In this component study, we take an in-depth look at our pendant rods and learn everything from finish options to hang straights, as well as how to calculate your required pendant length for Marz Designs pendant lights.

Firstly, why pendants?

Instead of a harsh downlight, pendants allow light to illuminate a room at a lower level to create ambience and enhance the interior design aesthetic. Pendants are also completely customisable residential and commercial solutions. Even renters, with the help of an electrician, can change the fitting of a pre-existing pendant to suit their taste without damaging the ceiling. A pendant light is often used deliberately over a key area, such as the dinner table or kitchen bench to provide light and mood where it's needed. 

Where do pendants come from?

Apparently pendant lamps were born in ancient Greece, which is coincidental given The Stoa of Attalos in Agora, Athens was the inspiration for the Attalos lighting collection. Although our ancient civilisations used them a little differently, hanging animal fats and perfumes from clay pots with wicks.  

The Attalos lighting range is available as either a table lamp or as a suspended pendant light feature. Marz Designs has reinterpreted the traditional stone carving technique of fluting into a sculptural contemporary brass light fixture. With a solid brass base, like Ancient Greek architecture, the Attalos will remain timeless for years to come.

Let’s use the Attalos pendant light to explain how rods are used by Marz Designs.

How to assemble your Marz Designs pendant rod

We've made a quick instructional video of how to assemble your Marz Designs pendant rod. Watch below, and if you have any further questions, be sure to check out our comprehensive Installation Guides for your specific product.

Material finishes of rods

Marz Designs manufactures rods in the following material finishes to suit our existing collection of pendant lighting: Brushed Black, Brushed Brass, and White Satin.

Currently, the Attalos pendant can only be used with a Brushed Brass rod.

Length of rods

Every pendant purchased from Marz Designs comes standard with a 700m rod. Other rod lengths available include 90mm, 127mm, 300mm and 500mm. The maximum overall rod combination length is 3 metres.

Do you custom make rods to size?

Unfortunately, we don’t. It’s important to note that our rods are not custom made to suit your pendant drop. Our rods are manufactured to achieve your desired drop length by connecting as many rods together as required.

For example, if you need a pendant drop of approximately 800mm, you can achieve this through a rod combination of 500mm and 300mm, or by adding a 90mm rod to the standard 700mm rod.

Connecting the rods

As using multiple rods can be required to achieve your desired drop length, please remember that there will be a small connection detail. This has been recessed as much as possible to create a seamless join line and reduce the rod connection visibility. 

Please refer to the photos beneath.

Can’t I just cut the rod to size on site?

Unfortunately, this isn’t an option. Marz Designs rods are manufactured with a thread at both ends to allow for the connection to other rods. The internal thread is only 10mm and does not run the entire length of the rod. Cutting the rod to size on site will prevent its connection to the lighting fixture and/or the hang straight or ceiling rose.

My ceiling is raked. How will the rod hang straight?

All of our lights are supplied with a hang straight (as pictured below), which, as the name suggests, allows the pendant to hang straight from a raked ceiling. The pendant rod is threaded directly onto the hang straight.

How do I calculate my pendant length?

Please refer to our Specification Sheets if you are unsure of the fixture size. Using the Attalos Pendant Light 95 as an example, to calculate the pendant length, please use the following formula.

Ceiling Rose & Hang Straight = 50mm
+
Fixture Size = 185mm (Attalos Pendant Light 95)
+
Total of Rod Lengths = 700mm

Overall Pendant Length = 935mm

If you were instead hoping that your overall pendant length would be closer to 700mm, you would need to avoid using the standard rod and instead substitute for a 500mm rod. 

Ceiling Rose / Hang Straight = 50mm
+
Fixture Size = 185mm (Attalos Pendant Light 95)
+
Total of Rod Lengths = 500mm

Overall Pendant Length = 735mm

Alternatively, the 500mm rod could be substituted for a 300mm rod, and 2 x 90mm rods (180mm). This would result in the total rod length of 480mm and overall pendant length of 715mm.

Where can I purchase additional rods?

All pendant light rods can be purchased from the Lighting Accessories section of the Marz Designs store here.

For further information about any of our products and their componentry, please head to our Specification Sheets and Installation Guides.