IN THIS POST
– Pendant Light Designs
– Styles of Pendant Light
– Pendant Light Sizes
– Shade Materials
– Types of Light Bulbs
– How to Choose Pendant Lights
Pendant lights have quickly replaced the traditional chandeliers in homes across the world. These hanging lamps can be installed in a variety of different ways, such as being hung solo, featured in a cluster or suspended in a row at varying heights. There are quite a few different types of pendant lights available in the market, ranging from contemporary to traditional with an assortment of shade styles, materials, colours and sizes.
Apart from lighting up your interior décor, these ceiling light fixtures also add a decorative touch to your home. Moreover, buying modern pendant lights will not put a dent in your bank account either, as you can easily find one that fits your price range.
With so many options available to choose, finding the perfect hanging light fixtures for your home can be a little confusing. Therefore, to make the process a little easier for you as well as to ensure that your décor looks cohesive and trendy, we have put together a guide detailing different types of pendant lights.
Since we have already discussed lighting ideas for each room in your home, we’ll now focus on the popular designs, styles, sizes and shades for hanging pendant lamps.
Pendant Light Designs
These are the most common types of pendant light designs one can install in their house:
- Bowl pendant lights
- Dome pendant lights
- Cylindrical pendant lights
- Linear pendant lights
- Abstract pendant lights
- Multi-light or cluster pendants
- Mini pendant lights
Let’s discuss the design, shape and usage of these pendant lamps.
Bowl Pendant Lights
These hanging lamps are also called inverted pendant lights.
This pendant light is shaped like a bowl attached to the bottom on a centre rod. It projects light upwards and is sometimes held by two or more short chains for support. Bowl pendants are one of the most popular types of ceiling lights and are great for ambient lighting. Its shape also ensures the light in the room is not too harsh or distracting.
You can install this hanging lamp in your living room, hallway, bedroom or any part of the house.
Dome Pendant Lights
These pendants are the opposite of the inverted ones.
Shaped like an upside-down bowl, these ceiling light fixtures point downwards and are used in areas where you require bright and directional light. Dome pendants are available in various shapes and are a smart choice for task lighting.
Depending on your personal style, preference and needs, you can install dome pendant lights above your kitchen counter, home office desk, and even dining table. The light from these hanging lamps can be rather intense, therefore it would be better to install a bulb with a dimmer.
Cylindrical Pendants
As the name suggests, these types of pendant lights have a cylindrical shade that is shaped like a drum.
More often than not, these stylish pendant lights come with a fabric shade, which can cast a soft and warm glow in the room. It can also be a great way to incorporate some texture and pattern into your décor.
Since these pendants have a longer shade, the light they project is not very intense. They are also very timeless and can be a great addition to your bedroom and living room décor. However, fabrics do not make for the most suitable pendant light shades for the kitchen. This is because they attract dust and grime rather easily, which makes it difficult to clean since grease from cooking would also accumulate on their surface.
Linear Pendant Lights
This design of pendant lights is particularly popular among those who prefer contemporary or minimalistic home décor. These sleek ceiling light fixtures consist of three or more bulbs arranged in a vertical row and are usually installed above the islands in luxury kitchens.
You can find linear pendants in multiple designs, including ones that feature multiple light sources affixed under a single canopy and others with multiple smaller pendants attached to the same base. They are quite similar to multi-light or cluster pendants and are available in both inverted and dome styles.
Linear pendant lights are used for task lighting.
Abstract Pendant Lights
This term is used for stylish pendant lights with innovative and artistic designs. Abstract pendant lights feature sharp and clean lines, adding a contemporary look to your home décor. Instead of mere light fixtures, they also serve as decorative pieces in your home – just like the traditional crystal chandeliers.
Abstract pendant lights usually have a metallic cage-like shade in different shapes and sizes. The smaller lights are installed in hallways, entryways and bathrooms. Meanwhile, the bigger abstract lights are used to brighten up the kitchens, bedrooms, living rooms and dining area in homes.
Multi-Light Pendants
A perfect fit for contemporary décor, these hanging light fixtures are a brilliant replacement for traditional chandeliers. Also called cluster pendant lights, these hanging lamps can feature as many as twelve light sources. With each bulb affixed to an individual shade or a smaller pendant that is connected to a central figure, multi-light pendants can illuminate a room like the modern version of a grand chandelier.
The smaller pendants or shades in these types of ceiling lights are not always arranged in a vertical order. The more contemporary models boast lights of different shapes and sizes hanging at different levels.
Multi-light pendants only require one overhead electrical opening. They are mostly used as a statement-making piece in living rooms and dining rooms. Their light is usually very bright, though in most instances, the intensity can be controlled with a dimmer.
