Yes, 3M. They should say on the packet what they can take.

It doesn't matter how many stick-on hooks you use... eventually they'll come down due to gravity.

My sister hung a pendant light in a rental with a couple of hooks that screwed into the ceiling. The holes they make are tiny, so they're easy to spackle when you move out. (Her landlord didn't even notice.)

It's easier to put a hole in the ceiling for a hook and patch the hole later than it is to have an unsightly plastic 3M hook. According 3M site, the biggest plastic hooks are rated for 5 pounds. The clear ones hold less weight than that. From what I can tell, none of the 3M hooks are made to hang upside down so how are you going to keep the pendant chain on the 3M hook? I don't think weight will do it.

I agree. I have had bad luck with stick-on hooks, even the heavy duty ones. Although not exactly a pendant lamp, you can get the effect of a ceiling light with some of the lamps that are tall and wrap over, such as these:

Chelsea Sectional Floor Lamp by Pottery Barn http://www.potterybarn.com/products/chelsea-sectional-lamp-base/?pkey=cfloor-lamps

Meryl floor lamp by Crate & Barrel http://www.crateandbarrel.com/meryl-floor-lamp/s518096

Overarching Floor Lamp by West Elm http://www.westelm.com/products/overarching-floor-lamp-white-w779/?pkey=cfloor-lamps

If you really do not want to drill or anything into the ceiling, I think these are your best bet!

Beware of 3Ms. My husband used one on the side of his desk for his headphones...the expensive metal looking one...and it would never stay.

I've also had one that was up for three years fall and shatter the glass, ruin the print, and ruin our kitchen table top. I hung a new one with more sticky power and it lasted less than two weeks taking down my favorite plate with it. This is not the only one that I have had fail hanging just from the wall with the appropriate weight and the anchor things on the sides. I always do what the directions say, too.

I use them extensively throughout the house since we rent and there is a limit of holes per wall in our lease. But have learned my lesson...now every time I dust I take the stuff down and tug on the hangers.

I would definitely be more inclined to ask about hanging a real anchored hook rather than attempt something overhead with those things. Good luck with a solution! Her place is looking nice so far! :)

I'm thinking, in light of others comments about the weight ratings of 3M hooks and the workings of gravity, you should look into arc lamps. You can set it up in the corner and it will swoop over the seating arrangement and give the effect of a true overhead lamp.
Or bit the bullet and put in a hook. It is seriously easy to use hooks and they really really don't make big holes.

...then you have the issue with the exposed chord.
I would either do it right or not at all. Find an alternative such a a pole lamp.

I cant really tell from the photo- but is the ceiling popcorn? Because the 3M strips wont work for that!

If not, I would use the 3M strip and pick a light pendant. Or just stick a hook in and spackle the tiny hole after

Looks like tall floor lamp is the best answer.

I was going to post the same thing as @Explore*Handmade. That style seems to be the only reasonable solution to your issue if putting a hole in the ceiling is out of the question.

If I were you, I would just screw a hook in and plaster over it when you leave. It will take only about 2 minutes to do and about $5 in materials. The hole should be small enough that you likely won't notice it at all once it's filled and dry.

I wonder why you want a pendant light in that room to begin with. It will likely impede the view and look kind of awkward hanging in front of the nice french patio doors. Also, overhead lighting is almost never a good idea, especially in a living room. I know it's a personal preference, but I think the majority of people prefer the look of lamp lighting over overhead. The light you're looking at seems to be best suited to hang over a dining table or desk.

I'll jump on the anti-3M bandwagon here - Command brand hooks are fine for things like Christmas lights, but don't hang anything that could be damaged by a fall when, not if, they fail. Either put in a real ceiling hook (toggle bolt) and patch later, or get an arc lamp.

I am just going to make a suggestion for the exposed cord as I have no experience with uninstalled overhead lighting.

I pinned this awhile back and thought it looked fun & original if I ever had to deal with an exposed cord: http://pinterest.com/pin/2111131044807187/

Not sure if it would be your mother's style, but it could work! Good luck!

