Orange Brushed Metal Cylinder Pendant

A brushed metal cylinder in orange, with the rounded profile that has kept mid-century pendants in production for seventy years. Brushed rather than polished is the right call: the finish diffuses reflections instead of throwing them back, so the shade reads as a solid block of colour rather than a mirror.

Orange is the whole point of this version. In a dining room or a kitchen that is otherwise white, grey or timber, a single strong colour overhead does more than any amount of accessorising, and because the shade is plain the colour reads cleanly rather than as decoration. The cylinder form directs light straight down, so it works as genuine task lighting over a table, a counter or a breakfast bar rather than only as a decorative object. It looks good singly over a small table and in a row of two or three over a longer surface, where the repeated colour becomes a deliberate line through the room.

Bulb is not included. Because the shade is open at the bottom, a frosted bulb is more comfortable to sit beneath than a clear one. Use a bulb that runs cool, as the shade is metal and compact. Installation should be carried out by a qualified electrician, and the ceiling fixing must be rated for the weight of the fitting.

• Shade: brushed metal cylinder in orange
• Light: direct downward pool, suitable for task areas
• Style: mid-century modern
• Best for: dining tables, kitchen counters, breakfast bars
• Use in multiples: rows of two or three over a long surface
• Bulb: not included, frosted recommended