A ceramic pendant light throws its light firmly downwards. The opaque shade cuts glare, while a pale or glazed interior bounces light onto the table below. We stock more than 150 ceramic pendants, including designs from Italux, Luces Exclusivas, Nowodvorski and Zambelis.
Because ceramic doesn't let light through, drop height decides how wide the pool of light on your table will be.
| Where | Gap from bottom of shade |
|---|---|
| Dining table | 60–75 cm (about 24–30 in) above the top |
| Kitchen island | 70–80 cm above the worktop |
| Row of pendants | 60–80 cm apart, at least 30 cm in from the table ends |
| Bedside, instead of a lamp | roughly 50–60 cm above the mattress |
A handy rule: the shade should be between a third and half the width of the table, so 30–40 cm for a 90 cm table.
Most take an E27 bulb, plenty use E14, and some have integrated LEDs. Over a dining table, aim for 2700–3000 K and roughly 800–1000 lumens per pendant.
Most ceramic shades weigh from a few hundred grams to 2–3 kg. A standard ceiling hook or a properly fixed ceiling rose on a joist or plasterboard fixing handles that easily.
Barely, with LED bulbs. Old-style incandescents can warm the ceramic, so always stay within the maximum wattage marked on the lampholder.
Wipe glazed ceramic with a damp cloth and a drop of washing-up liquid. Dust matt ceramic with a soft dry brush, as water can leave marks.
See other materials and styles in our pendant lights collection.
