How to Choose Linear Pendant Lights Over Kitchen Islands

14 September 2025

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Everything you need to know about designing with an LED Timber Light Pendant. Our range of solid timber LED linear pendants are available with a variety of customisable finishes, giving you the ability to design, style and light your interior space with ease. This easy-to-follow guide breaks down FAQs and common considerations when ordering your bespoke lighting.

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Linear Pendant Length

Can you adjust the length of a pendant light?

Our timber LED linear pendants are available in set lengths ranging from 900mm to 3000mm. We can also craft custom pendant lengths in increments of 100mm. If you are unsure about the ideal pendant length for your project, send us your measurements, an image, or a render of your kitchen and we can advise on the best pendant length for you.

How long should a linear island light be?

If you are hanging your pendant over a dining table or kitchen island, we recommend having an inset of approximately 200mm to 400mm on each side. So, if your bench is 3000mm, then a pendant length between 2200mm and 2600mm is ideal.

Suspension Drop Length

What is the ideal pendant light height over dining table?

Pendants suspended over a dining table or kitchen island should sit between 800mm and 1000mm above the surface you are lighting. Most of our LED linear pendants (including our Tenn and Hollow designs), are suspended on a 2.6mm conductive coax cable which is easily adjustable onsite with excess cable fed into the ceiling.

How to shorten a pendant light cord?

You can easily adjust the pendant height up or down to suit your preference. Pendants which are suspended on cable can be easily adjusted at the ceiling plate with our adjustable gripper system.

What cable length do I need?

To calculate your drop height you will need to know your ceiling height. Simply start with your ceiling height and deduct your bench height (usually 900mm), then add a 800mm allowance for the standard distance over your bench.

For example, an average ceiling height of 2400mm would be 2400 – 900 – 800 which equals 700mm. In this calculation, we would round the drop length up to 1000mm as a buffer during installation. We’ll also provide half a metre extra cable as a safety measure.

Can I adjust a rod drop?

No, pendants that are suspended on an 8mm or 10mm rod will need an exact drop height when you order. It is best to consider your space holistically and choose a drop height that will suit. Our rod system has 20mm of height levelling to assist with hanging the pendant level

Timber Species

What types of timber can be used for linear pendant lights?

Our lighting range is available in a variety of solid hardwood timbers. Our six four timber species are;

Victorian Ash
Spotted Gum
Tasmanian Blackwood
White Oak
Walnut
Maple

We have also crafted our pendants in New Guinea Rosewood, Teak, Jarrah, Messmate, Blackbutt and Blackbean to suit custom projects. To see our timber species in person simply request a sample or reach out to discuss custom timber finishes for your unique project.

Cable & Rod Options

What cable length and colour options are there?

Our LED linear pendants are suspended on 2.6mm conductive coax cable. Most pendant lengths are fine to be suspended on 2 cables, refer to each pendant design to check on the suspension types. Our heavier designs and timbers may need to be on a rod suspension. Our cable colour is available in silver, black or white. The coax cable is both an electrical cable and a suspension cable which means our pendants don’t require an additional thick power cable that detracts from the overall appearance of the pendant.

If you are wanting a rigid pendant option for either function (windy areas) or aesthetics, most of our linear pendants can be suspended on an 8mm to 10mm brass rod. You can keep this rod solid brass, or it can be powder coated in a custom colour. White and black are still the most popular choices.

Colour Temperature

What’s the best colour temperature?

Colour temperature is indicated in a unit called Kelvin (K). A low colour temperature creates a warm and inviting lighting effect, while a high colour temperature creates a cool, more energising effect. Our pendants are available in 2700K Warm White, 3000K Bright White, or 4000K Cool White, and we can also offer bespoke colour temperatures on request.

Generally, intimate spaces like dining areas and living rooms lend themselves to warmer colour temperatures (2700K-3000K), while office spaces, kitchens, and bathrooms are a bit cooler (3000K-4000K) to give the feeling of cleanliness and activity.

Gripper Colour

What gripper colour options are available?

For our LED timber lighting pendants, the cable gripper is the component which holds the coax cable to the timber pendant. We have designed this component to be a nice feature that can be customised to suit any surrounding finishes. Our standard gripper choices are;

Black
White
Stainless steel
Solid brass
Solid copper
Eucalyptus
Custom powdercoat

Ceiling Plate Options

What are the three ceiling plate size options?

We have three sizes of ceiling plates that suit different installation types and aesthetics. You’ll need to consider ceiling access and what material your ceiling plate is being installed into – our mounting options PDF is a helpful resource for specifications and installation instructions.

All of our pendants must be installed by a registered electrician. If you are unsure regarding your ceiling plate you can confirm this with your electrician.