Pendant Lighting
What are Pendant Lighting?
A pendant light is a light fixture which hangs down from the ceiling on a rod, or chain, or few chains. It is mounted on a ceiling and is suspended from it. The bulb in the pendant light is connected through wire that goes along the chain from ceiling, holding the pendant. These lights are a perfect fit for contemporary décor. They are a good replacement for the traditional chandeliers.
What do Pendant Lighting do?
There are a lot of ways to use pendant lights. They are used for general lighting to illuminate the entire room, area lighting to illuminate a specific area of a room and as task lights over desks or work areas.
Pendant lights can be used in hallways, stairways, bedrooms, kitchen, dining areas and almost anywhere in our homes. They come in different sizes and shapes and can be adjusted to any height as needed, thus making them very versatile and adaptable in their use.
Are Pendant Lighting Better Than Regular Bulbs?
- Pendant lighting, apart from being a source of light, are used to add style and decoration to your room and home. Regular bulbs just provide the right source of illumination.
- Pendant Lighting are more adaptable than fixed regular bulbs. They can be installed at heights as per your needs.
- Moreover, pendant lights are available in a wide range of styles. You have many options to pick from which is not available in regular bulbs.
- Adding a pendant light fixture to a specific area in your home will not only add a bit of feel, but it will also create some ambiance.
There are loads of benefits of opting for pendant light fixtures for lighting your home.
Can you replace any bulb with Pendant Lighting?
A Pendant light would require only one overhead electrical opening. One does not need to rewire to install a pendant light. Thus it is easy to replace the previously existing bulb with a Pendant Light but a person with electrical experience will be required to install the pendant light.
What Should Be Considered When Choosing Pendant Lighting?
Here are a few things to take into consideration before buying a pendant light.
Source of light- Take time to decide where you wish to install the pendant light and depending on that one needs to choose the kind of pendant light.
Style- What kind of style do you intend to add to your space- modern, traditional or industrial?
Fixture size- Depending on the size of space to be brightened up, choose the fixture size. Also check that the fixture height should be appropriate, not too high nor too low.
Material and finish- Do keep in mind the material and finish of the pendant light. For example one should not use a fabric shade for kitchen as it attracts a lot of dust and grease. Also check the finish, whether you want a matt finish or glossy finish.
IP rating- When choosing pendant lighting, it's essential to consider the IP rating based on the installation area. IP20-rated fixtures are ideal for dry indoor spaces, providing protection against solid objects. For areas with higher moisture levels, such as kitchens or bathrooms, opt for IP44-rated fixtures, as they offer protection against water splashes and dust.
Are Pendant Lighting Costly?
Pendant lights are affordable as there is a wide variety of pendant lights available in the marketplace. You will be able to find a pendant light that best suits your style, taste and budget too.
Do Pendant Lighting Save Energy?
Pendant lighting is usually used to add style to your living space. In order to save energy, one must choose energy efficient sources of light i.e. LED bulbs. Energy Star rated LED bulbs are very efficient and save a lot of energy.
What are the Types of Pendant Lighting?
Below are a few types of commonly found Pendant Lightings
Inverted pendant lights- These type of pendant lighting has a bowl attached to a centre rod. It emits light in the upward direction and is often supported by two or three chains. These kind of lighting give dimmed /not harsh light.
Dome pendant lights- these lights are the opposite of a bowl type pendant light. It has an inverted bowl hanging from the ceiling. It looks more like a dome and it gives light in the downward direction. Such type of lighting is usually used as task lighting.
Cylindrical pendant lights- these type of pendant lights have a cylindrical shaped shade. These pendant lights are mostly used for adding style to your space. Since they have a relatively long shade, they give out less intense light. They are thus used for ambience lighting.
Linear pendant lights- These pendant lights have a linear structure. They have a minimalistic and sleek design. They usually have a series of bulbs in a vertical row and are installed above the islands in luxury kitchens. Linear pendant lights are used for task lighting.
Abstract pendant lights- Abstract pendant lights usually have a metallic cage-like shade in different shapes and sizes. They are another way to add style to your space. They can be installed in bedrooms, hallways and even kitchens.
Cluster pendants- Cluster pendant lights, as the name suggest, have many light sources installed together. Each light source is affixed to an individual shade or pendant that is connected to a main figure, thus illuminating a room like a chandelier. The individual pendants can be arranged in any order with varying heights to give a contemporary feel to the room.
Mini pendant lights- Mini pendant lights are used for accent lighting for smaller spaces. These lights are a smaller version of bowl or dome pendant lights. They can either be installed alone or in a cluster of three or more depending on the area to be illuminated.
What are Pendant Lighting Colours?
The outer part of the Pendant Lighting comes in different materials and colours. The materials could be metallic, wooden, ceramic, glass, fabric or plastic and depending on the material the colour varies. As for the light emitted from a pendant lighting, it depends on the bulb used. If incandescent bulbs are used they will give out a warm yellowish light. CFLs give a natural white light. On the other hand if Smart LEDs are used then one can choose from the unlimited colours emitted from them.