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10 best pendants lights to illuminate your living space

From industrial to luxe designs, transform any room with these hanging statement pieces

Laurie Davidson
Tuesday 08 June 2021 16:37 BST
Opt for clear glass or an open shade for larger spaces, and an enclosed, solid design for concentrated light
Opt for clear glass or an open shade for larger spaces, and an enclosed, solid design for concentrated light (iStock/The Independent)
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Lighting is often an afterthought when decorating or updating a room, but it really shouldn’t be. Aside from the fact that there are endless designs to choose from, decent lighting is essential at night – and half-way through the afternoons on dreary winter days.

To make sure you choose the right size and drop (how far it hangs down from the ceiling) for your room, simply add together the length and width of the room and divide that number by 12. This will give you the ideal width of your pendant light.

Another consideration is the length of the drop. To work out the ideal height, just multiply the height of your room by three, then divide that number by 12.

But if you plan to hang your pendant light in a place where people will be walking often, such as a hallway, don’t hang it too low and risk them bumping into it. The same goes for pendants positioned over dining tables and kitchen islands – make sure they’re not hung so low that people bang their heads when they get up from a chair or stool.

Lastly, pay attention to the shade. A clear glass or open shade will cast more light than an enclosed design made of a solid, opaque material, which will give a more concentrated, directional light. Determine whether the pendant will be your main light source in a room or a supplementary one, and choose accordingly.

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Of course, the measurements don’t have to be exact, but they are a handy guide. Once you’ve got that clear in your mind, it’s down to personal taste and finding a design that complements your existing decor.

You can trust our independent reviews. We may earn commission from some of the retailers, but we never allow this to influence selections, which are formed from real-world testing and expert advice. This revenue helps us to fund journalism across The Independent.

The best pendant lighting for 2021 are:

  • Best for refined elegance – Perch & Parrow Chicago smokey glass ceiling pendant: £75, Perchandparrow.com
  • Best for large rooms – Maisons du Monde beads pendant light: £385, Maisonsdumonde.com
  • Best for a kitchen island – Habitat highgate wood LED pendant light: £75, Habitat.co.uk
  • Best for modern of luxe schemes – Rockett St George globe pearl drop ceiling light: £190, Rockettstgeorge.co.uk
  • Best for small spaces – Neptune tennyson pendant: £110, Neptune.com
  • Best for industrial-style decor – Dowsing & Reynolds baya nest ceiling light, small: £74.99, Dowsingandreynolds.com
  • Best for quirky good looks – Pooky straight empire pendant shade: £57, Pooky.com
  • Best for making a statement – The French Bedroom Company autumn leaves pendant light : £185, Frenchbedroomcompany.co.uk
  • Best for directional light – Atkin And Thyme pasadena pendant light in blush : £29, Atkinandthyme.co.uk
  • Best for grouping together – Danetti fiesta pendant light: £29

Perch & Parrow Chicago smokey glass ceiling pendant

Perch & Parrow Chicago smokey glass ceiling pendant indybest.jpeg

Best: For refined elegance

This simple, sophisticated pendant (31cm x 21cm, with a total drop of up to 92cm) is as elegant as they come and would suit a small space, such as a landing, but we can’t help but think that it’s crying out to be positioned over a dining table. We especially like the graphite-grey shade of the fitting; it’s much less in-your-face than dazzling chrome and complements the grey ridged glass design beautifully. Chic and versatile, and a great price, too.

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Maisons du Monde beads pendant light in hand assembled pine beads

Maisons du Monde beads pendant light in hand assembled pine beads indybest.jpeg

Best: For large rooms

Rustic yet chic, we can see this beaded pendant looking perfectly at home in a farmhouse-style kitchen or large living room. And it is definitely best suited to a big space – the shade measures 78cm x 78cm and the drop can be up to a whopping 91cm. The pale pine beads are hand threaded and give off a soft, diffused light when the pendant is turned on.

It’s weighty at almost 6kg, but that’s testament to its build quality; it may look dainty but it’s actually very robust. And we couldn’t stop touching the beads! A lovely, pared-back take on a classic chandelier shape. You can sign up to be notified when this one becomes available again.

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Habitat highgate wood LED pendant light

Habitat highgate wood LED pendant light indybest.jpeg

Best: For a kitchen island

This single strip of wood with two funky orange ends looks absolutely nothing like a pendant light, and that’s precisely the point. At a metre long, it was made to be hung over a kitchen or possibly a long, rectangular dining table, and the supporting wires are so discreet it almost looked like it was floating in mid-air when we held it aloft. A frosted effect stops the built-in LED appearing too harsh. Unobtrusive yet eye-catching, this is one for lovers of minimal design.

