Pendant Lights in a Home: A Guide on Everything to Know

Hello World!  Welcome Friends!  Do you have a home remodel on the horizon? Do you want to liven up or modernize the look of your kitchen or workspace?

Pendant style lights are the perfect answer to many interior lighting dilemmas. They offer a modern look and functional lighting, without the over-the-top look of a chandelier.

You could fork over an average of $25.66 per hour for an experienced interior designer to help you choose your new lighting. Or, you could be your own interior designer and put the savings into better pendant lights!

We’re here to help! We scoured all the sources to compile an ultimate guide to pendant light fixtures! Keep reading to learn all about pendant light fixtures, all the parts, types of pendants, and how to choose the right light for your home!

Photo: William Waldron via Source

What Is a Pendant Light?

Pendant style lighting is a popular choice for interior design right now. It is a type of lighting connected at the ceiling level and hangs down.

A pendant light might suspend from the ceiling by a rod, cord, chain or other items. At the lowest point in the fixture, there is a shade of some sort and a light bulb that gives off light.

Some pendant style lights have one bulb, while others are a cluster of hanging bulbs. Some of the most popular styles in recent years have been modern LED pendant lights. Any light that hangs from the ceiling with a long drop is a pendant style light.

Parts of a Pendant Light

No matter if you plan on installing your own lighting or not, you should know the anatomy of the pendant light. These are the different parts of the pendant light from the ceiling down.

• The mounting strap is the piece of the fixture you mount to the outlet box in the ceiling
• The canopy covers up the electrical connections at the ceiling and only serves aesthetic purposes
• The nipple is a screw-like connection that comes through the canopy and connects to the hanger loop and rod below
• The hanger loop is a small ring that connects the mounted part of the pendant fixture to the part that hangs down
• The rod (or chain) hangs down from the ceiling mount assembly
• The socket is the electrical part of the fixture where the light bulb goes. It’s connected to the rod/chain
• The shade is the part of the pendant light that covers the bulb
• The bulb is the final piece and what determines how bright your light will shine and the energy efficiency of the fixture

Knowing all the parts of pendant fixtures is the first step to installing one yourself!

Various Functions of Pendant Lights

Not all pendant lighting is the same! You don’t want a decorative pendant style light above your workspace, for instance! These are a few of the most common functions of pendant style lighting.

• Ambient lighting fixtures add gentle illumination to a whole area or room makes them perfect for rooms where you want a more intimate feel
• Decorative lighting is not meant to be functional and bright, but instead, they’re intended as a beautiful decoration that emits light
• Accent lighting pendant fixtures focus on a particular design feature or piece of artwork
• Kitchen prep areas are very common places to see pendant style task lights because they are bright and focus on a workspace area so you can see what you are doing

You can add brighter bulbs to an accent pendant fixture to make it brighter, but be sure not to exceed the maximum wattage of the socket or your bulb will overheat!

How to Style Your Pendant Style Lighting

Different styles of lights look better in some rooms over others. Here are some of the rooms people put pendant style lights and tips so you can pick the right style for your decor.

Kitchen

Many people choose to put pendant task lights above their kitchen island so they can have a bright area to prepare food. Hang the light(s) about 30″ above your island and about 18″ from the edge, so you don’t bump your head into the light.

Dining Room

Hang a couple of pendant style lights above your dining table. For smaller tables, hang the light lower, and higher for larger tables.

Bathroom

Instead of sconces flanking your vanity mirror, add two pendant style lights on either side at eye level (about 18″ above the sink). Hanging the lights low like this prevents unattractive shadows under the eyes, nose, and chin.

There are many other uses for pendant-style fixtures on the interior and exterior of your home. The small footprint of these lights makes it an easy fit for most ceiling hung lighting needs!

DIY or Hire a Guy?

If you are replacing a light that was already there and you know a little bit about electricity/ wiring, putting up your pendant light yourself can save you a few bucks. Be sure to shut off your power at the breaker box.

For those who have never messed with wiring before, be safe and hire a professional electrician. Also, if you are putting a new light where there was none before or if your existing wiring is brittle or damaged, call in a professional for those jobs as well.

Let Your Light Shine Bright

When you are changing the interior lighting of your home, take your time! Rushing to make a decision will lead to regrets later! The right pendant light will fit with your style and current home decor and bring beautiful light into your home.

We hope you loved reading this article and that you learned a thing or two about pendant lights. For more great information on interior decorating, gardening, and more, check out the rest of our blog today!

Click the links below for any posts you have missed:

Celebrating the Joys and Comforts of a New Home

Upgrading Your Garage for Maximum Enjoyment

Is a Pool Worth It?

Building your Dream Home

How to Choose Wood Flooring

Roofer Guide

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