Vintage Flower Pendant Lamp | Coloured Glass Hanging Light For Dining Rooms and Kitchen Islands

Coloured glass does something clear glass and fabric shades cannot: it colours the light itself rather than only the fitting. Switched on, the shade throws tinted light onto the table and the surrounding surfaces, so the whole area takes on the colour rather than the lamp simply being a coloured object in a white lit room.

The flower form is period rather than contemporary, which makes it a deliberate choice against a modern scheme rather than an accident. It works best where it is seen close and low, over a dining table, a kitchen island, a breakfast bar, or in a stairwell where you pass beside it rather than under it at ceiling height. Fit a clear bulb rather than a frosted one, because coloured glass needs a point source behind it to throw its colour properly.

Hang a pendant over a table low enough to define the space but high enough to see across, which usually means the bottom of the shade sitting above seated eye level. Dust the glass gently with a dry cloth. Electrical installation should be carried out by a qualified electrician in line with local wiring regulations, and the ceiling fixing must carry the weight. Buy it now.

• Coloured glass tints the light, not just the fitting
• Period flower form rather than contemporary
• Best seen close and low over a table or island
• Suits dining rooms, kitchens, and stairwells
• Hang above seated eye level to see across the table
• Installation by a qualified electrician