These hanging fixtures add brightness and style to any room in the house. The experts at TOH show you how to find and install one that puts light where you want it, beautifully
What do they cost? A 4-inch, colored-glass "mini" pendant from the home center starts at $25; larger hand-wrought metal fixtures and ones with blown-glass shades can go for $500 and much, much more.
Where can you use them? To light up a workspace, such as a kitchen-island prep zone or a desk in a home office. They can also cast a warm glow in a dining room or an entryway.
Open or closed shade? Closed shades, such as schoolhouse-style opaque globes, soften light and hide the bulb. Shades that are open on the bottom create bright spots beneath them; ones with open tops, such as drum shades, also bounce light off the ceiling.
Install it yourself or hire a pro? Swapping out an old fixture is easy if you know basic wiring. But if your existing wires are brittle or you need to run electricity to a new spot, call an electrician.
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