Pendant lights & pendant lighting: The light everyone gathers under.
Over the dining table, above the sofa, by the kitchen island: a pendant light decides where the evening settles. Designer hanging lights from Masiero, Slamp, Northern, Catellani & Smith and Tom Dixon.
Pendant lights by room
Over the dining tableThe light that gathers everyone at the tableExplore →
For the living roomA warm glow over the sofa or the armchairExplore →
For the kitchenPendants that hang over the island and counterExplore →
For the bedroomSoft, dimmable light hanging beside the bedExplore →
For the staircaseClusters of light that fill a tall stairwellExplore →
You already know what you want? Browse all pendant lights and filter by brand, material, color temperature or dimming.
Pendant lights over the dining table, in the living room, kitchen and staircase
A pendant changes a room exactly where it hangs. Each place has its own height, its own size and its own way of keeping the light out of your eyes. Click through the four places and see which pendants I would hang there.
1 of 4 · Dining table
Pendant lights over the dining table: 60 cm
A pendant over the dining table turns a piece of furniture into the place where evenings happen. I hang it about 60 cm above the tabletop, so you still look into the faces across from you. Let its shape follow the table: a long table takes a long fixture or a row of small ones. At a warm 2700K, on its own dimmer, it keeps everyone sitting long after dessert.
Our picks for this light
2 of 4 · Living room
Living room pendants that hang where you sit
In the living room, a pendant belongs where the evening settles in: over the coffee table or beside your favorite armchair. It needs a ceiling box right there, or a track to carry the light to that spot. Choose a warm 2700K and a shade of frosted glass, fabric or crystal, so you see a soft shimmer and never a bare bulb. For long reading hours, a floor lamp does better.
Our picks for this light
3 of 4 · Kitchen
Kitchen pendant lights over the island and counter
In an open kitchen the island is the stage, and its pendants set the scene. Give them their own switch and dimmer: bright while you chop, soft when friends pull up a stool for a glass of wine. Plan about 500 lm per square meter on the work surface, with the light in front of you, so your own shadow never falls on the counter.
Our picks for this light
4 of 4 · Staircase
Staircase pendants that fill the height
A stairwell is the one place where light can fall through a whole house. Walking up, your eye rises with you; walking down, it looks for the next step. A group of pendants at different heights fills the space while none of them hangs at eye level. Soft shadows make each step easy to read: aim for light at least every third step, with a motion sensor for the night.
Our picks for this light
Show me your table.
You don't have to know which pendant fits. Tell me where the table stands, how high the ceiling is and where the ceiling box sits, and I'll find the light that belongs above it.
Daniela Schär, lighting designer for over 15 years
- Send photosEmail me 2-3 photos of the table and the room, with the table size and the ceiling height.
- I look at your roomI look at the table, the ceiling box and the walkways: where a pendant could glare, how low it may hang, and how the room should feel late in the evening.
- Get my picksYou receive specific pendants with sizes and hanging heights, ready to order. As long as the ceiling box stays where it is, my advice is free. If it has to move, or you want a whole room planned, that becomes lighting design with its own quote.
Pendant lights, ready to ship
Mostly brand-new pendants from our warehouse, plus unused returns and a few display pieces, ready to ship. Every model is still available at its regular price, and the warehouse price belongs to that one piece.
How to choose the right pendant light
Begin with the place where it will hang. Over the dining table, about 60 cm above the tabletop, with a size and shape that follow the table. In the kitchen, the island deserves a light of its own; in the living room, the pendant hangs over the seating. A dimmer on a separate switch lets the same light serve breakfast and a late dinner.
Pendant lights in three steps
Stand where you will sit and look up. Where is the ceiling box, how high is the ceiling, and how big is the table?
- Check the height and the ceiling box
Measure from the tabletop to the ceiling and find the ceiling box. Leave about 60 cm between the tabletop and the light, so nothing stands between you and the person across the table. If the box isn't above the table, a track brings the light to the right spot.
Rule of thumbAbout 60 cm above the tabletop keeps every face in view. Under a high ceiling, shorten the cord.
