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Pendant light fixtures are a great way to add flair and brightness to your [city] home’s indoor spaces. But there are thousands of pendant light styles on the market, as well as countless different materials used to make them, so it can be confusing to find the pendants you want.

Below are a few things to keep in mind to help you find the best pendant light fixtures for your home, office, or even business.

Size

When it comes to choosing a pendant light fixture, think of the specific area in the room you want to hang the pendant over. Does the area have high ceilings? How high or low can you hang the pendant? Some pendant lights are completely adjustable, but others have rods or chains that can’t be adjusted.

In addition, the width of pendant light fixtures can range from 5 to 43 inches. So, you want to choose one that’s proportionate to the size of the room or the specific area that needs light.

Styles and Finishes

Figuring out which style and finish you want in your pendant light is probably one of the harder parts of choosing a fixture.

  • For a classic look, you can go for traditional styles. These have an ornate and classic look that matches antique, rustic, farmhouse decor. Traditional pendants also tend to have more embellishments and details.
  • If you’re looking for a more minimalistic, sharp, and modern look, go for contemporary pendant styles. These pendants feature a simple and minimalist look, perfect for any modern home.

If you prefer a mix of both modern and classic, a transitional design should work for you.

And finally, if you want something that’s on the fun and whimsical side of things, you can look for eclectic pendant styles to match the unique look you’re looking for.

Pendant light fixtures also come in a variety of finishes. A great way to tie the light’s finish with details in the room is to match them with the finish of other items like hardware details and door handles.

Popular pendant finishes include:

  • Polished Chrome
  • Polished Nickel
  • Oil-rubbed Bronze
  • Black Iron
  • Brushed Nickel

Shades

Pendant light fixture shades come in a variety of materials, including metal, fabric, and glass. Some fixtures even come with detachable shades so you can replace them different shade styles whenever you want.

Shades play an important role in how much light from the fixture is diffused. For example, fabric shades cause the pendant to produce a very diffused and soft light, which makes them great for spaces like bedrooms where a soft, warm glow is aesthetically pleasing.

On the other hand, metal shades diffuse light the least but make the pendants look beautiful with their industrial design, especially when placed in the kitchen. So, when choosing between pendant fixtures with different shades, ask yourself if want your pendant to produce more or less light.

Popular materials and finishes for light shades include:

  • Colored glass
  • Polished chrome
  • Smoked white glass diffuser
  • Frosted glass
  • Tiffany-style glass
  • Burlap
  • Linen
  • Oil-rubbed bronze

Keep these tips in mind when buying pendant lights for your home. When in doubt, consider talking to a lighting designer to narrow down your choices.

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