Nothing has the potential to add style to a space quite like suspension fixtures. Whether your taste is traditional or contemporary, these types of fixtures can act as elegant and fun accessories that reflect personality and bring greater function to interior spaces. They can be used in every room of the home in place of ceiling fixtures, which by comparison often lack visual impact.

Suspension Fixtures Make the Room

Suspension lighting generally comes in the form of hanging fixtures that suspend from one or more cables or rods from the ceiling. When shopping for these fixtures, it is important to know the dimensions of the spaces and the purpose of the lighting. A fixture that is too big for the room and the application will overpower the space. One that is too small will disappear into the scenery, and will also probably provide inadequate lighting.

Suspension fixtures that hang over a table, such as in a dining room or meeting room, should be half the width of the table and hang about 30 inches from the table's surface. The most common designs are the chandelier and the pendant light. Both are appropriate for ambient and task lighting. However, the differences in their styles make them ideal for different purposes. A pendant , for example, may work better than a chandelier over a kitchen island, and a chandelier may be a better choice in a grand foyer.

Providing good lighting means making use of many kinds of fixtures, all of which will meet various lighting needs. Suspension fixtures direct light onto a surface while bringing general illumination to the room. They bring visual interest to the space by breaking the horizontal line of the ceiling. And, they are often works of art in themselves. A creative hanging fixture is like an accessory for the room.