Hanging Lights & Pendant Lights

How low to hang a pendant light

Over a kitchen island or counter, hang the base of the pendant 30 to 36 inches above the worktop. In an entrance hall, leave at least seven feet of clear headroom beneath the fitting. Over a stairwell, hang so the lowest point clears the highest step comfortably and the fitting is still visible from the floor below.

Hanging lights for the living room, kitchen island and stairwell

In a living room, a pendant works best over a defined zone — a reading corner, a console, a coffee table — rather than dead centre. Over an island, space multiple pendants 24 to 30 inches apart and centre them on the island rather than on the room. In a stairwell, a single tall lantern reads from two storeys and does more than several small fittings.

One large lantern or a run of pendants?

A single large lantern reads as architecture and is usually the better choice in a foyer or above a stair. A run of two or three smaller pendants suits a long surface and gives more even light. Odd numbers tend to look more settled than even ones.

Antique glass and brass finishes

Antique and seeded glass softens the light and hides the lamp inside it, which matters when a fitting hangs at eye level on a stair. Clear glass is crisper and wants a decorative bulb. Aged brass and dark iron suit older houses and verandahs; polished brass lifts a darker hallway.

Choose a pendant by location

For a small dining setting or a pair in a corridor, see the Brass Ribbed Cylinder: fluted glass in a PVD-gold finished stainless-steel frame. For an entrance or stairwell, compare the taller brass and smoked-glass Brass Facet Long with the narrow Crystal Bell Pendant in brass and cut glass. Measure the fixture’s full height and the required clear space below it. If you are planning an island, our kitchen pendant guide covers spacing and counter clearance.

Need a different scale, material or finish? Explore our bespoke lighting and custom commissions.

Common questions