With a rectangular table, things are usually clear: a row of two or three pendants along the centre line. Over a round table, the question arises afresh, because a row doesn't fit. Two solutions have proven themselves: a single large pendant directly over the centre of the table, or a spider with three to five drops spread across the area. Which of the two works better depends mainly on the table diameter and the ceiling height.
One pendant: shade diameter by table size
For a single shade above the centre, the rule of thumb is: the shade diameter should be about half the table diameter, or about 30 cm smaller than the table – whichever gives the smaller number for the table size in question. For a table 120 cm in diameter, that works out at 60 cm (half) or 90 cm (minus 30 cm) – here half is the more practical size; a 90 cm shade would visually overwhelm the table. For a large table 160 cm in diameter, on the other hand, "minus 30 cm" comes to 130 cm and "half" to 80 cm; here a shade between 40 and 50 cm usually looks more balanced than either extreme, because beyond a certain table size a single shade no longer needs to dominate the whole surface anyway, but just marks the centre. As rough guidelines in practice: table up to 110 cm diameter → shade 30–40 cm, table 110–140 cm → shade 40–55 cm, table from 140 cm → either a shade from 55 cm or switch to a spider.
A spider: spread instead of centred
A spider with several outlets solves the problem differently: instead of looking for one big shade, you spread several smaller light sources across the table. For a round table up to 130 cm in diameter, three outlets are enough, arranged in a triangle, each 25 to 35 cm from the centre. From 140 cm in diameter, four to five outlets make more sense so the edge of the table still gets light. It's important not to hang all the outlets at the same height: two to three height levels with 10 to 15 cm between them look livelier than a rigid row and stop the bulbs from dazzling one another when you're sitting at the table. How a spider is built in principle is covered in the article Build a spider light.
Hanging height: 70 to 80 cm above the tabletop
Whether a pendant or a spider hangs above the table, the same range applies for the height above the tabletop: 70 to 80 cm with standard chairs. That's low enough to bring warmth and focus to the table surface, but high enough that nobody bumps into it when standing up and eye contact across the table isn't blocked by the shade. In very high rooms (ceiling height above 2.80 m) the height can go up to 90 cm so the light doesn't look lost. With a spider with different drop lengths, the value refers to the lowest point, i.e. the bulb that hangs furthest down.
Bulb and colour temperature above the dining table
For lighting the table itself, warm white light (2200 to 2700 Kelvin) has proven itself, because it makes food and faces look friendlier than neutral white light. With exposed lamp holders without a shade, globe bulbs with a visible filament work especially well, because they become an eye-catcher themselves; there's a selection under Globe bulbs. If you want to adjust the brightness depending on the time of day, go for dimmable bulbs from the start – see dimmable bulbs – though that does require a dimmer switch or a suitable lamp holder.
A suggestion to copy
For a round table 130 cm in diameter with standard-height chairs: a spider with four outlets, fabric cable at two heights (65 and 75 cm above the tabletop), lamp holders in raw brass, G95 globe bulbs with warm white light. The result is calm, even lighting, without a single large shade blocking the view across the table.
In the configurator you can put the spider version together directly with the right number of drops, cable lengths and lamp holders; an overview of finished pendant lights is available under Pendant lights.