Lighting guide · Linear chandeliers & linear pendants
Linear chandeliers and linear pendants: size, spacing and height.
The formulas for length, depth and hanging height over a dining table or kitchen island, a sizing chart by surface length, and the ET2, Studio M and Hammerton Studio linears we would choose for each.
Start with the shape
Linear pendant or linear chandelier?
Both run along the length of a table or island instead of hanging from a single point, which is why they suit rectangular surfaces so well. The difference is mostly mass. A linear pendant is usually a single bar or a slim body: the Studio M Hover 60 is 60″ long and just 1.5″ square in section. A linear chandelier gathers several glass or metal elements under one long canopy, like the Hammerton Studio Mesa Linear with its striated crystal.
Choose a slim linear pendant when you want even task light and an open sightline, in a kitchen, over a desk or across a minimal dining room. Choose a linear chandelier when the fixture should be the focal point of the room. At Modern Studio, ET2 and Studio M make up most of our linear suspension lighting, and Hammerton Studio’s linear chandeliers cover the handcrafted-glass end.
For a round or square table, a round chandelier usually works better. Our guide on how to size and hang a chandelier over your dining table covers that.
The formulas
Four numbers settle almost every linear.
Worked example. An 84″ × 40″ dining table, 30″ high, in a room with a 9 ft (108″) ceiling. Length: about ⅔ × 84 = 56″, and no more than 72″. Depth: anything under 28″. Clearance: 30–36″, plus about 3″ for the extra foot of ceiling, so 33–39″. Overall height: 108 − 30 − 36 = about 42″. The 58.9″ Mesa Linear Medium (OAH 14.5″–146.5″) or the 59″ ET2 Manta 59″ (OAH 10.5″–120″) both fit.
Sizing chart
Linear length by table or island length, with fixtures that fit.
Find your surface length in the left column. The middle column is the two-thirds target, with the 12″-short-of-each-end maximum in brackets.
| Surface length | Linear length | Our picks (fixture length) |
|---|---|---|
| 60″ table or island | ≈ 40″ (max 48″) | Hammerton Mesa Linear Small 44″; Icefall 7-light 44.7″; ET2 Manta 47″ |
| 72″ | ≈ 48″ (max 60″) | Studio M Lintel 47 47.25″; Hammerton Parallel Straight 48″; Studio M Regalia 48 48.5″; Gem Linear 7-light 48.6″ |
| 84″ | ≈ 56″ (max 72″) | ET2 Elysian 4-Light 58.25″; Mesa Linear Medium 58.9″; ET2 Manta 59″; Studio M Hover 60; ET2 Serpentine 60″ 59.75″ |
| 96″ | ≈ 64″ (max 84″) | Studio M Stratum 6-Light 61″; Icefall 9-light 64.9″; Studio M Tropo 7-Light 66″; Gem Linear 9-light 68.4″ |
| 108–120″ | ≈ 72–80″ (max 96–108″) | ET2 Manta 70″ 70.75″; Hammerton Aalto Mandrel Large 72.6″; Mesa Linear Large 75.6″ |
| 130″+ banquet or long island | Two fixtures | Two matching linears, each centered on half the surface, or one long linear with a pair of pendants elsewhere in the room |
Fixture lengths are from each product’s specifications on modernfurnishings.com. Several fixtures come in more than one length; the size named is the one that fits that row.
Hanging height
Hang it for the people at the surface.
Over a dining table: 30–36″ from tabletop to the bottom of the fixture with an 8 ft ceiling. Add about 3″ per extra foot of ceiling.
Over a kitchen island: the same 30–36″ is a good starting point above the counter. Go higher if tall family members stand and work there, or if the fixture blocks the view across the kitchen. Our kitchen island lighting guide goes deeper on pendant counts and spacing.
Check the OAH range. Every product page lists an adjustable overall height. Ranges differ more than you might expect. The Studio M Lintel 47 adjusts from 6.75″ to 48.75″ and the Tropo 7-Light from 31.5″ to 67.5″, while the Mesa Linear runs 14.5″–146.5″. On a tall ceiling, confirm that your calculated OAH fits the range before you order.
Sloped ceiling? Hammerton lists the Mesa Linear, Icefall Linear and Gem Linear as rated for sloped ceilings up to 45°. Send us a photo and we will confirm the canopy for any other fixture.
| Ceiling | Clearance above surface | OAH over a 30″ table | OAH over a 36″ counter |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 ft (96″) | 30–36″ | 30–36″ | 24–30″ |
| 9 ft (108″) | 33–39″ | 39–45″ | 33–39″ |
| 10 ft (120″) | 36–42″ | 48–54″ | 42–48″ |
| 12 ft (144″) | 42–48″ | 66–72″ | 60–66″ |
OAH = ceiling height − surface height − clearance. Use it as a starting point and confirm against the installed view from a seat or stool.
Light quality
Lumens, color and dimming, checked on the spec.
Color and CRI
For dining and kitchens, 2700K–3000K is the warm-white range most people prefer. Every ET2 and Studio M linear in this guide lists 3000K. Hammerton Studio’s integrated-LED glass linears are offered in Warm Light 2700K or Soft White 3000K with 93+ CRI. Most ET2 and Studio M fixtures here list CRI 90; the ET2 Vanish 52″ lists 85.
Output
Delivered lumens vary widely at similar lengths. The ET2 Serpentine 60″ lists 5,500 lumens, the Manta 70″ 3,460, the Studio M Hover 60 2,000, and the Lintel 47 2,100. Over an island used for prep, more output is useful. Over a dining table, a dimmer matters more.
