Pendant Lights
Size and Positioning of Dining Pendant Lights
The most common questions asked by people purchasing Pendant Lighting for their dining room are how big the should pendant be, and how high above the Table it should be positioned. These are important considerations; you don’t want your table dwarfed by your pendant, but on the other hand you don’t want your pendant to look small or out of place.
The optimal size of the dining light depends not only on the size of the table, but also the size of the room itself. Here are some good rules of thumb:
- In general, the width and breadth of the pendant should be at least twelve inches smaller than the width and breadth of the table. This will make sure the pendant is far enough from any edge of the table that you and your family are unlikely to bump into it.
- If you have high ceilings, choose a taller shade, so that the vertical space is filled proportionately. Ten inches is a common height in a room with eight-foot ceilings; add an inch or two of shade length for every extra foot of ceiling height.
- Color matters. If the color of your lighting is bold or in high contrast with your wall color, you’ll want the dining pendant to be on the smaller side to keep the lighting from overwhelming the other elements in the room. On the other hand, if you’re choosing a more neutral color, you’ll want a larger pendant so that it doesn’t fade into the background.
As for how high above your dining table to position your pendant light: in general, the bottom of the pendant should be 30 to 40 inches above the table. In other words, it should be at least high enough that you have an unobstructed view of the person sitting across from you. In fact, you may want to have the tallest person in your house sit at the table and measure from the table to a few inches above his or her head.
Another consideration for proper height is how you want your dining room to feel. Hanging a pendant relatively low and close to the table creates a sense of intimacy, and also fits well in a contemporary space, whereas hanging it higher creates a sense of classic formality. One thing you don’t want to feel is like you’re sitting under an interrogation light, so if you’re hanging the pendant on the high side make sure it has a diffuser across the bottom to shield the light bulb from view. Diffusers may be made of frosted glass or acrylic; acrylic is the better choice, as it is less fragile.
About the Author
Erika is a home decor consultant and textile designer who has worked in the industry since 2001.
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