Quick checkCan you see the person across from you without leaning around the shade? Then the pendant hangs right.
- Choose size and shape
Let the light echo the table, so it reaches every place setting. A round table looks calm and generous under one large pendant. A long table takes a long fixture or a row of small ones, which stretches it even further.
Rule of thumbA row of pendants makes a long table look longer. For an extending table, a track lets them move along.
Quick checkDoes the light cover the whole table, edges included? Then size and number are right.
- Choose color temperature and dimming
Dining tables and living rooms get a warm 2700K, kitchens 3000K. Good color rendering makes food look as inviting as it tastes. With its own switch and dimmer, one pendant carries you from breakfast to a late dinner.
Rule of thumbLow, warm light in the evening feels like dusk to your eyes, and your body follows. Pick a pendant that dims down to a soft glow.
Before you buyA pendant dims only if the spec sheet says so and the wall dimmer matches. Not sure? Ask me.
How light shapes your day
The pendant is turned all the way up, and daylight pours in through the window.
Bread, fruit and faces look just as they are.
The pendant glows at half strength, and the ceiling lights stay off.
The table becomes an island of light, and the rest of the room settles into a soft dark.
The pendant hangs at 60 cm, and a small lamp glows somewhere in the background.
Even with every chair taken, the light stays soft and the conversation keeps going.
Would you rather plan it together? Personal lighting design →
Pendant lights, briefly answered
How high should a pendant light hang over a dining table?
A pendant hangs about 60 cm above the tabletop. The light lands on the table and not in your eyes, and you still see the faces across from you. Under a high ceiling, shorten the cord; under a low one, choose a flatter fixture. You will find good options under dining table lights.
Which pendant lighting works over a dining table?
One that echoes the table in size and shape. A round table gets one large pendant, a long table a long fixture or a row of small ones. Look for a model that can be dimmed, and give it a switch of its own, apart from the ceiling lights.
How many pendant lights over a long table?
Either a row of small pendants or one long fixture. Both make a long table look longer. What matters is that the light reaches the whole surface and neither end falls into shadow. For an extending table, pendants on a track move with it.
Which hanging lights work in a living room?
A hanging light with a shade or frosted glass, placed where you sit, such as over the coffee table. Many can be dimmed, which makes the evening much softer. You need a ceiling box at that spot, or a track to bring the light there. More under living room pendant lights.
How bright should a kitchen pendant be?
The island pendants can be dimmed, but the work surface still gets about 500 lm per square meter. A pendant that hangs in front of you keeps your shadow off the counter. Give the pendants a switch of their own.
How many pendant lights do I need over a kitchen island?
The length of the island decides: one wide pendant over a short island, several in an even row over a long one, for example 3 Puk Mini Choice Long by Top Light. Hang them in front of the work area so your shadow stays off the counter.
Which pendant light works over a staircase?
A cluster of pendants that fills the height, or one large light on a long cord. It should not glare at you on the way down. Soft shadows make each step easy to read, and a motion sensor looks after the light at night.
What's the difference between a pendant light and a chandelier?
A pendant light, or pendant lamp, hangs on a single cord, chain or rod and usually carries one light source, like the Acorn by Northern Lighting. A chandelier carries several lights on arms and fills the space under the ceiling. When the light itself should do the work, choose a pendant, or a row of them.
Can pendant lights be dimmed?
Many can, but not all. A pendant dims only if the spec sheet says dimmable and the wall dimmer matches; otherwise it flickers. Every light in the shop shows whether it dims and which dimmer it needs.
What makes a contemporary designer pendant light?
A named designer, honest materials and care in every detail. Designer pendants are made of glass, brass, aluminum or steel, often in Italy or Scandinavia. Quality shows where others cut corners: in the finish, the cord and the canopy.
Can I get advice before I buy?
Of course. Email me 2-3 photos of your table and the room, with the table size and ceiling height. I'm Daniela Schär, and with over 15 years of lighting design behind me, I'll recommend a pendant and its hanging height. That's free if the ceiling box is already there; moving one becomes lighting design with its own quote.
Still unsure? Send Daniela photos for advice