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There are 18 types of kitchen pendant lights to choose from regardless of the exact spot where you want them. This guide will introduce you to them all. Read on!
Pendant lighting is an essential element that can make a kitchen seem brighter, more spacious, and overall more welcoming. They can also serve as a decorative feature, especially when you have multiple pendant lights with different styles and designs hanging from the ceiling over the kitchen island or dining table (when there is no island). For such a seemingly simple fixture, it’s important to know the different types of pendant lights available so that you can choose the right one for your kitchen.
Kitchen pendant lighting comes in various styles, from traditional metal pendants to modern fixtures that resemble glass orbs or chandeliers. We recommend choosing a style that complements other kitchen lighting fixtures, appliances, and hardware. Choose pendants that will last the test of time — here are some of the most popular styles.
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What's Inside
Ambient Light Pendants
Ambient light is the kind of light designed to brighten an area rather than a spot. If you want multiple pendants to help brighten the whole room, going for something bigger than usual may not be a good idea. It would be best if you instead considered using multiple lights or fixtures for more even lighting over the area. In terms of people’s interests in cooking, it has been found that some people are more serious than others when they cook on their island/counter. If this is you and you would like to create a softer lighting mood, you should choose something more restaurant-inspired over those who only use it as a social spot.
Task Light Pendants
Some tasks in the kitchen may require a greater focus on light. It is important to have enough light for these types of jobs. In order to avoid any eye strain, you need bright lights that direct the light downwards with an open bottom and not too severe a spotlight overhead regardless of what task is being carried out.
Accent Pendant Lights
We can use accent lights to highlight certain features in a room, such as the artwork, the material within a surface area, or any lighting fixtures. Generally, we won’t use accent lighting as effectively as other types of lights because they are typically not targeted at certain points or objects but rather provide an overall wash of light over a specific space.
Decorative Kitchen Pendant Lights
Pendant light fixtures are usually designed to be a decorative feature. They function as more of an accent piece than as a work light source. Dimming is an issue due to the need for brightness variations to accommodate different tasks and preferences. The point is not so much about which kinds of pendant lights you use, but if and how they should stop being decoration pieces or accent features and start working as utilitarian lighting sources.
Metal Pendants
Metal is a common material for pendant lights. It is heavier than plastic and the metal finish on the base and hanger are hard to scratch or break.
Plastic Pendants
Pendant lights can be made out of plastic. These are more durable than glass, metal, or ceramics. They’re also lighter and cheaper than other materials typically used for pendant lights.
Ceramic Pendants
A good option for pendant lights is ceramic ones. These are just as stylish as other options but tend to be fragile because they are made of ceramic. Even though this is the case, they are not as fragile or delicate as crystal pendants and do not reflect light as glass ones do. Ceramic kitchen pendant lights offer an interesting alternative to more traditional crystal- and glass-based fixtures. However, it is often argued that this material is rather brittle.
Crystal Pendants
Pendant lights made of cheaper substances can be aesthetically undesirable, but many people choose to buy them to save money. However, most people consider crystal pendants elegant and are advised for those who want an even more luxurious look for their room.
Glass Pendants
Glass pendant lights can look good in any room. Although breakable, they can be a very stylish addition to your space. A downside of these is the high cost of their materials. You can use clear or stained glass for these fixtures and various decorative effects, such as a special design on the light’s glass body, an opaque or frosted finish, and etched designs in between.
Shade Pendant Lights
There are various types of pendant light arrangements, such as drum and cone (we’ll cover these later). Pendant shade lights are helpful if you would like to change the mood or add additional interest to a room, which is often done with decorative materials like hemp or rattan. You can find fixtures that offer quatrefoil designs, industrial wire, and geometric grills.
Bowl Pendant Lights
The bowl pendant lights have a small bowl attached at the bottom of a center rod, with other solutions where they hold the bowl by three or four short bars.
Lantern Pendant Lights
Lantern pendant lights are usually small and made of glass. They are designed to hang close to the table on chains. They can be indoors or outdoors. Lanterns use a light source inside them and can have a few lights in them. To regulate the brightness, dimmers should be used to control the intensity of their power.
Globe Pendant Lights
Globe pendants are one type of round-shaped pendant. Globes became more popular in the 1950s to 1960s, and they mostly have a round shape with a glossy, transparent, or translucent finish. Placing them at the same height can create symmetry, or you may want to experiment by combining different lengths to make an impactful style statement.
Bulb Pendant Lights
A pendant light is a simple, inexpensive light fixture. An exposed bulb pendant is good for creating their own furniture or doing a minimalist, industrial, and even rustic decorating theme. Colors can range from modern colors like white to more vintage colors like green. Pendants have no shade and are great with task lighting because they cast very nice rays in certain spaces in the room where you need better lighting without being too obtrusive or harsh.
Bell Pendant Lights
In most cases, a bell shaped fixture will be made either from glass or metal. The only downfall about this type of light is that once the light has been on for an extended period of time, the heat will cause it to change the shade of what it’s illuminating.
Drum Pendant Lights
Light fixtures shaped like cylinders were created as a form of spotlight highlighting certain areas in the room. These pendant lights are usually made from fabric, metal, wood, and other materials for a sleek modern look. They are used to highlight areas in the room with their elegant design.
Linear Pendant Lights
Linear pendant lights are light sources that hangover space from a canopy. They are often used over kitchens, usually hung from the center island.
Mini Kitchen Pendant Lights
Mini-pendants are small versions of larger light fixtures, and you can use them for task lighting and overhead lighting. The size of the light bulb or drop length can also be mini. They are ideal for small kitchen lighting.
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