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lisafrye101

Need advice on picking pendants for kitchen

6 years ago

Hope you can see around the mess and the air conditioner stuck in the windows to acclimate the floors, what pendants would look good over this island? I’m open to anything, I was thinking of doing two on either side of the sink and one centered on the long part of the island. I was looking at lanterns, but now I’m wondering if they look to heavy. Any advice or suggestions?

Comments (39)

  • 6 years ago

    Looks like it's going to be a beautiful kitchen. Hard to answer without the dimensions ( the screenshot doesn't give enough info to search) of the fixture. In theory what you are proposing sounds fine, but can't judge without knowing the dimension of the fixture and the island.

    I had a smaller island installed in my kitchen and will have 2 lantern lights over it. Lighting should be installed before the end of the week. My island is only 5 feet long ( by 3 feet wide) and the lights are 10 inches at their widest.

  • 6 years ago

    I was just about to ask, is your island L shaped? Can you post a layout of your kitchen? It's really tough to ascertain dimension on a screen, not to mention relation to other rooms.


    I don't think the lanterns will be heavy at all. I think they would look really pretty in your kitchen.

  • 6 years ago

    Yes the island is “L” shaped. The horizontal part of the L is roughly 8 ft wide and the vertical part is 11 ft. The darker pendant is 17 inches high and about 14 inches wide. What else could I do there? The room opens up on one side to a sunroom and the other side to a dining area and great room.

  • 6 years ago

    Can you post a picture of the sunroom and dining area while standing in your kitchen? Would be great to see those rooms and how they relate to the kitchen.

  • PRO
    6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    Show your FLAT cabinetry plan, ( not the fancy elevated plan ) add the ceiling height please. In return you'll get a size and placement recommendation. Everything else is spitting in wind. : )

    If wires are buried? How many ?..........and approximately where? Insufficient information, yeilds insufficient answers.

  • 6 years ago

    Ok. I’m posting the layout and a rendering. Does that help? My ceilings are 9ft. I want to do three lights. Two on either side of main sink and one on center of the longer part of the island. I’m not sure about “buried wires”. The electrician has me all wired up so I can put them anywhere over the island. I might add that I plan on doing swing arm lamps over both windows. Faucets and pot filler are in chrome. Thanks for any advice.

  • 6 years ago

    The first pic is the sunroom and the second is standing in the great room looking into the dining and kitchen area. I will take more recent pics tonight and post. Thanks for any help.

  • PRO
    6 years ago

    Beautiful kitchen. Just did a blue island for client and white cabinetry on perimeter. What color is your blue island? Go larger than smaller in your pendants as open concept. I do like the lantern look, however what furnishings will be in your space? Looked for ideas of designs you like on Houzz and you have none. So many options would look great but it depends on the other materials to be cohesive.

  • 6 years ago

    The color of the island is called blue ash with a nickel linen glaze. The countertops are allure quartzite. They are gray blue with dark grey lines running throughout. I am an open book. I like everything which is part of the problem! We are starting fresh as I have nothing. I literally gave away everything. The house is very neutral. So I could go any direction. Trust me. I have been looking at light for months and I’m at my wits end. Should I do lights later? After I’ve bought furniture? We moved to N.C. from the beaches of CA. Two very different vibes. Trying to stay traditional with a clean/light feel (if that’s possible) I’m sure that doesn’t help but I’m open to suggestions. I lWould globes be better? Or satin nickel domes? Or glass? If I do lateens is the darker one in the picture right? For contrast? Ugh. I don’t know. I posted a pic of the front of the house too.

  • 6 years ago

    Will there be a dining table with a chandelier near by the kitchen so that the pendants and chandelier would need to compliment each other?

  • 6 years ago

    I like the first two. I was thinking at least 13 inches wide. Gold? Or black? Chrome?

  • 6 years ago

    And yes I will need a dining chandelier.

  • 6 years ago

    I think Gold / brass / gild would be gorgeous with the blue and warm up your space.

  • 6 years ago

    Ok. Thanks. Now we are cooking. I never really thought about gold. Thank you for your suggestions. I’m totally open to anything!

  • 6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    Is the chandelier near the kitchen where it will be seen with the pendants? If so, then I would look for the chandelier 1st as that will be more of the statement piece than the pendants. Do you have any thoughts on what you are considering for a dining table style? Or any furniture? I hate to have you go to the expense of getting the lighting and then find that it isn't complimenting everything else.

  • 6 years ago

    I know right?! Nope not a single piece of furniture.i was thinking maybe I should wait until we buy the furniture too.

  • 6 years ago

    I do like the first one in the bunch suggested by laura. (again no idea re size and proportion). I like open lanterns because there is no glass to clean, and they don't really block much visually. On another note, your recessed lights do you know if they are 4 inch or 6 inch?

  • 6 years ago

    If you can wait on the lighting at least until you have an idea of how you are going to furnish it, you are better to hold off.

  • 6 years ago

    I think the recessed lights are 6. I’ll measure tonight to make sure.

  • PRO
    6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    Linear fixture centered over sink plus recessed............ or a real problem trying to place and select. it's the L shape,.....Let the range be the focal point it is.

    You'll have far less clutter, with a strong single fixture statement.



  • 6 years ago

    following

  • PRO
    6 years ago

    What part of NC as I am from Charlotte. Love California and welcome to the south. Will think about some ideas and get back to you.

