How Matchy-matchy for Lighting?

13 years ago

We were just in SC for the mechanical/electrical/plumbing walkthrough for the new house & things are progressing nicely. All of our stone countertops and flooring have been chosen, so its time to start thinking about lighting. Here's my question:

To what extent should I match or avoid matching the lighting fixtures in adjacent areas? Does it depend on the area?

Kitchen/Banquette/Keeping Room are all visible to each other. There will be under cabinet and recessed lighting and the electrical contractor just wanted to put more cans over the small (3'x5') island baking center instead of pendants. He told me that the pendants would be too distracting and take away from the mini-chandy that will go over the banquette. I said that I would choose them from the same collection and he seemed OK with that. Is that the way to go? Also, the Keeping Room has a fan/light that is visible from the kitchen/banquette. How closely should those things match?

My most immediate concern is whether to do a 2-3 light island fixture over the island or two mid-sized pendants, so I can tell the electrician what to do for rough-in. With 10' ceilings and stacked cabinets to the ceiling, I think that two mini-pendants would look dinky & 3 would be busy.

It is a white kitchen with recessed panel inset doors. Here is a pretty decent mockup of what it looks like from the cleanup sink, across the island & peninsula with the prep area to the banquette:

The lighting gal showed me a pendant that looks really cool, but on reflection, it just feels too "industrial" for us. There is a matching fan, but no matching chandy:

Here is one set of fixtures I'm thinking of using which are Seagull Laurel Leaf:

I wanted to use Amerocks' Revitalize in Gilded Bronze for the cabinet hardware, but could go with the same line in a satin nickel. The island is Alabama White marble with a closely matching marble subway tile for the backsplash. The granite is Marinus which is a black that reads as a very deep blue with creamy grey areas. I thought a bit of bronze/antique brass might warm it up a bit.

So, am I right to coordinate the pendants & mini-chandy or is that too matchy-matchy & am I heading in the right direction by being a bit more traditional with the Laurel Leaf or should I be "cool" with the more utilitarian look?

Thanks for the help - Jo Ann

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Comments (14)

forhgtv
13 years ago
My very personal opinion is that you should forgo the island pendants if you are going to have a chandelier and a ceiling fan in the same sight line. As for style, choose what works with your furnishings and design aesthetic, not necessarily what's trendy.
segbrown
13 years ago
This is a tough one. We had three fixtures in a row, and I didn't want to match them. They are in three different "rooms," but still in the same sight line often. Here's what we did -- kept things pretty simple.

I think depending on your fixtures, you could do pendants over the island -- as long as they are simple. It's hard to say what you should do; the rendering is good, but I have to be standing there.
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les917
13 years ago
I love the Laurel Leaf grouping you have chosen - elegant, and a nice balance between traditional and modern.

I would not want just can lights over the island. You are going to get shadows from the ceiling height lights as you work, which is not what you want. Plus overhead lighting doesnÂt give you the warmth that the pendants will.

I donÂt see any reason that the two will conflict. Realistically, once you are using the kitchen, how often will you or anyone stand in one spot where you will have both fixtures in your sight line? If you are standing by or sitting at the table, that fixture will not be in sight line with the island. If you are standing in the spot where you created the mockup above, you are at an odd angle, and not likely to be facing that direction, but rather have your back to that view. Anyplace else in the work area, the banquette lighting will be in your view or the pendant lighting over the island, but not both.

The two lights should not be at the same height, either. The lighting over the table should be about 30-36 inches off the table, which would put that fixture at about 65 inches off the floor. The lighting over the island should be above your head so no one gets hit at eye level with it, so likely is going to be more like 72 or more inches off the floor, about 30-40 inches off the top of the island.

The one thing that you might consider, however, is getting some cool pendants over the island that bring out some color in the otherwise neutral space. Perhaps some blown glass that has the red of the stove knobs, or whatever accents you are considering.

The keeping room, from the mock-up, appears to be a completely separate space, and I would not worry about coordinating that.
pps7
13 years ago
I didn't match any of the light fixtures in our house. I love the industrial fixture, but it may not be for you.

Another option would be to put another chandy over the island.

3 x 5 is a pretty small island- I wouldn't put 3 pendants over it.
palimpsest
13 years ago
I would relate the fixtures somehow, but even if I "matched" them the ones over the island (esp.since they are multiple) would be the simplest variation of the fixture and the chandelier over the table the most complex. I would not do all simple fixtures or all elaborate, allow one fixture (the one over the table probably) to take center stage.

Is the fan going to just be a fan, or is it going to have lighting? I tend to prefer simple fans without lighting, so I may match the fixtures in finish only, or I may go with white to blend into the ceiling.
nik211
13 years ago
I like when the lighting coordinates. It doesn't have to be from the same collection but I like when everything goes well together and nothng sticks out like a sore thumb.

I had a hard time with lighting in my townhouse because depending on where you are standing you could see the foyer light, hall sconces, kitchen pendant, dining fixture and the living room fan. Visually I have a lot of lights in a small area. I didn't want everything to "match" but at the same time I didn't want everything to clash either.

