Looking for modern pendant lights for your kitchen island? Check out these beauties that are sure to upgrade your home in style this year!
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Whether you are looking to remodel or update your dated kitchen, pendant lights will help set the vibe of your space. This is another great way to add style and personality to your kitchen design since there are so many options available.
No matter your price point there is a variety of size, color, finish, and materials to choose from. Pendant lights are perfect to add task lighting over your island or peninsular.
The possibilities are endless when it comes to the design and style of kitchen pendant lights. If you are in the process of sourcing modern kitchen lighting these resources are for you!
This post is all about modern pendant lights to upgrade your kitchen island.
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Modern Pendant Lights
When we were deciding which pendant lights to choose for our peninsular there were many factors to consider. To start the process I looked to my favorite designers for inspiration on Instagram and Pinterest. There were so many ideas I LOVED so it took a minute to decide which look and feel I was after.
Usually, I look at the hundreds of styles and then I narrow it down to my two top three favorites. Then I show the options to my husband who has a great eye and picks one. By that point, I am fine with any of the choices so whichever he chooses is the one we ultimately go with.
That said the feature image is the pendant lights we have in our kitchen. We chose the Mason Small Pendant from Arteriors. Our modern pendant light is stunning in person and carries out the mixed metal theme we have in our home.
Since I love the look of silver and gold this pendant light is perfect for our space. The outer finish is a hammered silver with thin lines of gold metallic. On the inside of the pendant light is the same gold metal finish. Since we were only updating our previous Tuscan-inspired pendant lights this was the ideal place to start.
The kitchen now has a more modern vibe from the pendant lights and new counter stools we added.
We eventually plan to paint our cherry kitchen cabinets black (by we I mean “I”) but in the meantime, these updates have made a big impact. I bought my modern pendant lighting directly from Arteriors but you get yours from the link above.
Where can I buy pendant lights?
There are so many places online where you can purchase pendant lighting for over your kitchen island from. Naturally, I have my favorite go-to retailers in this category which I will share with you here.
They are at a variety of price points so no matter your budget or design style you will find modern pendant lights perfect for your living space.
Pendant Lighting Sources:
As you can see the list is huge and there are still so many more! I love my contemporary, modern, glam, California eclectic, mid-century, art deco design styles so that’s the vibe I tend to showcase.
Traditional is not my jam but if that’s what you prefer many of these resources have you covered as well.
How big should pendant lights be over a kitchen island?
This is a matter of taste and the vibe of your space. It also depends on the style of pendant lighting. If the lights are glass they will not appear as large as those that are solid metal for example.
If the look you are after is light and airy then choose lighting that is see-through. For a bold statement look, metal or fabric will make an impact over your kitchen island.
A guideline you can follow is the following math calculation:
- Add the width and length of your countertop together in feet
- An 8 ft long by 4 ft wide island would equal 12 ft
- In the above example, you would need approximately a 12″ wide pendant light
Large pendant lighting is currently trending so if you are going for this look you will need less as shown below.
How many pendants do I need for an island?
As a general rule, you want to have 24 to 30 inches between the centers of the shades of your pendant lighting. Odd numbers generally look better than even numbers so try one, three, or five as a guide.
The pendant lighting over the island should be evenly spaced. You will want to make sure that the pendant lighting is in proportion so if you have a smaller island two pendant lights may look best.
ProTip: Hang balloons in a similar size to your pendant lighting over your island at the desired length for a visual.
How high should pendant lights be above the kitchen island?
Generally, at the lowest point kitchen pendant lights are hung about 30-36″ above the counter. From the floor the total measurement for the ideal height is about 69-72″ from the floor to the base of the pendant light.
Pendant Lighting For Kitchen
1. Clear Globe Pendant | 2. Alabaster Pendant Light | 3. Cone Pendant | 4. Globe Pendant | 5. Frosted Glass Pendant | 6. Flat Cylinder Pendant | 7. Mini Pendant | 8. Hinkley Pendant | 9. Brass Light | 10. Tear Drop Pendant | 11. Noble Mini Pendant | 12. Cristof Pendant Light | 13. Multi-Lite Pendant | 14. Egg Drop Pendant | 15. Whitman Pendant | 16. Mason Pendant
How we chose our Pendant Lights over the Peninsula
Many of the above pendant lights were the other choices I looked at for our kitchen. The Lumens (11) and Serena and Lily (15) were the options I gave my husband. Each one is completely different from the other which is many times what will happen during the design process.
The Noble Mini Pendant (11) would have been light and airy with its see-through appearance which would have faded into the kitchen.
On the other hand, the Whitman Pendant Light (15) would have made a bold impact and really stood out with the black contrast.
Both would have looked beautiful but in the end, I LOVE the Mason Pendant Lights (16) we went with from Arteriors. It is the perfect balance of making a statement but also letting the rest of the design be a focal point as well.
Let me know in the comments below which is your favorite kitchen pendant light. I’d love to know!!
I hope this was helpful and inspiring in your design journey. Remember to have fun, breathe, and trust the process.
Have an amazing rest of the day full of Unicorns & Rainbows!
xo Nicole
This post is all about modern pendant lights to upgrade your kitchen island.
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