  • 6 years ago

    Jodie, we are in Greensboro. Jan I like the idea of one larger pendant. Looking at that possibility now. Thank you. Salonva the recessed lights are 6 inches.

  • 6 years ago

    thank you Lisa! Mine are being installed today.....and I had thought that 6 in might look too big ( silly the little bit of info we pick up) but yours do look fine... The electrician was saying that 4 inch would work but thought 6 in made sense. Going with the 6 inch. thank you

  • 6 years ago

    Salvona, no problem and you’re right, every little nit picky thing makes me feel like a crazy person!

  • 6 years ago

    There are no electrical connections for pendants....add them before you finish the kitchen to avoid having to repair and paint the ceiling again. All of your lighting seems to be perimeter only.

  • 6 years ago

    Your kitchen is beautiful. Do you mind sharing the colour of your island? I am struggling to find the right blue for mine....either too dark, too purple, too grey...you get the idea!

  • 6 years ago

    Thank you and yes I totally get it. The island is by ultra craft and the color is called ash blue and we put a nickel linen glaze over it. The glaze is what gives it the grayer look. Hope that helps.

  • 6 years ago

    I just recently found

    beautiful cheap version of the current black antique brass and white globe, but it's small. If I had to do it all over again I would keep searching for a bigger pendent.

  • 6 years ago

    Thanks for the info! I will ask my painter about the glaze.

  • 6 years ago

    Hi, Lisa!


    A couple of thoughts: What are your thoughts about cabinet hardware? If you are doing cabinet hardware, do you want the lighting fixtures to match? I did. My two island lanterns, my breakfast table chandelier and my cabinet hardware are all in an antique nickel finish. My home is a Tudor style and the nickel has sort of a pewter look, which fits the Tudor style. Also, my cabinets are two toned; the perimeter are a whitish with a charcoal island, walls a very pale grey with medium brown wood floors. Your color palette seems to include a lot of grayed tones, from the “nickel linen” glaze to the tile and stone work. How do you feel about mixing metallic tones, like in jewelry mixing white and yellow gold for the two-tone look? I have seen where that is something of a trend to mix metal finishes but is that for you?


    When looking at pendants it is easy to also consider coordinating chandeliers or fixtures as they are usually being shown on the same page if you are shopping online.


    Something that I have done to help determine what size (or color or shape or pattern) is to print out pictures as close to real life size as possible (I am able to print legal size) on some kind of photography paper. If I have to, tape a couple together. I would possibly print out all three because I have sometimes found that something that I liked 1 of, I was not as crazy about in multiples. It’s kind of like putting paint samples on the wall so that you can see it in the room.



  • 6 years ago

    Don't go with clear smooth glass - shows the dust. I had one and my cuz, her boyfriend and my mom came over. I spent a week cleaning the house. My mother walks in and comments on my dirty pendant light. I told her I was saving that for the boyfriend - he's tall.


    I removed it after that: I never wanted to hear that comment again.


    I bought a white sort of barn light in a resale joint for $10, then spray painted the extrior pink. I still like it!


    Lighting should be fun - don't take it too seriously! It can really add a lot of character to a space, or make it look really boring. Life's too short for ugly lighting fixtures! That doesn't mean it has to break the bank though...


    Look for what really appeals to you rather than what strangers on a web site are attracted to. With that said, don't go so big that it blocks the view. Some folks take down walls then install things that are big, bulky and blocking...


  • 6 years ago

    Mine are installed! I fretted that they might be too large, but I think they look great. They are the open lantern ( no glass, no dust, no nothing) and they have a presence but don't block anything. I didn't really need them as I got plenty of recessed lighting but I like them for the jewelry.

    They are a silver gold, while my hardware is gold. (appliances and faucet are stainless) and I could not be happier. 99% done.


  • 6 years ago

    Very pretty. Who makes them? Lynne G what about water glass, do you think dust will show just as bad? I tried to go the route of one pendant like Jan suggested but I couldn’t figure out what to get and my builder is breathing down my neck so I just ordered three Feiss lantern lights in chrome! I have an artifacts faucet that is huge and chrome(my hubby likes the look so I let him have that!), but I tried other metals and the chrome fought with everything (or maybe it’s just in my mind) I will probably do chrome pulls. And to top it off chrome swing lamps over the two windows. Pray for me. It might be super shiny. If it is, I’ll start back at square one.

  • 6 years ago

    thank you Lisa. I got the pendants from Wayfair, they are called Chloe and it says Laurel Foundry which I know is one of their names. However, since I live on the internet, I believe I found that they were actually Quoizel.https://www.build.com/quoizel-gly5203/s1256489?uid=3156352&jmtest=gg-gbav2_3156352&inv=1&source=gg-gba-pla_3156352!c1710656075!a66879169156!dc!ng&gclid=CjwKCAjwxev3BRBBEiwAiB_PWLPYkijip8g06-u17LK37_h91GS83EP4E91lu2IlNAlxixGBHKW1GhoCsoMQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

    In any case I am happy.

    I think in my last home, I had some Murray Feiss Chrome lights for our master bathroom and I just remember they were gorgeous and not crazy shiny.

    Post pictures!

  • 4 years ago

    Hi Lisa I see you have Allure quartzite countertops. Can I ask what is your opinion of the Allure? Would you install them again? I love the look of the Allure Quartzite but worry about staining and etching in the stone. Would love to hear your experience with the Allure quartzite countertops!