I didn’t actually set eyes on the Visual Comfort Darlana pendant lights in real life before they were installed in my home! Because of that, I am here to give you a full review, with lots of close up photos and details that may help you with your decision. If you are considering this stunning brand of lights – you can now feel more confident and like you have seen them up close and personal.
The Visual Comfort Darlana Pendant lights are perhaps what Visual Comfort is best known for! We have the Darlana Pendant in our foyer, and the Darlana linear pendant in our kitchen.
I’ve also included a few knock off versions for you towards the end of this review.
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Visual Comfort Darlana Details
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One area I wanted to splurge in while building our home was the lighting. (My husband might argue that there was more than one area… ahem…). I believed the lighting was going to make the biggest difference in adding character and elevating our home. So that, folks, was where I wanted to spend all our hard earned dolla dolla bills!
The Visual Comfort Darlana Lantern Pendant In Our Foyer
I love welcoming our family and friends into our home under this dazzling pendant light! I envisioned this light well before we built our home; it made the “must have” list!
Our entry is a 9′ x 8′ space, but we also have a built in bench in the room that takes up floor space. For this area, we went with the Visual Comfort Darlana Lantern in what is considered their small, in the gilded iron. The small is 18″ in height (to the top of the rectangular shape), 12.5″ diameter, with 4 60 watt bulbs. This is a nice size for the space.
They have 5 sizes. A mini with a 9″ cage, which is probably great for 8 foot ceilings and small spaces, the size we have which is the small with a 12″ cage, a medium with a 17″ cage, a large with a 24″ cage and 6 lights, and an amazingly huge extra large lantern with a 29″ cage, and 6 lights.
The cage is considered the height between the bottom bar and the next horizontal bar above it. Take note that the measurement does not extent into the convex shape above.
The next size up would have been fine too, but at that time we actually had the Darlana linear light in direct view just a few feet away from our foyer. I didn’t want the lights competing for attention- I wanted the lights to compliment each other! 
The gilded iron was calling my name! This pendant’s gold finish is BEAUTIFUL!
It looks pretty in the photos, but let me tell you it is even more dazzling in real life. The finish is almost like a gold leaf – shiny but not in a new, brassy way. It is not a flat gold. The lantern has an refined, aged look to it. This is a good finish also if you have a lot of gray or cooler tones in a room – the gold will warm it right up. I also appreciate how it looks against the grain of the wood door and the floors.
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The Darlana lantern is like a shining star hanging over the room. Once the light went up I was thrilled. Having the Darlana lantern just a few feet away from the Darlana Linear light makes them compliment each other nicely.
Of course the Visual Comfort Darlana would also be perfect in a kitchen – doubled up over an island, or over a kitchen table (especially the bigger sizes!).
The most dramatic of all the lanterns is the 6 light 24 inch pendant lantern. This guy is MASSIVE! If we had a two story foyer, or a grand entry, this is no doubt the pendant size I would want to add drama.
Shop Darlana Lanterns Here:
mini (9″ cage) / small (12″ cage) / medium (17″ cage) / large (24″ cage, 6 lights) / extra large (29″ cage, 6 lights)
54″ Darlana Linear Pendant
Just off our entry way sits our dining room. We installed the Visual Comfort Darlana linear chandelier in our dining room. (You can see more photos of our dining room here!)
Our dining room is 14′ x 12′, and we went with the largest Darlana Pendant they make. While the 54″ pendant wasn’t too big for the space, it certainly dominated the room. The table we have in here is 84″ long, and it is a nice balance.
Believe me when I tell you, a stunning light fixture MAKES a room. Our dining room had a lot of interest in it but the light was the show stopper! It was the first thing guests commented on.
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Each of the 6 bulbs takes a 60 watt bulb, so that is 320 watts of light- plenty bright!
One note on this – we had LED light bulbs put in and they were flickering. Every time I walked in here the light bulbs were giving this room a strobe like effect! It felt terrible.
After doing a little research, my theory is that these LED lights are hooked up to non-compatible dimmer switch in the lighting circuit. Either way – life is busy so we took the short route. Rather than get an electritian out here we just switched the LED bulbs out for regular bulbs now, and they no longer flicker. This was an issue with our electricity- not the light.
Recently we turned this room into my office, and I moved the Darlana linear light into out kitchen nook.
Oh my GOSH, y’all I love the Darlana Linear Pendant equally in this room. Everyone immediately agreed it looks as if it’s always been here! It offers up more light than our old pendant light, so that was a nice surprise. At night it is especially cozy with the 6 lights shining.
I love how it looks with our kitchen pendants. They do not compete – just compliment.
Look at that finish. Brass, white and wood are always a good choice!
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The Darlana Linear Pendant also comes in a 4 light that is about half this size, at 30″, and a 41″ with 5 lights. Whether you have a smaller breakfast nook or a small dining room – or even a smaller island these are great choices.
Shop the 2 types of Visual Comfort Darlana Lights:
A Twist on the Darlana
Sometimes you want to put a twist on a popular statement piece, just to make your home a little more unique. Have you seen this beauty? It has such a similar look to the Darlana – but there’s no mistaking this linear pendant for the Darlana. It’s clearly got it’s own thing going on. Had I known about this at the time, I might have gone for it.
Shop Wisteria’s similar light
Visual Comfort Darlana Knock Off Chandeliers
They do make a few knock off chandeliers for Visual Comfort! It can’t be argued that the Visual Comfort Darlana Pendant lights are a splurge. These copycats have a very similar look to them, with just minor differences. And they give you a major break on the price!
These are so similar, why wouldn’t you just go with these lamps to begin with? It is certainly personal preference and I love saving money where I can! It might be argued, however, not to go with the knock offs based on the finish you are choosing. I haven’t seen any of the gold finishes come close to the look of the gilded iron. However – a little rub ‘n buff could produce this look if you aren’t afraid of a little DIY project!
There are other minor differences – an extra bar on the linear pendants, and the color of the candles is different. Take a peek at these money savers!
Amazon offers these Darlana Knock Offs, and Wayfair has the Darlana Linear Knock Off and the Lantern Knock Off.
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If you enjoyed this post you might want to read our kitchen table review, my post all about building our custom home, or take a peek at our kitchen.
Our Insanely Affordable Kitchen Table
Can you suggest good warm led lightbulbs for the chandelier.
Thank you!