Guide to Choosing Suspension Systems
Light fixtures are among the essentials of interior design. Floor lamps, pendant lights, wall sconces, or table lamps—they can be incorporated anywhere in the home, whether in the bedrooms, living room, or kitchen. When chosen wisely, light fixtures can enhance a home’s decor by creating an interplay of light and adding a touch of elegance or extravagance, depending on personal taste.
But which materials should you look for in pendant lights or chandeliers? What type of pendant light should you use in a bedroom, living room, or kitchen? What are the ideal dimensions for a pendant light, and how do you determine them? In this guide, we take a closer look at pendant lights and the selection criteria to keep in mind when purchasing them.
Why choose a suspension system?
To learn about the criteria to consider when selecting lighting fixtures for your home, you first need to understand what you can do with pendant lights. Here’s an overview of the benefits and possibilities that pendant lights offer.
Pendant Lights: The Benefits
Pendant lights are popular for a variety of reasons.
- Pendant lights take up very little space since they hang from the ceiling. This means they can be used in different rooms without taking up floor space.
- Pendant lights effectively illuminate a room or a specific space thanks to their position on the ceiling, which ensures even and widespread light distribution.
- Hanging lamps come in a variety of sizes and shapes. As a result, they are suitable for all kinds of uses: small or large spaces, bedrooms, living rooms, or hallways.
- Pendant lights cater to all tastes and decorative styles. You can find metal ones for an industrial or modern look, or wooden or fabric ones for a rustic, hippie, or bohemian style, and so on.
It should also be noted that the height of the pendant lights is adjustable and can therefore be set as desired. All of these features make it a flexible and user-friendly light fixture.
Pendant Lights: Decorating Ideas
Pendant lights allow you to choose the type of lighting you want, thanks to the various bulbs they can accommodate: small-base LED bulbs, compact fluorescent bulbs, halogen bulbs, or incandescent bulbs.
In addition, you can create different moods with a pendant light, depending on where you place it, as follows:
- a subdued atmosphere with soft lighting by placing the pendant light in a corner or on a wall rather than on the ceiling. This option is ideal for bedrooms;
- a soft, cozy atmosphere by choosing fabric pendant lights, which can be a great addition to bedrooms or a reading nook, for example;
- a warm atmosphere in the kitchen, entryway, or living room.
The colors of the light bulbs (warm, white, etc.) used in the pendant light play a major role in achieving the desired effect.
What factors should you consider when buying pendant lights?
When choosing pendant lights, you should consider various criteria, both practical and aesthetic.
Materials to Choose
Pendant lights come in a variety of materials. Depending on the room you're furnishing, it may be a good idea to choose certain materials and avoid others.
- In the kitchen, it’s important to choose pendant lights made from materials that are easy to clean, such as metal (matte, lacquered, or colored). This type of product also adds character to the space and complements all kitchen styles: modern, industrial, or rustic.
- In the living room, the goal is to choose a pendant light that stands out—or even the most voluminous one possible. In this context, it’s best to opt for high-quality materials such as wood, metal, or wicker.
- In the dining room, the idea is to hang the pendant light above the table. The choice of material for the shade depends on personal taste and the desired decor (wood, glass, metal).
- In bedrooms, the choice of lighting fixtures takes into account the need for softness and discretion. To achieve this, it may be a good idea to opt for fixtures made of recycled fabric, cardboard, or kraft paper. These materials provide a soft, diffused light that is ideal for falling asleep quickly.
When choosing the materials for pendant lamp shades, you can also consider environmental factors by looking for companies that offer eco-friendly lighting fixtures. This involves seeking out products made from responsibly sourced or recycled materials (paper, cardboard, wood, etc.).
Dimensions to Consider
Whether it's furniture, linens, or lighting fixtures, it's essential to take the available space into account. In fact, to achieve a harmonious and pleasing look, it's important to choose items that are suited to the size of the room, ceiling, or wall you're decorating.
When it comes to pendant lights, there are two factors to consider: the height above the floor and the diameter of the pendant. As for the height above the floor, the pendant light should be installed so that it is at least 2.10 m above the floor. In the dining room, it’s also important to take the height of the dining table into account.
Determining the ideal pendant diameter depends on the total surface area of the piece. To maintain a balance and a certain harmony between the volume of the piece and the pendant, here are some proportions to keep in mind:
- Spaces with an area of less than 10 m² may be equipped with hanging fixtures whose diameter does not exceed 40 cm;
- Rooms with floor areas ranging from 10 to 20 m² must be equipped with suspension systems with a diameter of less than 50 cm;
- In large rooms, you can install several chandeliers or pendant lights, or even a ceiling light.
These guidelines are provided for reference only. Of course, you can experiment with other options and play around with different lampshade shapes: round, square, rectangular, woven, etc. However, the goal is to keep in mind how much space the pendant light takes up, so that it doesn’t get in the way when moving around the home.
We recommend these other pages: