Taiko is a five-light island pendant from Elstead Lighting's own range, made in Great Britain. An oval shade of beige linen hangs on two rods below an elongated ceiling canopy, and beneath it a dense cluster of steel sticks in an Olde Bronze finish projects downwards. The sticks form a kind of open lattice under the shade that catches the eye when the pendant is seen from below or from the side.
Size and hanging height
The fitting is 80 cm long, 31 cm deep and 40.6 cm high. Its elongated shape suits a rectangular surface: compare the 80 cm length with the length of your kitchen island or table so the pendant stays within its edges, and the lower edge usually sits 70–80 cm above the top.
The drop adjusts from 53.3 to 143.3 cm by combining the supplied rods — four of 30 cm and four of 15 cm. At the shortest setting the shade sits just below the ceiling, as two of the manufacturer's photos show, which helps with a low ceiling. The pendant weighs 10.53 kg, so the ceiling fixing must hold that weight securely.
Lamps and light
Under the shade are five E27 lampholders, each for a lamp of up to 60 W. Lamps are not included, so five need to be bought. Elstead recommends separately sold E27 LED lamps in the classic pear shape at 3000 K, a warm white light. The linen shade diffuses the light of the lamps, so they are not seen directly from the side.
The fitting is compatible with dimmable lamps — dimming requires lamps marked as dimmable and a dimmer. It is Class I, so the ceiling box must include an earth conductor. The manufacturer specifies it for interiors only.
The Taiko range
The manufacturer describes the Taiko range as organic, in natural earthy colours, contrasting calm linen with the decorative sticks. The collection includes three pendants and two wall lights, so fittings from the same family can hang over a dining table and on the wall beside it.
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