Choosing the correct lighting for your dining room is crucial in creating the perfect ambiance to enjoy a relaxing meal. Pendant lights over the dining table are a key focus in dining room decor and with so many choices around it's hard to know where to start. Here's 5 quick tips to help you design the perfect pendant lighting scheme for your dining table.
1. How to hang a pendant light over a dining table
First of all lets look at the practicalities. Low pendant lights create an atmospheric and cosy feel over the dining table however, bear in mind for safety pendant lights should be hung so that the bottom of the light is at least 75 cm from the table.
Medium Cow Bell Pendant Light from Loaf - £95
Between the edge of the table and the light you should allow at least 30 cm. This prevents accidents from people bumping into the lights. Bearing in mind many pendants are made of glass, safety is a really important consideration.
2. Creating an atmosphere
Use pendant lights over the dining table in collaboration with the lighting in the rest of the room. If your dining table is in an open plan kitchen-diner, pendant lights help with zoning to create a focus over the dining area. Once the cooking is over turn off bright task lighting such as ceiling spotlights in the prep areas to make the dining table the star of the show. Wall lights, under cabinet LED strips or kitchen island pendants on dimmer switches mean you’ll still be able to see your way around the kitchen but the table will still be the main focus.
Image Credit: Nest.co.uk featuring the Ferm Living Collect Pendant Light £159 each
Similarly if your table is in a dining room use dimmers on wall lights, picture lights and lamps in the room to create a warm glow.
3. One or more pendants?
One statement pendant can look fabulous over a table.
Image credit: BlackbyDesign.co.uk featuring the Vitra Clava Dine Pendant Light in White £159
You never really know what works until you try it but generally speaking round shaped lights will suit either square or round tables but square or rectangular lights look best over rectangular tables.
Image credit: HurnandHurn.com featuring the Bloomingville brown glass pendant light £75
Additionally contemporary rooms suit two, three or more pendants grouped together over a dining table. Two large or three smaller pendants work well over an average sized 6 seater dining table.
Image Credit: Fritz Fryer featuring the Fritz Fryer Hay Coolie Pendant Light £160
For rectangular tables hang the pendants in a line along the table at the same height.
Over round tables hang multiple pendants at different heights. Usually when working with groups choose odd numbers - 3 or 5 for a larger table.
Image Credit: Chaplins Furniture featuring the LT05 Pendant Light by E15
For a fun, bold and contemporary look multiple mis-matched pendants grouped together can really make an impact. Play with the concepts of size, shape, and colour.
Image Credit: Chaplins Furniture featuring the Paros Pendant Light £560
Here the same style of pendant has been matched with a different shape from the range.
Image Credit: Pooky.com Featuring the Pooky Pluto Pendant Light £100, Regular Luxor Pendant Light £80, Borealis Pendant Light £120
Image Credit: Chaplins Furniture featuring the Ravel light designed by Oriano Favoretto for Catalan Italia £1085
The Ravel pendant light shown above has a unique expanding shade made from rubber, so that you can recreate the size and shape of it to perfectly suit your table.
Another option is to choose one light fitting which hosts several pendants or bulb fittings.
Image credit: Nest.co.uk featuring the Menu Cast Cluster Light £220
Modern multi-arm chandeliers are a recent lighting trend which look great in scandi-style homes alongside mid-century modern dining furniture.
Image Credit: Nest.co.uk featuring the TR Bulb Frame Suspension Light £680
This linear multi-light chandelier works perfectly here as the spheres perfectly echo the curve of the table.
4. Choosing a dining table pendant
Start with the size of your table and then consider the size of your room. Once you’ve taken the measurements of your dining table you’ll have an idea of the maximum size of pendant light you can choose.
Image Credit: Nest.co.uk featuring the Light Years Suspense Pendant Light in Black £394
Pendant lights are an ideal piece for really making a statement so if you want to go large - go for it. Even in small spaces.
Image Credit: CultFurniture.com Edison Spider Hanging Pendant Lights £89
However avoid traditional crystal chandeliers if you don’t have high ceilings as they draw the eye up and can make a room look smaller and cramped if they are squeezed into too low a ceiling.
Consider the style of your room when making your choices. In a dining room take into account the colour of your walls and the style of the furniture you like to help you make your choices.
Image Credit: Nest.co.uk featuring the Gubi Semi Pendant Light in Brass £299
Similarly if you are choosing for a dining table in a kitchen-diner consider the colour of and style of your kitchen units.
By now you may be feeling overwhelmed with choices so here's a quick checklist to help you narrow down your choices.
Colour - Do you want to complement or contrast to your existing decor
Size - One large or several small pendants
Dining table - Is your table round, square or rectangular
Finish - Glass, metal, wood
Does your decor follow any of these trends? Here's some ideas to consider if your dining room furniture or kitchen-diner style is:-
Artisanal - Oversized bamboo and rattan
Mid-Century Modern - Classic coloured industrial metal pendant
Rustic Industrial - Hanging cables with cage pendants or Edison bulbs
Vintage - Lantern style pendants and chandeliers
Urban Apartment - Sleek black multi-arm chandelier
5. My favourite dining table pendant picks
Here's some more inspiration for you with some of my favourite pendant lights that I've come across this season.
Clockwise from top right
Menu Cast Pendant Light Shape 4 from Nest.co.uk £230 Trikonasana Ceiling Pendant Light 3 Arm from DowsingandReynolds.com £139.99 Atelier Areti Two Spheres Ceiling Light from Nest.co.uk £491 Resident Tri Pendant Light from Nest.co.uk £1,894 Pixie Pendant from Debenhams.com £120 MENU Tribeca Harrison Chandelier by Soren Rose from BlackByDesign.co.uk £499.95
Clockwise from top right
Industrial Pendant Light clear medium from UrbanAvenue.co.uk £279
Kubu Bamboo Pendant Light from Artisanti.com £219
Broste Copenhagen Zap Pendant in Bamboo from Amara.com £57 Aplomb Suspension Light from Nest.co.uk £329 Pilke 80 Pendant Light in Birch from nordicmood.co.uk £785 Pilke 18 Pendant Light in White from nordicmood.co.uk £358
Clockwise from top right
Muse Pendant Light from Urban Avenue £146 Petite Friture Vertigo Pendant Ceiling Light - Black - Large from Amara.com £868 Petite Friture Cherry Pendant Lamp - Black Rainbow - Large from Amara.com £392
Gubi Semi Pendant Light Black from Nest.co.uk £238
Tom Dixon Beat Light Tall – Black from Nest.co.uk £325
Petit Friture Chains Pendant Ceiling Light - Black - Triple from Amara.com £494 Belly Ceiling Pendant Light Large from DowsingandReynolds.com £244.99
Clockwise from top right
Cullen B 5 Arm Chandelier - Mullan Lighting from LimeLace.co.uk £728 Terrace 1 Light Pendant Antique Chrome from DarLighting.co.uk £86.40 Antiqued Golden Globe Pendant Light from TheFarthing.co.uk £84.99 Chicago Pendant in Black from MADE.com £129 Dynamo 1 Light Pendant in Antique Chrome from DarLighting.co.uk £96 Spidey 6 Arm Industrial Pendant Light from AlexanderandPearl.co.uk
If you'd like more advice on dining room design, contact Gina Everett and find out more about Create Perfect interior design services.
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