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Design question: Island Pendant Lights - Black or Brushed Nickel?

10 years ago

In our kitchen remodel, we have white cabinets with GO granite and brushed satin nickel hardware. We have stainless steel appliances. We chose some pendant lights for the island and now need to select the color for those lights... brushed nickel or black?

The kitchen is open concept, and I was told that black would be OK because there are other black elements in the kitchen (like parts of the oven, microwave, range). And, since the kitchen opens up to the family room, there is black there (TV, etc.)

However, I see pictures of kitchens with white cabinets online, and it seems that the island pendants match the hardware. So, I'm undecided...

Should the kitchen fixtures match the hardware or not? Does it matter?

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Comments (3)

alex9179
10 years ago
No, the fixtures don't have to match the hardware. It really comes down to how it will look as a whole and your personal preference.

Are you able to post some pictures?

Here is one and it looks like the hardware is a distressed nickel, or something similar.

[Traditional Kitchen[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2107) by Barrie Interior Designers & Decorators Staples Design Group
ginny20
10 years ago
I chose the pendant color after the cabs, counters and sink were in. I bought pendants in a couple of different finishes at the local big box, and carefully held them up to see which I liked. Then I carefully repacked and returned them. It was a lot easier to choose the color when I could see it in the space. I did this with the hardware, too, and I was surprised that the finish I expected to use didn't work. So keep an open mind - there might even be other options in the "gray or black metal" family that could be perfect.
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Well, it sounds like schoolhouse pendant wins!! Definitely in pewter? Is brushed nickel ok? (one manufacturer I'm looking at only offers that.) Faucet is chrome but it's the only chrome thing in the room, so that shouldn't make a difference, right? Would the brush nickel coordinate well enough with the appliances? I'd think so, but I'm no finish expert. EEEEE I'm getting so excited! I ordered all the appliances yesterday, should be in in 10 days! And my contractor just sent me a picture of the island in with the new floor!
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Thanks for the feedback, everyone. I appreciate it! :o) I'm not too worried about ORB being a potentially trendy finish as we have some rather dark original hardware/fixtures in our 99 year old home, and we've purchased other Rejuvenation fixtures in that finish for this reason. (In fact, we have the exact ORB fixture below in the sitting room of our bedroom, but with a different shade.) I'm just having a hard time envisioning what the two options will look like with all our other choices. Kelleg - I pulled these from the Rejuvenation site since it would let me see renderings of them in either finish, but this wouldn't be the exact fixture. The shade would be the same. They give you the general idea. The last picture is what our island will look like, except ours will be topped with carrara marble. Do any of these pictures make you lean one way or the other? From Last Import From Last Import From Last Import
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And how LONG will you have the kitchen?? Ten years? divide 900.00 dollars by ten years. I bet you spend a lot more on hair and nails. None that you love in your inspo, would be THREE on your island, you could only do two. It cost just as much to hang something you don't love. Or get something close. to what you love for 199.00. Or 99.00 bucks! . Wjich this is, and you need three as it is 10 inches wide : ) Question is over ten years ..........do you find sixty or ninety dollars a YEAR? TO LOVE THEM. RIGHT SIZED FOR NINE FEET ? You need only two......so its 600.00 dollar deltA, over assumed ten years. This below is close to 400.00
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Anne Harris
10 years ago
I personally think it looks good when there is some variety versus everything matching. IMO black is always a good accent. I agree with Ginny-- get a couple of different ones and see what you like. You can also do what some posters here have done-take a picture of your space and then either use photoshop or PowerPoint to paste in pictures of pendant options. Good luck!

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