You squashed my first thought for pendant lighting. Here is another idea for ambiance above the island with recessed spots at the perimeter.

Maybe you just need that special dining light in that room?

I like you kitchen. I think two cans over sink and 4 thought the rest would be great

Window coverings, something like a tailored roman shade, with a pattern and accent colour would help brighten the kitchen as well.

This may not be your dream kitchen, but it is a very nice kitchen and you have totally pegged the problem. And you have come up with the solution. Next step is to ask an electrician for a bid. At that time ask him for suggestions about placement and specs on the cans and the undercounter lights. Forge ahead! You are on the right track.

I do like the idea of some kind of window covering on those stark looking windows. Like the pendant over the table. good idea not to do pendants as they would take away from it.

HI -- You need some lighting design which you can get from any quality lighting store . I don't think having hanging pendent lights over the island will take away or clash with the dining room fixture . But if you don't want anything else hanging down then there are lots of other options . That's where the help from a lighting designer is needed . It's a nice kitchen , just needs a few touches as in window covering and some décor accents.

Go with the cans--recessed and on dimmers. Like yours, my cabinets also ended without any trim across the top of them--so I had my carpenter fashion some crown molding and then the painter created a stain to match the existing cabinets--what a transformation! If your cabinets are truly white (I'm colorblind a bit) then that should be easy to match. Under-cabinet lighting is wonderful if you can get it. At the time the crown molding was installed, carpenter also installed a base trim that would shield the under cabinet lighting from view--especially for the people seated at the island, whose line of sight was now directly aimed at the backsplash. (I referred to this as a 'light rail', but the guy at the lumber yard had no idea what I was talking about, so I created my own out of two trim pieces attached together at the time of install).

Do you ever open those windows? If not, a bottom-up orientation in a honeycomb shade would be cool. If you do open them, something top down is better and more practical. A striped roman shade would be cool--something masculine that will work with the white and the black simultaneously--maybe with a shock of royal blue. Can't tell if the painting has begun or if you've not started yet--a light gray would be awesome against that white, and any color you add will pop because of it.

They have under cabinet lights at costco. They are a two pack and don't require wires.

I disagree that the pendant lights will take away from the light over the table. I would do pendants, but just make sure they compliment the exisiting light. A recessed can over the sink is a good idea. And definitely add some type of window treatment over the window, even if it's just a valance for color and texture. Also, add a deco item on top of each cupboard on each side of the window. It won't take too much to make this a great kitchen.