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.
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.
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:
This beautiful kitchen design features the light fixture we have in our kitchen in a larger, black and white version.
This timeless kitchen design features a masterful mix of brass sconces, a black lantern-style pendant light, and polished nickel faucet and cabinet pulls.
Here’s a wider view of this space with a full view of the pendant:
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:
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:
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.
These striking kitchen island pendants add the perfect modern yet classic touch to this beautiful, timeless space.
I love this gorgeous kitchen and dining area, with its amazing teardrop island lights, high ceilings, and stunning tiered chandelier over the dining table.
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.
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.
Where to Shop for Kitchen Lighting, Decor, and Fixtures
Below are a few of my favorite places to shop for kitchen lighting, fixtures, hardware, and decor in 2024. See my post, A Simple Guide to Mixing Metals in the Kitchen, for tips on mixing metal finishes in the kitchen.
Serena & Lily
Rejuvenation
McGee & Co.
Dear Keaton
Wayfair
Williams Sonoma
Pottery Barn
Stoffer Home
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
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7 Comments
Nancy Boyes
May 4, 2020 at 8:55 amHello Jane!
Thank you for your expert advise on pendant lighting, I am in the process of tearing down a very old cabin and building a “new” rustic modern cabin for our family.
This gives me tons of options and great ideas for the kitchen layout as well….Thank you!
I haven’t made any decisions yet but will also refer back to this blog when we get closer to making those decisions.
As always your the best 🙂
Xx Nancy
Jane
May 4, 2020 at 10:21 amHi Nancy! Thank you so much for your lovely words. I wish you all the best with your cabin–it sounds like it’s going to be amazing! Have a wonderful day! Xx Jane
Pam
May 1, 2020 at 2:44 pmGreat lighting options, Jane. I am thinking about using one of the clear glass options because of the active area in our house too. Do you recommend more readily any lights for a new kitchen being built in my farmhouse? Your ideas are of great help and I value your opinion. Thanks forever. PT
Jane
May 3, 2020 at 11:22 amHi Pam! Thank you so much for your lovely comment. I think any of the lantern style light fixtures would look lovely in a farmhouse style kitchen, especially in a dark bronze or black finish. I also think the glass and brass pendant lights in the 2nd and 3rd photos above would be beautiful in a farmhouse style kitchen. I hope this helps! If you have any more questions, feel free to comment again or send me an email on my Contact page. Have a wonderful day! xo jane
Jane
May 3, 2020 at 11:30 amHi again! Here are a couple of samples of a lantern fixture in a linear style: https://rstyle.me/+YU7ptkuUUvNgxTAUhIi0oA and https://rstyle.me/+D3IAkLjlRvUu8M3xJhaNmA And here are a couple of individual lantern styles: https://rstyle.me/+lzY5wl31Y3Q2c6y6FFTVDA and https://rstyle.me/+YpGzpVmSLIKOghesMi0vug xo
joanmechlin (Joni)
February 23, 2019 at 3:33 pmSuch great advice regarding pendant lights, Jane. Yours are beautiful. I’ve been looking online but haven’t made a final decision yet. I’ll keep in mind this post to refer back to before I purchase.
Jane
February 24, 2019 at 8:22 amThank you so much, my friend! I’m so glad you found this post helpful. I can’t wait to see what you choose! xo jane