Suspension Eclipse Noir: Hanging Height and Room Placement

By Maison Sarah Lavoine | Published: 2026-11-02

Category: How-to Guides

Set the right pendant light hanging height for a dining table or kitchen island, then place the Suspension Eclipse Noir where its rabane shade and black trim look best.

Quick answer

Hang the Suspension Eclipse Noir so the bottom of the shade sits about 30–36 inches above a dining table and 30–36 inches above a kitchen island counter. For a clear walkway, keep the shade at least 78 inches above the floor.

Why the Suspension Eclipse Noir suits dining tables and islands

The Suspension Eclipse is a round pendant with a rabane shade edged in black and white. That combination gives a soft, textured glow rather than a hard spotlight, which is why it works well centered over a dining table or kitchen island where people sit facing each other.

Because the shade is round, it reads as a single focal point. In a dining room, that means one pendant over the table center; over a long island, consider two smaller pendants spaced evenly rather than one large shade that leaves the ends dim.

Placement exceptions: sloped ceilings, low rooms and open sightlines

If your ceiling slopes or the room is unusually low, the standard 30–36 inch clearance may not be possible. In that case, prioritize head clearance and choose a shorter drop so no one walks into the shade. For open-plan spaces, check the sightline from the sofa or hallway: the pendant should hang low enough to define the dining zone but not block the view across the room.

The Suspension Eclipse comes in multiple dimensions, so you can size the shade to the table or island rather than forcing a standard height. A shade that is too wide for the table will look out of scale even at the correct hanging height.

How to set the hanging height and place your pendant

Measure the table or island first: Measure the length and width of your dining table or kitchen island. Choose a Suspension Eclipse dimension that leaves at least 6 inches of clear space on each side of the shade so the pendant does not overpower the surface. Write down the shade width and the table width before you drill any ceiling holes.
Mark the center point: Find the true center of the table or island and mark it on the ceiling directly above. For a long island, mark two or three evenly spaced points instead of one center point. Check the mark from two opposite sides of the room; a center point that looks right from one doorway can be off from another.
Set the bottom of the shade at 30–36 inches above the surface: Measure from the tabletop or counter to the bottom edge of the shade. Aim for 30–36 inches; go toward 36 inches if the room is busy or people stand often, and toward 30 inches for a more intimate dining glow. Have someone hold the shade at the target height while you stand back and check the proportion before shortening the cord.
Keep 78 inches of floor clearance in walkways: If the pendant hangs over an open floor area or a passage, measure from the floor to the lowest point of the shade. It should be at least 78 inches so most adults can walk beneath it without ducking. In low rooms, raise the pendant and accept a slightly higher clearance over the table rather than risk a head strike.
Adjust for the bulb and trim direction: Fit the bulb before final trimming, then look at the shade from seated eye level. The black and white trim should read as a clean edge, not a glare line; if the bulb sits too low, raise the shade slightly. Test with the actual bulb you plan to use, because bulb shape changes where the light hits the rabane.
Check the view from every seat: Sit at each chair or stool and confirm the pendant does not block your view of the person opposite. If it does, raise the pendant by 2–3 inches or choose a smaller Suspension Eclipse dimension. Make this check before you cut the cord; it is the most common reason a pendant gets rehung.

Product facts

Suspension Eclipse - Noir: Round rabane shade with discreet black and white trim. The textured rabane softens light, so the pendant works as ambient lighting over a dining table rather than a harsh task light.
Suspension Eclipse - Noir