Pendant Lights – Select the Right Style for Your Space

Pendant lights are designed to hang from the ceiling and come in thousands of shapes, sizes, colours and designs.  They are a great statement piece that can enhance any room, however, it is important to make sure you are selecting the right pendant for your space.

Do you go with something classic that will last the test of time, do you select something that blends with your interior design choices or something that stands out from the crowd, and how do you account for the intended purpose of your pendants without losing the drama that a statement piece can make … the choices are endless!

Tips to consider when making your choice of pendant lights:

What purpose will your pendant lights serve?

When considering your selection of pendant light, a good starting point is to consider what the main function of the light will be.  For instance:

• Overall lighting – a pendant with a diffused light will provide overall and ambient illumination.  Or pendants with a glass or cage shade where the bulb is exposed will allow light to spread throughout your room.
  Consideration of shadows can also enhance or detract from your space.  Pendants for overall lighting lend themselves to making shadows an ambient feature of your lighting design.

• Task lighting – a pendant with a solid shade can produce a concentrated downward light to illuminate a task specific location.

• Accent lighting – a pendant hung in the right location can throw light to highlight a specific item in your space.
• Feature lighting – pendants can be a piece of art in your space.  Feature pendants are a great addition to a space that doesn’t require specific lighting but is enhanced by an ambient light thrown from your feature piece.

What is the size of the space in which your pendant lights will hang?

Pendant lights can make a statement, however, you don’t want them to overwhelm a space.  Choosing a pendant that is right for your space includes considering the height and width of your space, as well as your lines of vision within.

Where do you position your pendant lights within your space?

For overall illumination, even spacing of multiple pendants is most appropriate.

Pendants also lend themselves to clustering – a technique that can be great for illuminating specific spaces, or making your lighting a focal point of your room.  Ensure you consider the overall illumination when clustering so as not to overwhelm your space with light.

Pendant lights are also great for hanging at different heights to make that statement.

Is there a certain height pendant lights should be hung from the ceiling?

This is one of the most important things to consider when choosing pendant lights.  The height you hang your pendant will depend on the height of your ceiling, as well as what is sitting beneath your pendant.
Pendants hung too high will be lost in a space, however, pendants hung too low will obstruct lines of vision.

For further information on ideal heights for hanging pendants, visit our “Tips for Hanging Pendant Lights” at rovert.com.au/blog/tips-for-hanging-pendant-lights