Lighting help! Can't decide on style/size!

5 years ago

last modified: 5 years ago

We've finally chosen the finishes we like, and need to figure out lighting.

We will have an eight foot island, so I think we can go with either three smaller pendants, or two medium-sized ones. I would also like to get a new fixture for above the dining room table, as the current one won't match once the wall is opened up. I want to go with something a bit "pretty and feminine", but it's hard to find that in Oil-Rubbed Bronze. We have 8' ceilings.

I also need some ammunition to convince my husband that we need more recessed lights, and that warm white is too yellow. He likes the look of 4" cans, but thinks we would only need 4 or 6 of them. He also hate-hate-hates the "blue/cool" LED lights. (There's also the perpetual issue of me needing lots of light to feel comfortable and him always saying I don't need so many lights, turning half of them off and plunging me into semi-darkness.) What's a good light temperature that won't be too yellow, but stays away from the "blue/cool" end of the spectrum?

Kitchen finishes · More Info

Here are the finishes we've selected (the colors on the computer are a bit off from real life).

Kitchen finishes · More Info

We will get Oil-rubbed bronze drawer pulls.

Kitchen finishes · More Info

Counters are Cambria Newport.

ORTIGIA 15X15 · More Info

Fancy Handpainted Italian Ceramic Backsplash! (We're not fancy people, this is our "splurge"). The tiles are 3X3. (The color is off in this picture, the cabinets do go with the backsplash in real life.)

"Before" pictures · More Info

The kitchen will be open to the dining room, which currently looks like this. The light fixture will probably be changed, but I don't know what kind to get that will be a consistent look.

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Comments (6)

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Joseph & Berry Homes
5 years ago
We love the backsplash you picked!

Here are a few options that may fit your new design:

Dining room chandelier

2nd option for dining

Island pendant

Industrial island option

If you wish to see more design inspiration boards click here

Good luck!

Joseph & Berry
Indulge Yourself.
M Giles
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
With regards to your lighting dilemma of cool vs warm white I'm with your husband for the most part. I don't like bright white light, but there are a few exceptions. Because we live in a northern clime where it is often overcast in the winter there are times that I prefer having overhead lighting on during the day and for that I prefer daylight. In the kitchen and bathrooms the overhead lights are daylight (5000k blue white). The overhead lights in most of the rest of the house (hallways, bedrooms, living room etc) and all lamps are soft white (2700k). I have installed dimmer switches in the dining room and master bath. The main lamp in the family room has 3 different settings - bright white high, warm white medium, and warmer white low. Overhead lights are mostly only used during the day or for task lighting in the evening (primarily just the kitchen and bathrooms). Once the sun goes down we mostly only use lamps which are warm white. That way you get daylight during the day and warmer light in the evening. My bedside lamp has 2 bulbs with independent switches so one bulb is daylight (for getting up in the morning) and the other is warm white (for the evening).
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Thank you all for your helpful suggestions (and kind words). Bbstx I was really thinking I had to go round over a round table but maybe a lantern fixture could work hmmm. The finish of that one would match the pendant well. Thx for the 8' tip- it helps with getting the scale right for sure. I think you are on to something with the cage look. Localeater thank you so much for suggesting Troy Lighting. The pic I posted was actually from Barnlight Electric (must be an OEM). I purchased my outdoor sconces from them and completely forgot. Lots of good options from Troy! Yes that is a Capiz shell light-- I have three boys though but agree its too soft and better for a girls BR. You make a good point about the practical part if all this-- like the last concept you posted if I can find the right finish. Busybee3 agree something open makes sense just not liking the candle bulbs. Had those up shades too once- they do catch a lot of dust. Caminnc I do love the pendant you posted (thx) but I wonder if it is big enough at 14" diameter. I read that I should be looking for 1/2 the diameter if the table (30" d) and ~24" h (see link) Does 1/2 the table diameter sound right? Here is a link that might be useful: Chandellier size guide
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Carmela, are we related? I just went through this very thing - it took me *months* to choose cabinets!!! I think I had the same concerns as you too - wanted good quality at a manageable price. I wanted shaker style rather than raised panel, not too orangey (or pinky or yellowy). Boy, was it ever hard to find the right color! For a while I was trying to get my head around Medallion because my contractor had recommended a dealer with very good prices. Hazelnut is very orangey, IMO. I saw a sample Hazelnut kitchen at the dealer, and one of my contractor's references also had a Hazelnut kitchen. *Beautiful* but definitely orange. Considered Kraftmaid Toffee, too. It's a much lighter color, more warm yellowy with a definite pink cast. (At least the sample door my dealer brought over when she came to measure looked very pink in my kitchen.) It's pretty, though - the Lowe's near me had a sample kitchen in Toffee. *Very* different from Medallion Hazelnut. Kraftmaid Praline is a very nice finish. It seemed like a warm but neutral brown - darker than what I wanted, but really nice. My dealer said it's her most popular color. Haven't seen the other cabinet brands, so can't comment. But if you don't like orange and you don't like yellow, I'm not sure Hazelnut or Toffee will work for you. Words of advice - don't go by the pictures of the colors on the web sites - the colors often look very different!!! (Toffee on the Kraftmaid web site doesn't look *anything* like it does in person!!!) Also, the cabinet doors in the display cases look different if you take them out of the cases - something about the lighting in those cases. Finally, if you can possibly see samples in your own home, it makes a huge difference. (I still can't believe how Toffee looked so pink!) Most cabinet brands have wood samples that you can take home. (Kraftmaid doesn't - boo on them!)
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NJ Mom
Original Author
5 years ago
I like warm light in the bedrooms and living room, but in the kitchen I want more of a white daylight. But I don't want to go too much into the blue range, because in addition to my husband's objections, it will make the colors in the kitchen look weird. Is a 4000 K bulb too cool, or is it more white?
NJ Mom
Original Author
5 years ago
I was thinking something like this for the dining room. I know its dated and the cage/lantern style lights are trendy now, but all the ones I've seen give me a very industrial/angular vibe.

Quorum Bryant Pendant 28" Oiled Bronze 4-Light · More Info

Would this pair well with these island pendants?

Sea Gull Wheaton 12" Mini Pendant in Brushed Nickel · More Info
(in Oil rubbed bronze, of course)
Galeana Seeded Glass Mini Pendant Lighting Fixture · More Info
M Giles
5 years ago
The previous owners of our home redid the majority of the light fixtures in the house. The entry, living room, hallways (upstairs and down), kitchen, dining room, and family room all have variations similar to your first picture, all in oil rubbed bronze. They were probably installed in the 90's so perhaps a bit dated but I think they suit the character of our house (and I'm not prepared to pay the cost of updating all of our light fixtures). The two story entry and the dining room have larger versions.

I like the first two photos you've posted, but when picking different light fixtures that will be visible at the same time I think they should be in the same finish. Using the same finish for all your overhead fixtures regardless of the room can give your house a sense of flow.
NJ Mom
Original Author
5 years ago
Yeah, the mini-pendant would be ORB, Houzz posted the brushed nickel version instead for some reason.

I also want a large foyer pendant, but was think of getting an antique gold one, since the furniture in that room is antique gold. But the entry is continuous with the dining room, so I guess an ORB fixture would be better. Should I get the same pendant for both areas, or just two that have a similar look/vibe?

Lighting help! Can't decide on style/size!

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Lighting help! Can't decide on style/size!

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Joseph & Berry Homes

M Giles

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