I love the arc lamps Explore*Handmade suggested. If you're looking for a less expensive option, Ikea has one I've seen in a couple of apartment therapy tours. The REGOLIT.

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/60103854/

I've had great success with 3m as well, but I think this is exactly the reason that arc lamps were invented.

Something like this from amazon
Or this one from target.

I have a paper lantern with lighting cord hanging from my ceiling by 3M cable hooks and it's been up for a while now. But I wouldn't hang anything heavier from an adhesive hook.

Honestly, if you take a few moments to find a joist to screw into (thus negating the need for something like a toggle bolt), the hook will hold tons of weight, the hole is tiny -- as in less that 1/4" across -- and takes literally 6 seconds to shove a dab of spackle in there with your finger when you move.

I'm a landlord and because ceilings are usually painted with bright "ceiling white", I have no problem at all with this sort of fix from my tennants; it's actually much more problematic to patch holes from hanging pictures, curtains, etc, because walls are always painted a color (even off white), and the bright white of the spackle shows up there.

I second paper lanterns. If you are going to use a 3M hook, that would be the heaviest. There are some great tutorials for spicing up your usual humdrum lantern. AT posted one a few years ago that I made (basically glued white triangles of paper to a white lantern. And Martha Stewart sells some that have circles glued to them (made that myself too). World Market sells light/cord kits for about $10.
Also, what about those lamps where you wrap cord around a yoga ball and add glue?
Anyway, either do a real hook or choose a cheaper/lighter alternative.

Thanks for all the responses!

We ended up (yesterday actually) going ahead and putting in the hook. The hole really is rather tiny and ill patch it up when she moves. I can't believe I agonized over it for so long!

We looked at various arc lights but the ones she liked best were so much more expensive than the pendant. It's up now and looks fantastic. If she decides to get a more expensive light in the future the light can be used in another area easily.

Hopefully the answers will help other people in the same situation.

Oh and about the cord... It really isn't that noticeable but we're going to wrap it in ribbon and put a strip of ribbon around the pendant as well. It will standout more but we figure embracing it is the right way to go

I had really good luck with the nail-in clips that cable companies usually use to tack down cable around a room. You can get some with very tiny nails, but they do the job. I used 2 right near where the lamp would drop, and covered the rest of the line with Ikea's cord runners which stick to the wall. If you can keep the rest of the cord from pulling it down, you don't need much to keep a light-weight shade hanging.

I used 3m hooks for mine (the clear ones) but glued them right to the ceiling with Gorilla glue. I will use a sander to remove the glue when it comes time to take them down then throw a layer of paint over. I have concrete ceilings so there is no drywall issue, otherwise, I would just use a screw in hook.

When it doubt, ask the landlord's permission.

3-M hooks work on walls because they are designed to push the weight against the adhesive in teh way that makes the most of the sticky. If you put them on a ceiling, the force is straight down, not vertically throuh the whole strip. Much more likely to fail.

I have had no failures using them on clean painted wood (closet doors), inside cabinets, and on the side of my IKEA bookshelves. Not using them where they might fail is part of the strategy.

Hook. The leave a small hole and carry a good deal of weight. If the ceiling is drywall on wood studs, screw the wood. If the preferred spot is not beneath a ceiling joist, then drywall anchors are a must (toggle bolt, molly are best), as plain screws will strip out.

@Liz_Lymon - You've earned my respect. That sounds so much harder to me than just spackling a little hook hole.

So I'm the only one who loathes overhead lighting in rooms other than dining and kitchens? Lamps. Mood lighting. Things on dimmers. Ugh to overhead lights, no matter how stylish.

You already put a hook into your ceiling, but if you hadn't, I was going to suggest a plant hanger very high onto the wall. Like this one.

Chillin, you're not the only one who dislikes overhead lighting. I agree: restrict it to the kitchen and dining areas. Mood lighting is best. Soft, warm glows shooting up the walls and not giving me headaches.