Mini Pendant Lights
Used for accent lighting, these hanging lamps are a smaller version of bowl or dome pendant lights.
You can install mini pendant lights either solo or in a cluster of three or more above our bathroom sink, kitchen counter and study or home office desk. Since they are smaller in size, these pendant lamps are also compatible with track lights.
Mini pendant lights work great in smaller spaces, such as entryways and bathrooms, since they take up less space. Depending on the available space and requirement, you can even hang multiple pendant lights in a vertical row above the island in your kitchen to brighten up the area.
Pendant Light Styles
These are the most popular styles of pendant lights that all homeowners must be familiar with.
- Traditional pendant lights
- Contemporary pendant lights
- Transitional pendant lights
- Unique pendant lights
Let’s discuss these types of pendant lights in detail.
Traditional Pendant Lights
These types of ceiling lights have a more ornate look and come with a lot of embellishments. Traditional pendant lights are more detailed, boast several decorative components and have a timeless appeal.
Rustic, vintage and farmhouse-style pendant lights all fall into this category.
Contemporary Pendant Lights
These ceiling light fixtures have a sleek appearance with minimal embellishments. Contemporary pendant lights are known for their clean lines and simple look. They usually come with metallic shades in abstract or geometric designs.
Modern hanging lamps with exposed bulbs and abstract pendant lights are also considered contemporary light fixtures.
Transitional Pendant Lights
Pendant lights that combine the clean and sleek lines of the contemporary style with the decorative elements of the traditional designs fall into this category.
Transitional pendant lights add a personalized look to your home décor while illuminating the room.
Unique Pendant Lights
In case you are looking for something fun and extraordinary for your home, something that stands out from the regular light fixtures, you should think about buying a unique pendant light.
Though it is a fairly broad category, the pendant lights that fall into this category are usually artistic and mainly serve as a decorative piece.
Pendant Light Sizes
If you are planning to hang a pendant lamp in your kitchen, there are two main questions you should be asking yourself: ‘how low the pendant lights should hang over an island?’ and ‘which size of pendant lights to install in the kitchen?’
Since kitchens without pendant lights have become a thing of the past, there are two main things you should consider before buying the ceiling light fixtures for your cooking space. Firstly, you must ensure the lights should hang so low that people bump their heads against them. Secondly, the pendant lights must not block the view of those seating at the island.
Pendant lights are usually available with a 24 to 30-inch centre rod. Some lights even come with adjustable rods or chains, making it easy for the homeowners to alter their height as per their requirements. Meanwhile, the width of the pendant shades usually ranges between 5 and 43 inches.
Pendant Light Shade Materials
These are the most popular pendant light shade materials in Pakistan.
- Glass
- Ceramic
- Metal
- Fabric
- Plastic
- Bamboo
Ceramic and glass pendant lights are usually available in traditional styles whereas metal and shades are often used in contemporary styles. If you are looking for cheap pendant lights, the ones with fabric and plastic shades tend to cost a little less than others. Moreover, owing to its eco-friendly nature, bamboo is also gaining popularity as a material for pendant light shades.
Types of Light Bulbs
The types of bulbs you choose for your pendant lights can also have a huge impact on the ambience of your home.
Here are the main types of bulbs available in Pakistan.
- Incandescent light bulbs
- Halogen light bulbs
- LED bulbs
- Fluorescent light bulbs
You can read more about different types of bulbs in our detailed guide on the topic.
How to Choose Pendant Lights for Each Room
Choosing the perfect light fixture for your home interior requires more deliberation and research than you might think.
Let’s take a look at the ideal pendant lighting ideas for each room in your house.
Bedroom: Cylindrical pendant lights with fabric shades or abstract pendant lights with metal or glass shade.
Bathroom: Mini pendant lights with metallic or glass shades.
Kitchen: Linear or multiple mini pendant lights.
Living Room: Cylindrical, abstract or bowl pendant lights with fabric, metal, glass or ceramic shades.
Dining Room: Multi-light or abstract pendants with a fusion of glass and metal shades.
Hallway: Dome or abstract pendant lights with glass, ceramic or metal shades.
This brings an end to our guide on buying pendant lights for home.
If you have any feedback or queries about the different types of pendant lights discussed above, don’t hesitate to drop us an email at blog@zameen.com.
You can also take a look at our lighting tips for apartments as well as how to choose the perfect light fixtures for landscape lighting.
For more lighting tips and tricks, stay tuned to Zameen Blog – the leading lifestyle and property blog in Pakistan. Moreover, please take a moment to subscribe to the Zameen Newsletter and Facebook page for the latest home décor, construction and real estate trends in the country.
