There are about a mazzilion solutions to this problem. What do you want the components to look like? What do you want the light to do? What can you spend? Cutting and patching sheetrock is not that bad.

thx for the info idie! where do you buy them? I haven't been to HD yet to see if they carry them. It's good to know they will last a long time. It wouldn't be easy for me to get up there and change one. And I'm hoping they aren't too tight around the globe - that would cause problems for my fingers getting a grip on them. The fixture won't be used much (if I can get the electrician to put it on a different switch from the over the sink fixture). I'll seldom need it but there's a bulb on the ceiling now (next to the skylight) and my tub (I also don't plan to use it except to soak my feet) is to one side of it and the shower to the other (on opposite sides of a 13' wide room). There is no light on the shower side. the over the sink lights are mostly blocked from the shower by the shower wall dividing them. I doubt I'll ever take a shower after dark and need it - but you just never know. i could also go on a wild cleaning spree and need light for that (ok, that ain't happening!). The skylight gives more than enough light for the whole room during the day (and a skinny frosted window). I figured if I'm getting a fixture for where the bulb 'lives' I might as well get one that covers those 2 less lit areas. At night I don't need more than the vanity lights. Will probably make do w/a night light. here's the bulb - you can see part of the wall dividing the shower and the darker area to the right of it is the shower. It's fine during the day tho. the vanity lights showing are being replaced.

I was asking recently about a hood and small pendants (older thread). My solution involves the symmetry of two small pendants working with the hood. I like high-hats for their unobtrusive lighting, but my personal taste is to have something decorative providing some light and some style at the same time. I say yes, do a pendant. It's hard to visualize your space, but from the description I'm thinking a long bar light over the peninsula, and the hood over the island.

Using your measurements (5 x 8) a 13” flush mount, in the same dark iron look would work. I think it should be simple and not compete with the orb.