Pendant Lights for Kitchen Island
Buy the best pendant lights for kitchen island selected and recommended by interior designers. By Vanessa Weber.
Why us a can light to illuminate your kitchen island when a much more attractive kitchen pendant light option is available? Still capable of lighting the area as well as a can light, these gorgeous hanging kitchen pendant lights are the perfect way to light up your kitchen, with flair and class. Take a look at our collection of kitchen pendant lights for over your island.
Pendant Lights for Kitchen Island
Buying Guide
Vanessa Weber
Interior Design Expert
Vanessa is a New York-based designer specializing in architectural lighting. Whether you are planning an event, want to illuminate your backyard retreat or simply need advice on what lamp to purchase for your bedroom, Vanessa will be more than happy to share her knowledge and expertise.
If you have an island in your kitchen, one of the best ways to make it look even better is to buy some kitchen pendant lights to put over it. These are hanging lights which are positioned above the island to provide light while you are using the island, but also to create a pretty effect and make your kitchen more stylish.
When you start looking for pendant lights to put over your kitchen island, you might be initially overwhelmed by the amount of choice you can see before you. We’ll attempt to cover some of the important issues you should think about before spending any money on pendant lights for your kitchen, including which styles work best for particular homes.
You may want multiple pendant lights over your island in the kitchen, but this might not necessarily be possible. One of the first steps you should take if considering multiple pendant lights is to contact an electrician. A professional electrician will be able to advise you on the electricity supply above your island and whether it is possible to have multiple lights. If you can only have one pendant light, one of the ways around it is to buy a chandelier style set of lights.
If you are able to set up your electricity supply so that you have multiple lights hanging from above your kitchen island, you can either experiment with different styles or play it safe and buy some matching lights in different sizes. If you buy more than two pendant lights for over your island, it’s important that you vary them slightly, even if it’s just the size of them which varies.
The styles of pendant light fall into three categories: round, lantern, and string.
- Round pendant lights: These circular lights are often the style which springs to mind the most when you think about pendant lights over a kitchen island. They are either spherical or spherical but flattened at the ends, creating a somewhat oval design. Available in a wide range of colors, these are suitable for kitchens which have a lot of square, linear and defined items in the kitchen already.
- Lantern design: An easily recognizable shape for your kitchen, lantern designs can be ideal for modern homes trying to achieve a minimal look. Made from rose gold or silver wires or beams, they are connected so that you are able to see the light bulb directly from inside the shaped beams. Often in a diamond or triangular shape, they are among the most common, modern and popular pendant lights.
- String of lights: If you want to opt for something different from the usual individual hanging lights, consider a string of lights instead. This can be attached from the ceiling, or positioned onto two tall pieces of furniture.
Choosing the right style of pendant lights is crucial to either improving the look of your kitchen. Just because one style looks good in one showroom or home doesn’t mean that it will work everywhere. You should consider the colors used already in your kitchen, as well as the style of the furniture that you have e.g. traditional, modern, minimalist, colorful, floral.
Decorating your home is all about personal taste. Adding pendant lighting provides you a great opportunity to incorporate your own style into even the most sparsely decorated room, so that is uniquely you. There are so many styles to choose from so finding the right one (or several) is just a matter of having an idea of what you want and looking for it.
Farmhouse and Bohemian designs are extremely popular right now, but glam styles are always a hit too. Traditional and contemporary styles, while at completely opposite ends of the design spectrum, are classic staples.
Common styles include:
- Industrial - metal, simple, metal shades and wire shades with exposed bulbs
- Bohemian (boho) - woven, fringed, beaded, or anything with a handmade look. Natural materials such as wicker or braided hemp, that give a carefree, down to earth vibe.
- Rustic - wood (think black matte or rubbed bronze), metal, and glass. Charming and rural with a "down home" feel.
- Coastal - natural materials with a "beachy" feel. Materials may include woven rope, coral, or petrified wood.
- Mid-Century Modern - vintage or retro, marked by artsy, bold designs.
