lolauren, excellent questions! I think once I post my pictures it might help everyone get a sense of the space. I've never purchased light fixtures before so I'm having a hard time imagining the scale (I think a mock up might be in order). It's also hard to imagine since we don't have the kitchen table yet, although we have a small one we'll be using temporarily. I'll be putting that in there in the next 2 weeks or so. But using my best guess I'd say we can probably work with anything less then 24" wide and preferably 18" high since we're working on the assumption the bottom of the light will be about 5' off the floor, leaving 18" of cord. I just hope that won't look to weird. The light will be on a dimmer. The cans that are on either side plus in the main kitchen will also be on a dimmer (on their own swtich). The pendant will be on it's own switch, no dimmer. The glare is something I'm having a hard time figuring out and maybe once the space is finished we'll have a better sense of what that effect will be like. I like the idea of a shade on the chandelier, and I'm really loving the ones that lolab posted. I am having a hard time figuring out if I want/need uplights or downlights. I think the shades give me the best of both worlds :) I have seen the chandelier that you've posted and I really do like it. It's a definite contender. Thanks! Thank you michellemarie and jillsee :) Brickton, I don't think I can do a linear pendant since we have the recessed lights on either side and there's not a ton of space between the ceailing fixture box and the edge of the header that separates the eat in kitchen part form the main kitchen. But I do like those rounded shades, those are cool! That's awesome Lisa!! You'll have to let me know when you post final pictures in case I miss it. I hope you love your new home!! the little details are definitely the hardest!

Waiting = good (IMHO too). Swiss cheese lights = fine especially if, as you once said Breezy, you want to "light up your kitchen like an operating theater". I loved that sentiment. I think multi-cans can do that for you, painlessly. Then leave the pendants and even flush mounts for looks; the cans for function. =0.02 Rhome: I hear you about not having necessarily invested your heart in lighting that might justify the $$$. But I have a slightly different take. I think we all sort of budget out, unconsciously, a certain amount for aesthetics, things that make you happy just-because. They just look really pretty or cool or something positive to you -- they give you a lift. I don't think it necessarily matters in which of many possible arenas that sort of whimsical extra comes from -- could be from lighting, or, say, rugs or, say, -- dunno, towel pigs, or, say, windows to the sides of ranges... these little extra touches can put your personal mark on things and make you smile. They can become invaluable for that reason alone. And the forum for that might not matter precisely, only that there exists some certain small percentage of that going on in your life/space/kitchen. So ... I think lighting *can* be that; or not. I think it's perfectly understandable that it never came to that for you, but I'm guessing it has in some other way, say, in those big wonderful fridges, or the island sink ... what about the fantasmagorical corner beverage shelves? That gives you your lift, and lighting could be someone's source of lift. Or not. But it's one possible, reasonable, exterior source of positivity, above and beyond what might justify the $$$. I happened to find a lighting shop years ago run by an old guy whose taste I adored. I loved everything he displayed, and he gave me good prices in return: I bought an awful lot of awfully nice lamps from him. And they *still* make me happy, even one of them now cracked, years later, surviving a brutal renovation, etc. But he's retired, possibly from this earth, even, by now. And I can't replace his taste, his prices, his special spirit. So now the lamps are cheap and good-enough, but they were once quite expensive. And they still make me happy to see them, think about them, place the stories with them. I guess what I'm trying to say is, it doesn't matter where you invest more money than is strictly necessary, just that you do somewhere, sometime. Lighting is a possible way to do this, or not if there's another outlet. That said, too thickly, I'm glad you're waiting, Breezy, because none of the above feels to me quite in keeping with the furniture and floors and kids and space we've seen glimpses of so far.

I feel like when you are decorating a rustic styled home, you should add some bling to it. I think many of us fall into the trap of feeling like everything must be on theme when your decor is decidedly rural and not urban. I looked at the samples you posted above and I thought you might consider something a little more classic looking and less rustic than the first 2 you showed. Oil Rubbed bronze Chandelier. They call it small in the description but it measures 24" across. Candle style chandelier. I think this could bridge a gap between rustic and classic. You may need a bigger size than this. Wow, this one is different... Multi level mercury glass. Maybe something in this style - there seem to be many like this some with different shape pendants hanging at different heights.

DkHaas--I REALLY like those blue ombre curtains! Much softer but same idea as the bold navy/white stripe. And of course, mdln, I am not going to go out and buy what I want without consulting her! I probably won't show her this whole thread, mostly because I can't buy/replicate every thing that is on it, but I will DEFINITELY show her some of the ideas/color combos that have been presented! She has already seen some of the ideas--some of which she said, "NO WAY" to and some she was more into. She's pretty head strong--she knows what she likes and dislikes. lol We are both putting this room together, but I am the one paying for it, and with that comes "some say" within reason. :) HavingFun, you are right--I would not have thought to look on Amazon unless I knew something specific I wanted. I am glad to hear you say that the quality is not bad--that is something I would have been worried about.