Kitchen Pendant Lights

More than 1,000 small pendant lights under 30 cm in diameter, in metal, glass or ceramic, by Ebb & Flow, Ferroluce, Schneid Studio, &tradition or Muuto.

Kitchen lighting is chosen according to the area you need to light. Above an island, a breakfast bar or a table, small pendant lights under 30 cm in diameter are hung on their own or in a row of two or three, with the bottom of the shade 70 to 90 cm above the surface and 60 to 80 cm between each centre. They add to the general lighting, without replacing it.

Read our buying advice.

How to choose a kitchen pendant light

The essentials

A kitchen pendant light lights a specific area: the island, the breakfast bar or the table. The bottom of the shade sits 70 to 90 cm above the surface, and a model under 30 cm in diameter is hung on its own over a small surface or in a row of two or three over an island. Light of 2,700 to 3,000 K is enough for eating, 3,000 to 4,000 K for food preparation.

Height: bottom of the shade 70 to 90 cm above an island, 70 to 80 cm above a table, 60 to 75 cm above a breakfast bar.
Number: one pendant for a surface up to 100 cm, two for 120 to 160 cm, three for 180 to 240 cm, with 60 to 80 cm between centres.
Light: 400 to 800 lumens per pendant, 2,700 to 3,000 K for eating, 3,000 to 4,000 K for food preparation.
Material: glass, lacquered metal or glazed ceramic, which wipe clean with a damp cloth.

What height should a kitchen pendant light hang at?

Too low, and the pendant blocks the view and gets knocked. Too high, and it shows the bulb and gives less light on the surface. The measurement is taken between the surface and the bottom of the shade, never from the ceiling.

Area lit	Height of the surface	Distance from surface to bottom of shade	Bottom of shade from the floor
Island or worktop	Around 90 cm	70 to 90 cm	160 to 180 cm
Kitchen table	Around 75 cm	70 to 80 cm	145 to 155 cm
Breakfast bar	Around 110 cm	60 to 75 cm	170 to 185 cm

Rules of thumb, to be adjusted to your height and to the shape of the shade. A shade that is open at the bottom hangs a little lower than a globe.

Above an island where you cook standing up, aim for the top of the range: your line of sight should pass under the shade. Above a table, go lower, so the bulb stays hidden. In a walkway, keep the bottom of the light 200 cm from the floor or more.

The test before you drillHang a piece of cardboard the diameter of the shade on the end of a piece of string, at the planned height. Sitting and then standing in front of the surface, you should neither see the bulb nor have the object in your field of vision.

How many pendant lights above a kitchen island?

All the pendant lights on this page measure less than 30 cm in diameter, most often between 11 and 29 cm. At this size, a single light point lights around 60 to 80 cm of surface. Over an island, they are therefore hung in a row of two or three, at regular intervals.

Length of the surface	Number of pendants	Recommended spacing	Suitable diameter
Up to 100 cm	1	Not applicable	25 to 29 cm
120 to 160 cm	2	60 to 80 cm	20 to 29 cm
180 to 240 cm	3	60 to 80 cm	20 to 29 cm
Narrow bar, any length	1 per seat	40 to 60 cm	11 to 20 cm

Spacing: the distance between the centres of two neighbouring pendants. Beyond 240 cm, add a fourth pendant.

Centre the row on the middle of the surface, along its length as well as its depth.
Keep around 30 cm between the last pendant and the end of the surface, so you do not light empty space.
Leave between two shades at least the equivalent of one diameter, otherwise the group looks cramped.

Over a round or square table of 90 to 110 cm, a single pendant of 25 to 29 cm is enough. A large table calls for a wider model or a row.

Go bigger

Kitchen lighting: what light to see clearly without glare?

The kitchen is the room that needs the most light. Allow around 300 lumens per m² for the room as a whole, all light sources combined, so close to 3,600 lumens for 12 m². A small pendant provides 400 to 800 depending on the bulb: it lights its own surface, not the whole room.

Use	Colour temperature	Output per pendant	Recommended shade
Eating, table or bar	2,700 to 3,000 K, warm white	400 to 500 lumens	Opal glass or closed shade, soft light
Food preparation on the island	3,000 to 4,000 K, warm to neutral white	600 to 800 lumens	Opaque shade open at the bottom

Rules of thumb. Keep the same colour temperature for all the pendants in one row.

To avoid glare, the bulb must not be visible when you are seated. A metal or ceramic shade hides it and directs the light onto the surface. Opal glass diffuses it. Clear glass shows it: in that case, choose a low-powered decorative bulb.

In the selection, only a dozen models have integrated LED. For the others, you choose the bulb, and therefore the brightness and the colour. To vary the intensity, pair an LED bulb marked ‘dimmable’ with a dimmer designed for LEDs.

Near water and the hobThe IP rating indicates how well a light is protected against water and dust. Above an island with no water point or above a table, a standard indoor light, often IP20, is suitable. Near a sink or a hob, ask an electrician for advice before choosing the position and the model.

Glass, metal or ceramic: which material for a kitchen pendant light?

In a kitchen, grease and steam settle on everything that hangs. So the material matters as much for cleaning as for the light. In the selection, close to four pendants in ten are in metal, around one in four in glass, and a little over one in ten in ceramic.

