What Is the Difference Between a Chandelier vs. Pendant Light

One of the most commonly asked questions by homeowners is “what is the difference between pendant and chandelier lights?” Fortunately, the experts at Siga Home Comfort have the answers you seek. In this blog, we’ll uncover everything there is to know about pendant lighting vs. chandeliers, including exploring their characteristics and different types, and the best places to hang them.

What Is a Pendant Light Fixture?

A pendant light, also known as a drop light, is a singular light attachment that hangs from the ceiling by a rod, cord, or chain. Pendant lighting fixtures are available in a variety of styles, including modern, tradition, farmhouse, and transitional designs. You can also purchase or customize pendant lights in various sizes, shapes, and colours. Pendant lights are perfect for focused lighting. As an example, you may consider suspending pendant lights over your kitchen island or in-home office desk.

What Is a Chandelier?

A chandelier is a type of decorative lighting fixture that has a collection of branches that can support multiple light bulbs or candles. Chandeliers are typically fairly large and hang low from the ceiling. This design makes them perfect as statement or centre pieces in grand foyers, dining rooms, or even bedrooms. You have many options to choose from when it comes to chandeliers as they’re available in many styles, including traditional, transitional, modern, and rustic designs.

Pendant Lighting vs. Chandelier

Reviewing the characteristics of chandelier lighting and pendant lighting can be highly beneficial if you’re on the fence about which fixture is right for you and your home. Apart from considering the overall design of the lighting piece, it’s also helpful to learn about features, such as the energy efficiency and lighting type for each fixture. Take a look at the following chart to discover the main differences between pendant and chandelier lights:

Types of Pendant Lights

There’s a pendant lighting fixture out there for every person and aesthetic. Whether you’re more of a timeless and traditional person or you prefer updated and modern designs, we guarantee you’ll be able to find the perfect pendant light for your vision. The following are the types of pendant lighting available:

Cord Pendant Light

Cord pendant lights are suspended from the ceiling with a cord. The cord can be adjusted at nearly any length depending on your desired look and personal preferences. A cord pendant light can make an excellent accent piece. For example, you may hang a single pendant light over a chair with extra slack to create an industrial appearance. Other design ideas include:

· Using oversized light bulbs

· Hanging multiple cord pendant lights in a row

· Clustering the lights together

· Arranging the lights in a circle at various lengths

Rod Pendant Light

A rod pendant light hangs lights from one or more rods made of materials such as metal, acrylic, or glass. The lights and/or light shades at the end of the rod come in an array of shapes, sizes, colours, finishes, and styles. Rode pendant lights can hold one or multiple lights depending on your preferred look. Here’s a list of possible design ideas:

· Rod with a suspended light bar instead of bulb

· Multiple rod pendant lights hanging at varying levels

· Having a curved rod rather than a straight rod

· Vertical rod with branches of horizontal light pendants

Chain Pendant Light

Similar to cord pendant lights, chain pendant light uses a chain to suspend the lights from the ceiling. The chain can be long, short, or mid-length and made from various metals such as nickel, brass, and iron, either painted or unpainted. Here are a few great ideas for chain pendant lights:

· Gold chain with a black light pendant

· Row of chain pendant lights with hanging slack between them

· Collection of long and mid-length chain pendant lights hanging between a staircase

· Chain holding a rod of pendant lights

Types of Chandeliers

Just as there are many types of pendant lights, there are also several types of chandeliers. While chandeliers are often known for having an elegant and timeless appearance, there are modern and sleek options as well. Here are a few of the different types of chandeliers:

Candle Chandeliers

Original chandeliers used candles instead of light bulbs. In the modern age, you can purchase chandeliers with electric candle lights in the place of real ones. Candle chandeliers are available in a range of styles and shapes, as well as various colours, materials, and finishes. The following is a list of design possibilities for candle chandeliers:

· Sleek and simple metal candle chandelier with a black matte finish

· Elongated wood and metal chandelier with wax candle replicas and LED flame bulbs

· Circular chandelier with variously sized candle lights lining the circle

Modern Chandeliers

Modern chandeliers have geometric shapes rather than traditional curved branches. They typically feature circular, square, or rectangular shapes in varying sizes. Compared to traditional or candle chandeliers, modern chandeliers have a much more minimalistic appearance. The following are some design options for modern chandeliers:

· Descending light rings stacked at opposing angles

· Gold and black linear sputnik chandelier

· Varying sizes of cube shaped lights placed within each other

Waterfall Chandeliers

Waterfall chandeliers are designed to look like a cascading waterfall. They have multiple tiers of crystal pendant or glass tube lights that descend from the ceiling, forming a flowing water effect. This design maximizes light refraction, creating sparkling and shimmering lights that bounce off the walls. Here are some ideas for waterfall chandeliers:

· Nine-foot waterfall chandelier hanging between a spiral staircase

· Coiled waterfall chandelier in an entryway

· Coloured crystal light pendants or stained-glass tubes

Find the Best Light Fixture with Siga Home Comfort

Choosing between pendant lighting vs. chandeliers is a big decision, but with the help of Sig Home Comfort, it doesn’t have to be a hard one. We have years of experience supplying, customizing, and installing light fixtures of all shapes, sizes, and styles. Give us a call or visit our Toronto showroom to learn more about the features and benefits of our chandelier and pendant lighting.