Wait. Wait, please.

You have been on a kitchen emotional roller coaster these past few days (with the granite and now the pendants). Please put the pendants up and live with them for a few days.

Leave the house, go to work, when you come home you'll see them with fresh eyes and you'll know if they'll work or if they won't.

If they won't, I PROMISE YOU it can be worked out. Those are beautiful lights, and if they're not right for your space someone else would kill to have them and not have to wait for them to arrive. You'll be able to sell them or reuse them in a powder room or ....

I recently painted two Parsons (side) tables fuschia for our more somber living room -- for whatever reason, before I painted this luscious fuschia felt like the right choice. Well, when I first brought them in from the back patio (where I'd painted) my stomach sank: "this looks like sh--!" I thought. But I still put them where they should've been and my four year-old and I put objets galore on them (he really likes to arrange) and have been living with them for about a week now. They still jump out at me but I'm still looking for them. I cannot yet tell if it's just the newness which is apparent to me or if no, the color was wrong.

My point is: wait. Wait, please. They might be wonderful! They might be just fine. Or they might be wrong. But they won't break your heart and they won't mean that your incredible kitchen won't find an equally incredible and worthy pendant.

I know it!

Oh RM...I hope you're right! Emotional is right. Funny thing is, at work I'm very rational and logical. With this kitchen reno, I'm a mess!!

They're not up yet (they'll get installed this weekend) but DH did some creative Photoshopping, given he and I are both were concerned about this. Please ignore mine and hubby's arms!!!

Here's the scale IN REALITY:

Here's how they would look slightly bigger:

Here's how they look up close. Gorgeous, so nice! I love them in the bright nickel. I just hope they're the right size!!

IMO they don't look too small, just too close together.

I almost went with the same lights for my breakfast bar, but in an ORB. They're a good classic design.

WOW -- they are so gorgeous! I love them and am so glad you got them for your kitchen! Wow wow, redroze!

brutuses and patty_cakes said it for me: I don't think AT ALL that they are too small, but that their rods may be too short and they may be a little close together. If they were larger then they really would be wrong (in my opinion), out of scale with your kitchen.

This is great news because both of these are so easily fixed! I know, it'll be a drag having your ceiling cut open and the wires moved a few inches, but it can be done easily and quickly and patching it shouldn't be too much work (I know having gone through this in our breakfast nook). Any well-regarded lighting store should either be able to fix you up with a new rod or be able to direct you to someone who can do it. Again, I know because our tumbleweed fixture came with a two foot rod and we needed a six foot rod: I went to a lighting store and they couldn't do it but they sent me to this crotchety old man who was a bit of an a-hole but I'll tell you what, redroze, he did an amazing job of putting that rod on there and it is fabulous. Gorgeous. Perfect! And it wasn't expensive (in my opinion -- all told, for his labor and the new rod, it was US$200).

Phew! I am so relieved to see your pictures! This is going to work out just fine and you'll have those delicious pendants and a(nother) story to tell!

You're nuts darling :) They're gorgeous...frankly I like them as is, but if you want a bit more drop, go for it. If not, send them to me...I can stand the suffering!!

If you don't send them...you'll force me to give in to the lights of MY dreams and buy this...

{{!gwi}}

I do love this pendant...someone has to stop me!

Hahhaa...rm you make me laugh "crotchety old man". You're right in that the store said this was the longest rod they have, but you're right I guess I could go to another store. After all, it is metal. Then maybe I could have the lighting store spray it in the same finish. It hangs 27" from ceiling and our ceilings are 8' only.

Thanks for the input everyone. I'm going to have our contractors install the lights this weekend and see how they look. Then decide if we should separate and lower them. Remember, our range hood is going to be cut and raised 5", plus our crown molding isn't in yet, plus hubby just sort of improvised. So the length shown in the photo may not be accurate.

Man, you'd think I was a spaz with my outbursts of posts. The truth is, I freak out but once I see the photos and visuals it starts to calm me down. I'm feeling okay. Gosh, this forum is like a stabilizing drug.

I'm really not this crazy...well just TKOd.

Oh Igloo...that is one helluva pendant!!! Gorgeous and avant garde...you could pull it off for sure. I bet they cost an arm and a leg and another leg. It's really adorable.

