15 Pendant Lights for the Modern Scandinavian Interior
Modern pendant lights for kitchens, living spaces, or wherever else you desire
A pendant light is a lovely way to illuminate just about any space in your home. Hanging light fixtures are both functional and decorative––hang pendants above a kitchen island, in an airy dining area, and just about anywhere else you could use a bit of light.
Discover 15 of our favorite pendant lights suitable for kitchens, living rooms, or wherever else you see fit, from iconic brands like MUUTO, Menu, and Louis Poulsen.
Levitate Pendant
With its saturated shades and browned brass fixtures, the elegant Levitate Pendant comes in two sizes –small and large – ideal for suspending in practically any room. Casting light both upwards and downwards, the Levitate Pendant creates the illusion that it hangs in the air. We love Danish design brand Menu’s community approach to design, which we wrote all about here.
TR Bulb Suspension Frame Hanging Lamp
“A great product should look as good and work as well in the real world as it does in a photoshoot,” designer Tim Rundle says. “It should positively but quietly add to the atmosphere of a real space without shouting for attention.” His TR Bulb Suspension Frame Hanging Lamp design for Menu does just that, bringing beauty to modern spaces with its elegant opal glass bulb and transformative geometric fixtures. Its itinerant design moves seamlessly from space to space and room to room, installed by simply screwing it into pendant sockets. The dimmable and decorative glass bulb is has a dim to warm effect, transforming functional white light to cozy and ambient illumination.
Rime Pendants
"We wanted to create a simple lamp through a glass shape, giving it a soft expression while making its top and pendant tube as subtle as possible,” says Stockholm-based TAF Studio, which collaborated with MUUTO on the Rime Pendants. “We were inspired by the shape of acorns for the gentle lines of the pendant while hinting towards the shaded expression of ice and rime for the glass of the design, allowing for the light to shine slightly through with a refined touch.” With two sizes––small and large––this design can be used on its own or in playful linear formations.
Fluid Pendants
“We wanted to give the lamp a form with a certain softness, towards a more natural language and further removed from pure geometry,” says Swedish design studio Claesson Koivisto Rune. “Fascinated by the way that surface tension governs the curvature of a resting water droplet, we have tried to capture its essence. The subtle irregularity of Fluid means that their silhouette gently changes depending upon the viewing angle. It also brings a greater light intensity to the lamps’ underside - just where you need it.” MUUTO’s Fluid Pendant comes in two sizes: small and large.
MUUTO E27 Pendant Lamp
“The simplicity of the naked bulb is hard to compete with,” says Mattias Ståhlbom, who designed the colorful E27 pendant lamp.” It stands for something that feels romantic and contemporary at the same time. E27 departs from the essence of a lamp - the socket - creating a simple yet strong object that celebrates the potential beauty in simplicity.” Combine multiple colors (there are over 18 color options!) for a playful design, or simply use one pendant in a corner that could use some extra light.
MUUTO Grain Pendant Lamp
“The Grain Pendant Lamp is a versatile light with a warm and welcoming appearance, complemented by a soft form that generously spreads the light underneath,” says Swedish designer Jens Fager. “The design is made from a unique mix of bamboo grain and plastic, adding a new perspective to the archetypical pendant lamp through its visual expression and matte touch.” With seven earthy color options, this lamp fits beautifully in a variety of spaces.
MUUTO Ambit Rail Lamp
“Why do you get attracted to certain shapes and not others?” questions design studio TAF Studio. “With Ambit, we worked with the form and proportions in a very thorough and almost meticulous way. There is [a] dynamic between the linear and rounded shape that creates an attractive outline. A timeless pendant, which never becomes boring to look at.” The Ambit Rail Lamp is perfect for use as a primary light source over a kitchen counter, dining table, or even in a bar setting.
