You already have a free-flowing open floor plan. Natural light floods your main living space and most of your walls are painted a nice neutral shade with carefully chosen accents adding warm pops of color here and there. Your modern home is almost done. But to round out this beautiful orchestra, you need some show-stopping modern ceiling lights.

The right mix of modern lighting must always include a few statement pieces hanging overhead. They not only bring a soft, inviting glow to your space, but serve as the primary accessory in your minimalist abode.

The Most Common Types of Modern Ceiling Lights

There are several different types of ceiling lights you can use to illuminate the space and add style to your décor. Each of these modern ceiling lights has its own unique form and function. So get to know them before you finish planning the lighting scheme for your home.

Recessed Lights

What: These are also called pot lights or can lights. They are usually round fixtures that sit inside your ceiling. As their name implies, they are recessed into the rafters, so you don’t have anything hanging in your head space.

Why: Because these fixtures won’t interrupt sight lines or knock heads, recessed lights are a great solution for rooms with low ceilings. Wherever you install recessed lights, they will likely not be the only lights in the room. These fixtures are best at providing ambient lighting to help eliminate dark spots and maintain a bright, welcoming flow.

LED Ceiling Lights

What: LED ceiling lights are a true modern fixture, because they are subtle and can easily be hidden from plain sight. That’s why they are especially common in rooms with tray ceilings or moldings, where you can hide strips of LED lights. That said, LED ceiling lights can also take form as pendants or chandeliers. In fact, modern homes are often filled with LED pendants, lending a level of brightness that feels clean and natural.

Why: Homeowners love LED ceiling lights for their energy efficiency. From a design standpoint, LED ceiling lights can give the illusion that your room is larger. And, with certain LED lights, you can even change the color to suit your mood or décor theme.

Flush Mounts

What: Flush mounts are exactly as they sound; these fixtures sit right up against your ceiling. For this reason, their bases are always flat. However, they do range in size and style. You can find flush mounts anywhere between 12 to 24 inches wide at the base.

Why: Just like recessed lights, flush mounts are ideal for smaller rooms with ceiling heights less than eight feet. They help keep the headspace clear of dangling objects, making them perfect for modern homes and particularly in a modern nursery or child’s bedroom. When you choose the right size for the square footage, flush mounts will create general lighting throughout the room.

Semi-Flush Mounts

What: Instead of being completely flush to the ceiling, semi-flush mounts hang four to eight inches below. They have a small stem that extends down into your space. These fixtures are the happy medium you might need in the kitchen, hallway or guest bedroom.

Why: The main difference between a flush-mounted and semi-flush ceiling fixtures is the type of lighting it provides. Because semi-flush mounts have a little air above the bulbs, they will actually illuminate the ceiling as well as the room. This spread of light can make your room appear taller and wider.

Chandeliers

What: Chandeliers are large, fixtures that hang down much further than semi-flush mounts. There are, of course, guidelines for properly hanging a chandelier. For instance, dining room chandeliers should be about 28 to 34 inches above your table. The other important thing about these fixtures is that they are available in a wide variety of sizes and styles. Modern chandeliers, though, tend to take on simpler, sleeker profiles.

Why: Even with less adornment than traditional styles, modern chandeliers have a way of making a statement. They are works of art and are designed to capture your eye. In addition to providing general lighting, you’ll definitely want to use these fixtures as focal points in your space.

Pendants

What: Like chandeliers, pendants can also hang low into your space. In fact, with some modern pendant lights, you might have bulbs hanging at varying lengths. These modern ceiling lights come in non-traditional shapes and sizes, and can be adjusted to fit any room in your house – from the foyer to the master suite. It’s even common to hang multiple pendants in a row, especially over a kitchen island.

Why: It can’t be said enough that pendant lights are extremely versatile from a design perspective. There are endless profiles and forms from which to choose, so you won’t have any trouble finding the right modern pendant for your space. When comparing pendant lights vs. chandelier lighting, pendants are best used in places where you need direct task lighting – like over a kitchen counter, reading nook or desktop.

9 Modern Ceiling Lights You’ll Love in Your Home

1. Bonham by Elan Lighting

The Olympic rings have nothing on this Bonham LED Chandelier. The six-light stunner might be shining in silver, but it deserves all gold for the impact it brings to your room. No one can miss that steady stream of chrome or those cheerful loops of light. Watch them cascade over your dining table or main entryway, and you’ll score style points with all your houseguests.

2. Kordan by Elan Lighting

With the Kordan LED Pendant, you get five bow-tie-shaped lights in one. Their staggered stance not only looks suave and adds dimension with the repeating pattern, but it actually serves a function, as well, allowing the energy-efficient light to spread out further across your modern kitchen island or dining room table.

3. Fanfare by Quoizel

You might wonder how a fixture as thin as a twig could be so impactful. For one, the integrated LED lighting shines bright like a crescent moon in the night sky. But you might also notice the earthy black finish that outlines the two arcs. The contrast provides just the right amount of color in a neutral-toned space.

4. Zodiac by Quoizel

The Zodiac Pendant brings the feel of a midnight sky into your modern home. It is one giant orb of connected stars, which results in a beautiful geometry of light and color. The polished chrome discs spotted all around add to the fixture’s mesmerizing shine. You’ll want to look up and admire it from your foyer or from under the covers in your vaulted-ceiling bedroom.

5. Counterpoint by Sonneman

When you bring recessed can lights out of the ceiling and suspend them from a set of rotating arms, you get the Counterpoint Pendant. These LED cylinders are scattered such that they send light all around the room. You won’t be overwhelmed with luminance, however, because the solid acrylic shades help soften the mood – perfect for intimate dinner party conversations.

6. Aeon by Tech Lighting

Nature is one of modern design’s major influences, which is why you see a lot of oak floors and wood furnishings in modern decor. This tree-inspired pendant from Tech Lighting fits right into the scheme. The straight-lined branches reach down to grab your attention. Immediately, you’re captivated by the dramatic matte black finish and powerful LED lighting. Thanks to the Aeon’s use of direct and indirect lighting, you can use this sculpture almost anywhere in your modern home.

7. Aragon by Tech Lighting

It’s a spider, it’s a plant…it’s the Aragon Chandelier. When it comes to modern ceiling lights, this is, certainly, a quizzical piece. Literally, the angles vary from a perfect 90 degrees to out-stretched and obtuse. While the exact measurements may be hard to calculate, it’s still easy to understand why this geometric figure is a stand-out choice. The clean lines and sleek finish will be a welcome addition to your modern home.

8. Knot by Vermont Modern Lighting

The Knot is an aptly named example of how simplicity takes center stage in modern design. There’s not much more to this stringy mini pendant than a few round glass bulbs and a stainless steel cord. Yet, your gaze goes right to it. As for the tangled mess, it creates a clever, dramatic contrast in an otherwise clutter-free space.

9. Ringo by Vermont Modern Lighting

To live like a rock star, you have to dress your house like one. That’s the number one reason to choose the Ringo Pendant. This oversized circle of silver and gloss will set the stage for your modern penthouse. Choose from a variety of colorful finishes, like aqua and red. Or, keep it blended with a satin white neutral sheen. When the sun sets, the light show will do all the talking, anyway.