I am nutso. You're so right. Hubby thinks so too. He's gotten really good at Photoshop cuz of me. =)

You know, it's funny because as I was down the hall reading about Dingo the Dog (from Richard Scarry -- Dingo's my favorite) to an enraptured audience, and this was after my last post, I realized "wait! I was too quick to judge! This was the photoshop version."

So my dear, I'd like to reserve judgment until after the pendants are installed because that will be different. And I'd totally forgotten about your hood!

See? This is all going to work out just fine. You do have exceptional taste.

Did you ever hear that joke about "I made a mistake once: it was when I thought I was wrong"? Well, that's true about you here! Your only "mistake" was not trusting your fabulous style.

You did good!

I love them and don't think the placement is all wrong either! Maybe a few inches apart would look good, however, REMEMBER, your kitchen is not accessorized yet and it will look different when it is! They are just floating all alone now. So, at 96-1/2" less 27" they will be 69-1/2" plus or minus above the island. That is great, they won't be in your view when you are standing and working at the island! Get them much lower and they are large enough they will bother you!

I think they are lovely!

Mindimoo, I'm glad one of us is good at math. Your calculations sound good to me! And you're right, they are all floating on their lonesome there. The glass cabinet will be installed to the right of them and filled with lots of dishes and glasses so there will be more visual interest.

Rm, you are one sane and articulate woman. I trust your judgement more than my own. DH always says I'm instinctual with my choices, whereas he is more logical. I know, standard male/female thing. But somehow our views collide and I doubt my instincts. He says we match well though, and I agree. We are a fiery match, that's for sure.

Oh well! Got to head to sleep...need to work to pay off these fabulous pendants. ;-)

I'll post pics after the weekend when they're officially up.

You did a great job choosing them, they are beautiful.

Relax and watch it all come together!

What everyone else has said. They just look lonely and small because the kitchen isn't yet complete. They are absolutely gorgeous lights and look great in your kitchen.

Are your walls a pale blue? What's the color?

oooh, I love them!! Don't know too much about placement or size but I thought they looked good. Love your kitchen by the way!

Hmmm, I don't get it. To me, they are beautiful lights that look perfect over your island. (I realize they are photoshopped there.) You do have exquisite taste! Maybe after you have them up and look at them with fresh eyes you'll see what the rest of us are seeing. Am I missing something? I really think they look fabulous above your island!

Igloo, surely not?? Quite the conversation-starter, and yes, I'll bet it costs a mint.

I was just posting to another person..."if you know it's wrong now...it's wrong, don't live with it and get used to wrong". You're in the same boat missie :) It's right, we discussed this to death...it's right. They're lovely. Hang them and we'll discuss them after the kitchen is done. Rejuvination could easily do longer rods for you (that's where Drake comes from...the one I posted).

I'm struggling with Drake. I know he's wrong for the nook over our bed (yes not the kitchen...he'd look like he was chicken hunting LOL) cuz umm who has a bat over their headboard, but I do so love Drake. And he'd be so cool on the fifth level with the lake behind him...but He's pretty big (22" if I remember right) So I'm going to let him go this time...but HE WILL BE in my next house!!! And he's about 2 grand...but he's two grand of style that can knock your socks off! or scare your guests away in seconds LOL I've almost ordered him three times now...someday...someday :oP

I think they look perfect- guess hubby would have definitely vetoed my pendant lights (they're about 3" across!). I also agree with mindomoo- because your bulbs are actually several inches above non see through parts of your fixture, you want them high enough to clear your field of vision.

There is no one right decision for all of this. If there were, we would all have the same cookie cutter kitchen. It's not a contest to see who can have the most perfect everything- though sometimes when I come on here, I do feel like we forget that in pursuit of that elusive goal of 'perfection'. Your kitchen looks stunning from what I can see, maybe it's time for you to relook at your before photos and take a deep breath and fall in love again with your gorgeous new kitchen.

Redroze, Thank you so, so much for making me feel better about secong guessing every single decision I have made!! The fact that you have second guessed so many of your choices in that drop dead gorgeous kitchen of yours gives me hope that mine too may turn out as well!!
I think the pendants look fabulous. I think they are the perfect size. I actually think if they were bigger it would overwhelm things.

