Beautiful Kitchen Pendant Lighting Ideas for 2024

Good morning! Choosing the right lighting for the kitchen can make your space feel more warm and inviting, and it’s one of the easiest ways to change the look and feeling of your home. 

Since kitchen island lighting is such a great way to add an interesting and contemporary look to a space, in today’s post I’m sharing some simple tips on how choose the best pendant lighting for your kitchen, along with a measurement guide for hanging light fixtures over your kitchen island, images of kitchens featuring beautiful pendant lighting, places to shop for kitchen pendant light fixtures in 2024, and more.

If you’ve been following along for a little while, you know a few years ago we renovated our kitchen.  During that time, I spent weeks deliberating over kitchen pendant lighting ideas to hang over our kitchen island.  I knew the light fixtures I chose would set the tone for the entire area, which encompasses not only our kitchen, but the adjacent tv room and breakfast nook, as well.

Some days I leaned toward a coastal look, other days I wanted a classic or timeless feeling, and sometimes I was drawn to a more modern style. 

Ultimately, I chose these pendants in the 16″ white and brass option, which you can see featured in the beautiful kitchen, below — and I couldn’t be happier with my decision.

Ali Henrie Design – Hebdon Studios – Rebekah Westover Photography – pendant lights

Needless to say, all that looking and deliberating meant I spent hours gathering tips, ideas, and inspiration on this topic, and today I’m sharing everything I’ve learned. 

So if you’re currently planning a kitchen remodel and are making choices regarding kitchen pendant lighting, I hope you’ll find some great ideas.

Pure Salt Interiors – pendant lights

How to choose kitchen island lighting

As a general rule, if you live in a home where the kitchen, family room, and breakfast nook all meet, it’s always a good idea to choose island pendant lights that won’t detract from the view of the other areas.

Clear glass pendant lights work well in this type of space, because they won’t disrupt your line of sight.

James May Homes and CKF Cabinetry – counter stools – pendant lights

If your kitchen is pretty simple and needs a bit of a “wow factor,” statement lighting is a great way to provide a focal point.

However, if your kitchen already has a lot going on, such as a patterned backsplash, wallpaper, statement counter stools, or lots of color, you might want to choose island lighting that is more subtle and refined.

Studio McGee – lights – counter stools

How high to hang lights over a kitchen island

• When you’re hanging pendant lights over a kitchen island, the distance from the island countertop to the bottom of the light fixture should be between 30 and 36 inches.
• The ideal distance between multiple pendants is 26 to 30 inches.
• Allow 12 inches from the edge of the island to the light fixture. 

Salt Design Co. – pendant lights – counter stools – large woven dining light

Kitchen Pendant Lighting Inspiration

Following are a few favorite spaces showing how to choose the right lighting to match your kitchen style and color scheme.

A custom range hood, shimmering zellige tile backsplash, modern pendant lights, and curved rattan counter stools make this kitchen feel both timeless and on trend:

Studio McGee coastal kitchen – counter stools – pendants

This stunning kitchen remodel features modern black and white pendant light fixtures, which are the perfect complement to the warm wood cabinets and marble waterfall countertops on the island.

Vivir Design – pendants

This beautiful contemporary kitchen features three stylish black and white pendant lights over a soft curved gray-green kitchen island. 

Paired with black lantern lighting over the dining room table, as well as the ceiling light fixtures in different styles, this space is filled with plenty of ambient light.  

Jean Stoffer Interiors – pendants – similar runner

If you’re looking for kitchen lighting ideas with a beachy feeling, woven pendant lights are always a great option:

Pure Salt Interiors – woven pendant lights

I’ve always loved the look of double island lights, like the brass light fixtures featured in this lovely kitchen with a dark blue island (Hale Navy by Benjamin Moore) and abundant natural light. 

Andrea McQueen Design

I also love the beautiful glass and brass island lights in the modern coastal style kitchen below.  I love the subtly-striped woven counter stools, too.

Pure Salt Interiors – light fixtures – stools

Here are the same pendant lights in this lovely kitchen design:

Studio McGee

This beautiful kitchen design features the light fixture we have in our kitchen in a larger, black and white version.

