KITCHEN ISLAND LIGHTING TIPS - how to get the perfect size, height & spacing.
One of the easiest ways to give your kitchen a style makeover is to choose kitchen island pendant lighting that transforms your space. This decor must-have is functional and stylish and comes in various designs to suit any kitchen island. Here are some tips on how to choose and install kitchen island pendant lighting that is perfect for your home: We give you the answers to all those niggly questions about kitchen island light fixtures; SPOILER ALERT - it comes down to three simple decisions;
WHAT IS THE BEST PENDANT LIGHT HEIGHT?- 30" -32" above your counter
HOW MANY PENDANTS DO I NEED? WHERE DO YOU PLACE PENDANT LIGHTS OVER AN ISLAND? - we make it a cinch to calculate with our Interior Designers' trade secret formula
WHAT SIZE PENDANTS SHOULD I CHOOSE FOR MY SIZE ISLAND? - choose kitchen island lighting with a 15 "D or larger for a modern look.
What Is The Best Height For Hanging Pendant Lights Over A Kitchen Island?
Forget recessed lighting! Pendant lights are the way to go to make kitchen island lighting a focal point. Looking for the best pendant lighting over island height? What size pendant lights to choose from? The general rule of thumb suggests that the ideal pendant height for kitchen pendants over island height is 30”-32” above the surface of your modern-style kitchen island.
THE BEST HEIGHT TO HANG PENDANT LIGHTS OVER AN ISLAND WITH 8 FOOT CEILINGS
Low ceiling? no problem. The ceiling height of your kitchen can also play a role in determining this pendant light height. With an 8-foot ceiling, fixtures should typically be hung around 30 inches above the island counters. Because of clearance issues, allow seven feet* from the floor to the bottom of the pendant light. Select smaller pendant light fixtures around 12 “ tall, including chain, pole, and canopy.
*Heads up - ensure the total measurement from the floor to the bottom of the pendant is at least 70"- 72" so that it is not too low and obstructs your view when cooking or working on the island. Also, consider the height of the tallest person in your household - you don't want anyone bonking their head!
THE BEST HEIGHT TO HANG PENDANT LIGHTS OVER AN ISLAND WITH 9 FOOT CEILINGS
With a higher 9-foot ceiling height, you have some wiggle room to go a few inches higher, approximately 32”- 36”.
HOW CAN I MAKE SURE ALL MY PENDANTS HANG AT THE SAME HEIGHT OR LENGTH?
Are you hanging multiple pendants? Want to make sure all of your pendant hanging heights are the same across your kitchen island or bar? The simplest way to do this is to measure from the ground to the bottom of the first pendant. This measurement sets the hanging height for the remaining pendants. Look for lights with an adjustable cord or chain so you can easily fine-tune adjustments to get each pendant perfect on-site.
Now that we know how high to hang pendant lights over a kitchen island let's talk about the basics of lighting design to help you ace the number of actual pendants your kitchen island needs.
Types Of Lighting - Lighting Design 101
We can all agree the kitchen island is command central for all things social, homework, and cooking related—perhaps the most hardworking space in your home. One of the keys to a great lighting design is ensuring you have the right kind of lighting where you need it. A successful lighting plan will include these four layers of light.
WHAT IS AMBIENT LIGHTING?
Ambient lighting is the overall general lighting from overhead options like ceiling recessed lights, can lights, or spotlights. Remember, we don’t need to light things up like an interrogation room, but enough to see what we are doing. Warm light is a firm ‘yes’ achieved through your bulb selection. Choose 2700K LED bulbs. Skip the blue light options; they are not flattering! Say hello to the perfect ambiance by installing a dimmer switch to dial down the brightness for entertaining and crank it up when you cook.
WHAT IS TASK LIGHTING?
Task lighting is, you guessed it, all about those light sources that make completing tasks easier. Concentrated lighting illuminates the work surface so you can see what you are doing. These would be pendant lights or under-cabinet task lights for your kitchen island. Please ensure they are bright enough, around 3000K LED bulbs, but not so bright they are blue and harsh. As with the ambient light above, we would opt for popping these on a dimmer so you can adjust as needed.
WHAT IS ACCENT LIGHTING?
Accent lighting creates depth, dimension, and interest in your space. It’s like the jewelry of your room. These things take your space from builder-grade to design-savvy luxury. For kitchen island lighting, this would be strip lights under the cabinets or in toe kicks, cove lighting, or even backlit glass cabinet doors.
