8 best pendant lights

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How to choose the right pendant lighting for you

Most pendant lighting hangs from overhead by a rod, wire or chain and casts light downward. Most, but not all, pendant lighting requires permanent installation just like recessed ceiling lighting and chandeliers, but is different from both. Pendants add a note of style to your room decor, while recessed lighting is mounted within the ceiling so the fixtures don’t show, and chandeliers don’t aim the light downward.

What to know before you buy pendant lights

Anatomy of a pendant light

Pendant lighting has five main components:

Shades cover the lightbulb to direct the light downward. Styles are usually chosen to complement a room’s decor or to make a design statement.
Support for the lamp is provided by rigid metal tubing, a hanging chain or the wire itself if it is wrapped in insulating material. Only chain and wire supports can be adjusted to different heights once the light is installed.
Canopies cover the area where the downrod attaches to the ceiling and where the shade meets the support, providing a clean look.
On/off switches may be mounted on the wall or the light.
Bulbs may be a part of the fixture or separate. LED lights are usually built into the fixture.

Fixed or adjustable

Fixed pendant lights should be set at the right height for the room, its surroundings and your activities. If you like to rearrange furniture and redecorate, a fixed-height pendant light may not be right for you.
Adjustable pendant lights are made to move up so they’re out of the way and down when you want to put more light on a subject, such as when you’re playing chess, cards or board games.

Best places for pendant lighting

Permanent kitchen islands are made for pendant lighting. Pendants provide illumination for tasks such as food prep and for when you’re socializing around your island.
Entryways and hallways are often too narrow for floor or table lamps. Pendant lights brighten these areas nicely while keeping the passage clear.
Home offices, especially small ones, are great places for pendant lights because they illuminate your desk without taking up valuable space you need to do your work.
Craft rooms and tables also benefit from overhead fixtures that can be lowered to focus more bright light on important tasks.

Places to think twice about

Dining rooms usually have chandeliers mounted over the table that spread the light upward and outward rather than direct it downward, so if you use a pendant light here, make sure it has a dimmer.
Bathrooms need light, too, but areas of high humidity mean you need special lighting to handle the moisture.

Number of fixtures

Pendant lights traditionally had only one bulb, but more and more manufacturers are offering them in sets of two or three.

Which pendant lights are best?

Top pendant lighting for kitchens

Claxy Ecopower Industrial Barn Mini Metal Pendant Light

This black metal shade and canopy look good with classic, modern and industrial styles and decors. The cord can be lowered to 47 inches or raised to 8 inches, but cannot be adjusted afterward.