Once the clocks go back, the light over the dining table suddenly matters a lot more. Pendant lights are probably the fittings people get wrong most often.
Hang one too high and you get glare, and the light spreads everywhere except the table. Hang it too low and someone clips it with their head, or it blocks the view of whoever is sitting opposite. The good news is that a few simple measurements solve most of it.
Quick reference
| Where | How high |
|---|---|
| Over a dining table | 70 to 80cm from tabletop to bottom of the shade |
| Over a kitchen island or breakfast bar | 70 to 80cm above the worktop |
| Hallway, landing or open floor | At least 2m from the floor to the bottom of the shade |
| Beside the bed | About 50 to 60cm above the bedside table |
Over a dining table
Aim for 70 to 80cm between the tabletop and the bottom of the shade. At that height, the light lands on the table, people can still see each other across it, and nobody standing up from their chair will catch it.
If your household is on the tall side, lean towards 80cm. Measure from the table rather than the ceiling. Whether your ceiling is a standard 2.4m or a tall period one, the drop to the table stays the same, and only the cord length changes.
One mistake we see a lot: centring the pendant on the room instead of the table. If the table sits off to one side, the light should follow it.
Over a kitchen island
Use the same 70 to 80cm guide above the worktop. For a standard island, three pendants in a row is the classic choice, though two larger shades can look just as good.
Space them evenly along the length. Keep the outer shades at least 15cm in from each end, so the light falls on the worktop rather than the floor.
In hallways and open areas
Anywhere people walk underneath, clearance comes first. Keep at least 2m between the floor and the bottom of the shade. On a landing, check the view from the stairs as well, because a pendant can look very different from below.
Beside the bed
Bedside pendants free up space on the table. Around 50 to 60cm above the bedside table works for most people, or roughly eye level when you're sitting up in bed. That's low enough to read by without shining in your eyes when you're lying down.
How big should the shade be?
A rough rule for a single pendant over a table is a shade about a third of the table's width. Go much smaller and it looks lost. Go much bigger and it starts to dominate the room.
For a long rectangular table, two or three smaller pendants in a line usually look better than one large one.
Cluster and spider pendants
Multi-light pendants, like our industrial five-way spider light, have become really popular. They suit round tables, breakfast bars and corners where one shade isn't enough.
With these, you can hang the shades at different drops for a relaxed, slightly industrial look. Just keep the lowest shade within the 70 to 80cm guide over any table. Also check how far the arms spread, since they can reach well past the table edge and into a walkway.
Choosing bulbs
The bulb matters almost as much as the height. For dining, warm white of around 2700K gives a relaxed, welcoming feel. Over a kitchen island, where you're chopping and reading recipes, a cooler 4000K helps you see what you're doing.
If the bulb is on show, as in an open cage or exposed-bulb pendant, choose a decorative filament-style bulb. It makes a real difference to glare.
A dimmer switch with dimmable bulbs gives you the most flexibility. Check that the bulbs and the switch are compatible before you buy.
Fitting it
We always recommend using a qualified electrician to install a pendant light. For heavier multi-light fittings, they can also check that the ceiling will take the weight.
Many of our pendants have adjustable cords. Get the fitting up first, then set the final height with the table or island in place, rather than cutting the cord to a guess.
Five common mistakes
- Hanging the pendant close to the ceiling "to be safe"
- Centring it on the room rather than the table
- Choosing a shade that's too small for the table
- Using cold white bulbs over a dining table
- Forgetting that people stand up from chairs
Get the height right and even a simple pendant can change how a room feels on a dark evening. Browse our full range of pendant lights, from single shades to multi-light clusters.
Delivery and returns
Delivery is free on every order to UK mainland addresses, and orders arrive within 3 to 5 working days. There are no hidden fees, so the price at checkout is the price you pay. If you change your mind, you're welcome to send your order back, though return postage on no-fault or change-of-mind returns is paid by the customer. If anything arrives faulty or damaged, get in touch and we'll put it right.
