Pendant Lights the New Attention Seekers

It's that time of year where thoughts turn to the 'new' in 'New Year' - perhaps even a new home? One of the easiest ways in which to change your environment is to review your lighting. And this season pendant lights have made a huge comeback as an easy way to make a style statement in even the smallest of spaces. 

 Materially, pendant lighting can be modern or more traditional, glass or shiny metallic but there is sure to be an option to work with whatever renovation project you currently have in mind. The lustre of metallics can work well in contrast with matte materials such as concrete whilst wooden pendant lights can often contrast well with more decorative surfaces - the choices are endless. 

 Innermost Bubble

INNERMOST BUBBLE from £236 

Likewise, a single pendant light makes a striking statement. This year has seen the development of single hanging chandeliers or cluster single pendants which bring a modern twist to a most traditional lighting source. In larger spaces clusters of pendants can really ramp up the lighting volume and provide a sensory focus for the room. Kitchens especially can benefit from clusters of multi-height pendants to provide essential light for workspaces as well as a design focus. 

The New Year might also signal a time for reconsidering pendant placement around the home. A cluster in a bedroom bay window perhaps? Or maybe mixed height above a dining table? Or even as a replacement for bedside lamps? Considering lighting as integral to your design scheme can help you make choices that integrate pendants as a real centrepiece to your room. 

 Anglepoise Duo Maxi Pendant Light

 ANGLEPOISE DUO MAXI PENDANT LIGHT £102

If we've sold you on pendant lighting as a concept, here is our round-up of tips to consider:  

1)If you're hanging above a table or counter top then make sure that you leave 28 to 32 inches so you still have appropriate room to sit and eat. Consider also whether that lighting source needs to provide ambient light or more work-related light (or both) before you purchase as this will dictate your material choice.

2)Hanging in a hallway can be a great way in which to create drama in an often under-lit area of the home. Ensure, however, that you don't hang it so low that a visitor cannot stand in the space! Consider, too, whether a series of pendants down a hall would provide a suitably classy look for your space, but watch that you leave eight feet of clearance above the floor and remember any doors that open into the space.

3)If you're hanging in a stairwell, just remember our natural tendency to duck! 18 to 24 inches from the base of the light to the height of the tallest person should do the trick. 

Rothschild & Bickers Glass Pendant LightsROTHSCHILD & BICKERS GLASS PENDANT LIGHTS - SET OF FOUR £1180

Pendants can really make a space sparkle in your home, and with the choice of materials, sizes and placements ever increasing, it is little wonder that they are growing in popularity. Take a close look at your home and see if pendant lighting could be the solution to lighten up your interiors.