A silk or fabric pendant light has a shade of cloth stretched over a light frame. The cloth sits between the bulb and the room, so the whole shade glows and the light is soft, even and without glare. This guide covers the shapes, the sizes and the light options.
The four shapes
- Saucer: wide and flat. It spreads an even pool of light over a dining table or a kitchen island.
- Oval: a wide lantern, lower than it is broad, for a living room or bedroom.
- Globe: a small round lantern for the quieter corners of a home.
- Tall lantern: a slender cocoon, higher than it is wide.
Size table
| Model | Shape | Sizes |
|---|---|---|
| White Silk Saucer Pendant | Saucer | Ø 40 × H 16, Ø 50 × H 20, Ø 60 × H 25 cm |
| Beige Silk Saucer Pendant | Saucer | Ø 40 × H 19, Ø 50 × H 24, Ø 60 × H 33 cm |
| Brown Silk Saucer Pendant | Saucer | 40 × 16, 50 × 20 or 60 × 25 cm |
| Japanese Silk Oval Pendant Light | Oval | Ø 40 × H 22 or Ø 50 × H 28 cm |
| Round Silk Globe Pendant | Globe | Ø 25 × H 26 cm |
| Tall Oval Silk Lantern Pendant | Tall lantern | Ø 30 × H 40 cm |
| Pleated Fabric Dish Pendant | Dish | Ø 50, 60, 80 or 100 cm |
The silk models hang on a 150 cm cord and suit spaces of about 5 to 10 m². For a woven natural shade instead of cloth, see our rattan pendant lights guide.
For draped fabric, fringes and tassels, see our guide to French chandeliers and fringe lamps.
New to hanging lights? Our guide what is a pendant light explains the types and how to work out the cord length. For drum, empire, dome and cone shapes, see the types of lamp shades.
Light colour and dimming
- The white and beige silk saucers, the oval, the globe and the tall lantern come in warm white by default, with cool white or neutral white on request. They are not dimmable.
- The Brown Silk Saucer Pendant has an LED with three colour temperatures (warm 3000K, neutral 4500K, cool white 6000K) and a touch on/off switch. Its shade is artificial silk.
Colours
White silk with white seams, beige silk with black ribs, or bronze-brown silk with fine light grey seams. The black ribs draw the outline of the shade when it is lit; the white version reads as a single glowing form.
Wide, shallow silk saucers also suit a low room: our guide to lighting for low ceilings lists the real shade height of each pendant and the headroom it leaves.
Still choosing between materials? Compare glass vs fabric pendant lights, see how many silk saucers fit over your table in our guide to dining table lights, and read Japandi vs wabi-sabi lighting to place these shades in a style.
Choosing between a silk oval, a tall lantern and a glass lantern? Our guide to lantern pendant lights works out how many fit over a table or island.
Frequently asked questions
Do silk pendant lights give enough light for a dining table?
The saucer models spread an even pool of light across a dining table or kitchen island and suit spaces of about 5 to 10 m².
How long is the cord?
150 cm on the silk models above.
Which size should I choose?
The saucers come in 40, 50 and 60 cm. For hanging height over a kitchen island, see our guide on pendant light height.
See all models in our fabric and silk pendant lights collection.
