The star pendant light is a House & Garden classic, and likely one of the most commonly seen lighting designs in our archive. Its ubiquity can often go unnoticed, however, due to the celestial lantern's versatility. It adapts, chameleon-like, to small and large spaces, fitting in well in both minimalist and maximalist schemes, contemporary and traditional rooms. The star silhouette, the use of both metal and glass and the simple chain it hangs from seem to ensure it toes the ideal line between classic and and modern. It's a timeless piece that will continue to hang happily from the ceiling even if you decide to redecorate and change every other element in the room. Pooky's Stella light is the one we see most often, and fortuitously, it is also fairly affordable – the smallest size costs less than £200.
You could hang it in a sitting room, a bedroom or a hall and it will always be the understated star of the show. The Stella lantern comes in three sizes: regular (currently sold out), larger, and our favourite of the bunch – the giant one. For larger rooms or higher ceilings, the biggest light will create the most dramatic visual impact.
In Matilda Goad's London house, above, the Pooky light creates a focal point at the apex of the ceiling. Its strong silhouette is a perfect partner for an unexpected combination of primary colours, Pop Art and chintz around the room.
Star pendant light design ideas
In Rita Konig's Durham farmhouse, a star pendant, along with the table and a fabulous vase of flowers, pull focus in the centre of the hall, while a Jacques Tati vintage film poster injects colour into the space.
The straw coloured walls of this Rachel Bottomley project are complemented nicely by the warm antique brass details of the star lantern, while the large circular mirror over the mantlepiece creates a contrast of shape, but is similar in its materials to the light above.
In Laura King's house in Richmond, coming to the House and Garden website soon, a smaller star pendant, similar to the Pooky one, provides a graphic counterpoint to the floral wallpaper, lampshade and bedspread in this small bedroom.
It works brilliantly in richly coloured, layered rooms, but this style of light also works just as well in more pared back, neutral spaces. Case in point: this elegant use of one in the bright and airy hallway of a family home in Hampstead.
At the opposite end of the style spectrum, an oversized star hangs low and brings drama to the stairway of Charlotte Smiley's vibrant west London house. The strong lines of the lantern pair well with the myriad framed pictures on the wall; it is a masterclass in maximalism. This one is from Pure White Lines, but no longer appears to be available.
You could also try to hunt down a vintage star pendant, like Stella Weatherall did for her Notting Hill townhouse. Another great example of how this type of ceiling light works beautifully alongside bold, saturated colours. This one is an Italian design, sourced from Norfolk Decorative Antiques.