MUUTO Under the Bell Pendant
“Under The Bell is more than just a lampshade—when situated over a table or in an open space, the bell-shaped light creates its own space within the environment,” says Copenhagen-based design duo Iskos-Berlin. “As such, the design embraces and shelters the people underneath, both in a physical and abstract manner, for an intimate atmosphere. The design is made using fibers from recycled plastic bottles that, along with its unique shape, enables Under The Bell to absorb sound and improve the acoustics of any room.” The design blends effortlessly into open spaces within any home or commercial space.
MUUTO Unfold Pendant Lamp
“The industry lamp is a classic and sought-after design that we are excited to provide a new perspective on,” says Stockholm-based Form Us With Love. “The soft silicone rubber gives Unfold a modern and warm personality. It also enables the lamp to be folded into a neat package by a slight push on the top. Just open and unfold your new lamp.” We love the modern and warm appearance of the Unfold Pendant Lamp!
Louis Poulsen PH Snowball Pendant
Poul Henningsen introduced the PH Snowball Pendant in 1958 for an exhibition at the Danish Museum of Decorative Art. He intended to create glare-free lighting and create soft shadows while using incandescent bulbs. The result is a pendant light for kitchens, dining spaces, or living spaces that looks as modern in 2021 as it did in the 1950s.
Louis Poulsen PH 5 Pendant
The PH 5 Pendant was first developed by Henningsen in 1958 after noticing constant changes to the shapes and sizes of incandescent bulbs, naming the light after the size of the pendant’s main shade. Henningsen felt that incandescent light bulb manufacturers would never think about the consumer first, writing “I have accepted fate, and with Louis Poulsen’s permission, I have designed a PH fixture, which can be used with any kind of light source, Christmas lights, and 100 W metal filament bulbs. Although a fluorescent tube would be too much to ask in the existing form!” The PH 5 Pendant is 100% glare-free, regardless of how you install it or which light source is used. To this day, the PH 5 Pendant continues to elevate even the most modern interiors.
Louis Poulsen Artichoke Pendant Lamp
Louis Poulsen’s Artichoke Pendant Lamp was also designed by Henningsen in 1958, originally for the Langelinie Pavillonen restaurant in Copenhagen in 1958. He decided to use solid copper leaves with a rose finish on the interiors, resulting in exceptional warmth and beautiful light reflections. This striking pendant light offers soft and glare-free illumination, with a complex design that ensures that light breaks and filters evenly throughout an open space.
Louis Poulsen Above Pendant
“I have designed a lamp that embodies my mantra: how simple do you dare to design? I would rather remove than add and I always encourage myself to go as simple as possible,“ says Mads Odgård, the Danish designer behind Louis Poulsen’s Above Pendant. A minimalist designer, Odgård strives to bring understandable products where function is valued just as much as form and quality. Notice the graphic triangle of this pendant light that casts a pleasant downward light. Its arch-shaped opening at the top (which inspires the name Above) reveals the cord and casts a discreet upward light as well.
Louis Poulsen VL45 Radiohus Suspension Lamp
Originally introduced in the 1940s by Danish architect Vilhelm Lauritzen, the VL45 Radiohus Suspension Lamp was first placed in the Radiohuset building––the Danish broadcasting house––in Copenhagen. Featuring a brass suspension and a shade of three layers of handblown glass, the VL45 Radiohus Suspension Lamp provides uniform, general and diffuse illumination.
Lucie Kaas Moonbeam Pendant Lamp Short and Tall
Made from ribbed frosted glass and steel, the Lucie Kaas Moonbeam Pendant Lamp is a modern interpretation of a classic Asian paper lantern. Lucie Kaas collaborated with Hong Kong-based award-winning design duo Lim+Lu to bring us these striking pendants available in two sizes: short and tall.
Light up your home with our favorite modern table lamps.
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Batten Home carefully curates Scandinavian furniture designs and minimalist decor objects for the modern home. We are inspired by a Scandinavian aesthetic and Danish design philosophies with a new modern design feel we like to call new Nordic design.
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