Different Ways to Hang Mini Pendant Lights Over Kitchen Tables

Pendants are the design of the day in kitchen lighting, but not every kitchen can handle a huge lamp suspended over the table. For versatility or better scale, choose mini-pendants, singly or in groups, to provide illumination for a favorite recipe or a coffee break. Kitchen pendants come in humble and haute cuisine styles, so consider your penchant for imaginative lighting when making a selection. Does this Spark an idea?

Line-up

A line of mini-pendants emphasizes the straight architectural lines of kitchen space in a contemporary interior. When posting the lights over a table or breakfast bar that is visible from various vantage points in the room, stand in each opening and note the sightlines. Hang balloons where you will position the pendants to determine the best spacing and height before committing, especially if you plan to order fixed pendants that are custom designed for the space and can't be altered or returned.

Canning Cluster

Mason jars make terrific mini-pendants for a kitchen table. They work in a contemporary space as sleek, glass tubes that reveal the workings of the lamp inside. And they evoke end-of-summer country canning in a vintage or country-style kitchen. Cluster four, six or more pendants together for a chandelier effect. Use different heights ,and put light bulbs in a few of the clustered fixtures; the glass will bounce light around and make the room seem as if each jar is lit.

Tea Lights

Drill some holes in mismatched flea market tea cups and pots, and invite Alice to tea. An upside-down china pot will hold an LED lamp for a surprisingly bright light, and tea cups can sparkle with smaller, low-wattage fixtures or chandelier bulbs to add to the ambiance. Try the teapot centered with a circle of cups around it for a topsy-turvy, up-in-the-air "table setting." It's an imaginative look that marks your kitchen as a place for raspberry trifle, homemade apple pie and engaging kitchen table conversations.

Adjustable Height

When the kitchen table gets used for homework, bread baking, holiday cookie cutouts and late-night romantic snacks, you need a whole menu of lighting choices. Do the next best thing, and install a mini-pendant on an adjustable pulley. The lamp can be raised up and down for close work, family meals or everyday use. You could even put it on a dimmer for more choices. Suspend a bar of mini-pendants from a pulley, or use a brighter light bulb for a single lamp.