They are perfect and your kitchen is beautiful - learn to relax and enjoy the ride.

i think they look great!!!!!!! i would try to lower them a little and them make a decision before you move them further apart. everything is coming together sooooooooo nicely. it's hard to not get so overwhelmed by every detail but i don't think this is one to get upset about. they are gorgeous!!!

I think they look great. You made a terrific choice. I agree that you should hang them and live with them for a bit. I think we're used to seeing smaller pendants hanging lower and that just wouldn't work here. Great choice!!!

those are absolutely the pendants for you! as said above already, just need to be further apart and a little lower. you're doing a lovely job and i can't wait to see the finish! GOOD LUCK, i'm so excited for you!

I think the consensus is...hang them lower and space them farther apart from one another but, goodness, don't replace them. They're just lovely.

I agree with what everyone has said: they're beautiful, perfect for your kitchen, and maybe just a bit high. It's looking great. I'm still waiting to see that Heath tile installed though!!

i-chic--love the bat--so very you! I'd be afraid it'd eat the cats and Killer, forget about the chickens!

redroze--second guessing is my middle (or is it my first?) name! You're in good company! I think the pendants will look just fine, and you will know if you want them to hang lower, or be spaced further apart once you get them up (sheet rock can always be patched and re-painted, although I've never actually seen that happen in my home--DH likes to leave the walls/patch-work half-done!).

When we hung our ceiling fan in the kitchen, we got the 20" downrod, and DH cut it to the length we'd thought we'd prefer. Turns out, when it was up, we realized the fan would look better a little lower. We ordered a new rod, DH uninstalled the fan, attached the new un-cut rod, and voila; problem solved!

I love them! Can you share where you got them?

I will join the parade! I didnt see anything wrong with the pic you posted, I thought they were gorgeous! Can't wait to see the finished kitchen.
Igloo you should order Drake- you must have SOME place he will fit! He can just move with you to your new house(es)

Stunning pendants!

And my question, regarding the title: "too small" for what? Whenever I start asking myself questions like "is x too big/small/busy/plain/etc" I make myself finish the thought with "for what?" Is the lighting too small to be functional? I doubt it, and even if it were, I've become an occasional proponent of form over function! Is the lighting too small to be featured on HGTV? Again, I doubt it. But even if it were, who cares! It is your kitchen! Are they too small to make visitors gasp at their beauty? No way! Are they too small for the island? Well, what does that mean anyway? Are they out of proportion? Again, what does that mean? There needn't be any such rule or stipulation here. I learned a great mantra here on GW (don't know who first said it), "The kitchen won't be perfect, but it will be GREAT!" And I don't see that as a concession, because what does "perfect" mean anyway? I'm sure we all see things in kitchens here that are clearly beloved by their owners, but wouldn't work for us at all. Do the pendants violate some designer's rule of "islands need x amount of pendant per square inch of counter space?" I dunno, but again, what does that mean anyway? Such rules are decided by human beings. Not kitchen gods.

Too small for what?

Can you tell I don't think they are too small?

I got two lovely reproduction pendants from Rejuvenation, and *gasp* to my horror, after TheHusband installed them I notcied one was almost 1/4" longer than the other! I was so so mad! When I buy a product like that, I expect my 2 pendants to be the same length! But, I didn't want to take them down. I still loved them. I didn't want to hassle with it. Even though it irked the heck out of me every time I initially walked into the [empty] kitchen. When I complained about it to a friend (who has an aging, run down kitchen), she looked at me like I was nuts. Not only didn't she see it, but, well, she has an aging kitchen. now, several months later, I honestly don't even notice it any more. There is other stuff in the kitchen, and my mind is full of other stuff. The point being, don't overanalyze those 2 gorgeous pendants. They are all alone up there in an empty kitchen. That is too much responsibility to put on them.

Whew. That was long winded.

:-)

francy

The size is fine - but they are hung way too high, which makes them look wrong. 10" diameter is plenty - just get an extension rod and hang them lower. The bottoms of my pendants are about 27" from the island countertop. Play with the length. They are beautiful and certainly unique.

Sue - of course. They're from Turn of the Century Lighting in Toronto, Canada. Their stuff is not cheap but they are heavenly. They sell both repros and antique stuff.

It seems I have equal responses for "move them apart, lower them" to "they look fine!!" I will have to put them up this weekend then and post again for all your invaluable advice.

