The best pendant light depends on the room and the finish you want to match. Over a kitchen island or bench, use two or three small pendants at even spacing or one larger fitting. Over a dining table, use a single wide shade or a linear fitting that follows the length of the table. For a cohesive look, choose a finish that matches your tapware, handles or other metalwork, such as black, chrome or nickel, copper or brass. This guide explains how to choose by finish, size and room, and lists pendants from our range.
Ready to browse by finish? See black, chrome, copper, brass and glass pendant lights.
How to choose a pendant light
Finish. Match the finish to the hardware in the room, or deliberately contrast it. Black is bold and modern and suits industrial and contemporary kitchens. Chrome and nickel are bright and clean. Copper and brass add warmth, and look best with timber and neutral walls.
Size and number. Size is the decision most people get wrong. A single small pendant looks undersized over a bench, so small shades work best in a group, for example three over an island at even spacing. A wider shade can work alone over a table. Our guide to how to position pendants covers spacing and hanging height.
The light. Check whether the fitting takes an E27 globe, which is often not included, or has a built-in LED. Our guide to light globe fittings explains the bases. For a warm, evening feel, use a globe of 2700K to 3000K.
Shade material. Opaque metal throws light downward in a focused pool, glass lets you choose between a visible globe and a softer glow, and woven shades such as rattan throw a pattern across the ceiling and walls.
Pendant lights by finish and style
Black and metal. The Polk medium is a 300 mm cone pendant in eight finishes, including brushed aluminium, black, bronze and black with copper, and two oak options. The Polk small is the 200 mm version in the same finishes, and it is built to be used in multiples, for example in threes over an island or twos over a breakfast bar.
Glass: smoke or clear. The Bonura is a single-globe glass pendant in small (140 mm) and large (200 mm), in black with smoke glass or nickel with clear glass. The real choice is smoke or clear: smoked glass softens the filament and the globe, while clear glass shows the globe itself, which suits a decorative filament globe.
Copper and nickel. For more nickel options, see our brushed nickel pendant guide. The Sabra is a wide, shallow metal dome, 450 mm across and 300 mm tall, hung on a 2,000 mm cable, in copper and nickel and silver. It throws a broad pool of light downward and keeps the fitting low in the sightline.
Industrial dome. The Oriel Lexi.35 is a 350 mm dome in black or white with a white-coated inner for good light reflection, suited to a kitchen island or dining table. It hangs on a 180 cm cord and suits a flat or sloped ceiling. It is supplied without a globe.
Natural texture. The Frya 30 is a 300 mm woven rattan pendant on an iron frame, in natural or black. Light escapes between the weave, so it casts a pattern on the ceiling and walls as well as lighting the surface below.
Linear LED. The Eglo Climene 3 is a linear LED pendant with an aluminium body and opal diffuser, in white, black, walnut or oak, with a tri-colour LED (3000K, 4000K or 5000K), full dimming and up to 4,600 lumens. It suits a long dining table or a kitchen island.
Where to use pendants
- Kitchen islands and benches: two or three small pendants at even spacing. See our guide to kitchen island pendant lights.
- Dining tables: one wide shade, or a linear pendant. Our dining room lighting guide has more.
- Bedsides and hallways: a small pendant on each side of the bed frees up bedside table space.
- Entryways and stairwells: a single feature pendant gives presence to a space with high ceilings.
Installation
Pendant lights are fixed wiring, so installation must be done by a licensed electrician. Tell them the ceiling height and whether the ceiling is sloped, because the cable length and the canopy have to suit the position.
Frequently asked questions
How many pendant lights do I need over a kitchen island?
Two or three small pendants, evenly spaced, are the usual choice. A single larger fitting can also work alone, depending on the size of the island.
What finish of pendant light should I choose?
Match the finish to your tapware and cabinet hardware, or contrast it deliberately. Black suits modern and industrial looks, chrome and nickel are clean and bright, and copper and brass are warmer.
Do pendant lights come with a globe?
Not always. Some take an E27 globe that is sold separately, and others have a built-in LED. Check the product page.
How high should a pendant light hang?
Over a bench or table, the bottom of the shade should clear sightlines and heads. Our guide to how to position pendants has hanging heights and spacing.
Can I put a pendant on a sloped ceiling?
Many can, if the canopy or the cord suits it. The Oriel Lexi.35, for example, suits a flat or sloped ceiling. Check the product page for the fitting you want.
Find your pendant light
Browse our full range of black pendant lights and glass pendant lights. Lights For You delivers Australia-wide, and our Ashfield showroom in Sydney is open if you would like to see the finishes in person.
