Beautiful remodel!! Do most people do a pendant over the sink??? I am sure its done, I think usually its another can light like what you have in the rest of the kitchen. You can always make it a can light and change it later on if you find something better or the back order come in.

Thank you for your nice comment and response to my question. You know, I thought they did put pendents over kitchen sinks, but now that I'm going through some kitchen pictures posted on this site, I'm thinking I may have been mistaken. I have been having so much trouble with this and have used so much time, energy, and fuel trying to resolve it, that I am going to go with your suggestion about using another can. I am more into a "less busy" style of decorating anyway, and that makes sense to do it that way. Thank you so much for your advice...it is much appreciated!!

Changing a can into a regular light isn't thateasy. I do think you have done a great job in the kitchen, but it needs it's "bling" which would be the lighting. I feel that the area screams for a lovely pendant over that sink area. A can light will be really boring...really pedestrian...really wrong for such a lovely space!

I'd go simple, but still add the appropriate bling with lighting. Lighting is an area people don't put enough thought into when doing a kitchen, but the really well done ones do think that through. You took the right step in asking...now pause and breath and let's talk options that don't include a silly light stuck in the ceiling. Task lighting in a pendant is a must for the space!

It's true that most of us don't have pendants over our sinks--more often they may be over the island. But as igloochic pointed out, it could really add some interest. So here are some "idea pics" from my kitchen collection that have pendants of some type over the sinks, just to give you something to visualize. Two of them are GW'ers pics that I hope they won't mind me sharing with you--caroline's and frenchkitty's. I think your kitchen redo is an amazing transformation and will look great no matter. Your countertop sample looks like that will add some bling of its own if that's the one you're going with.

This one below is hard to see because the pendant is dark and so is the roman shade---something to keep in mind when you choose.
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Caroline's kitchen
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Frenchkitty's kitchen
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I would definitely do the pendant. It will be nicer lighting and give a friendlier, softer feel to the room when you don't need the glare of the can lighting for washing the floor, etc. A nice light to have on all the time to bring a soft glow to the room when all the other lighting is off and you just want a little illumination.

I don't know what you are considering for a color in the room, but something like this might be a fun accent, or another one that has a glass shade that brings out a specific color as your accent.

multicolored art glass pendant

Do the pendant. I want pendants over my sink and my island in my redo, if within the budget.

My personal choice is not recessed over the sink.......I've had them before and I'm not crazy over the amount of light or the lack of 'bling' : ( I wanted a pendant also but couldn't find one for that had a match for over the table that I liked. I ended up going with a smaller 3 light track, but with longer bars to hang down AND liked the match for over the table. Obviously my preference is contemporary so that made it even harder!
I think a pendant or track light would look very nice in your kitchen : )

We did double pendants over our sink (if we had a smaller sink or a single window, we may have done a single pendant). The kitchen also has 9' ceilings and no kitchen soffits, so a pendant helped bring the light down to a much more usable level.
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And with the lights off so you can see the glass... {{!gwi}}
When we redid our kitchen (DIY) we put in so many lighting options that my stepdad/contractor-consultant laughed at me... Until it was done, and now he totally understands why. I agree with igloochic - give your lighting a lot of thought, asking "what will we use" and "what adds a decorative touch".

We did:
- overhead recessed lighting (cans) for the bulk of the room, on three way dimmer switch (one switch at each entry to the kitchen). This is general lighting.
- Undercabinet halogen pucks. Task lighting extraordinaire, they get used daily and add nice sparkle at night, too. (You can see them in the second picture)
- Above cabinet outlets (on a switch) that we plugged strands of Christmas lights into. Good for leaving on as a "nightlight". If I had to omit any of the lights we did, these would be it. I don't regret them at all, though.
- Double pendants over the sink. Both task and decorative lighting, as they're plenty bright for washing dishes at night, making a snack, etc. We chose art glass ("Tiffany style") pendants to help balance out some of the more modern selections we had made.
[In case anyone is obsessively counting switches, the set to the left of the sink is: garbage disposal, dishwasher, pendants. The set to the right is overcabinet and undercabinet.]

Our current kitchen has all recessed cans and I think they are unattractive and boring if they are the only lighting in the room - lighting is a major decorative element! I'm thinking about getting some of these conversion fixtures from A Well Hung Light (charmingly risque name!) or or Instant Pendant, or using The Can Converter to put up whatever fixtures we like. These options make switching out recessed fixtures easy. I'm not going to be able to do the kitchen remodel for some years but the "ceiling acne" just makes me wince pretty much every time I go into the kitchen, and I could change out three of the seven cans (the others are too close to the cabinets to do anything with), one over each peninsula and one over the sink.

I did three mini pendants over my sink. I can buy replacements for the "bell" bottoms. There are about 20 to choose from. Like playing barbies with your light fixtures.

I love all the extra light over the sink.

Thank you everyone!!! I can see now that a pendent is sorely needed, and I appreciate the suggestions, beautiful pictures and also hearing from those who are currently living with the cans. I emailed my contractor and asked hold off. I am definitely going to take the time to find the perfect pendent for the spot, even if the remodel finishes first. The wiring is there, so getting someone to hook up a light should be fairly easy and inexpensive. Again, thank you so much - this site rocks!!

I think any decision you make will be a good one. I had a fluorescent tube over the sink (hidden behind a scalloped wood valance) for 25 years. That worked fine. In the new kitchen I chose a single can. I have pendants over the peninsula, but just didn't care for the hanging appearance over the sink. I get good natural light during the day and the can is sufficient for evening dishwashing ... what little there is.

I've said it before ... I love my fluorescent undercabinet lights! They're the first on in the morning and the last off at night.

I finally purchased my pendent today, along with a matching lighting fixture for the adjoining dining room. Here it is: http://www.lampsplus.com/Products/88021/ The picture doesn't do it justice - when you turn on the light, there is a soft iridescent glow; otherwise the light is a soft yellowish-brown. It looked very pretty in the store. It's not up, but I feel it will be a nice addition. Thank you for helping me to feel comfortable making this change!!!

I think the pendant you chose is very nice...and has many others to choose from for the rest of the house! Bonus!
I did see a similar (maybe the same) one and it was lit......it looked great.
Can't wait to see it up : )

Glad to see all these pendant photos. I ordered one for over my kitchen sink and then like the OP didn't see anyone using them there. I feel better about my decision too!

Oh very nice, californiadreamer! Don't forget to post pics once they are up.

I certainly will post the pictures when done - I think I should get the lights, flooring, and appliances in by the end of this upcoming week!!! I can't wait!!!
Thanks again!! :-)

Here is ours mid remodel. Check out the kitchen forum also.

I had them put a pendant over the sink when we redid our kitchen. We have 4 cans in the center of the room. There had been a can over the sink before but I really wanted a pendant. It is an art glass one from HD and I love it.

Glad you found what you wanted.

Laura

Thank you to the last two posters, good advice keeps coming in. lisa sandiego, I had just seen a stainless steel light fixture similar to your three in Home Depot. I hadn't given it a second glance at the time, but now that I see how it looks in an actual kitchen, I really like the look. It is classy and streamlined. My flooring is going in tomorrow and if I find that my kitchen suddenly looks busy with my countertop and flooring and the light doesn't tie it in as I hope, I'm definitely returning to get the light like yours, which will look really good with all my stainless steel appliances and door handles. Very nice, thanks again!