light over sink - what do you think?

11 years ago

I was hoping to put a recessed light over the sink so that the lines would be cleaner/less to worry about in terms of fixture coordination, etc. but we're going to have to go with a pendant because high hat placement won't work well based on the location of the joists.

sooo, i'm anxious (shocking, right?) about what to do

i love the lights I got for over the island, but don't think getting another one of these same pendants (http://www.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-ramona-pendant/p310131?navAction=jump) would be good because:

1. I want them to be "special" by themselves over the island
2. think it might be too big

what do you think? am i maybe over-thinking? should i just get the same thing?

i also don't want to end up just "getting something", know what i mean? but i'm starting to have burnout re: decisions

so, what do you think of this?
http://www.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-croft-collection-ashby-glass-pendant/p1491953

would it compliment, but not compete?

or maybe something like this, which is even less "fancy" to reduce chance of "competing" with pendant lights http://www.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-stewart-glass-pendant-light-satin-nickel/p1617371

thanks!

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Comments (12)

ck_squared
11 years ago
Don't use a typical can light, use a smaller puck light (or two) instead. That's what we did.
crl_
11 years ago
Is the problem that there is a joist right over the sink? If so, I'd consider two recessed lights instead, one on each side of the joist. My understanding is that two will provide better light anyway.
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lmgch
Original Author
11 years ago
it's not centered over the sink (the joist, I mean)

any way you slice it, it just looks kind of weird

PLUS the recessed lights that is part of the larger kitchen lighting plan around the perimeter of the kitchen, based on even spacing falls right near the sink. so it seems like it would look wrong/weird to have two cans (or three cans, going with crl's suggestion) right in such close proximity, but none of them lining up either exactly center or exactly/even spaced to the sides. know what i mean?

p.s. - i decided i definitely don't like the ashby.
jellytoast
11 years ago
"Is the problem that there is a joist right over the sink? If so, I'd consider two recessed lights instead, one on each side of the joist. My understanding is that two will provide better light anyway."

This is what I did and I really like it. But I'm not sure I understand why there is a problem. My can lights were attached to rails which allowed them to be adjusted between the joists.
zwizzle
11 years ago
I know how difficult the question of fixtures can be. There are so many options with ceiling fixtures for over the sink: mini-pendant, semi-flush, recessed, rail or track, etc. Depending on how far your sink light fixture will be from the island, you might consider task lighting that is very different from you island lights. Does your sink back a wall or windows?

I might not get another glass globe fixture, but rather look for something in a metal finish that goes with your appliances or cabinet hardware and the overall style of your kitchen. Small enough that it doesn't compete with your beautiful glass lights.
mrspete
11 years ago
I vote for the "special" pendants over the island -- and my favorite is the slightly smokey colored /textured light from the very first link -- and recessed lights over the sink.

One thing I've learned about myself from this website is that I dislike "ceiling clutter". That is, I don't like too many lights or too many fancy-fancies hanging from the ceiling. Just a few nice, well-chosen lights.

Those of you who say TWO lights above the sink (or puck lights) . . . WHY? I want to understand so I can choose wisely.
crl_
11 years ago
My understanding is that two lights minimizes shadows. But I'm not a lighting expert.
basketlacey
11 years ago
I had the same issue when we saw where the joists were over my sink. I couldn't imagine a pendant there when my electrician suggested it. But, that little pendant over my sink is one of my favorite things in my kitchen!

What about going with something that has the same rippled glass as your island lights (which I love by the way) but has it's own unique style. I don't know what the rest of your kitchen looks like but do you like something like this:

http://www.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-warwick-lantern-nickel/p153244
LE
11 years ago
We had a lighting designer help us with this and she suggested the "two over the sink" solution, so we went with that. It makes sense, I guess, in that the cones of light overlap, so there's not a shadow directly below your hands as you work at the sink. It's great, but I'm sure other solutions would work, too.
lmgch
Original Author
11 years ago
thanks, guys

I walked through with the GC and electrician again today. we really can't do any recessed without it looking super weird

and the puck lights, only way to do would be to put a valance, that they can go into. i don't want that either

so a pedant it will be

basketlacey, that's the exact fixture i'm thinking I may end up with, but I'm waiting on them to get back to me with dimensions I can understand to make sure that it's not too big. I want it to be definitively smaller than the island pendants

thanks!
sombreuil_mongrel
11 years ago
Hi,
if you look carefully, you can make out there are 2 @ 4" cans above my sink; same arrangement over the prep sink as well. #sinknoshadows.

Casey
jellytoast
11 years ago
"Those of you who say TWO lights above the sink (or puck lights) . . . WHY? I want to understand so I can choose wisely."

I used two lights above the sink because it sits under a large window and two lights looked better in the space than one. The cans over the sink are also smaller (4-inch) than the general lighting in the kitchen.