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Interior Design vocabulary · Lighting

Pendant light

Meaning in interior design, with examples

/ˈpendənt laɪt/nounCore term

In interior design, pendant light means: A light that hangs down from the ceiling on a cable, chain or rod, often used above dining tables, kitchen islands and in stairwells.

In Turkish: sarkıt, sarkıt lamba, sarkıt aydınlatma

How it is used

Often just called a pendant. Designers decide the drop (how far it hangs), the spacing between several pendants and the height above a table, often around 70–90 cm. A large decorative fitting with many arms is a chandelier.

Example sentences

  1. Three small pendant lights over the island will look better than one big one.

  2. Can you lower the pendant light by 10 cm? It's right in my line of sight.

Common collocations

  • pendant light over the table
  • cluster of pendant lights
  • pendant drop
  • glass pendant light
  • wall sconceA light fitting fixed to a wall, often decorative, used beside beds, mirrors and fireplaces or along corridors and stairs.
  • downlightA small light fitted into the ceiling so that it is almost flush with the surface and shines downwards; often used in rows for ambient lighting.
  • kitchen islandA freestanding block of cabinets with a worktop in the middle of a kitchen, used for preparing food, for storage and often for casual meals.
  • dimmerA switch or control that changes how bright a light is, so the same room can feel bright for work and soft in the evening.

More terms: Lighting

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