Ok old house snob alert....understand it before I finish posting... 1928 house and your architecht is recomending cans? Bleh bleh bleh bleh!!! Ya, cans are great, I love them, have them all over my 1980's townhouse, but in a period home....well bleh My kitchen (in the 80's townhouse) has an island, which is not in the middle of the room, and is not centered on the range, nor the fridge, nor the nook with the table....it's centered in the space it occupies :) And centered on that is my 1913 light fixture :) It is not centered on teh range, sink or fridge, or any of the other (I have 3) 1913 light fixtures). I would personally fire any architecht that recommended cans in a 1928 home...but aside from that problem I have with them, I would not worry about centering the light fixture's on anythiing but the feature they're being used to highlight, ie the island. My stove is the feature item in my kitchen, and the island and lighting is not a detracting factor, despite the lack of centering. I doubt yours would be either. One of the things they taught in design school...too much symetry can be too much. You get to a point where it looks like the whole package came out of a kit, especially in a period structure. Example...even the sink is off center:

Hello Peggy, I was a bit confused with the username different than the post name...yes at times I can't seem to navigate and find the things I'm looking for. Glad you found me - I welcome your comments. Would love to be finished with this project but it seems I take such a long time deciding, now the thing is that I really like it so far and don't want to "mess it up" with a wrong decision :) The cabinets are frost glaze. Lowes also has a bisque glaze - it had a bit more tinge of yellow to it and the glaze didn't seem as white. You can't tell it in the pictures but the glaze around the details of the cabinets are white white, the bisque didn't have that. There is a bit of distressing in the frost glaze which I'd rather not have but only my husband and I notice it through close examination - looks a little worn but I suppose that will be good in the future :) I fell in love with this granite when I saw it, nothing else quite "hit me" like this one did. (I orginally fell in love with the look of the white on white as the marble gives and couldn't quite find that in a granite) We had considered others that were a bit cheaper but they never gave me that "wow" factor, so after a month of looking we made the decision to go for the summer - it was exclusive to just one fabricator here in town - went there and to our dismay they were out of it which was hard to believe because their whole yard was filled with it - was so discouraged and then I found out that 2 slabs were released and we jumped on it. I was going all over trying to find it and other fabricators were telling me that others were doing the same thing?? It came in quick and left the same way. I know it's from Brazil but that's about it. My pros of going with it behind the stove were the two reasons you mentioned - love the rock and so easy to clean but I'm pretty decided from everyones comments that I will go with the tile - NOW which one - LOL I will check out the tumbled travertine - then there is the issue of color, size, shape and straight verses diagnol - LOL and crying again :) Don't have pictures right now of the open areas - will get but we are working on finishing touches in there too. I don't have the measurements but the rooms are quite small compared to alot I've seen here. One story ranch. There is an arch that cojoins the living room and the dining room (if you can call it that :) the only thing that seperates the dining table and the kitchen is the island. There is a sliding glass door with mullions (to give it that "french door" look-didn't have room for a swing) and then out to the deck which overlooks our yard. Thanks for the compliments. We are trying to make our small space beautiful, warm and open. We're happy of the progess so far and have to remind ourselves that it will eventually be finished and will be worth it! You will have to let me know of your progress - would love to see where you are with it.

By the way this is one of the lights I've found that my mom loves: http://www.ballarddesigns.com/paxton-1-light-pendant/335736 I'm guessing the smaller pendants won't be bright enough for task lighting. Or do you think they'd be okay? The large one could be used over the table though.

The pendant lights should throw the light on the island, and not spill to the floor. Thus, wattage should not be your only concern. You should be also concerned with beam angle. No matter what fixture you get, try PAR lamps with flood and narrow beam angles. You do not need high wattage, when you have the appropriate beam angle.