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Rockett St George globe pearl drop ceiling light

Rockett St George globe pearl drop ceiling light indybest.jpeg

Best: For modern or luxe schemes

We were really taken by this stunningly simple pendant, it immediately brought to mind the indoor hanging planter trend that’s so popular right now. This gold metal and matte-white glass design is so versatile it would look good in any room, but we think it would make a great alternative to a table lamp in the corner of a living room or instead of lamps either side of a bed. The super-generous flex length is 250cm, so it could easily be suspended at a very low height for reading, and gives off a warm light that isn’t too harsh.

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Neptune tennyson pendant

Neptune tennyson pendant indybest.jpeg

Best: For small spaces

This smart update of a traditional fisherman’s-style pendant light is fresh and elegant and ideal for a coastal-inspired or modern country scheme. We really like the sturdy, gloss-white metal shade which gives a lovely downward-cast light. At 29cm in diameter, the Tennyson pendant works best in small spaces or as part of a row of pendants in a larger room. The matt-black version is a great match for industrial-style decor and both colours have a timeless quality that won’t date. This one will be available in July.

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Dowsing & Reynolds baya nest ceiling light, small

Dowsing & Reynolds baya nest ceiling light, small indybest.jpeg

Best: For industrial-style decor

Each one of these metal mesh pendant lights is handmade, with their imperfect lumps and bumps and non-uniform shape only adding to their charm. The thing that struck us most was how tactile it is and that it looks just as impressive when the light is switched off. In keeping with its industrial design, we added a bulb with a decorative filament for maximum impact. The copper colour of the mesh and matching ceiling rose is a warm, earthy red rather than yellow-toned hue, and it’s also available in black. At 37cm high and 36cm in diameter, it’s ideal for medium-sized rooms, and there’s a larger size, too.

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Pooky straight empire pendant shade

Pooky straight empire pendant shade indybest.jpeg

Best: For quirky good looks

If you’re looking for something a little different, this eye-catching shade in red tanaro marbled paper (one of 41 designs) will fit the bill. The paper is thick and sturdy and the brass fittings – which are £18 each and available in four colours – are really high quality. We also like the olive green twisted cord flex, which makes a nice change from the more common black, grey and white that most pendant lights have. It’s small but perfectly formed, measuring 18cm in diameter and 14cm high, so we think it would look best hung above a small dining table, or grouped in a trio for even more impact.

  1.  £57 from Pooky.com
Prices may vary
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The French Bedroom Company autumn leaves pendant light

The French Bedroom Company autumn leaves pendant light  indybest.jpeg

Best: For making a statement

Remember when we said that lighting is often an afterthought? This stunning pendant is a prime example of why it shouldn’t be, and how easily it can transform a room. If you’re lucky enough to have a large hallway, this design will make a fantastic first impression that, at the same time, isn’t too showy. Each incredibly detailed leaf is made from metal with a distressed gold effect, and together they give a feeling of movement, like foliage falling from a tree. Considering its size (W30cm x D38cm x H49cm) and intricate design, we’d expect to pay more than the £185 price tag.

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Atkin And Thyme pasadena pendant light in blush

Atkin And Thyme pasadena pendant light indybest.jpeg

Best: For directional light

Industrial in style but with a much softer edge courtesy of its gorgeous dusky pink shade, this pendant is unfussy yet chic. The solid metal shade makes this pendant best suited to task lighting in a kitchen or as ambient lighting over a dining table, as the light is projected down, rather than out. The brushed gold bracket is a nice decorative touch but it’s functional too: the shade can be moved on the hinge, should you want to direct the light to a specific area. Smart, versatile and very affordable.

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Danetti fiesta pendant light

Danetti fiesta pendant light indybest.jpeg

Best: For grouping together

This slim, designer-chic light reminds us of something you’d find in a cool cafe or bar, but it’d also look perfectly at home above a kitchen island, especially if hung in a pair. But at just £29 each, there’s no reason not to go for three. Having said that, this pale grey and brass light has no shade to obscure the light, so just one will illuminate a large room despite its diminutive size. Whether you choose one, two or three, make sure you choose a decorative bulb – either one with an interesting shape or a funky filament – for maximum impact.

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The verdict: Pendant lights

For its elegant shape, sophisticated colour and timeless design, the Chicago smokey glass ceiling pendant from Perch & Parrow stole our heart. We loved it because it would work in any room and with almost any style of decor, and won’t break the bank, either.

The simplicity of Rockett St George’s globe pearl drop ceiling light really gave us food for thought, too – pared back yet not stark while also extremely striking, it definitely gives weight to the old adage that less is more.

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For more lighting inspiration, check out our review the best floor lamps to illuminate your space in style

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