Vintage Industrial Dome Pendant Light – Iron Shade, 30cm or 40cm

An iron dome pendant in 30 cm or 40 cm, in the industrial idiom — a simple spun shade with a wide open mouth and no diffuser across it. This is the shape that came out of factories and workshops long before it came into homes, and the reason it has persisted is that it does one job extremely well.

An opaque iron dome directs everything downward and nothing sideways, so it produces a bright, clearly defined circle of light and leaves the rest of the room to other fixtures. The width of the dome sets the width of that circle: at 40 cm the pool is wide enough to cover a small table, while at 30 cm it stays tight and concentrated. Iron is heavy for its size, so both diameters want a solid ceiling fixing rather than a plasterboard one.

It suits a kitchen island, a workbench, a dining table or a stairwell. Because the mouth is open, the source is visible from below at close range, so it wants hanging high enough to keep the interior out of direct view.

• Shade: Iron dome
• Diameters: 30 cm, 40 cm
• Form: Pendant light