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Pendant lights set the tone in a living room, a dining room or a bedroom. From industrial caged lamps to glass globe fittings, hung on a cord or on rods. Free UK delivery on orders over £100.
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Why pendants
Hanging a light from the ceiling immediately adds atmosphere to a room, and a pendant does it at a smaller scale than a chandelier. That makes it the more flexible of the two: a pendant can be a room's main light, a task light over a worktop, or an accent in a corner, depending only on where you put it and how low it hangs.
More atmosphere, with a dimmer
Interior lighting has a decisive influence on how a home feels. With the right pendant you get good general light when you need to see everything, and with dimmable bulbs and a compatible dimmer switch you get a quieter, warmer version of the same room in the evening. Neither the bulbs nor the dimmer are included, and both are worth budgeting for.
Ways to use a pendant
- A pair suspended either side of a central fitting, which frames the room rather than competing with it.
- An oversized pendant in the corner of a large room, as the finishing touch to an otherwise minimal space.
- One over a small table, to make a standalone nook in a bigger room.
- In place of bedside table lamps. Pendants either side of a bed keep the floor and the nightstands clear, which is worth more in a small bedroom than the lamps are.
How to buy a pendant light
Start with the purpose. A pendant bought as a room's main light and a pendant bought as an accent over a table are different fittings, and knowing which you want narrows the choice immediately.
Then measure. Height and width of the room, and the height of the surface underneath if there is one. Check the maximum and minimum drop of the fitting so your headroom stays clear: our caged pendant adjusts up to 133cm, and the six-globe fitting uses rods of 20cm and 10cm combined to set the drop.
Finally, check the dimensions rather than the photograph. A 14cm cage and a 70cm globe frame photograph almost identically and are entirely different objects in a room.
How low should a pendant hang?
Over a worktop or a table, put the bottom of the fitting 75cm to 90cm above the surface. In a walkway, keep it above 2.1m. Over a kitchen island, two or three small pendants in a row at 60cm to 75cm centres usually look better than one in the middle.
If you are unsure, email us at theteam@modernlight.uk before you order.
Frequently asked questions about pendants
What is pendant lighting?
A decorative light designed to be suspended from the ceiling. Pendants are usually compact and much smaller than chandeliers, and they tend to be less bright, though that changes from design to design.
How do I install a pendant?
A pendant has a ceiling cup or plate that fixes to the ceiling, with the cord, chain or rod hanging from it. You will usually need to fit the bulb before hanging it. It is a hardwired mains fitting, so isolate the circuit first and use a qualified electrician if mains wiring is not routine for you.
Should I buy a pendant or a chandelier?
If the room is large and there is a central position free, a chandelier is usually the better bet, and pendants can then enhance it. If the room is cosy, a chandelier can be too much and a pendant is the better choice. For task light over a specific area, a pendant every time.
How do I choose the right pendant for my room?
Four things: the dimensions of the room, its colour scheme, the design style you want, and where the ceiling point actually is.
Do your pendants come with bulbs?
No. Both take bulbs you choose, and each page states the fitting, the count and the maximum wattage.
Which bulb should I use in a cage pendant?
A clear filament LED. The frame is open, so the lamp is visible from every angle and a frosted bulb throws away the effect.
Can a pendant go in a bathroom?
Not ours. Neither pendant carries an IP rating, so both are for dry rooms only, whatever a supplier listing may suggest.
Can I shorten the cord?
Yes. The caged pendant's 133cm is a maximum rather than a fixed length, and the six-globe fitting sets its drop with the supplied rods.