Material	Light	Cleaning in a kitchen
Lacquered metal, steel, aluminium	Directed downwards, bulb hidden	Damp cloth, a drop of washing-up liquid
Brass	Directed, warm reflections	Soft, dry cloth, no acidic products
Opal or tinted glass	Diffused, soft, in every direction	Damp cloth, marks show on clear glass
Ceramic, stoneware, porcelain	Directed, opaque shade	Damp cloth on the glaze
Wood, rattan, paper	Filtered, cast shadows	Dry dusting, does not like steam or grease

Switch off the circuit and let the bulb cool down before any cleaning.

The design houses in the selection each have their material: blown glass at Ebb & Flow, glass and aluminium at Muuto, ceramic at Ferroluce, wood and ceramic at Schneid Studio, lacquered steel and brass at &tradition and Gubi.

Four small pendant lights for the kitchen

White glass and black metal pendant light 18 cm Rime - Muuto - The Cool Republic

Muuto Pendant light in white glass and black metal 18 cm Rime - Muuto €275,00

&tradition Pendant light in steel blue steel 16cm Flowerpot VP10 - &tradition €204,00

Schneid Studio Pendant light in clay ceramic 10.5x26.5cm Stucco no2 - Schneid Studio €349,00

Gold and obsidian pendant lamp S Futura - Ebb & Flow - The Cool Republic

Ebb & Flow Gold and obsidian pendant light S Futura - Ebb & Flow €239,20

By material

Pendant light, chandelier, ceiling light or spotlights: which lighting for a kitchen?

A well-lit kitchen combines three layers of light. The pendant light is the second.

General lighting: a ceiling light or recessed spotlights, for the whole room. Essential under a ceiling lower than 240 cm, where a pendant would get in the way.
Zone lighting: pendant lights, above the island, the breakfast bar or the table, where you eat and prepare food.
Task lighting: strip lights under the wall units, for the worktop against the wall.

Kitchen chandelier or pendant light?

In everyday language, ‘kitchen chandelier’ means any light that hangs from the ceiling. Strictly speaking, a chandelier carries several lamps on one frame, a pendant light just one. This page brings together almost only single pendants: for the effect of a chandelier, hang three in a row or group them in a cluster.

Pendant light or recessed spotlights?

Spotlights give the same light everywhere, but need a false ceiling and do not mark out any zone. Pendant lights are fitted to an existing ceiling point and define the island or the table, without lighting more than 60 to 80 cm each. Above 8 m², the two work together.

Other lighting

Which pendant light to choose for your kitchen?

In a small kitchen

Under 8 m², one or two pendants of 15 to 20 cm above the breakfast bar or the table are enough. Choose opal glass or a white shade, which bounce the light back towards the walls.

In an open-plan kitchen with an island

The row above the island can be seen from the living room and acts as a boundary between the two spaces. Three identical pendants give a calm overall look. Pick up a colour or a material from the living area.

By style

White and black dominate the selection, ahead of gold. Black metal suits a contemporary or industrial kitchen, opal glass and pale wood a Scandinavian kitchen, glazed ceramic and brass a retro look.

On a tight budget

You often need three small pendants: work out the price of the set, bulbs included. Around four models in ten are offered at under €200, and more than nine in ten at under €500.

By colour and by brand

Frequently asked questions

Which pendant light for a kitchen?

Choose a pendant light in a material that is easy to clean, glass, lacquered metal or glazed ceramic, with a shade that hides the bulb. Above an island or a breakfast bar, small models under 30 cm in diameter are hung in a row of two or three. Above a small table, a single model of 25 to 29 cm is enough.

What height should a pendant light hang above a kitchen island?

Position the bottom of the shade 70 to 90 cm above the surface, so 160 to 180 cm from the floor for an island 90 cm high. Your line of sight should pass under the pendant when you are standing. Above a table, go down to 70 to 80 cm from the tabletop.

How many pendant lights do you need above an island?

With pendants under 30 cm in diameter, allow two for an island of 120 to 160 cm and three for an island of 180 to 240 cm. Space them 60 to 80 cm apart from centre to centre and leave around 30 cm between the last one and the edge of the surface.

What type of lighting for a kitchen?

A kitchen needs three kinds of lighting: a ceiling light or spotlights for general light, pendant lights above the island, the breakfast bar or the table, and lighting under the wall units for the worktop. Allow around 300 lumens per m² for the room as a whole.

What colour temperature for a kitchen pendant light?

A warm white of 2,700 to 3,000 K suits a table or a breakfast bar, where you eat. For food preparation on an island, 3,000 to 4,000 K gives a crisper light. Keep the same colour for all the pendants in one row.

Pendant light or recessed spotlights in a kitchen?

The two work together. Spotlights give even general light but need a false ceiling. Pendant lights light a specific area, island, breakfast bar or table, and are fitted to an existing ceiling point. In a kitchen of more than 8 m², plan for both.

Which pendant light material is easiest to clean in a kitchen?

Glass, lacquered metal and glazed ceramic are cleaned with a damp cloth and a drop of washing-up liquid, with the light switched off and the bulb cold. Rattan, natural fibres and paper absorb grease: keep them for a dining area away from the hob.

Can you replace a kitchen ceiling light with a pendant light?

Yes, a pendant light connects to the same ceiling point as a ceiling light. If that point is not centred above the island or the table, a ceiling hook lets you offset the cable. To create several light points or move the power supply, call in an electrician.