Pendants...The New Chandeliers

It still amazes me how much lighting has changed since I started at Yale 25 years ago. Back in the 80s, we sold chandeliers...a ton of polished brass chandeliers to be exact.

Now its pendants...

And more pendants...

As I have posted previously, there was a shift from kitchen/formal dining room to one great living space usually with an island or peninsula in the middle. Thus, a chandelier becomes out of proportion and multiple pendants become more symmetrical and proportional.

How do you pick a pendant? We have 10 different kitchen environments with 10 different pendant styles at Yale. Pendants are more about visual decoration then light (look up task lighting, recessed and track on this blog).

My best advice is to find your style and choose. Have a look at contemporary and traditional adaptations...