Very true, Golddust. I'm leaning toward the Beach Vine myself, but I always like to hear others' opinions. Thanks!

Thank you all for your great feedback!! Let me clarify a bit... The island will be for gathering, eating, kids doing homework, etc. There's a second island closer to the range that will serve as a food prep station. I already have two recessed lights over the center of the island in question. The pendant lights are more or less decorative, but they do provide a nice amount of light. Anyway, it was my lighting guy who suggested the whole curved positioning of the pendants. It sounded like a clever idea at the time, but it looks sorta strange now that it's installed. Maybe it seems awkward because I've never seen pendants arranged like that. Maybe there's a reason they're not arranged like that... teedup1, you're absolutely right about the head shadow on plates. That will definately be a problem with the current placement. You wonderful people have confirmed my gut instinct! I'm gonna move them back and probably alighn them in straight line. Now I've gotta break the news to my builder!! one of the recessed lights is partly included in this picture:

Thanks for all of the input!!! It sounds like a pendant may not be in my future. I loved the idea of it but as I was looking at it more, I was worried that there might be too much going on there. I was having second thoughts and wanted to get opinions from all of you. Holly-Kay: we are planning on changing out the chandelier above the table to a bronze finish to tie in with the darker wood and fireplace things. But I see how a pendant above the sink might be too much. Snookums2: we removed the dark screens and it looks much better. I can't wait for everything to get started! I thought about tiling to the ceiling but wasn't sure since our cabs don't go to the ceiling. We are going to add a taller crown but nowhere near ceiling height. That may be the subject of another post. Nosoccermom: great idea about hanging a balloon. I don't have photoshop but maybe I could cut and paste something there and post again. Thanks for the suggestions!

Thanks a2gemini for your help. I would like to find a pendant for over the sink, but maybe just that one for the peninsula area. As per the island, we are considering a Modere-aire hood which will have lights (halogen I think). The hood look we are considering is posted below. However, the colour will likely be white and trim will be brushed steel (not the copper in the picture). Given this hood is large, perhaps we should do two pendants over the island? What do you and others think about the switch for the lights in the dining room? In other words when we leave the kitchen and go to the dining room, do you think we could have a switch on the back of the peninsula? How far away should the pots lights be from the wall? The i-joist are quite wide open with no plumbing above so we should not be too limited. Thanks! BTW our ceilings are only 8 feet, so the not at all like the image posted!! [Traditional Kitchen[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2107) by New York Architects & Designers Minion Gutierrez Carol