Pendant & Ceiling Lights

The size of the pendant ceiling lights must be considered in relation to the size of the room or furniture you want to place them above. Below are some tips on choosing pendant lights in the appropriate size.

Pendant Size:

• Add together the width and length of the room. Divide that number by 12 to find the best pendant width.

• Measure the room’s height and multiply it by three. Divide that number by 12 to find the best pendant height.

Hanging Pendants Above a Table or Island

• If you want to install breakfast bar lights the kitchen, you’ll first need to measure the diameter or the width of the surface. Take 12 away from that number, and you’ll arrive at the maximum suitable width for the island pendant lights. Keep in mind that a fixture that has a complex design will look larger and eye catching, so if you don’t want it attracting too much attention, you may want to use a smaller width than even that.

• When hanging the pendants, begin with them approximately 85 centimeters above the surface. Be sure to consider the line of sight of those who will be near the lights, so no one has to deal with glare or worry about hitting their head on the light.

• Space the pendant every meter or so above the counter.

• Smaller surfaces no longer than two meters look fine with two medium pendants or one large pendant. Islands two meters or longer look fine with three medium or two large pendants. Over a dining table, arrange pendants in a row with a space of 71 to 91 centimeters from the tabletop to the bottom of the pendant.

Hanging Pendants As Ambient Light

• Begin by adding the length and width of the room to determine the best diameter for the light fixture you want to install. A good rule is to have ceiling pendants hanging at approximately 50 centimeters below a 2.5-meter-high ceiling. For every additional 30 centimeters of ceiling height, add 8 centimeters to the hanging level.

• In entrance halls and hallways, hang the lights at least 15 centimeters higher than the top of the front door.

LED pendant lights can be used in several ways in your kitchen. Some of the most common areas you’ll see Kitchen ceiling lights are:

• Over a kitchen island to serve as task lighting

• Over a breakfast bar, commonly with more than one hanging light

• Over a dining table

There are three types of lighting commonly found in kitchens. These include:

• AMBIENT LIGHTING. This is the main light source and can be achieved through the use of pendant lights and chandeliers.

• TASK LIGHTING. Task listing is good for illuminating shadowy areas that need more illumination to navigate. They can also be lined up in the form of pendant lights above a counter or breakfast bar.

• ACCENT LIGHTING. These are any other pendant lights you want to hang elsewhere to enhance the appearance and atmosphere of the room.

If you want ambient pendant lighting, space the pendants throughout the room or cluster smaller pendants close together. Generally speaking, the larger the area you want to light, the larger the light should be. That said, small pendant lights are perfect for sink areas.

For task lighting, op for a pendant that has an open top such as a drum shade to reduce the harshness of the light beneath. If you choose opaque shades, it will offer a softer glow, while translucent glass shades will reduce any glare. Use a pendant with a light-diffusing shade to eliminate any unsightly light circles.

To help you to determine the right size for your kitchen pendant lighting, follow these steps:

• Measure the width and length of the island or breakfast bar

• Minus 12 from the number

• Use the new width and length and add them together to find the best width

Figure out how many pendants you should have hanging from the ceiling by:

• Measuring the length and width of the island or breakfast bar and adding them together

• Take away 12 from the total and then divide by any number from the allowable width

• Divide that answer by two to find the number of pendants that can be hung

Determine how far to space the pendant lights by:

• Measuring the length of your island, breakfast bar or table

• Choose how many pedants you want to hang and then add 1 to that number

• Divide the length by the number found in step 2 to find how much space should be between each light

LED colour temperatures are an indicator of the kind of glow that a light gives off. The colour temperatures are measured in units of Kelvin, represented by the letter “K.” The higher rating of Kelvin, the whiter and bluer the illumination will be. There are four main LED light colour temperatures:

• Very warm white, which is under 2700K

• Warm white, which is between 2700K and 3200K

• Daylight, which is between 4000K and 5000K

• Cool bluish-white, which is between 5500K and 6500K

For pendant lights, it is recommended that you use a 3000k warm white LED colour temperature. This temperature is pleasant to the eyes and matches well with other light colours. It’s important to keep in mind that mixing cold white light and warm white light will result in an odd appearance, making choosing this neutral 3000K light imperative.

Generally speaking, one watt of LED light is equivalent to 80 o 100 lumens. This means:

• A three watt LED light is the same as a 25-30 watt halogen bulb

• A five watt LED light is the same as a 45-50 watt halogen bulb

• A nine watt LED light is the same as a 60 watt halogen bulb

Because pendant lights are accent lights as opposed to task lights, they are best with 40 to 60 watt bulbs that have a warm white colour temperature of 3000K. Varying colour temperatures might be needed in different areas, however, such as a dining room that should be comfortably lighted for relaxation and not too bright. On the contrary, in the kitchen, you need enough light to be able to easily cook by.

Though some lights simply have a long cord you can plug in, not all do. Any pendant light that needs wiring work should be handled by a qualified electrician.