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Where's your switch for pendant lights over an island?

14 years ago

We're wiring these lights separate from the other, more general lighting in the kitchen.

But where in the world did you put your switch to turn them off and on?

Pics always welcome! Thanks!

Featured Answer

kermit4777
Original Author

14 years ago

Ah, of course. Sorry, I should've done that to begin with.

The main walkway through the kitchen are from the doorways in the upper-right of the rendering and straight through out toward the dining room. We're planning to have the 2 larger recessed cans that run along that walkway on a switch right near both of those doorways.

The other recessed cans will be controlled by a dimmer switch next to the kitchen sink.

And there's a separate light inside the pantry controlled by a switch on the small wall where the pantry door sits.

So that leaves the pendant lights over the island.

{{gwi:1587332}}

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Comments (8)

chicagoans
14 years ago
We have two spots: one is where you enter the kitchen from the front of the house and the other is where you enter the kitchen from the back of the house. The island is in the middle (as you would probably guess!) We put the dimmer on the back switch, because there is a set of 4 switches there (kitchen table light, recessed lights) and it's next to the iPod docking station, so it's more or less the "central control" for the kitchen lights (and sound.)

If you enter your kitchen from a few different spots and if your island lighting is central to your kitchen, you'll probably want 2 switches for it.

If you post a quick mockup of your layout that would be great!
nhbaskets
14 years ago
Ours is with in a bank of 4 switches to the left of our sink. The 4 switches control all the lights in the kitchen with the expection of the general pots lights which is a separate switch in two different locations. These 4 switches control single pot light over sink, island pendants, under cabinet lighting, and in cabinet lighting. All have dimmers.
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Hi everyone, I've been a long time lurker and occasional poster on this site and always find excellent suggestions here. I was wondering if I could have some advice on where to place pendant lighting over our kitchen island (with raised breakfast bar area). We ordered 3 pendant lights but am not sure where we should hang them. I'm attaching a link to the floor plan of my kitchen for reference. The island is sort of a stretched L-shape, so the placement is causing us some confusion. Specific questions I have are: 1) Do you center the lights over the work/prep area or over the raised bar area? 2) How high to do you hang the lights (how much space between counter/bar and bottom of light?) 3) Do we spread the lights out or have a closer grouping of 3 lights on one side of the l-shape? If the shorter grouping, which side - sink side or the other side? 4)How far apart do you place the pendants? Thanks so much in advance! DB Here is a link that might be useful: Kitchen Floor Plan
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As most common distance to have the pendant over the island/tabletops are 36", I would go with that distance but as you have a high ceiling and more room to play with I don't see why 4' couldn't work! I think it can look fine! Also, our lighting could be a great addition to your home. We do custom lighting so we will be able to work to feed your needs and wants. Different amount of pendants, and size of canopy etc. We also do 2D drawing before so you can have an idea of what it would look like before committing! Feel free to visit onhttps://shakuff.com/ or our instagram @shakuff_ :)
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chicagoans
14 years ago
Thank you the layout helps. If I were to be greedy I would say put switches in all 3 spots!

If I could only pick two, I would pick the spot where you enter the room (upper right) and somewhere on the table side of the kitchen, like the spot where your pantry switch is. And just so I understand correctly -- is the upper right where you would enter if coming from outside, and the door near the pantry where you would enter if coming from inside the house? (e.g., in the morning when it's dark and you haven't had your coffee yet... which way do you come in? You'll want a switch near there I think.)

If your main access all the time is through the upper right, I still think it would be nice to have a control near the table since the island lighting is close to the table area. I don't know if it's possible or practical to have a switch in the island itself, like in the space near where your MW is, on the table side. If it is possible I think that would be handy.
kermit4777
Original Author
14 years ago
My electrician suggested maybe putting it ON the island itself. I'll have to mull this over a bit still. I've got about 2 weeks to decide!
trudymom
14 years ago
Our island lights are with the rest of the lights--one set when you enter the kitchen, one set at the other end. We really only needed the set going into the kitchen.
alexamd
14 years ago
Our switch is on the island. I like it there. If I had thought again, I would have probably added an additional switch at the entrance of the kitchen, but I wouldn't give up my switch on the island.
donnakay2009
14 years ago
We put a switch on the end of the island, with a dimmer on it.

The other switch is for the matching light over the kitchen sink. Ours isn't a huge kitchen, so this works for us. We knew we'd have to wire the island anyway, for the garbage disposal in the prep sink and the outlet.

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