Post daylight photos and yank up the darn blinds. I'm surprised you haven't cut your hand off with the bread knife

seriously omgomgomgomgomg : )

Our house also came with similar terrible lights. All those amber globes have to go! (I also agree you need recess pot lights.)

I am personally not a fan of “up light” chandeliers over everyday tables. Your table is causal. I would use a drum chandelier hung at the appropriate height. Look for LED and enough wattage for bright light if this will be a homework table at any point. Here is an example:

Thank you Danielle! I know these are terrible, dark pictures. The house was painted dark brown, so our first project was painting the entire house. We are having a round kitchen table made. What color do you suggest? The house has so many different wood tones that I'm not sure what to do.

I agree on adding recessed lights. As for a kitchen table, I would suggest a light cream painted wood.

You’re welcome. : ) I also had to paint immediately bc it was also terrible so I feel your pain! And we have ORB fixtures. I went with drum chandelier similar to one I posted over my rectangle table.

We can’t tell from photos your new paint color. Can you post the name? Also, can you post the dimensions of your new round table? This is the kind of information I see that the pros need to work with. I’ll leave it to them to help you from there on the appropriate size of light over new table. Not sure if they will recommend a rectangle or round fixture. I hope you get some good ideas!

New pendants over island just need to coordinate. I hope that helps. Good luck!

Maybe something like these?

The walls are Alpaca by Sherwinn Williams and the round table will be 42".

Geez take some decent photos to illustrate the lighting conditions!

Every fixture doesn't have to be oiled bronze. The fixture could have NO metal on it at all as an option. Use a drum light over the pub table either something like this from CB2 or

Something like this fixture below, but make sure it's big enough. Your last fixture was too small.

Also give your table a quarter turn. You have the space to do this and it will give your space a new look.

Select a fixture over the island that coordinates in a design sense and provides more ambient light than your previous fixture.

And don't be shocked by the new appearance in your kitchen. It may take you some time to get used to it because you have had 'nightclub' lighting for a while.

Agree with Beverly that you don’t have to have orb fixtures, nor do I believe should you. For reference my house is traditional with orb fixtures throughout, including kitchen lighting. But the difference is my cabinets are soft white. With your cabinets orb would be lost in a dark hole. I’d probably look for something in silver tones. Love all of Beverly’s suggestion. I’ve found drum shades to be a great, updated juxtaposition with more traditional elements. Also agree with all the recommendations for recessed lighting.

Get rid of the pendant lighting all together. Install two recessed lighting cans directly over the island in place of them and then also throughout the kitchen area. It will declutter your kitchen, make it feel larger and more open, and allow you to have a feature light fixture over your table.

And while you have an electrician there, install under cabinet lighting.

Here's a few more pictures.

One more (there is under cabinet lighting).

A different angle...

I think recessed lighting in your kitchen area would do wonders. Lots of options for trim kits now but whatever you do, stick with LED. Put them, ones over the island at least on dimmers. I also like recessed lighting over dining tables to clean things up. For added lighting while dining you can use console lamps or an arc lamp.

If you are melded to idea of pendant lights over island and a chandelier in dining room. I actually think going with a chrome, brushed nickel, or polished nickel would do wonders to lighten up and modernize your kitchen. It’s okay to mix if you do it with some intention. I always think ORB, no matter how “modernized” the shape the ORB looks traditional; if you do want to modernize a bit I think breaking away from that dark finish look is a good move.

Thank you Rai. How many recessed lights do you think would be appropriate and where should the placement of those go?

A couple of thoughts about lighting, regardless of which room you're working on. Go for LED! Huge energy savings, and usually very long life. And with options for warm or cool, and dimmable if you want that. Also, I recommend you avoid any type of fixture that bends/points upwards, with the open area towards the ceiling (rather than one that opens downwards) - they are huge dust collectors and difficult to keep clean.

First paint the kitchen a warm white ..eggshell color ...then put a light with two or three spot lights over the sink ( over the window facing down ..so you can see while washing dishes ...and look at the kitchen lights in all the kitchens at HOUZZ ....so many wonderful options ! Lamps are important ..so choose what you love and can afford ...so that you are happy with it . But first ..you must be able to see in that kitchen ...it looks dangerous in there !!!

A combination of recessed lighting for general illumination, two pendants (or a 3-light single pendant) over the island, a pendant over the table, a pendant or recessed light over the sink, and under-cabinet lighting which actually gives off light will provide all the light you need. You should have one switch for the recessed lights, a separate switch for the pendants, and a separate switch for the under-cabinet lights.

Yes, open the blinds and raise them up to let in natural light during the day. Light paint on the walls and ceiling will help the kitchen and table area look brighter and larger. A colorful rug on the floor in front of the sink will add color and give you a soft spot to stand on.

Find a couple of electricians to come out and get their input and quotes on placement and number of recessed can lights in ceiling (all LED on dimmers). I think a spaced row in front of door, refrigerator, built in area as well as over island will really brighten up the room.

I agree with suggestions to skip hanging pendants over the island. It will open up the space.

As said, a silver finish drum shade or other simple fixture over table will be enough. Make sure the light bulbs do not point up at the ceiling.

I think adding some handles on the cabinetry in place of all of the small knobs in same silver finish as new light fixture will help update the feel of the kitchen and add some shine.

Later, you can think about replacing the wooden blinds with inside mount Roman shades. Addition of fabric will make a big difference and break up all the wood. You can bring in some pattern, texture, and color with fabric that you love. It will really finish the look and make it feel cozy and personalized.

I think this is the darkest Kitchen I have ever seen.......I hate when I see negative remarks here, but wow! It is depressing. You need recessed lighting in the kitchen. A pendant
over the sink. New chandelier of your choice.
Please paint the walls a creamy white if you cannot or choose not to paint the cabinets.
In addition, do you have a privacy issue?
Raise the blinds or ‘open up’.
One last thought, if $$ allow, consider replacing the island top in a lighter shade that picks up the lightest shade in existing granite....perhaps a solid. I think we need Jan and/ or Axelrod here.

I think my pictures I took were just poor! There is under cabinet lighting and we just painted a light grey (Alpaca) by SW in an attempt to brighten things up. We are going to go with recessed lighting, so thanks for that suggestion. What color rug under the sink would you go with? I'm thinking of elmiminating the pendant lights after your suggestions. Every fixture in the house is oil rubbed bronze, so I'm not sure whether we change to silver for the fixture above the dining table or not as well as changing out knobs in kitchen??

This is a Juno 2-1/4" led. Dimmable.

Another version. These can give you the 450 lumens you need to prep on your counters or use the sink. 2 over the island and 4 over your stove sink and counters. They can be spaced 4" in front of an upper cab so as not to creat a shadow on what you're working on. Good light is phenomenal.