- Traditional - 18th century vibe, regal, pleated pendants and chandeliers.
- Farmhouse - stainless steel and chrome materials with wire grate shades.
- Glam - dazzling, shiny, sparkly, and rich. Materials may include glass, gold, and crystal. Very ritzy and ornamental.
- Contemporary - shapes are sculptured in glass, marble, and metal. Futuristic, stark, and clean look as much for show as for function.
- Transitional - a mix of several different styles
You want your lighting choices to blend well into your home décor, enhancing it, not overwhelming it. Lighting that is too large will dominate the room while lighting that is too small will upset the balance. It should all work together to create the atmosphere you want. That is why it is so important to get the right size fixture for the space you are lighting.
Pendant lighting sizes come in three ranges:
- Mini pendant– under 10 inches
- Medium pendant – 10 inches to 20 inches
- Large pendant – more than 20 inches
Measure the area in your home where you will be installing the lighting, then find a lighting option that works in that space.
This simple formula will give you a jumping off point for determining the size you need:
Length of Your Room + Width of Your Room = Diameter of the Pendant You will Need
This works whether you are installing one light or several.
Hanging your pendant lighting is a little more precise than other types of lighting. You aren’t just finding the right place to put the light; you also have to consider the length it hangs and the spaces between the fixtures (for multiple pendants).
Most companies include more than enough rope, cord, or whatever material is used to hang the light. This allows you to customize it to fit your home. You don’t want it to hang too high or too low, so decide what is best before you make any adjustments.
The rule of thumb is provide a 30- to 36-inch clearance between the surface of the table or countertop and the lowest part of the pendant. Also, consider the light disbursement as well as the likelihood that your lights will encounter human traffic (and bump their head on it).
If your lights are suspended by a rod, check the length. Many brands have rods that are adjustable, but there are some that don’t so make sure you know what you are getting.
The lighting police are not likely to come banging on your door and make you take down your pendants but be aware that some lighting is made specifically for outdoor use or spaces that may be prone to moisture like bathrooms. Others are not. If you are planning to add lighting to a space with unique atmospheric needs, check the electrical specifications for the location rating of your light. Make sure you are getting a fixture designed for wet or damp environments.
Before you buy, check the type of light or light bulb that your pendant uses to make sure it is something you can live with (can you replace the bulb easily?). Pendants use all types of light bulbs from fluorescent to LED to halogen. Have an idea of what you like and how easy it is to get.
The other aspect of lighting is the illumination type. There are three: General, task, and accent.
- General – Overall illumination
- Task – Illuminate specific spots
- Accent – Visual interest by spotlighting focal areas
Make sure you check the specifications on the pendant light before you buy so you can make sure you are getting exactly what you want.
Some lighting fixtures are pre-set with multiple lighting modes or dimmer switch compatibility. If you want the ability to change the ambiance of the room with the flip (or turn) of a switch or change the lighting level depending on the time of day, then you may want to go with lighting that can be adjusted.
Determining the amount of lighting that you need in a room is mostly personal preference. Of course, you want the bathroom and kitchen to be very well lit and you probably want adjustable lighting in the living room and bedrooms. However, there is a more scientific way to find out how much lighting your room needs. Try this formula:
Width of Room X Length of Room = Square Footage of Room Square Footage of Room X Foot Candles Needed = Amount of Lumens
Foot candles are how bright a light is when it is one foot away from its source. These are some general guidelines for the number of foot candles needed per room:
- Living room – 10-20
- Kitchen – 30-40
- Over stove and sink – 70-80
- Dining room – 30-40
- Bedroom – 10-20
- Hall – 5-10
- Bathroom – 70-80
You can find the rated lumens on most pendant lighting fixtures. If you aren’t certain, you can contact the company and they should be able to provide you with the information.
Pendant lighting is a great way to add your own personal touch to even the starkest of rooms. Take the time to find something that speaks to you as well as works in your room. The beauty of decorating is that you don’t have to stick to the standards. You can write your own rules.