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Collection by Kelsey Keith

Pendants, and How to Hang 'Em

The most buoyant of the lighting family, pendant lamps are awfully fun but take a bit of planning; here's how to do it right.

Pendant lamps occupy a cozy position in the lighting family: They take more installation know-how than a plug-and-play table or floor lamp, though less effort than the hard-wiring required for their sconce cousins. Pendants are, visually- and literally-speaking, lighter than chandeliers, and great for filling soaring spaces or freeing up surface area in a smaller nook. Check out the tons of great pendant lamps in Dwell's products archive, and read on here for tips on how to maximize their effect in a room.

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A Mirror Ball pendant by Tom Dixon hovers over the kitchen counter.
A Mirror Ball pendant by Tom Dixon hovers over the kitchen counter.
The Globo di Luce pendants in the kitchen are by Roberto Menghi for Fontana Arte.
The Globo di Luce pendants in the kitchen are by Roberto Menghi for Fontana Arte.
The master bedroom has a custom ramp for the dachshund at the foot of the bed and an oversize birch-veneer pendant lamp. The bedside tables are actually CD cases affixed to the wall.
The master bedroom has a custom ramp for the dachshund at the foot of the bed and an oversize birch-veneer pendant lamp. The bedside tables are actually CD cases affixed to the wall.
A free-flowing, open-plan dining and living area is built of local Dahoma wood and has sliding screens and jalousie windows to allow cross ventilation in the hot climate. Photo by: Dook
A free-flowing, open-plan dining and living area is built of local Dahoma wood and has sliding screens and jalousie windows to allow cross ventilation in the hot climate. Photo by: Dook
The residents of NHR have clearly mastered open shelving. Creating a great balance in their home this shelving system helps to colorfully curate the air avoiding formless clutter.
The residents of NHR have clearly mastered open shelving. Creating a great balance in their home this shelving system helps to colorfully curate the air avoiding formless clutter.
The living room in the original house has Victorian details, but the furniture—vintage Bertoia chairs, a Gloss floor lamp by Pablo Pardo, and a Norm 03 Steel Pendant Lamp by Normann Copenhagen—brings the look up to date.
The living room in the original house has Victorian details, but the furniture—vintage Bertoia chairs, a Gloss floor lamp by Pablo Pardo, and a Norm 03 Steel Pendant Lamp by Normann Copenhagen—brings the look up to date.
The dining space achieves its own clarity through a consistent color palette and strong angled lines. The white pendant light adds a sculptural detail.
The dining space achieves its own clarity through a consistent color palette and strong angled lines. The white pendant light adds a sculptural detail.