i agree with roseabbey that there are too many things hanging- tho i think i would have pendents hanging over the sink/peninsula area and probably just add more recessed lights over the island... i like the 1st and 3rd pictures you show, tho would probably do a darker, bronze finish...

I am more interested in what you are doing with your cabinets. Your kitchen appears to be pretty new, like mine. However, I hate my cherry cabinets. I'd love to redo my kitchen with new cabinets and marble counters. What a mess that would be! Are you painting your cabinets?

nhb — Yes, painting cabinets. Here is a recent thread on it:

http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/3822924/im-back-need-to-make-some-final-decisions-expert-advice-needed

I LOVE that fixture over the island! How old is your kitchen?

Interesting. I did not know the cherry cabinets could be sufficiently painted well enough that they will not chip and peel. Will be keeping an eye on your progress.

nhb - You need to find a painter who specializes in cabinet painting.

Our painter will remove out cabinet doors and bring them back to their shop. They prepare and prime -- filling in all of the hardware holes. Then paint with 2-coats of a water-based polyurethane finish. Their finish coats are very expensive paints from Italy. This is not your run-of-the-mill paint operation.

When they come here to do the onsite painting of the cabinet interiors, they will be here for a week. I'm not at all concerned with peeling and chipping due to normal wear and tear. But it's b/c of their reputation, really.

I agree with Rose. Pot/can lights over peninsula and a couple of pendants over island. Your peninsula is too close to other hanging fixtures to warrant putting hanging lights there. That's why the pendants should go over the island.

Thanks, ck. That's what we decided to do.

Now I have to figure out placement with the regard to the existing recessed lights along the lower counter (sink) are of the peninsula.

If I center the new cans over the peninsula, they won't be in a straight line with the existing. I'll have to play around with spacing.

jpmom - Thank you for the information. I doubt we have anything like your cabinet service around here in TN. :(

I had toyed with doing a whole kitchen redo to a kitchen that is less than 10 years old and looks a lot like yours. Such a waste, but I do love a light kitchen.

DH would have a fit. Perhaps he would go for the painting, but as you said, it has to be done correctly. I'll check around.

When do you expect to post the finished reno? I will check back.

Well, we are on target to be finished the first week of June. Not sure if I'll have my lighting chosen by then, but everything else - cabs, backsplash, appliances, etc. will be complete. (fingers crossed)

My cabinets are in such good shape, it didn't make sense to get new. But painting them isn't cheap. It will be about $6500 - which was hard to swallow - but much cheaper than new. I've seen samples of their painted cabinets and you can't tell they are painted. I was impressed.

So - I posted this over in Kitchens - and the advice over there is to do nothing over the island and 3 pendants on the peninsula.

I thought about this for a moment - and guess what? We almost never turned on that island light. The recessed above were always enough. It was more like that light was for decoration than anything.

Now I'm leaning toward nothing over the island. Maybe add a couple more cans - but that's it.

Also - I think it may look better - since my hood wall will be a huge statement - with cabinets removed, chimney hood and tile up to ceiling. Having a clear view when you enter the kitchen might be better.

that's the best choice, imo, for your sized island!