Dimming
Check the dimming line on every product page. The Studio M Hover 60, Stratum and Tropo list 3-in-1 Triac, ELV or 0-10V dimming, and the Lintel lists Triac or ELV. Hammerton’s glass linears list TRIAC/ELV. Several ET2 linears in this guide, including Manta, Elysian, Serpentine and Vanish, are listed as non-dimmable.
Lead time
Hammerton Studio fixtures are made to order in Salt Lake City; the Mesa, Icefall and Gem linears list 4–6 weeks. ET2 availability depends on stock. We confirm timing before you order.
Slim linear pendants
Clean lines for kitchens, offices and minimal dining rooms.
Slim bodies, open sightlines and even task light, mostly from ET2 and Studio M.
Studio M · bar · 60″
Hover 60 Linear LED Pendant
$358.56
A 60″ × 1.5″ black bar with 2,000 delivered lumens at 3000K and 3-in-1 dimming. OAH 6″–123.5″.
View details
Studio M · stone · 47.25″
Lintel 47 LED Linear Stone Pendant
$754.56
Two slabs of stone extend beyond the LED housing like a floating beam. Rosso Laterite/Gunmetal, Titanium Travertine/Bronze or Travertine/Natural Aged Brass.
View details
ET2 · bar · 52″
Vanish 52" LED Pendant
$538.20
LED carried along clear acrylic in a 2″ × 2″ profile. Twist the machined ends to aim the light. Brushed Aluminum or Gunmetal.
View details
ET2 · etched acrylic · 59″
Manta 59" LED Linear Pendant
From $1,294.20
One curled panel of etched acrylic in Black, Gold or Polished Chrome. Also in 47″ and 70″ lengths.
View details
ET2 · 4-light · 58.25″
Elysian 4-Light LED Linear Pendant
$898.20
Clear glass cylinders separated by rippled crystal on a thin Natural Aged Brass frame, 5.5″ deep. Sized for an 84″ table.
View details
ET2 · sculptural · 59.75″
Serpentine 60" Horizontal Pendant
$682.20
LED tape in black aluminum channels swirls in a snake-like form. 5,500 delivered lumens, the brightest linear here.
View detailsStatement linear chandeliers
When the fixture is the focal point.
Hand-blown and cast glass from Hammerton Studio, alongside Studio M’s most sculptural linears.
Hammerton · blown crystal · 44–75.6″
Mesa Linear Chandelier
From $5,295
Striated Mesa crystal in Small 44″, Medium 58.9″ or Large 75.6″. Clear, Smoke, Amber or Bronze glass; 12 metal finishes.
View details
Hammerton · hand-formed glass · 44.7–64.9″
Icefall Linear Pendant Chandelier
From $5,595
Hand-formed clear glass in 7 lights (44.7″) or 9 lights (64.9″). Rated for sloped ceilings up to 45°.
View details
Hammerton · hand-blown crystal · 48.6–68.4″
Gem Linear Pendant Chandelier
From $5,595
Gem crystal in a row, 7 lights at 48.6″ or 9 lights at 68.4″. Shown above over a dining table.
View details
Hammerton · kiln-fused glass · 48″
Parallel Straight Linear Chandelier
From $6,395
Floating panels of kiln-fused glass on a 48″ linear, OAH 13.6″–125.6″.
View details
Studio M · porcelain · 66″
Tropo 7-Light LED Pendant
From $13,365
Designed by Stefanie Hering: translucent porcelain shades plus a separately switched downlight. 3,800 lumens.
View details
Studio M · sculptural · 61″
Stratum 6-Light LED Pendant
$3,960
Half-inch clear glass slabs pressed between Natural Aged Brass discs, hung on dark brown leather straps. 61″ long for a 96″ table.
View detailsFrom the maker
See the glass being made.
Mesa product video, from Hammerton Lighting’s official YouTube channel.
The beauty of Icefall by Hammerton Studio, from Hammerton Lighting’s official YouTube channel.
Linear lighting questions
Frequently asked
How long should a linear chandelier be over a dining table?
About two-thirds of the table length, stopping at least 6 inches, ideally 12, short of each end. A 72-inch table takes about 48 inches and a 96-inch table about 64 inches.
How high should a linear pendant hang over a kitchen island?
Start with 30 to 36 inches from the countertop to the bottom of the fixture with an 8-foot ceiling, and add about 3 inches for each extra foot of ceiling. Raise it if it blocks the view across the kitchen.
Is one linear better than several pendants over an island?
One linear gives even light along the whole island with a single junction box. Two or three pendants give more sculptural presence. On islands over about 130 inches, two matching linears or three pendants usually look better than one very long fixture. See our kitchen island lighting guide.
How wide can a linear fixture be?
Keep the fixture’s depth at least 12 inches narrower than the surface, so there are 6 inches or more of tabletop on each side. Almost every linear meets this; the Studio M Tropo, at 23 inches deep, needs a table at least 35 inches wide.
Are ET2 linear pendants dimmable?
It depends on the model. Several ET2 linears in this guide, including Manta, Elysian, Serpentine and Vanish, are listed as non-dimmable on their product pages. If you need dimming, look at Studio M models with 3-in-1 dimming or Hammerton’s TRIAC/ELV glass linears, and confirm on the spec sheet.
Can I hang a linear chandelier on a sloped ceiling?
Many can. Hammerton lists the Mesa, Icefall and Gem linears as rated for sloped ceilings up to 45 degrees. For other fixtures, send us a photo and the pitch and we will confirm the canopy before you order.
Keep planning
Leave a comment