Millworks

This timeless kitchen design features a masterful mix of brass sconces, a black lantern-style pendant light, and polished nickel faucet and cabinet pulls.  

Jean Stoffer Interior Design

Here’s a wider view of this space with a full view of the pendant:

Jean Stoffer Interiors

Love this chic modern farmhouse kitchen, with its beautiful white and brass kitchen island lighting and woven counter stools.  

Studio McGee and Erin Hansen for Christine Andrew |  Photo by Lucy Call – counter stools

Although this small space has low ceilings, the combination of the wooden beams, paired with the white and brass cone pendant lights, creates a spacious feeling. 

Jean Stoffer Design – pendants

Here’s another beautiful kitchen featuring the same stylish pendant lights, showing how wonderfully they adapt to different kitchen styles:

Pure Salt Interiors

Statement pendant lights lend a modern yet timeless touch to this beautiful kitchen design.

James May Homes and CKF Cabinetry

The lovely coastal-inspired island lights, along with an abundance of woods and whites (and a stunning marble backsplash), make this lake house kitchen truly special:

Park and Oak Interior Design

This beautiful coastal kitchen features the same pendant lights in a black version:

Pure Salt Interiors – black pendant lights

The soft finish on the pendant lights helps tie together all the beautiful elements in this stunning kitchen.

Kate Marker Interiors

These striking kitchen island pendants add the perfect modern yet classic touch to this beautiful, timeless space.

Studio McGee

I love this gorgeous kitchen and dining area, with its amazing teardrop island lights, high ceilings, and stunning tiered chandelier over the dining table.

Kate Marker Interiors

This kitchen is a great example of current kitchen trends, with one long marble shelf fitted above the marble backsplash, dark lower cabinets, a custom range hood, and jewel-like pendant lighting over the island:

Studio McGee – counter stools – pendant lights

The matte black pendant lights in the open-concept kitchen, below, provide abundant task lighting over the island and give an industrial look to this space.

I can’t think of a better choice to provide a balanced look between the two spaces.

House Seven Design

Lantern style pendants are always a great choice for the kitchen.  They lend a clean, classic touch to every space, as shown in this beautiful timeless kitchen design featuring white oak and white kitchen cabinets.

Cambridge Home Co. – The Cabinet Gallery Utah – lantern island lighting

Since I found so many beautiful options for kitchen island lighting during my search, I thought this would be a great opportunity to share a roundup of some of the best pendant lighting ideas in different silhouettes, shapes, materials, and price points.

Several of these lighting designs would work great over a kitchen table, too.

I hope this collection of unique kitchen lighting ideas will provide the finishing touch to your island, breakfast bar, or dining table!

Beautiful Kitchen Island Light Fixtures

These beautiful pendant light fixtures would look amazing in any space–even in smaller rooms–so don’t limit their use to over the kitchen island or table, as many of these lighting ideas would work perfectly as accent lighting in a dining room, bedroom, hallway, entryway, or bathroom, as well.

Looking for more home decor and design ideas?  Here are a few favorite related posts from the blog:

2024 Home Decor Trends: 10 Ideas to Try This Year

2024 Kitchen Design Trends and Decorating Ideas

Modern Coastal Decorating Ideas for Your Home

Inspiring Kitchen Design Ideas for Your Next Renovation

Beautiful Modern Bathroom Design Ideas You Will Love

A Simple Guide to Mixing Metals in the Bathroom

The New Studio McGee Target Collection

How to Install Decorative Wall Molding: An Easy Weekend DIY Project

Colors of the Year 2024 + Top Home Color Trends

How to Add a Touch of Nancy Meyers Style to Your Kitchen and Home

Beautiful and Affordable Turkish Oushak Runners for the Kitchen

Favorite Spaces of the Week: Pure Salt Interiors

Modern Bedroom Design Ideas for a Dreamy Master Suite

Modern Living Rooms filled with Inspiration

How to Choose the Perfect Counter Stools or Barstools for Your Kitchen

Kitchen Island Ideas for Your Next Renovation

As always, I truly appreciate you stopping by and hope you found this post helpful.  If you have any questions, feel free to ask me in the comments section below.  xo jane