Aged brass on the pendant, shiny gold on the wall, and the room looks mismatched. Take the finish from the handles and taps already in place, because "gold" covers two quite separate families here.
Patinated brass or smooth gold, two finishes under one word
Antique or aged brass keeps a brown tint in the recesses and never shines evenly. You find it on arm chandeliers, three-light bars and lanterns. Smooth gold is uniform and paler. In satin, brushed or natural brass it covers LED rings, bars of globes and fine cages. Set apart from both, 24-carat gold and gold leaf on the crystal and painted-glass pieces give a bold gilt finish laid over the metal.
Brass pendant lights, aged or smooth, point by point
- Reflection. Patina absorbs light. A smooth finish throws it back, so near a window, a satin ring catches the daylight while aged brass stays muted.
- Light. Amber glass, found on a few models, warms a warm white even further; under opal or clear glass the gilt makes almost no difference. Aim for 2,700 to 3,000 K over a table.
- Marks. Polished brass shows every fingerprint, brushed and satin hide them. Unlacquered brass darkens by itself over time, while gold paint on steel can't be touched up once it chips.
- Source. Some of the models have integrated LED, rated for 15,000 to 30,000 hours, with a module you can't replace. The patinated chandeliers and bars take standard bulbs, bought separately unless the product page shows them as included, 1,500 to 2,000 lumens over a table for six.
- Weight. Eight brass arms and a set of crystal drops get heavy. Above 5 kg, use fixings suited to the ceiling; above 10 kg, bring in a professional.
When to choose the other one
In a room with cornicing and an arm chandelier already up, stay with patina or 24-carat gold, even for a modern pendant. A smooth ring would clash. In an open-plan kitchen with brushed brass handles, go for the smooth finish, fairly matt, which doesn't show grease. The black and gold models, a handful here, bridge the gap between a living room with black fittings and a gold dining room. Painted glass decorates more than it lights, so save it for a hallway.
Crystal drops have a page of their own, crystal pendant lights. Patinated lanterns and arms are among the classic pendant lights, and the same rings and domes in black among the black pendant lights. How high to hang over the table, and how many pendants for its length, is covered under dining room pendant lights; every finish is under pendant lights. For walls and low ceilings, see gold wall lights and gold ceiling lights.
To compare two gold finishes before you order, call +33 9 70 46 66 67, Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm UK time; delivery is free in the UK and the European Union, and you still have 30 days to change your mind.
