I am not a lighting expert, but I have heard that pendant lights are being replaced with recessed lights. Everything cycles around in house decor, I guess.

Would it help your decision if you could just focus on the dining light you love and not worry about matching pendants?

Id be inclined not to have pendants and beef up the weight/feel of the chandelier, the table is beefy.here is a different perspective.

@beverly - you are so right! I have lived with this for 4 years and didnt catch on to the repetition of 3 pendants!! I am going to get that new linear 4 arm chandelier up and see how it feels. That has linen shades facing up and the schoolhouse pendants face down so hopefully they wont be too matchy.

You are saying my decor reads modern? Thats interesting! The new pendants are pretty vintage feeling.. I might have to rethink those then!

No the architecture is modern not necessarily the décor, but I think there are pendants out there that you will like and your husband will also like. For example, instead of the retro vintage schoolhouse light, you might both like a pendant that takes its design from the old schoolhouse design but a bit more artsy.

All of these designs I would call TRANSITIONAL.

Art Glass might be a great compromise on design.

Thanks RL - I like that simpler look without pendants too! Thanks for the visual!!

thanks Beverly- its actually a 60s ranch house but I am glad it reads a but contemperory. I really like the first pendant - the globe with the gold detail. I was afraid the globe style would be more MCM but that visual really helps.

I agree with no pendants over the peninsula, see how less cluttered a look it is in RL rendition. I changed the pendants over my peninsula a few years ago to 3 recessed lights and love it.

A light fixture like this would be great over your dining room table.

The last mock-up from BeverlyFLADeziner with that modern chandelier and no pendants looks perfect to me. This comparison shows how much the pendants clutter a space which should be left open because of your wonderful views. Perhaps you can accomodate your love of vintage with a mini lamp on your counter.

Thanks everybody for all the mock-ups and ideas! This is the linear chandelier I ended up going with and replaced the white shades with blue drum style instead.

Took down the pendants to try it out - having no pendants looks good from close to the island but from the down the hall, it looks like it needs something there. Still pondering but here it is now. Thoughts welcome!

I love your chandelier choice. The black is crisp and minimal. Nice work! Actually being in the space is far different from accessing things from photos. Trust yourself if you continue to feel you need pendants over the island. You have wonderful taste.

I really like the change (linear chandelier so much better) and the lighting will be much more pleasant with the shades over the bulbs.

I think without the pendants over the bar, the dining chandelier becomes the focal point that visually anchors the room. Now there is a clean, open view; no clutter, and I can immediately see the fixture at the far end of the room. I love it this way. And I say that as a person who loves a good pendant light moment; but when the main dining is this close to the counter, or in a wode open floor plan, too many lights dangling in the way cause visual clutter and take away from the featured dining.

On a side note: I love your style! I really enjoy color/pattern/texture when done well, and you have created a fun and interesting dining room. Love it!

I like it without the pendants. Much more open look. I would live with it for a week or so before deciding.

Thanks @Melissa and @ffpalms for the kind words! I love patterns and colors too; my living/ dining is def not to everyone’s taste lol.

The pendants being parallel to the chandelier makes it a bit funky too!

@kcooz07- yes, I am going to leave it this way for a bit !