Thank you for all the compliments! It's really great to get opinions from fresh sets of eyes.

Hi Reroze-

This is Jen, whose pendant lights you mentioned before. I have had the very same experience as you, where I have this picture in my mind and then when the reality gets installed it is different. Not wrong, just different.

My lights are larger, but as I look at my island I could have definitely used smaller and it would look fine. Also, I have 9 foot ceilings so I needed to fill more space. For reference, my lights are 36 inches from the counter so again, with smaller lights, your lights might look different. Also, my lights are hung 10 inches from the edge of the granite on each end.

The reason mine are spaced further is that I originally wired for three lights, but realized that was too many and covered the center one. I worried for days that my lights were too far apart!

Here is my picture for reference, but I think your lights are beautiful and will work with your space. As previously noted, if you want them further apart that is an easy, one day fix.

jen4268 -- if your ears were burning, cat_mom and I were chatting about how exquisite your kitchen is. I'm really look forward to seeing more pictures!

rmkitchen-

Thanks! I actually have some color now :), but only in the adjoining breakfast and family rooms. No backsplash, my tile guy has disappeared. I will try and post some updates this weekend.

jen -- yea! (And I'm sorry to bust into redroze's thread!)

I'm going to toot my own horn, jen -- I finally posted finished kitchen pictures earlier this month. Phew! You were really kind to me during it so I wanted you to know I thought of you then.

I'll see you and more of your kitchen soon!

(Thanks redroze.)

Oh, thank you Jen4268!! I really love your kitchen and think the pendants work so well. The other thing is your pendants are ORB and mine are polished nickel, and the silver of my lights make it more light/less dominant whereas your dark lights draw more attention. It could be another reason why it feels empty around that area.

I'll post pics tomorrow!

No worries - bust away!

Pbrisjar - no the walls are a soft neutral called Natural Cream. Pale blue is gorgeous but I couldn't do it on the walls...I will be accessorizing with lavendar or red or grey/blue though!!

I was standing in our family room talking to my husband (in the kitchen) and I was thinking: "wow, wouldn't redroze's pendants look great here?" And then I went and got my two year-old's toy drill and performed an immediate lobotomy. (When are we ever really done? I mean finito, kaput!)

But I cannot stop looking at them, at your pictures and, well let's face it, drooling!

I looked at your GW page but you don't have an "e-mail me" tab, and I know why! It's because you know I'd write you and say "we're coming to Toronto -- get ready for a visit!"

Honestly, redroze, I can't get over how pretty your kitchen is.

Redroze - I LOVE your pendants and I LOVE your kitchen! Beautiful symmetry with the cooktop area and island. I cant wait to see how it all turns out. And I dont see a problem with the size of the pendants at all. You must be like me and are overanalyzing your space :)

Yes, you and I are twin souls, redroze, this is the exact type of thing I obsess over. You need to trust your own great judgement. those lights look perfect to me! Nice job. Grab yourself a glass of wine, sit your booty down on that gorgeous granite, sit in lotus position, drink and breathe, drink and breathe, repeat 3 times and you'll feel much better. hee hee

Isn't it great to have this forum? Otherwise you'd be off in a corner curled up in a fetal position, wailing.

Your lights are stunning. I agree that they might hang a bit lower, but I'd hold off on moving them farther apart until I'd lived with them for a while. You can always move them later if they feel wrong. Changing the length is a fairly easy fix.

Have a piece of chocolate, take a deep breath, and be thankful for GWebbers!!

No opinion on too small or too high, just too beautiful!!!

I love seeing these new faces on GW (or at least "new" on the kitchen forum)!! Especially with your great screennames...twogirlsbigtrouble, eandhl, hostagrams....love it love it love.

Mrsandrews - can I actually sit on the granite?? I remember an episode of Moving Up (with that designer Doug from Trading Spaces) where he literally jumped on their new granite and used it as a catwalk. The homeowners were freaking out, worried about it impacting the seams given it was newly installed. One of the things I loved about our laminate countertop was that I'd always propped myself up on the island, and I told hubby before that I'd miss that in our new kitchen. He said...you can still sit on it! But I can't bring myself to...it would be like sitting on a glass table!!

(RM - I still am somewhat paranoid about internet security. It's not the people who post that freak me out, it's the lurkers...Did you need something though? I could email you.)