To solve my dilema I matched my foyer light, kitchen pendant and hall sconces (they are all from the same collection). My dining fixture is on it's own and so is my ceiling fan. Everything has a close finish on the metal and glass but other than that they are different.

For awhile I had the original fixtures (which were white glass with silver metal that I spray painted black) in my kitchen and foyer and it drove me crazy that those lights didn't coordinate at all with what was in my living/dining room. Having white glass vs amber glass, and black metal vs weathered metal all in the same sight line drove me nuts.

Here are some room shots. Not everything "matches" but the colors in the glass and metal are about the same. I did the best I could on a budget.

You have to pick lighting that you like. What I can tell you is that when I had lights that didn't coordinate well (different finishes and different glass colors) it drove me crazy but at the same time I didn't want every single light in my house to be from the same collection. I found a balance that worked for me and I think it looks okay.

I hard a really hard time with the lighting, it was one of the most difficult things I had to pick so far.

I really like those Laurel Leaf fixtures a lot :)
teacats
13 years ago
Just a thought -- hope you don't mind ....

I would love to see a very large antique-style lantern over the dining area of your gorgeous kitchen. Maybe with a round table?

Jan

Here is a link that might be useful: Bellacor -- Just an example of a lantern
teacats
13 years ago
How about these type (JUST an example) of pendants?

Here is a link that might be useful: Bellcor.com -- possible pendant?
teacats
13 years ago
Or perhaps schoolhouse-style pendants?

Jan

Here is a link that might be useful: Bellcor.com -- schoolhouse style pendant?
teacats
13 years ago
How about two of these PB glass lanterns over the island -- and then a black iron chandelier or lantern over the table?

Jan

Here is a link that might be useful: PB -- glass lantern
drjoann
Original Author
13 years ago
Wow! What a bunch of great ideas. I now realize that when I ask about lighting, I need to specify that DH is extremely light sensitive and would be uncomfortable with candelabra type bulbs without shades & he thinks that shades are too formal looking for the kitchen. (sigh) That PB glass lantern is a look I really love.

I also apologize for not giving more of a sense of what style I'm aiming for. It looks like a typical "Somethings Gotta Give" kitchen except we are using Marinus granite instead of soapstone. If you put a gun to my head & told me to pick fabric for window treatments or banquette cushions, I would say "Blue & cream toile, please."

palimpsest expressed it in a way that makes sense to me: go simple for the two island pendants, more elaborate over the banquette table (yes, it will be round) and match the finish for the fan.

I know that ceiling fans aren't popular with many on the forum, but they are a blessing in the South. Our AC went out in Houston, yesterday and the family room fan made it bearable until it was repaired. The main reason to include a fan light is there are times that an overhead light is useful. With the beadboard double vault ceiling in the keeping room, we don't want any recessed lights pentrating the ceiling, so the fan would provide the only overhead light.

There are things that I didn't put into the rendering like accessories or the front of the island being open shelving to display my colorful Staub French ovens. The door knobs for many of the public areas of the house will be glass, just for the sake of nostalgia and the exterior supports that look.

After we got back from seeing the house for the 1st time, I think DH wants to do the banquette octagon ceiling and the keeping room double vault ceiling in stained cypress rather than painted white. I just have to make sure that doesn't look too rustic.

Here's a pairing from Capital's Towne & Country collection:

I also like these from Hinkley's Britannia collection:

I have many more lighting website to look through, but I'm now convinced to tell the electrician to rough in for two pendants over the island.

Thanks, so much, for all the help & ideas.

Jo Ann
adh673
13 years ago
Your future kitchen is awesome!

Here is my lighting file- very specific to my tastes but I have been through about 100 lighting website in the last two weeks! I have to do a kitchen, hall, foyer, basement stairway, and powder room. Maybe it will give you ideas.

I think I might actually mix in outdoor fixtures.

Here is a link that might be useful: Amy's Lights
patty_cakes
13 years ago
drjoann, gorgeous kitchen, and the fixtures you've chosen also! I'm one of those people who like to have door hardware/lighting fixtures/plumbing fixtures all the same finish/metal. I also like picture frames to all be the same finish in a grouping....boring, I know. Guess you know my *vote*.

If I may, could I ask a question re:kitchen cabs? Did you consider using two different finishes? With so much cabinetry, it could be done easily. I have a glazed ivory finish on the interior cabs, with the perimeter cabs being a deep cherry/walnut finish~it's a nice break. I have a lot of cabs also, and one finish just seemed like it would be too much of anything~just a suggestion. I've been in my home almost 2 years, and have had many compliments on 'what a great idea'. Again, not a fan of too much matchy-matchy. ;o)
chaylabird
13 years ago
Thanks so much for your post and for sharing your great plans. Your kitchen will be great. I have been wondering the same exact thing. I'll have 2-3 pendant lights on the island and then I need some type of fixture over our kitchen table. They will actually be seperated by glass cabinets so not in the same sigt-line but definitely I need them to have somewhat of the same feel (I think...) I'm wondering if you can share the name of the the industrial pendant you are foregoing. I really like it and think it's kind of unique and I've also been on a gazillion lighting sites! Thanks!