Less bulky and pricey than traditional chandeliers, pendant lights hang from ceilings as a single light fixture or in clusters. These hanging lights are suspended by an adjustable hanging cord, rod, or chain, to provide ambient light, task light, or accent light.
Pendant lights come in multiple configurations - hard-wired, plug-in, or retractable (with an adjustable chain). Their dome shade can be made of clear glass, textured fabric, or even metal.
Most pendant lights have a dimmer switch for controlling light output and intensity.
Hanging solo, a pendant lamp can hone in on a room’s focal point. In clusters, pendant lights can give a warm glow to the entire room.
Types of Pendant Lights
Multi Line Pendant Lights
These consist of two to 12 mini pendant lights, connected to a central ceiling-mounted fixture. If you want to replicate the traditional chandelier look, but have only one overhead electrical outlet, multi light or cluster pendant lights are your best fit.
Inverted Pendant Lights
These inverted light fixtures are like ceiling-mounted flush lights that throw diffusing light to the ceiling. WIth adjustable length and incandescent primary material, these light bulbs are great for ambient lighting in entrance hallways and dining rooms.
Downlight Pendant Lights
These bell-shaped pendant lights can throw direct light downwards, making them excellent for task illumination. Use them to bring understated elegance to your kitchen island, dining table, and work table. Incorporate metal shade material in them to showcase chic simplicity.
Drum Pendant Lights
These modern style pendant lights come with cylindrical shade diffusers made of a malleable or textile shade material. You can add a dose of drama to your indoor spaces by using textured lamp shades, or spotlight your dining room table by using glass shades.
Linear Pendant Lights
These are like multi light pendant lights, except they have multiple light sources running linearly. Forming a round canopy at the top, a linear pendant light can support downward or inverted light fixtures. A linear pendant light is best suited for big hallways and workstations.
Factors to Consider Before Buying a Pendant Light
1. Light Bulbs
One thing you need to consider before buying a pendant lamp is the kind of light bulbs they can incorporate. Many pendant light manufacturers sell light fixtures that accept only LED light bulbs. They are at least 75% more power-efficient than incandescent light bulbs. Plus, they cool down much faster, making for a kid-friendly and safe lighting option.
2. Wattage
LED light bulbs have a lower wattage (power consumption) as compared to incandescent light bulbs, which is why they are more affordable and green. For indoor commercial and residential use, opt for pendant light with wattage between 6W to 20W (for LED bulbs) and 45W to 150W (for incandescent bulbs).
3. Lumens
The most critical purchase factor for any type of light fixtures is lumens (light output or brightness). Here again LED light bulbs outperform incandescent counterparts. A standard 8-12W LED bulb can produce 800 Lumens of light. To produce the same brightness, you would need a 60W incandescent bulb.
4. Glass Shade Material
Opt for a clear glass shade if you want focused lighting. A vintage glass jug can also produce the same effect while maintaining an elegant silhouette. You can play around with color palettes for hued lighting.
The next section elaborates on two more important guiding factors for pendant lights—hanging height and pendant size.
A Guide to Pendant Light Height and Size
The height and size of pendant lights govern their light output and quality. In general, these attributes should correspond to your room dimension and layout.
In this guide, all the room dimensions are mentioned in feet and light dimensions in inches. Maintain these technical specs for attaining even illumination in your living space.
Pendant Light Diameter
For hanging lights, the ideal diameter is the sum total of the room’s height and width. For example, if a room’s length is 20 feet and width 15 feet, a pedant light of 35 inches (20+15) diameter would look best.
A bigger pendant would overpower the room decor, and a smaller pendant wouldn’t provide ample illumination.
Pendant Light Height
The height for pendant lights can be computed by multiplying 2.5 with the room’s height. For example, a room with a height of 20 feet will do well with pendant lights at a height of 50 inches (2.5*20).
Hang the pendant too low and it might obstruct your vision. Likewise, hanging them too high will diffuse their light.
Pendant Light Hanging Height
Pendant light hanging height is the distance between the room ceiling and the pendant shade. Generally, it is to be maintained at 7 feet for large rooms and 7.5 feet for small rooms.
If you intend to hang pendants over a kitchen island or table, hang them at least 30-35 inches above the table surface.
Need Classy Pendant Light Options?
As you can see, pendant lights come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Check out our exquisite designs that cater to all budgets, lighting needs, and design preferences. We offer free delivery and no-obligation returns with all orders.
