5 Imaginative Ways to Use Pendant Lights

What’s not to love about pendant lights? There are many ways to use pendant lights to create a personal design statement in your home! Our love affair with pendant lighting continues with five imaginative ways to use pendant lights to illuminate spaces with them that you may never have thought of.

Swap out recessed lighting with small pendants

Featuring: Gulliver

Create a wow factor in any room by replacing standard downlights with small pendants. Many pendants are height adjustable, so they can be customized to fit the space. For example, hang them higher to act as a semi-flush light for lower ceilings. Or install them low for a dramatic look.

Cluster pendants in the living room

Light up your living area with groups of pendants installed over a sofa, side table or coffee table. Did you know you can purchase canopy kits that create a custom pendant look? These kits allow 3 to 6 pendants to be hung together in a line or a circular group. Or, if you prefer, install several pendants individually from their canopy to design your own chandelier using three or more pendants hung as the focal point in a great room.

Hang pendants low over coffee and side and tables for a dramatic effect that delivers functional task light. Just be sure to have enough hanging height in places where people might walk (at least 7 feet from the floor).

Free up bedside space

Featuring: Landree

Ditch the table lamps and flank your bed with pendants instead. Not only will you free up space, but it will also give your bedroom a light and airy feel while providing overhead reading and task illumination. When installing the pendants, consider the purpose: if you want light for reading or working in bed, install it higher up, about 6 feet from the floor. For a softer glow, install it lower, about 24 – 30 inches over a nightstand.

Illuminate your bathroom

Featuring: Judson

Ditch the bar lights and add both modern style and a beautiful glow to your bathroom vanity area with pendants installed on either side of the mirror. For double vanities with two mirrors, have a trio of lights- on the left, right, and between the two mirrors - to provide enough lighting for grooming, makeup and hygienic tasks. Remember to select fixtures with a UL, ETL or CSA damp location rating to use in rooms where water may be present.

Add drama to kitchens and dining rooms

Featuring: Galley

The bigger, the better! While a line of mini pendants hung over a kitchen island or table has become a décor staple, instead, try two or more large pendants (24 inches or more in diameter) to elevate your dining experience. A general guideline for how high to install pendants over tables or countertops is 30 to 36 inches from the surface.

With pendant lighting, it’s easy to use your imagination! Shop all Progress Lighting selections here.