Unfortunately, the width is not the issue. The height of the 12" fixture is 28.5" and that doesn't allow any room for the stem and canopy before you reach the 96" ceiling. 36"+ 30"+ 28.5" = 94.5"

I'd rather have the higher lumens -- that's like the difference between a 40W and a 60W bulb, and three of the latter feels like it will be better in a kitchen.

thats a beautiful fixture, so it cant look ugly. without seeing the actual space. I will let you know that 20 inches will put it a about a 6 ft level in the room, you might be able to drop it a bit more but not too much or it will be in your face. can you post a pic of the room?

From reference above. "Now we know you all hate it when we say you SHOULD follow this or that rule, so call this post the Guideline of Threes in your mind if you must. Because there’s a good reason that sitcom wasn’t called Four’s Company, or there weren’t six blind mice. And that same reason can help you create an interesting home that’s not just functional, but also has visual depth and satisfaction. It’s pretty simple: The rule guideline of threes say that things arranged in odd numbers are more appealing, memorable, and effective than even-numbered groupings. Three seems to be *the* magic number, but 5, 7, or 9 work nicely as well. The principle holds weight in interior design, to be sure, but also pops up in graphic design, photography, storytelling, etc… (so you know it’s really a thing). What is it about the odd numbers? Apparently, it’s just how our lovely brains work. For one, three is the smallest number that can be used to form a distinguishable pattern in our heads. Also, when you see an odd number of things, your eye is forced to move around more, which makes for a more interesting visual experience."