A good rule of thumb to follow is to hang pendant lights 28-34 inches above the surface they are lighting providing a balance of functionality and aesthetics. Here are some other general considerations to follow:
General Guidelines for Height of Pendant Lights
Ponder on Proportions
Assess the room’s ceiling height and proportions. For rooms with high ceilings, you can hang the pendants lower to create a dramatic effect and ensure even light distribution. Whereas, for low-ceiling rooms, keep the pendants closer to the ceiling to avoid making the space feel cramped.
Rooms with sloped ceilings can be trickier to deal with. Luckily, we have a guide on how to place pendants on slanted or vaulted ceilings.
Lighting Functions
You also have to think about the purpose of the lighting for each room. For example, in busy spaces such as in the kitchen or above workstations, the pendants should be closer to the surface. The opposite is true for relaxed spaces such as the bedroom where ambient lighting is more suitable.
Check for Adjustability
Pendant lights are versatile fixtures but not all of them have adjustable features. Make sure that the pendant lights you’re using can be adjusted by their cords or rods. This allows you to easily customize them according to your needs or preferences.
Confirm if your pendants have adjustable features through this guide.
Avoid Common Placement Mistakes
Avoid placing pendants so low that they block visuals or hinder daily activities. On the contrary, hanging them too high could result in weak illumination and destroy the proportion of the room. Remember, when it comes to pendant lights, balance is everything.
There are also specific considerations for different rooms and different purposes that you need to keep in mind. Let’s walk through some of them:
Room-Specific Recommendations
For the Kitchen
In a high-traffic space such as the kitchen, pendants should be hung slightly above your eye level when standing. This ensures that they’re low enough to illuminate countertops or kitchen islands but not too low that you’re going to bump into them.
We recommend using multiple of our Aurora Cylinder pendant light to ensure ample brightness. Just make sure that they are evenly spaced throughout the length of your kitchen island.
For the Dining Room
Dining rooms are more relaxed spaces compared to kitchens. Use a fixture that emit a warm glow and hang it at the same height as your seated eye level to ensure comfortable focused lighting without obstructing the visuals of diners.
For the Bar
Since home bar setups are usually used for winding down, their lighting should create a cozy atmosphere. The goal is to have evenly distributed light without harsh shadows. You can achieve this by hanging pendant lights slightly lower than those in your kitchen.
A great option for bar pendant light is our Midnight Gloss Pendant. Its reflective finish is effective in diffusing surrounding light while its glossy black finish adds a layer of elegance to the overall appeal of the space.
One Final Note
Deciding on the right height for your pendants can be a daunting task especially because specific rooms require particular considerations. But again, remember that balance is the key.
Take this into account along with the other information we shared and you’re sure to have a room that is not only well-lit but also visually pleasing.
Should you need guides on any specific room in your home, we have curated special collections of pendant lights that would readily solve your lighting problems.
