Island Lighting - help me choose!

11 years ago

I bought 3 "smallish" industrial lights to go above my 100"x54" island, but now I'm having second thoughts. I'm thinking that I need a little more "bling".

The more I search houzz.com, the more I discover that I really like these style of lights:

Traditional Kitchen by Stamford Kitchen And Bath Veronica Campbell of Deane Inc

This kitchen is very similar to the style and finishes that we are using (white cabs, dark island, floor color, paint color, cabinet hardware, etc.)

However, I'm torn as to whether or not I should go with those lights (in chrome that really blows my budget) or if a dark (blackish) would work since the lighting in adjacent (and semi-open) rooms will also be black (or ORB). I found these at overstock.com and thought they are very reasonable:

http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Antique-Copper-Finish-Glass-Lantern-Chandelier/6644524/product.html

Also, would you do 2 or 3 with an island that size? I'm thinking that 3 might look a little too busy. I had the electrician put 3 wires up in the attic to decide placement after island is in place but it's no problem to take one out, if needed.

Thanks!! Cabs should be in next week....getting super excited!

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Comments (12)

gwlolo
11 years ago
Do you have a picture of your space and the lights you already have?
dilly_ny
11 years ago
On your size island, I would definitely do 3 pendants. The lights you have pictured above are beautiful and I was tempted by a similiar kind. I stayed away from them for 2 reasons. The upward pointing chandelier bulbs are not ideal task lighting. Also, the glass would be a PITA to clean as you would have to reach inside the glass to clean it and keep it looking nice. That's just too much maintenance for me.
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They are all beautiful. The straight lines of the WM are probably considered more of a modern look. That might make a difference to you. Also, in some pictures on Houzz I didn't like the straight lines on some of the perimeter counter tops I saw. Mine is only on the island and I have the straight lines and I like it. But if you're planning on using 1 stone everywhere you might want to look at some pictures before choosing the WM. If you don't want your kitchen to appear so modern the swirls and movement of the other 2 are probably best. I really love that sea pearl picture. The sea pearl I saw locally was very green, but the picture you posted doesn't look green. How does it look in person? If the warehouse is sort of dark you might want to ask them to move it over near the large loading doors so you can see it in some natural light. I think they are all very nice and whatever you choose will be beautiful.
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A floor plan will really help. It will let us see what lights you can see from where. Is your faucet and your hardware both chrome? and your door handles the dark finish. I can't tell if it is antique brass or not? What is your DR chandy - is it brass? You need to figure out, if you are following the article that you posted what category each of the above elements fall into. (the faucet, hardware, etc.) My feeling is that you have already mixed your metals. For example - in the kitchen you have chrome hardware/faucet (step 1). Step 2 would indicate picking a matching metal which you did with the island light and either of the window lights. (I prefer A2 as it adds another element - the white glass shade - into the mix while retaining the metal. Where I am bogging down is in the transition areas between the rooms which is why a floorplan would be helpful. For the foyer/LR I would pick H2 and J1 but that is subject to change depending on the floorplan and how the rooms are connected. Edited to add: Don't forget, unlike a bathroom, a kitchen comes with other metals. What are your appliances, pots/pans, cutlery. What are your plans for your stools - any metal there? In your foyer, LR and GR - does any of the furniture have any metal in them and if so - what type. Are any of your accessories metal. How about your backsplash. This thought and question was triggered while I was just in my kitchen and happened to notice my copper backsplash which is behind and underneath my stainless steel range and vent. My hardware and faucets are brushed nickel while my lights in the eating area and family room are aged bronze. My pendants are a mix of the two and act as a transition. I treated each `area of the house as a separate area. Kitchen/eating area/family room is one area while the DR and LR was treated as a separate area. Because the Kitchen/eating area/family room had a mix of metals I felt comfortable using either of those 2 metals in other rooms. The copper backsplash was my jumping off point for using copper in a variety of accessories throughout the house.. So, 3 metals throughout the house. This post was edited by blfenton on Wed, Nov 5, 14 at 18:30
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Thundersweet, The oringinal pictures of the islands shows the "farmhouse island" in red with a dark butcher block top! And there is also a cool little red stool behind it. Anyway, if you have red throughout your house plus red appliances it seems you like a little bling here and there. You would want a real dark red, maybe with a black glaze or wash over it so it doesn't overpower the space. It could just add that right amount of "spice". However, your style is clean and simple, Amish like, very nice and comforting, so I can see the Pasons island fitting in very well with your style. Now you gotta ask yourself, do you want to keep the kitchen style as is or do you wanna add some bling? But here's the thing, it's a painted finish so either way you go it can always be painted another color!
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Benjesbride, I just noticed the floorplan is not quite accurate. The sink and dishwasher are actually located on the island. As for the rest of the floorplan, there is not much that can be done. My husband is the one building these. There are a total of 13 units. It was the best layout of space to make everything fit on the site. I'm not crazy about the small living / dining space, but its what we have to work with. I should add, there is a nice finished basement and attic, so plenty of other "living space." They are already built and sheet rock up at this point. Its merely finishes left now. Out of the island, ceiling and fireplace, I think I would like at least two of these grey to help tie everything together and help make a statement. I'm just not sure which two or all three. The floors will be wood throughout, with the exception of the half bath. The ceilings are 9' throughout. The drop down will be 7'10 with the beadboard at about 8'6.
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localeater
11 years ago
Ditto what dilly said. That style of light is only appropriate over a big working island if you also have plenty of other lights.
stacylh
Original Author
11 years ago
Not sure why your comments didn't get sent to my email :/