Let's not forget about our best friend, natural light. If you have the opportunity to bring in natural light, please do! It’s free, and it brightens up any space.
How Big Should My Pendant Light Be Over My lsland?
When you began searching for lighting options for hanging pendants for your kitchen renovation, you probably found medium sized pendants recommended in the 12" to 13" range or even smaller ......not to rain on your parade, but these smaller pendants are just too small to give us a show-stopping look. We need to go bigger to create a decor hero moment in the kitchen! For a more modern approach, look for a fixture at least 15" in diameter or even larger.
GO BIG OR GO HOME RIGHT?
We adore a large pendant in the kitchen, but how big is too big? A good rule of thumb to help you keep everything in proportion and to scale is that the diameter of your pendant should be about half the width of your actual island. So, for a small island 3 feet wide, your light fixture should be about 15"-18" wide. For large kitchens with an island 4 feet wide, your pendants should be around 24" wide. Of course, this is just a guideline, there is no right or wrong answer; you can always go bigger or smaller depending on your personal preference.
How Many Lights Do I Need?
There's no hard and fast rule (although we do share our Interior Designer trade secret formula below) this will calculate how apart pendant lights should be spaced across a kitchen island; this will help you understand how many pendants you need.
GENERAL RUL OF THUMB - ISLAND LENGTH AND PENDANT SIZE
Not surprisingly a large island can accommodate more pendants than a smaller island. A good general guideline is pendants should be placed 30” apart or double the width of each pendant. For example, if you have a 15" pendant, you would leave 30" between the pendants. This will ensure plenty of light covering the whole island while providing visual interest.
HOW MANY PENDANT LIGHTS OVER A 7 FOOT ISLAND? two pendant lights approx. 15" wide.
HOW MANY PENDANT LIGHTS OVER A 8 FOOT ISLAND? two pendant lights approx. 15" wide or three pendants 12” wide.
HOW MANY PENDANT LIGHTS OVER A 10 FOOT ISLAND? three pendant lights approx. 15" wide.
HOW MANY PENDANT LIGHTS OVER A 12 FOOT ISLAND? three larger pendants approx 24" wide across this large island.
Trade Secrets - A Formula For Perfect Pendant Size and Placement
This super simple formula is the foolproof way to get the size and placement of the kitchen island placement ‘oh so’ perfect. Okay, now, for the tricky part, follow this simple formula with your measurements.
PENDANT SPACING FORMULA IN ACTION - A WORKING EXAMPLE
Measure the length of the island, 80'L.
Determine the number of pendants you need for the width of your island (from above), two pendants 15" each = 30".
Subtract the pendant diameter from your island length 80" - 30" = 50".
Add one pendant width back to account for the space needed on each end two pendants +(1) = 3 pendants.
Divide the total number of pendants (3) into the length calculated (50")
You will shoot for 30" between the two pendants over the island, placed 10" in from the edge of the counter
Design Crimes - Kitchen Island Lighting Edition
There are a few kitchen island lighting no-nos that you'll want to avoid at all costs. These design mistakes can make or break the look of your kitchen remodel. Here are our top 3 offenders on the left and our take on excellent execution on the right, enjoy!
DESIGN CRIME #1 - PENDANTS ARE TOO SMALL & TOO FAR APART
If your pendants are too small, they'll look out of proportion and won't make the impact you're shooting for. And if they're hung too far apart, they will be lost in the space, missing the opportunity to make an impact.
DESIGN CRIME #2 - PENDANTS ARE HUNG TOO HIGH
We've all seen it before; a light fixture suspended wayyy too high above the kitchen island, making the space feel out of balance and awkward. This is the design crime we cry about the most. Creating a focal point is key in design, and pendant lights are perfect for this. When hung too close to the ceiling, however, even the most elegant light will lose its impact. Pendants that hang lower down on your kitchen connect island help create a more impactful design.
DESIGN CRIME #3 - INCLUDING AND MIXING TOO MANY DESIGN STYLES
We know it's easy to be sidetracked when choosing the perfect fixture and that there are sooo many to love. We get it but stay the course with your chosen design style; this is not the time to go rogue! When selecting kitchen lighting, it is crucial to choose pendants that are in keeping with the overall design style of your kitchen. Choose pendants made from materials that match the other finishes in your kitchen and that have a similar design aesthetic to the other decor or design choices in the home.
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