On nights when a full moon or crackling fire aren’t enough to create a flattering nighttime glow, outdoor pendant lights can offer an appreciated assist in creating an ambient setting. Breezy summer temperatures and the return of the alfresco cocktail hour have us dreaming about leisurely evenings spent outdoors—and now’s the time to shop. When it comes to home improvement, your exterior lighting scheme should never be an afterthought.
Indoor-outdoor living has never been more in demand, yet weather-resistant light fixtures haven’t always lived up to the verve we’ve come to expect from our homes. Times are changing, as lighting makers that designers know and love are extending their capacities—and stylish silhouettes—to the outdoors.
Much like indoor pendant lighting, the outdoor varieties are at their best when placed in dialogue with their surroundings. “Depending on the space it is used in, I really like to use pendants as an exciting statement piece in a room, almost as though you are looking at a unique piece of art or sculpture,” designer Amy Lau tells AD PRO of her selection process indoors. “I try to have [the pieces] in a room have a fascinating dialogue with one another so the space captures you even more over time.” Indeed, the same can be said of outdoor ceiling lights at the entryway, on the front porch, or in a gazebo or cabana: Selecting your lighting based on the architecture helps make for a more cohesive setting.
AD PRO has rounded up the best outdoor pendant lights on the market, from bohemian woven lamps to craftmade antiqued lanterns and industrial-chic pendants. Whether you’re planning a front porch with midcentury-modern charm, old-world elegance, or contemporary cool, we have the outdoor hanging light for you. From here, all that’s left to pick out are the light bulbs. (Shopping for indoor home decor as well? Be sure to peruse these go-to pendants from AD100 designers including Lau, Alex Papachristidis, Beata Heuman, and others.)
Shipyard Pendant 7222 by Davey Lighting for Original BTC
Select from a copper or galvanized silver reflector in this cast brass pendant, which comes with a wire guard-covered shade (available in frosted or clear glass) that is handblown in Original BTC’s Oxfordshire factory.
Carson 12-inch Rod Pendant
With 30 rainbow-spanning colored shades to choose from—and three different textured finishes—this retro, industrial-style pendant will be a delightful dose of color to your patio or pergola. Opt for matte black for a modern farmhouse look, or get cheeky with a glossy green.
Belle Meade Large Outdoor Hanging Lantern
A leaf motif vines up all four facets of this candelabra-style fixture, available in timeless exterior colorways including French Iron and Verdigris. (The design also comes in a sconce format.)
Rosedale Grand Large Hanging Lantern by Rudolph Colby
Houston-based designer Rudolph Colby brings his traditional lens to the Rosedale Grand lantern, a solid metal frame with subtle frill.
Pacifica Outdoor Pendant
The classic globe silhouette—but make it weather-friendly wicker. That was the thinking behind Serena & Lily’s Pacifica Outdoor Pendant, a design statement whether suspended on its own or in a set. (We love Serena & Lily’s own styling against a white rattan dining set.)
Sarafina Lantern
Color-match the Sarafina Lantern to your project using Coleen and Company’s custom color selection, which is hand-applied in the maker’s LA studio.
Large Athena Hanging Lantern
A sleek, reductive perspective on the familiar lantern silhouette, the Athena Hanging Lantern comes in equally chic finishes of polished brass, bronze, polished nickel, and antique brass.
Calypso SO Outdoor Pendant by Servomuto
The Calypso SO Pendant’s waterproof rope cord is strategically colored green to blend in with the great outdoors—but the eye-catching shade is sure to stand out against a dark sky. And for a neo-preppy twist, the pendant’s conoid lampshade is covered in assorted playful fabrics.
Agincourt Hanging Lantern, Large
Taking stylistic cues from English Gothic architecture, the Agincourt Hanging Lantern is hand-forged and fabricated with German antique drawn clear glass. Available in nickel, brass, bronze, gold, and black finishes.
Hanging Ashbee Lantern
The Hanging Ashbee Lantern is a stunner all on its own, but should you have alterations, Charles Edwards’ bespoke lighting can be specified to designers’ required size, finish, electrification, and even fixture details.
Bamboo Rectangular Pendant
Bamboo textures make for an intriguing and stylistically versatile light fixture frame—and we especially love that this outdoor chandelier subtly shimmers in a champagne finish. Though the product is UL-approved for a covered outdoor setting, it’s also chic in a dining room or living room, and can be installed on a sloped ceiling.
Utilitaire Barn 11-inch Outdoor Pendant
Enhancing the utility aspects of a fixture can lead to more interesting form, too—as proved by RH’s Utilitaire Barn Pendant. Exposed screws, an enlarged polished chrome cage, and knurled parts culminate in one cool light that’s ideal for a modern farmhouse or industrial vibe.
Hawley Lantern
Trimmed in fleur-de-lis fretwork, the verdigris-finished Hawley Lantern imbues any outdoor space with old-world elegance.
John Street JS-1 Hanging Lantern
What makes the JS-1 Lantern one of Lantern & Scroll’s best-selling fixtures? We’d bet on its stately copper frame (inspired by the ambiance of Charleston’s John Steet) or its seeded glass panels.
Ollie Lantern
Ralph Lauren Home’s bronze Ollie Lantern with LED illumination takes its hurricane lamp inspiration beyond just its clear glass shade design, emitting a soft candlelight-like glow.
Coach House Lantern
A tad more rustic than age-old European lanterns, the Coach House style of this hanging pendant light pays homage to New England architecture with its simplified embellishments and weathered, craftsman touch.