How To Effectively Use Pendant Lighting
Pendant light fixtures are incredibly adaptable and can be used for every layer of lighting: ambient, task, and accent.
Lighting designers break up lighting into these helpful categories for both practical and aesthetic reasons. Here are some of the ways you can use pendant lighting to effectively accomplish each layer:
Ambient
Ambient lighting is the general source of lighting used to illuminate a room. Pendants can do a great job as an ambient lighting source, especially if used in conjunction with multiple fixtures. Whether you install them in a row, or strategically place them throughout the room, you’ll have sufficient lighting and a beautiful display of fixtures.
Also, remember that a larger fixture doesn’t necessarily provide more light. If you want to light a large area with a single pendant, consider a fixture that has multiple bulbs. This is a great strategy for smaller rooms like bedrooms and home offices.
Task
This is one of the areas in which pendant lights shine the brightest. When installing a row of pendants over a kitchen island table, you’ll have focused lighting that’ll allow you to accomplish the most meticulous of kitchen tasks with greater ease and deft.
You can also use single pendants as a great reading light for a nook or to give additional light to a workspace. Make sure to use a pendant that shines down, if you’re going to use it for this purpose.
Accent
One of the coolest ways we’ve seen mini pendant lights used is in combination with track lights to highlight art pieces or exquisite architectural details. Remember that lighting doesn’t always have to serve a purely practical purpose. Use it to help bring attention to areas of interest.