Feng Shui & Crystal Fan Pulls

A client in Arizona emailed me recently about installing a crystal fan pull from the ceiling fan over his bed. He had asked me earlier if he should move his bed (to an awkward position in the room) to avoid being under the fan (which is not a good location for a bed). I said, “Just use a crystal fan pull. They look nice.”

When he showed me a photo of the fan over his bed, I saw that there were actually two pull chains, one for the light in the center and the other to control the fan. I said, “When you have the opportunity, I’d like to suggest putting two crystal pulls on a fan. It doesn’t just look better, it looks fabulous! Make sure they are at different heights so they can never knock against each other and possibly chip.”

He began shopping online for a crystal fan pull, and I never knew there were so many ways a person could get it wrong. It wasn’t his fault—he’s never shopped for them before, and the array was bewildering.

The first one he sent a picture of had an iridescent coating on the outside. Nowhere in the description did it say iridescence added, but the photo made it obvious. (Think of how a soap bubble or oil spill shines with color, or the backside of a CD.) The seller did use the words “Aurora Borealis” so if you notice those words in the description of a crystal that is also described as “clear,” don’t get it.

Here’s what I said, “Judging from the photo, iridescence has been added to the outside. That slightly pinkish color gives it away. Only truly clear crystals will work as feng shui cures. Have you ever held a crystal with iridescence added in the sunlight hoping to get a rainbow? What a letdown! They don’t make a rainbow at all—and the rainbow is the big deal in feng shui. The rainbow says that the cure really works, because the crystal really can disperse the sun’s light into rainbow colors. When used correctly, it’s a super powerful cure—that’s why it’s recommended so much. But since there’s more than one kind of crystal, it’s possible to get the wrong kind and then the cure’s not working, and you don’t know it.”

He continued to shop and sent me a photo from a site famous for handmade goods. There were lots of crystals strung in a line together with a large disco-ball shape at the bottom. I replied, “Definitely not—way too many crystals. Too many crystals introduce chaos into a space. One crystal per pull is plenty.” The next three pictures of pulls had clear disco-ball shaped crystals, but they were attached to the pull chain with, in one case, really flimsy wire through a hole at the top of the crystal. I vetoed that one saying, “I really question whether that little wire attachment to the chain will actually hold the crystal. Maybe I’m wrong, but it looks flimsy.”

The next one had the same problem, but the wire was a little stronger and it was attached to the chain by a clumsy-looking metal contraption—consisting of three unrelated-looking pieces of metal. To that one I said, “I’ve never seen a crystal (which is pretty heavy) held by a small wire in that configuration. I’m suspicious but maybe it’s okay. Don’t order more than one until you get one and see if you trust the construction. It’s that tiny wire that touches the chain that concerns me.”

The next picture he sent didn’t even show the attachment to the chain. I said, “Note that they don’t show how it attaches to the fan pull. That’s because you’re expected to tie it on to the chain and hope that it holds on. When something’s tied onto a chain, it going to always look awkward. The pull needs to simply clip onto the existing chain.”

At this point, I took matters into my own hands. I went on Amazon and found (easily—I just searched for “crystal fan pull”) this traditional disco-ball crystal pull with a sturdy attachment to the pull chain.

I sent that link to him, and I noticed that there was also a “diamond” shape crystal with a totally flat bottom, which an ideal shape for something over your body—not the least chance of a poison arrow. This are what I sent to him with my endorsement, especially the diamond shape, which is what he ended up purchasing.

A few days later, I got the following email from him: “The crystal pulls you recommended came today. They are quite beautiful, with a lot of sparkle. They feel right. I will put them on two of my three fans this weekend.  I just ordered two more sets of two pulls, one for my third fan and one for [his friend] Dan to use on his ceiling fan in San Francisco. Thanks again for the recommendation.”

He said the three magic words “They feel right.”