Vintage Laurelhurst - Portland, OR

Our Story
In 2001, I was restoring a bathroom in our 1923 bungalow in Portland, Oregon.  I maintained all of the original details that gave the bathroom its charm, but made functional updates where I could.  Ventilation provoked a dilemma:  installed on the wall was a run-of-the-mill, plastic squirrel-cage fan, whose primary function seemed to be nothing more than an eyesore and noise pollutant; I’m sure you know the kind. 

I searched for a mechanically sound, attractive fan suitable for bathrooms like ours; it was simply not available. 

Deciding that NO fan was better than a plastic fan – I began covering up the hole - opting for design integrity, even though I knew all of the reasons why a room should be properly ventilated.  In walked my wife.  She was not at all pleased with windows being our only source of ventilation, and honestly, neither was I.  My mind always spins on ways to improve things, so when she challenged me with, “Well, why don’t you invent something?!” I did.  And the Laurelhurst Fan was born. 

With 20 combined years under my belt as an Aircraft and Mercedes-Benz technician, I was accustomed to using my hands and understood the necessity of meticulous workmanship.  So, for my own home, I began to use my skills to fabricate a custom exhaust fan. 

I was aware of the praise that the fan solicited from visitors, yet my dream of selling barely simmered on the back burner.  Then I switched careers and became a contractor specializing in the restoration of vintage homes. It became increasingly clearer to me that other people, like yourself, are out there searching for a custom fan just like I was. 

Quality and functionality have always been paramount in my work and in my home.  If you take pride in details, appreciate fine craftsmanship, and need a period appropriate exhaust fan to match the décor of your custom room . . . I am happy you found us.

Vintage Laurelhurst - Seattle, WA

Why Laurelhurst?
The Laurelhurst Fan was designed for a 1923 bathroom in the Laurelhurst neighborhood of Portland, OR . . . the name just seemed to fit. 

For those who enjoy a little history: In Seattle, WA, circa 1906, a pristine wooded peninsula was given the name “Laurelhurst.”  Coined by real estate developers, “Laurel” signified the abundant shrubs in the development, and “Hurst” is an Anglo-Saxon word meaning ”a wood, or grove.’  A few years later in 1909, these developers brought the same vision, and name, to Portland, OR. Our fans are inspired by these true craftsman of that period.

Why Our Grille Names?
You may notice a Story link in each grille name on the Fan Shop page. That is because we owe the start-up of Laurelhurst Fan Company to our family – generations living, and generations past . . . the least we could do was name a grille after them.

As with many of you, our family tree is as diverse as it is large; each limb representing a different corner of the world, and culture to match. When we look a bit closer, we see that the threads of similarities weave their way through diversities, and we find that many of us come from a lineage of pioneers. Hardworking, honest people whose love of family and freedom was the operating force behind the choices they made.

As we each carve out a branch of our own, our goal at Laurelhurst Fan Company is to embrace the values and traditions that have paved our path, and to sustain it for the ones who have yet to follow.