Globe pendant light and globe chandelier: materials, diameters and clusters

The globe pendant is one of the easiest shapes to live with: a sphere spreads light in every direction, with no corners and no harsh shadows. Glass, paper, rattan or metal, a single globe or a globe chandelier with several spheres: this guide helps you choose the right material, diameter and arrangement for each room.

The globe moves through styles without ageing: paper lantern in the fifties, opal globe in cafés, cluster of blown glass in entrance halls, woven rattan or perforated metal today.

Its simplicity is deceptive: a globe that is too small disappears, one that is too large overwhelms the room, and a badly fitted clear sphere dazzles. Here are the guidelines to avoid these three mistakes.

1. Why the globe pendant is so popular

A sphere has no front or back: seen from the sofa or the stairs, it keeps the same silhouette, which makes it easy to place in the centre of a room. Its curve softens the straight lines of walls and furniture.

A diffusing globe lights at 360 degrees: ceiling, walls and floor each receive a share of the light. It is the opposite of a bell or dome pendant, which concentrates the light downwards. The globe therefore serves general lighting more than a worktop.

2. Globe pendant or globe chandelier: the difference

• Globe pendant: a single globe at the end of a cable, from a small 15 cm model to a 60 cm sphere.
• Globe chandelier: several globes on the same frame, as a bouquet, on arms or in a cascade.
• Cluster: several independent pendants at different heights, gathered on a multi-point ceiling rose.

The globe chandelier has more presence and needs a generous ceiling height. A single globe stays discreet and is easy to repeat in a row above a table.

3. The four materials compared

The material determines the light far more than the shape: two globes of the same diameter create opposite atmospheres in opal glass or openwork rattan.

4. The glass globe pendant

Glass is the original material of the globe. For blowing techniques and tints, see our guide to the glass pendant light.

Opal, clear or tinted

Opal glass, milky white, hides the bulb and gives an even light: it is the best globe for lighting a kitchen, a hallway or a dining room. Clear glass shows the bulb, which becomes decorative but dazzles if it is too powerful. Smoked or amber glass creates atmosphere but absorbs part of the light, and ribbed glass blurs the bulb while casting fine reflections.

5. Paper and rattan globes

The paper globe lantern is the lightest. Its milky light envelops the room and it can be fitted with a simple connector, even in a large diameter. For precautions and differences between papers, see the Japanese paper pendant.

The rattan or woven fibre globe filters light through its weave: the more open the weave, the stronger the shadows on the ceiling. It works very well in a large diameter above a wooden table, or as a cluster of three sizes in a hallway. Our guide to the rattan chandelier explains how to size it. With these two materials, LED is the rule.

6. The metal globe pendant

A solid metal globe does not light through its wall: the light comes out through an opening at the bottom, like a dome. You choose it for the object itself, in matt black in an industrial setting or in a gold finish in a classic setting. A perforated metal globe covers the room in small spots of light: strong atmosphere, little illumination, perfect for a landing or a seating area. Our guide to the metal chandelier compares the metals.

7. Which diameter for a globe pendant

For a central pendant, add the length and width of the room in metres and multiply by 10: a room of 4 m by 3.5 m calls for a globe of about 75 cm, or several smaller ones. Above a table, aim for about half the width of the tabletop.

For very large formats, see the large pendant for high ceilings.

8. Clusters and multi-globe chandeliers

The compact bouquet gathers the globes around a central axis and suits a living or dining room. Arms, in the spirit of the sixties, need an open room. The cascade, made of globes of different sizes and heights, dresses a staircase or a high ceiling.

Allow 3 globes for a table for 4 to 6 people (ceiling of at least 2.50 m), 5 to 6 globes for a living area of 20 to 30 m², and more than 8 mainly in a double-height space. Vary at least two diameters and stagger the heights by 15 to 30 cm. Bars and ceiling roses are detailed in our guide to the multi-light pendant.

9. Room by room: where to hang a globe

All the heights are brought together in our guide to pendant light height; for a table, see also the dining room chandelier.

10. Which bulb in a globe

In an opal globe, an E27 LED of 806 to 1,055 lumens at 2700 K is enough for a table or a bedroom. In a clear globe, choose a filament model or an opal globe bulb: see decorative globe, tube or amber bulbs. For paper and rattan, read which bulb for a rattan or paper pendant.

11. In short

Choose the material according to the light you want: opal to light, clear to decorate, paper and rattan to soften, metal to give structure. Match the diameter to the room or table, vary the sizes in a cluster and keep 70 to 85 cm above a table. The globe chandelier is best kept for ceilings of at least 2.50 m. For other silhouettes, see the design pendant light.

Frequently asked questions