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brian_stults

Help with overhead lighting in galley-style kitchen!

Brian S
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago

Hi everyone! I’m a first-time poster who could use some overhead lighting suggestions for my kitchen remodeling project.

I’m converting a closed floor plan into an open one with a “galley” style kitchen with island. The cabinets will be Shaker style, being in white for the main ones and a rich beige for the island. The wall paint color will be Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter. The countertops will be [Cambria Berwyn[(https://www.houzz.com/products/houzz-photo-prvw-vr~17427155). Above the island will be three [Possini Raindrop Chrome Mini Pendant Light[(https://www.houzz.com/products/possini-raindrop-chrome-finish-mini-pendant-light-prvw-vr~1431135) pendants, each of which is just 6.25" wide (other views are here, here, and here). There will be cabinet overhang on the side facing the living room as well as the “back” side toward the balcony. The pole is for electric to comply with pesky codes, since we can't run wiring under the concrete floor.

I’m struggling with what to do in terms of overhead lighting given all of this. As you can see in the photos, in the closed floorpan, one fixture was a fluorescent (roughly 22”) and the other was a strange dining table fixture. I’ve thought about flush mounted fixtures as well as flexible track lighting. Some of my concerns and considerations are:

• The pendants will hang from the soffit, which already hangs down 12" (from 8' ceilings).. That has lots of implications: pendants hanging somewhat lot hanging lower, obstruction of light from the “main” fixtures, etc.

• The ceilings are concrete, so wiring needs to come from one or both of the existing apertures. We can't go drilling to put in new wiring--at least not there. (Conceivably, we could run electrical along the top of the cabinets though.)

• I’m a little concerned about things looking too “busy,” especially with the pendants already there. This isn’t a big space. For example, I think more discrete lights is better, but something like this might just be overload, especially if I'm striving for a more modern look.

• Some of the track lighting products can hang down as much as a foot. One example that I otherwise liked is this. I'm trying to think about what the sight lines will be--for example, for someone sitting on the couch, looking into the kitchen and past the pendants. I don't have a good idea of what will work.

I feel like lighting could make or break how this space turns out, so I'd love to know what you all think I should do—other than drink less diet ginger ale :). The unit gets an OK amount of indirect light (well, as much as an urban condo surrounded by other condo buildings can).

2015 Renovation · More Info

2015 Renovation · More Info
2015 Renovation · More Info

2015 Renovation · More Info

2015 Renovation · More Info

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