Rattan pendant lights are bought for the shadows they cast. Light escapes the weave in points and lines, so the wall and ceiling behind the fixture carry a pattern a solid shade cannot make. Every fixture on this page is a pendant with a woven shade rather than glass or metal.
How to choose rattan pendant lights
Decide first whether the fixture is meant to be seen or meant to disappear. A pale open basket over a light counter reads as texture and little else. A darker, denser shade against white cabinetry becomes a silhouette and holds the eye. Both are valid, and the wall color behind the pendant decides which one you are actually getting.
Next comes the job the fixture has to do. Woven fiber scatters part of the output sideways instead of sending it straight down, which makes it a poor match for chopping vegetables and a very good one for a breakfast bar, a hallway or a corner of a dining room. Pair it with recessed downlights or under cabinet strips where a work surface needs a crisp pool.
Size the shade against the surface below it, not against the ceiling. Over a round table, a shade close to half the table diameter looks settled. Over a run of counter, two medium shades read calmer than three small ones fighting for the same span.
Weave, fiber and finish in rattan pendant lights
The differences between one woven shade and the next come down to four things, and each one changes the light in the room.
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Natural finish: honey brown that grows warmer still under a 2700K lamp.
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Bleached finish: pale straw that keeps a low room bright and shows less contrast against a white ceiling.
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Open weave: wide gaps between the strands throw the pattern out across the ceiling.
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Tight weave: a dense basket keeps light inside the shade and aims it at the floor.
Fiber is dry material, so treat it the way you would treat a woven basket. Keep it away from a range hood that vents into the room, and away from a shower. Wiping the outside with a barely damp cloth is enough; soaking a weave is what makes strands lift at the ends.
Questions about woven pendants
How low should a woven shade hang over a dining table?
Between 30 and 36 inches from the table top to the bottom of the shade with an eight foot ceiling. Go to the lower end for a wide basket so the diners are not looking straight at the bulb across the table.
Do these work over a kitchen island?
Yes, as the decorative layer. Hang two at 24 to 30 inches apart, then keep recessed lights or under cabinet lighting for the actual prep work. Fiber scatters too much of the beam to serve as the only source above a cutting board.
How do you get dust out of a weave?
A soft paintbrush works better than a cloth, since the bristles reach between the strands instead of pushing dust deeper. Twice a year is usually enough in a living room, more often in a kitchen where cooking grease settles on the fiber.
Other pages in this family: Brass Pendant Lights, Ceramic Pendant Lights, Wood Pendant Lights and Rattan Chandeliers. The full category is Pendant Lights.
