Pendant Lights

Pendant Lights

Pendant light fittings (also called drop lights or suspender lights) are indoor lights that are suspended from the ceiling.

Tips on pendant lights:

• It is critical not to hang pendant light fittings too low. For an entry hall, 2.1 meters (7 feet) above the floor is recommended. However, keep in mind the height of the tallest person in your home!
• Pendant light fittings are commonly hung over kitchen benches and dining tables to provide great task lighting and to enhance the interior design and aesthetics. In a dining area, the recommendation is to suspend the light about 1 meter (3 foot) above the table; for kitchen benches it should be a bit higher.
• If the area under the pendant is used for reading, make sure the pendant is hung low enough to provide sufficient light.
• Consider using dimmers - they make lighting look fantastic and save energy.
• If you are thinking of lining up pendant light fittings over bench tops or tables, keep in mind the Rule of Three: three lights in a row look much better than two or four.
• Hanging a line of identical pendants down a long hallway provides for a most classic look.
• If you want to avoid circles of bright light, consider a pendant with a diffuser or use semi-opaque bulbs.

Types of pendant lights:

• Multi-arm: these have multiple lights connected to one central fixture. This type of pendant light can be used as a chandelier alternative.
• Cage pendants: these have their outer fixture made from wooden slats or wire.
• Mini Pendants: these are the smallest version of a pendant light fixture, often installed in small spaces.
• Inverted Pendants: also called up-light pendants, these direct the light towards the ceiling.
• Drum pendants: these have a cylindrical drum shade around the light source.
• Bowl pendants: these have their light source wrapped in a single bowl-shaped shade.
• Globe pendants: these have a complete sphere housing which is fully or semi-transparent around the light source.
• Schoolhouse pendants: these pendants, also called barnyard pendants, are so named because they used to be in traditional schoolhouses, with a wide, spinning top shaped enclosure.
• Cord pendants: these are completely minimalist - a naked bulb directly off the casing. They are particularly popular with vintage globes.
• Stem pendants: these have a stem (often from wood or cast iron) between the cord and a naked bulb.
• Panel pendants: these have long rectangular panels, with each corner of the panel hanging by a chain.
• Drop pendants: these have their fixtures in the shape of a drop of water.