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Lighting Design Dilemma Kitchens

Pendant size & finish over kitchen island

5 years ago

We are trying to narrow down the choices of the 2 pendants that will be mounted above our kitchen island. Our top 2 choices are similar in style but not in price or size. They each have their pros & cons.

The island is 68" wide by 44". The kitchen has a beautiful view that stretches for miles so the pendants do not need to, necessarily, be a focal point of the room. We are planning for 2 pendants to be mounted 26" apart.

Our main sink & prep sink faucets will be in stainless steel/satin nickel. We will have a Thermador appliance suite, all in SS.

Choice #1: Restoration Hardware "Condorcet"14" pendant. Problem is that there is no brushed nickel or SS finish choice to match the faucets or appliances (it offers polished chrome, bronze or brass). Larger diameter. Higher price ($821 each for member pricing). The details are gorgeous.

Choice #2: Maxim Lighting Mini Hi-Bay 10" pendant. Comes in satin nickel to match faucets. Smaller diameter. MUCH lower price ($140 each). And we like the smoked glass look that could go with our grey & white kitchen & black window frames. Not as detailed metal work as the RH. The bulb hangs a bit below the glass, which the RH pendant does not.

I'm attaching a (very rough draft) pic of a mock-up drawing of the dimensions that would show the spacing between the lights.

Go bigger & more expensive yet not match the finishes of the rest of the kitchen? Or go smaller, cheaper and match the other fixtures? Or look at the dimensions of each fixture compared to the dimensions of the island & choose based on how the pendants are visually utilized in the space?

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Comments (2)

PRO
RL Relocation LLC
5 years ago
I would space those a little bit further apart, and also shop around some more lOTS of vendors carry that style. Elk, Troy, Hubberton, Kichler, etc. you can get in the middle somewhere price wise. bigger is better with only 2.

https://www.lumens.com/rutherford-pendant-by-elk-lighting-ELKP111106.html
jmw thanked RL Relocation LLC
jmw
Original Author
5 years ago
Thanks for the recommendations & advice. Some of those brands I haven't heard of so I'll definitely check them out.
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how much space between the pendants. Ann, in both comments I mentioned a guide up in my first comment. I guess you keep missing it? here it is again,,,with 3 others. these should give you the needed spacing to choose pendants. while you can play around w/the distance between them, the height should be right at 30" or so, with no more than 36" from the countertop. Since you're going smaller, you don't have to do the 30" between. smaller sized pendants can be a tad bit closer 7" is a mini pendant and far too small to use over your island. shoot for 10-14"
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Different goals come into play. Task lighting for when you work at the island counter requires 450+ lumens at the surface. The source should be placed so you don't shadow the work with your body. Ambient lighting is another objective. Recessed led cans on dimmers can do both. Pendants on dimmers or pendants and recessed lights can also do both. In addition, pendants can be decorative. Adequate task lighting is often missing in kitchen design.
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