Goodbye, Fluorescent Lighting; Hello, Beautiful Kitchen Pendants

Thirty-two options that wow.

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Welcome to The Deep Dive, in which we search high and low for the best of the best products for every corner of your home, from modern chandeliers to vintage rugs. Next up: kitchen pendants.

If you’ve ever rented an apartment, you’ve probably had to endure a bad overhead lighting situation in your kitchen, whether it’s fluorescent strips, a dreaded boob lamp, or no fixture at all. But you don’t have to. Simply swapping in pendants you actually like can completely change the look of the room—especially when it’s a space that needs a little TLC.

And it doesn’t have to be a complicated endeavor either. Plug-in pendants can usually be installed without an electrician (just swag them from a hook on the ceiling), and you can always ask your landlord to help wire the real deal (he’ll likely be happy you’re making an upgrade!). Whether you need some extra lighting over your breakfast nook or can’t look at those ’90s spotlights one more minute, we’ve found 32 options you’ll have a hard time resisting.

Red

Orange

Rattan

Yellow

Brass

Green

Blue

White

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Gabrielle Savoie

Writer/Editor

Gabrielle is most often found digging through 1stdibs in search of Tobia Scarpa sofas, hunting down the newest cool hotels, or singing the praises of Art Nouveau. She spends an inordinate amount of time looking at real estate floor plans and listening to podcasts. In her free time, you’ll likely find her bouncing on a trampoline at Fithouse, snacking on a crudo at the latest cocktail bar, antiquing for French silverware, or dogsitting for anyone who will ask—yes, even you.