How to Hang Pendant Lights with Ease

As lighting experts, we’re often asked how to hang pendant lights. The answer to this common query can be simple if you make it—first create a plan, then actualize your ideas through proper installation. Here are our simplified guidelines for how to hang pendant lights.

Guidelines for How to Hang Pendant Lights

From planning your pendant lights, to the intricacies that come along with exactly where to hang them, our guide will allow you to design in confidence. “A simple, streamlined pendant brings about a certain spatial harmony, always functionally designed to distribute the right amount of light to the surface below,” says SONNEMAN founder and designer Robert Sonneman. 

Plan Your Pendant Lights

If you’re considering how to hang pendant lights, there’s a chance that you’ve started out with a specific space in mind. Two common placements for pendants are above a kitchen island or a dining room table, with each scenario meriting their own unique set of considerations.

Beginning with a general rule of thumb, it’s best that pendants are hung between 30” and 36” above your surface. To ensure you hang your pendant lights just-right, visualize different hanging lengths with a piece of ribbon or string, adjusting to your desired end result. Additionally, consider how tall the people who live in your home are. The bottom of your pendant ideally won’t hang lower than the tallest person in the household. 

Hanging Pendant Lights Above a Kitchen Island

Hanging pendant lights above your kitchen island adds character, comfort and functionality to one of the most important spaces at home. To begin, you’ll want to first decide how many pendants to hang above your kitchen island. If your island’s overall width is on the smaller side, between five and six feet, two lights are sufficient. If your island’s width is greater than six feet, opt for three. 

Once the question of quantity is answered, map out where and how to hang your pendant lights above your kitchen island. Pendants should be placed with a 6” clearance between the pendant and the edge of the island. If you’re specifying three pendant lights, place them between 30” and 36” apart. Alternatively, if you’re specifying two pendant lights, rest them at least 30” from the center of the kitchen island.

If you’re thinking beyond the island for a total kitchen lighting design, discover our guide on Choosing the Best Lighting for the Kitchen.

Hanging Pendant Lights Above a Dining Table

When it comes to the dining room, the configuration of your chandelier or pendant depends on two crucial factors: balanced proportions and desired formality. This criteria will help guide some basic decisions around how to hang pendant lights.

Your pendant lights are intended to illuminate your dining room surface and serve as an integrating design feature. Depending on your dining room’s overall size and ceiling height, you might need to adjust the hanging height of your pendants proportionally to your space. In addition, your fixture should be one-half to two thirds the width of your dining table.

Finally, think about the level of formality you’d like to create in your dining room design. Traditional wisdom dictates that the lower the fixture, the more formal the space. Hanging your pendant lights at 36” above the surface of your dining room table, for example, will create a more formal feeling. For a more casual, laid-back atmosphere, consider bringing them up suspended roughly around 30” above your surface. For more specific guidance on designing the right mix of lighting for your dining room, discover our guide on Modern Dining Room Lighting Ideas.