What activities will you do there? Which do you prefer--form or function?

I have two 100 watt pendants over a 6-foot peninsula. Matte white globes allow some light to escape laterally also. This is for the chopping station, sink, newspaper reading, eating, whatever. I use the whole 200 watts at times; dimmer other times. And there is more light on ceiling either side of peninsula, which is frequently also used.

Here is a link that might be useful:

Task lighting is very important and if you plan to use the peninsula for food prep and homework, I don't think you will be happy with 60 watts. I had the same delima when I was shopping for a pendant light to go over my kitchen sink. I found many I loved, but none were rated high enough. I ended up finding one that could handle a 150 watt bulb and I LOVE it.

The OP said she's in love with a set of pendants. A set, as in more than one? If you use a number of pendants, then it won't matter that each one is just 60 watts. How many were you thinking of hanging over the peninsula?

Our island is 65 X 30, somewhat larger than your peninsula, but not hugely so. No way that two pendants X 60 would be enough for us. We have two large 14" pendants, each with 2 100W bulbs (see photo below).

One option is that if a pendant is rated at "60W", that means "60W of traditional incandescent lighting". CFL bulbs use less current, and throw off less heat, so you can use 90W or 100W (equivalent) CFL bulbs in your pendants (provided they are not some unusual bulb configuration).

I have room for two pendants. And there are recessed cans on either side of the peninsula and pendants.

This will not be my main prep area - it will be where I do some simple prep things like make lunches for kids in the morning - maybe some cutting prep - it is mostly a place for people to sit and chat while I am working in the kitchen.

I imagine my kids sitting there doing homework occasionally but I'm not sure if that will happen frequently...

Is this decorative or is the lighting needed? If needed, I don't think 60 watts is enough.

Single task lights cash harsh shadows and can be difficult to work under.

At least two lights allows them to be fill lights for each other if you work between them.

I have a peninsula that is 91 inches long and 38 inches deep. I have 2 pendants that have clear seeded bubble glass so I put 60 watt bulbs in each. I just checked and the website says they can take 100 watt bulbs but I believe I thought they would be too blinding through the seed glass at the time.

I have plenty of light for task lighting on dark brown granite and I have over 40 eyes!! I do have recessed lights I can turn on if I wanted to add light.

If 60w incandescents don't give enough illumination, then as vate says, you can simply use CFL bulbs.

A 23w CFL puts out roughly as much light (lumens) as a 100w incandescent bulb, but easily fits within your 60w limit. A 32w CFL is roughly equivalent to a 150w incandescent. 40w CFL is roughly equivalent to a 200w incandescent - that might be a bit much.

If you want a warmer, yellower light similar to an incandescent bulb, then make sure you get a ''soft white'' or ''warm'' CFL with light ''temperature'' around 2700 Kelvin, not a ''daylight'' CFL. Of course, the color of the pendant shade will influence the light color too.

Some particularly small pendants can't physically fit the larger CFLs above 23w, so take a quick measurement.

My penninsula is 60 x 38 and is a prep area as well as eating, reading the paper with coffee. We have 2- 8" pendants, 60 watts each there. Nearby, though is a main light with 2- 60 watt bulbs and recessed LEDs. Those 2 pendants provide the main light and the others are more fill in. Couldn't function without those pendants; but don't feel I need more.

My peninsula is 62" wide and we have two pendants over it, each with a single 60 watt bulb. We also have recessed lights "around" it. This setup has been sufficient for us...both for prepping and doing homework/work and crafts.

Since I seem to need more task lighting these days and it still works for me, I think you'll be fine since you also have recessed lights around your peninsula. Plus you don't plan on making it your main Prep Zone (it isn't mine either...but it does get used quite a bit more than I thought it would--my DD, in particular, likes to prep at it as well as do her homework...it's her favorite spot.)

LOL beuhl. I was just talking to a friend today who is starting to remodel her kitchen and putting in a desk station for her children in another part of the addition.

I told her we had just set up desks for our DDs in another room but both of them were bellied right up to the peninsula last night doing their homework!!