Anyway, I do have lots of recessed in my kitchen (electrician thought I was a tad nuts but I love light!). There are 11 lights on the perimeter of my kitchen plus one above the sink and one above my baking prep area for a total of 13. However, it is a fairly large kitchen (about 21.5 ft x 18 ft).

You all raise very good points, though, about the maintenance of this type of light and it's something we definitely need to consider. I really just want to add some "eye candy" to the room, which is why I'm more drawn to the chrome :)

Thanks!
Holly- Kay
11 years ago
I think they are lovely, I do think they would be a pita to clean though. I would definitely go with three pendants on an island your size. Please post pics when it is finished!
muskokascp
11 years ago
I have 3 lights above my 124" island and whether you go with 2 or 3 depends on the light. You could get away with 2 lights if they are large enough. With that large of an island it would be a pia to have to crawl up there and clean the lights. With the clear glass you will really notice the dust and grime faster than with a different shade so for me, I would go with something else. But that's just me. I do like the lights though.
kiko_gw
11 years ago
It sounds like your island is large and could probably take 'more drama'. Can you return or resell the lights you already bought? My only concern about those lights you linked would be the dust. I had large flat glass surfaces on my pendant lights and eventually had to remove them because they showed so much dust it drove me batty (it was extra noticeable with the light shining on it and being at eye level). I didn't want to have to dust my lights every 3 days. Plus those linked ones are dark which would also show more dust. If you like that style, maybe you could find some with a frosted bell?

Would something like this work? It looks like they have an open bottom and are silver so would show less dust?

http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Indoor-3-light-Antique-Nickel-Chandelier/5184454/product.html

Here is a link that might be useful: Less dust?
Holly- Kay
11 years ago
Stacy, I was shopping for pendants for my small island and I found beautiful pendant lighting that is not as large as the pendants that you posted but has the open end of the pendant shining down on the island instead of upward. I have a feeling that they will be too small for your island but they are lovely and very inexpensive. I think they look like a much more expensive light. I actually love them so much that I am ordering them for over my island. I am going with the pearl bronze but I thought you may like the polished antique nickel. You can see them at House of Antique Hardware. I wanted to link to the site for you but I couldn't figure out how to do it.
stacylh
Original Author
11 years ago
holly, can you just paste the website address for those pendants? I'd love to look at those.

The pendants I purchased can be returned to the local "big box store starting with an L" :) So, that's no biggie.

The more I think about the dust issue and trying to maneuver over a large slab of granite to clean 2-3 of those boogers, I think I need to change focus. I'd definitely not want any cracked granite slabs over those darned lights...lol

kiko, the light you linked has been a huge source of debate for me. I've looked at it numerous times but read the reviews that said it's more brushed than shiny and I think I want a little "sparkle" since my appliances are stainless and hardware is satin nickel.

Another consideration is that my ceilings are only 8'.....guess I'm back to the drawing board!

Pendant lights and counter stools will surely be the death of me....
Holly- Kay
11 years ago
Sure Stacy, it is houseofantiquehardware.com. It is listed under classical for the style and then choose electrical and lighting and type in pendants. They are called plantation single stem pendant. I don't care for it in the brass finish that it shows but you can pick the finish and it shows you what it looks like in an alternate finish.
Holly- Kay
11 years ago
I am glad I looked at the alternate finishes because I don't like it at all in the shiny brass finish but I loved the design of it and I think the glass really blings it up! The polished antique nickel is what I thought you would like, it really is so pretty, I am just not sure if it would be large enough for your island!
localeater
11 years ago
Did you see phylhl's recent reveal? Instead of three smallish pendants over her large island she used two very gorgeous large ones.
I think you should take a look.

Here is a link that might be useful: Phylhl's reveal

Island Lighting - help me choose!

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