Why is choosing a light pendant so hard? The designers in our practice often get asked to help with selecting just the right light pendant for a room.
There are so many options to consider - the styles and shapes, the materials and the function. It's even harder if one decision-maker might like something and the ‘other half’ doesn’t. Then everyone gets all confused and nobody can make a decision. Sound familiar?
In our design consultations we like to start first with style.
Unfortunately, the biggest mistake we see is that people buy a pendant impulsively because they like it, often because it is on trend and not because it’s the right pendant for the context.
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An industrial or rustic-style pendant sets the ambience for the room. Photo / Supplied
The number one thing is to identify the style of the home and decor and stick to that for the lighting. Is your style modern? Scandinavian? Eclectic? Industrial? With many many styles to choose from, and a fortunate over-saturated market of lighting suppliers in New Zealand, it is easy to find the right one. Right now, the decision more likely come down to knowing if the style is in stock, given our post-Covid supply chain difficulties.
If your home’s style is Scandinavian, look for a light fitting with a wooden trim and structured frame.
If your home is rustic, I would lean towards metal frames perhaps with wooden accents if there isn’t too much other wood in the home. Sometimes if I find the perfect pendant but the wood is the wrong shade, I re-stain it myself. The birdcage look also works well in this style but be aware that it will throw shadow lines.
A long LED pendant fixture is the latest way to light an island or bar. Photo / Supplied
The glass bulbs pendant look, available in lots of colours and shapes, works because with no shade the bulbs distribute light evenly. Be aware, though, that the lumen, or volume of light emitted, seems to be quite low. Stylish bulbs would be suitable for eclectic, modern or contemporary homes.
The newest trend for this style is opaque round glass bulbs instead of clear. The bonus with this is that you can’t see the dust as you can on the clear bulbs (and doesn't everyone forget to wipe down bulbs regularly?) These look great in a contemporary or eclectic home surrounded by strong pieces of art.
On the function side, a great interior needs varied amounts of lighting ambience for different spaces. For example, pendant lighting in an entrance or dining room can be a bit softer than the lighting over a working kitchen island.
In our practice we don’t specify a pendant with a shade over an island as the shades produce distinct circles on the bench top and not a huge distribution of light.
At the moment, my favourite go-to is the long linear LED rail lights as they are a classic which seems to suit most kitchen styles.
Feature lighting doesn’t always have to mean feature pendant, better to have a sleek understated pendant that replicates the lines and architecture of the home. But if you want to go for something a little bit off the beaten track, don’t be afraid to.
Pendants are a cost-effective way to change the look of a room in an instant.
- Laura Heynike is director of Pocketspace Interiors
