How High Should I Mount My Pendant Light?

Pendant lights are designed to work within a space in so many different ways, from focused task lighting, such as over a kitchen island to provide practical direct lighting, while prepping for dinner.

Another use can be as a visual statement to evoke a rooms unique character, such as a large staircase feature light. Pendant lights can actually be used within any room of the home, kitchens, bathrooms, living rooms, bedrooms, hallways and study rooms.

How do you hang a pendant light correctly?

It’s important to consider the core function you want from your pendant light, some popular options include: as a statement piece, task light or simply used for its artistic appeal.

Once you have determined the main goal for your pendant light, it’s now time to consider the correct height you intend to mount your new pendant. By considering the height early on, you will have the flexibility with zlights nz to customise the cable length through our bespoke lighting services.

The height a pendant is mounted generally depends on what else is around the pendant. Here are some common locations for pendant lights.

Hanging a pendant light over a dining table?

For a dining table pendant light, the lighting should provide a warm illumination, this is preferred for dining and entertainment. It should also be compact enough that it doesn’t overpower the space and also be exceptionally designed to capture attention and to match the interiors of the room.

Correct height is typically determined by both the ceiling height and the height of the table, ceilings will average from 2400-2700mm(240-270cm) for these ceiling heights we recommend a clearance of 700-850mm(70-85cm) between the bottom of the pendant and the top of the table.

If your ceiling is higher from 2700-3200mm(240-320cm you can increase the spacing up to 1000mm(100cm) to provide a better balance. These distances are simply a guide and you can increase or decrease these measures to better work with specific elements in the space.

Hanging a pendant over a void?

The entryway, staircase or void is a great area to add the wow factor to your home being one of the first impressions when you step through the front door.

The drama is in the ceiling height presented in these areas, ceiling heights can range from 3000-5700mm(300-570cm) when it comes to correctly mounting your pendant, it’s important to consider that its industry standard to leave at least, a 2400-2500mm(240-250cm) clearance from the bottom of the pendant to the floor.

This measurement can increase or decrease depending on what is located around the void area. For example, the dining table may be located within a void area, which would mean the pendant would need to fall even lower to around 1500-1800mm(150-180cm) so that it can provide area separation for the dining area. This example alone shows, how varied the mounting requirements for voids can be.

Hanging a pendant over an island bench?

Island benches are very similar to dining tables in terms of the clearance required between the bottom of the pendant and the top of the island. Industry standards set the island bench to 900mm. For standard ceiling heights between 2400-2700mm(240-270cm), a clearance of 750-900mm(75-90cm) is the most ideal range to work with.

Some islands will have a slightly lower ceiling overhead generally referred to as a ‘bulkhead’ this should be factored in when mounting a pendant over your island. If you have the luxury of 3000mm+ over the island, then you have a greater tolerance of mounting height, from 1000-1200mm(100-120cm)

Hanging a pendant over a bedside table?

If we had to name a lighting trend that has caught on quickly it would have to be bedroom lighting or more specifically bedside pendants. The previous two locations have a pendant mounting clearance of 700-900mm(70-90cm), for next to a bedside these clearances are far too large. The aim of a bedside pendant is to provide balanced illumination, similar to a table lamp.

The average height for nightstands ranges from 500-650mm(50-65cm), some modern designs are lower to match lowset beds. As a general rule we recommend a clearance of 350-450mm(35-45cm) from the bottom of the pendant to the top of your nightstand (bedside table). This provide enough height for any other accessories to be placed on the nightstand like your phone, tablet, books or bedside plants.

This height figure can change depending on the type of pendant you choose, as some pieces are adjustable, which may give you tolerance to increase the hight to provide a wider projection. As the lower the pendant is, the more narrow the projection of light will become.

Hanging a pendant in a bathroom?

Bathroom pendants can add a touch of luxury plus provide a very effective source of illumination. When considering a pendant for the bathroom, it’s important to consider its mounted height, as a pendant mounted too high can create harsh shadows and provide a negative light overhead. We suggest mounting it close to eye level, so that the light level will be flattering.

This typically applies when mounting the pendant next a mirror, correct placement here is the aim for flattering light when getting ready in the morning. 

For areas over a bathtub, its important to consider the IP rating of fitting, as this will determine its correct height for safety reasons.

In conclusion 

So in conclusion, the mounting height of a pendant is one important consideration to make before you order your pendant lights. At zlights we provide bespoke cable length solutions, so that you will have the correct amount of length required. No matter the ceiling heights, we have worked on projects that have required 12000mm cable lengths. We can cater to all project requirements. 

Thankyou for reading our guide on how to hang a pendant light correctly, I this article we covered the most popular areas, but as previously mentioned, pendants can be hung in so many other areas in the home.

If you would like some more advice, please get in touch with one of lighting professionals, we love sharing our passion and experience with you.

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