Boho Pendant Lights

How to choose boho pendant lights

Pick the shade by the shadow you want. A wide open weave in rattan or cane throws a strong graphic pattern and works in a bedroom or a reading corner where the effect is the point. A tighter basket weave or a fabric wrapped shade softens the beam into a glow and leaves the walls plain. Look for a photograph of the fixture lit, since an unlit shot says nothing about this.

Then think about where the eye lands. Natural fiber occupies a specific height in a room: hung over a table it becomes the centerpiece, hung in a corner it is one texture among several. Two or three small shades in a row read lighter than one large one, and they suit a narrow kitchen better.

Hanging height and shade width for boho pendant lights

Fiber takes a share of the output, so height and diameter matter more here than with a glass shade.

Over a table: 30 to 34 inches from the tabletop to the bottom of the shade.
Over a counter: 30 to 36 inches, with 24 to 30 inches between fixtures.
Beside a bed: 20 to 26 inches above the mattress, clear of a seated head.
Width: hold the shade under about a third of the table depth so it does not close the view across.

Which boho pendant suits which room

Shade type	Best over	Light it gives	Price here
Woven rattan or wicker dome	A dining table, a breakfast bar	Prints the weave across the ceiling	$99 to $1,159
Bamboo or wood cage	A hallway, an entryway	Sharp slatted shadows on the walls	$93 to $315
Rattan drum with fringe	A living room, a bedroom	Soft and contained, little pattern	$219 to $819
Hemp or jute rope	A reading corner, a stair landing	A warm glow with a rough edge	$270 to $739
Linen or textured paper	A bedroom, a nursery	Even light with no visible lamp	$300 to $429
Long rattan bar	A kitchen island, a long table	Covers a wide span from one point	$250 to $1,840

Boho lighting terms

Rattan: A solid climbing palm stem. It is bent into a frame or peeled into strands and woven. It holds its shape and takes a honey or bleached finish.
Wicker: Not a material but a weaving method. A wicker shade can be made from rattan, willow or reed, so check the fiber listed on the product page.
Bamboo: A hollow grass, lighter and more rigid than rattan. It splits into flat slats, which gives wider gaps and a stronger pattern on the ceiling.
Open weave and tight weave: An open weave throws the pattern out across the room. A tight weave keeps the light inside the shade and aims it at the floor.
E26 and E27: The two common screw bases. E26 is the North American size, E27 the European one. They are close enough that most fixtures here accept either.

Will one woven pendant light a whole room?

No. The shade absorbs enough that the fixture works as atmosphere rather than as general light. Add a floor lamp, a sconce or recessed lights and let the pendant carry the texture. A brighter bulb inside the same shade mostly makes the fiber glow.

Does a woven shade get hot?

An LED lamp runs cool enough that it is not an issue in an open weave. An incandescent or halogen bulb inside a tight shade is a different case, so stay within the wattage marked on the socket and leave clearance between the lamp and the fiber.

See also Modern Pendant Lights, Minimalist Pendant Lights, Scandinavian Pendant Lights and Boho Chandeliers. Browse the wider category at Pendant Lights.