I think the fan style is what makes it look dated. Someone used the term "Pizza Parlor Fans" on here once, and those are the ones (pull chains, four downlights in tulip glass) that look dated to me in either brown or white. We just did two small bedrooms with modern fans in nickle with dark blades, which we sanded off for a distressed look, and I think it looks very fresh and modern. White fan blades show lots more dust/dirt.

i like white blades against a white ceiling because they really do disappear. but please, no lights on fans at all, even modern ones look horrid imho, and the quality of light they give is dreadful as well.

if something is dusty it needs to be dusted, no matter what color it is. if the dust is hard to see its still blowing around.