3 Reasons Why Pendant Fixtures Need the Right Height

The pendant light fixture is the essence of contemporary design. It is clean, minimalistic, and uncomplicated. It allows light to be directed towards certain spots or areas of a room, rather than bathing the whole space in illumination. For this reason, it is often used to create wonderfully cosy and intimate family environments.

The perfect example of this is in the dining room, where pendant fixtures can make a strong statement but provide a soft source of light. To do this, however, they need to be hung at just the right height. As pendants hang lower than regular ceiling lights, an incorrectly hung fixture could end up being a real inconvenience. It is at risk of damage and could cause accidents.

This guide to understanding why height is so important for pendant fixtures will help you to install your Dar Lighting pendant right the first time.

The Focus of the Light

If you invest in a beautiful fixture, like this Ray Pendant from the Dar Lighting collection, you need to make sure that the light is directed to where you need it most. For instance, if you are fitting pendants in the kitchen, you are going to want to direct a lot of light towards the countertops. Or, if you are placing pendants in a study, you need them at a height which allows the light to render enough brightness on the desk.

The Spread of the Light

The height at which you install your pendant fixtures will determine whether or not you get a direct focus or a more general spread of light. As aforementioned, in ‘work’ areas like the kitchen, a more focused arrangement is useful. However, for pendants on stairs, a wider dispersal of light is more valuable. This contemporary Tower Cluster Pendant is a great way to balance style and practicality.

The Safety of the Light

This is, in many ways, the most important consideration of all. Yes, you want your pendant fixtures to hang typically low and give you that cosy effect, but you also want them to be safe. This Midi Light Bar Pendant, from the Dar Lighting collection, is a remarkable product, but it needs to be hung safely above head height so that no accidents occur. The exception to the rule is a pendant hung directly over the middle of a dining table because nobody stands at full height here.

Making Pendant Light Fixtures Work for You

Ultimately, the height at which you install your pendant fixtures will depend on how tall the occupants of your house are. A lot of people seem to forget that there is no ‘ideal’ height for light fixtures because everybody has a slightly different need. Install yours according to the height of the tallest person living in your home; that way, your pendants are safe for everybody.

The higher that you place them, the less focused the light will be. However, you can exert more control over this by picking the right number of bulbs. For example, if you need to place your pendant fixtures up higher, but you still want that focused effect, stick with single bulb fittings and, if possible, use a closed top, broad bottom shade.