 Best Decorative Bathroom Fans
Only have a minute? Check out our top 5 decorative bathroom fans here! Keep reading to read the full reviews and buyer's guide.
What Are Decorative Bathroom Fans?
Decorative bathroom exhaust fans are a great addition to any bathroom because they are functional yet stylish. These bath fans look almost indistinguishable from regular light fixtures.
If you are sick and tired of bathroom fans that are ugly, or otherwise don't blend in to your bathroom --- then these exhaust fans are for you.
Pretty much all decorative bathroom fans include a light. I'm guessing that it is hard to make a bathroom fan look stylish if it is just a vent grille and doesn't have a light feature.
Read Also: What Are The Best Bathroom Exhaust Fans?
How To Choose CFM For Decorative Bath Fans?
Probably the biggest consideration for buying a decorative bathroom fan (after the aesthetics) will be the CFM or fan speed.
The basic rule of thumb is to at least match the square footage of your bathroom if it is 100-sf or less. So if your bathroom is 75 square feet in size, then the CFM should be at least 75-CFM. If you have a larger bathroom above 100-sf in size, then the best method is to add up all of your plumbing fixtures.
You can read my detailed guide on picking the right CFM for your decorative bath fan here.
Will The Bath Fan Need Extra Wiring?
Since virtually all decorative bathroom fans come with a light, there is an issue of wiring.
If you want the bath light and fan to turn on/off at the same time, the wiring will be much simpler since it will be just one wall switch. However, if you want the light and fan to have different wall switches, then you will have to factor in the extra cost or effort of installing more wiring.
You will have to fish electrical wire from the new wall switch to the bathroom fan. Homeowners can expect to pay between $200 to $400 to install a bathroom fan (fan not included) but extra wiring may add to the costs.
Read Also: What Is The Cost To Install Bathroom Fans?
How Quiet Are Decorative Bathroom Fans?
Another important consideration is how loud or quiet you want your decorative bath fan to be.
Bathroom fan noise is rated with something called sones. Anything that is 1 sone or less is considered very quiet. In the 1-3 sone range I would consider moderate noise. And a bath fan that is 4-sone or higher is definitely on the loud side.
Some home occupants actually want louder bathroom fans because it creates a white noise for when they are using the toilet. But a lot of homeowners want whisper quiet bathroom fans with low a sone rating.
What Is The Best Decorative Bathroom Exhaust Fan?
Here are my complete reviews on highly rated decorative bath fans, check it out below...
The Garden District by Hunter is a great looking fan that comes with three lights. The lights can be wired independently to a separate switch or the exhaust fan and the lights can be on one switch.
It features brushed nickel metal, and silk-road white glass enclosures. The Hunter bath fan is rated at 70-cfm, so it is good for bathrooms up to around 75 square feet.
It is also fairly quiet at 1.5 sones which will be much quieter than older builder-grade bath fans. If you have an older style home, and you need something more decorative, then this is a nice bathroom fan option.
Pros
Cons
The Saturn is a high quality decorative bathroom exhaust fan made by Hunter. It features a stylish marble glass light lens that looks way better than traditional bathroom fans.
The light hardware also has a brushed nickel finish. This decorative bathroom fan includes a light and it will take two light bulbs (I recommend LED).
The Saturn bath fan is rated at 80-cfm, so it is suitable for bathrooms up to around 80 square feet in size.
Pros
Cons
The DRLC702 by Air King is a premium bathroom fan that comes with a light and a decorative look. The glass light lens cover comes in a frosted ribbed style, and the grille at its base has a nickel finish.
This bath fan light uses up to two light bulbs, and installed LED bulbs is recommended for energy efficiency. It is rated at 70-cfm and is suitable for small to medium sized bathrooms up to around 75 square feet.
Adjustable hanging brackets are also includes which can help with the installation of this decorative bath fan.
Pros
Cons
The Halcyon by Hunter is a high quality bathroom fan with a decorative appearance. The light cover features a cast-chrome lens design, and the light cover is swirled marble glass.
It comes with a light that uses two light bulbs. The Halcyon is rated at 90-cfm which is suitable for bathrooms up to around 100 square feet.
It is rated at 2.5 sones so it isn't whisper quiet but it is moderate in the noise department.
Pros
Cons
The Roomside by Broan-Nutone is a sleek bathroom fan with a decorative finish. It features a low profile light lens cover the blends into any bathroom decor, and the base has a brushed nickel finish.
This bathroom fan includes a built-in LED light that is totally dimmable.
The Roomside is rated at 110-cfm and is suitable for bathrooms up to around 125 square feet. The motor was also designed for continuous use so it is highly energy efficient.
Pros
Cons
My #1 Top Pick: Hunter Garden District
My overall top rated pick for the best decorative bathroom exhaust fan goes to the Garden District by Hunter. Here's why...
#1. Three Lights
This stylish bathroom fan features three hanging lights with silk-road style white glass lenses.
#2. Nickel Base
The base of this bathroom fan has a brushed nickel finish which gives it a nice contemporary look.
#3. Fairly Quiet
Rated at 1.5 sones, this bathroom fan isn't whisper quiet, but it is fairly quiet for a decorative bath fan that includes a light.
Read Also: How To Install A Bathroom Fan On The First Floor?