You all raise great points and I'll try to answer some here. No, I haven't seen them in person, which is partly why I asked the question about focal points - I think it's easier when looking at them up close and online to obsess rather than once you see them hanging. Plus I'm not sure about the glare. I think they are beautiful, but I wondered if IRL they would just look like any other type of glass pendant. I actually found them here but I can't remember the user's name. They looked beautiful in her kitchen, though. NYCbluedevil, your beehive pendants are part of my inspiration! I loved them but they are WAAAY out of my budget. I do wonder about the shadows and glare to some extent - both my parents had migraines and I occasionally get super horrible headaches (not sure they're technically a migraine or not). However, I have good recessed lighting and UCL already and would probably use these as more of an accent, less for task. I'm attaching a photo, but am hanging my head in shame at what you're seeing. The bases are IKEA and the drawer/door fronts are arriving from Scherr's today, so half of my stuff is in but not covered and the other half is still out, so it looks horribly cluttered. My counters are also not in yet so I'm using plywood at the moment. You obviously can't get a great idea but maybe an overall snapshot of the shape of the kitchen and how the pendants will be viewed. The peninsula will have a rainbow-shaped counter where we'll put chairs, so seating will be there as well. As for adding personality - I have bright fiestaware, which will be displayed behind glass doors, so I want to bring out those colors but also don't want the kitchen to move to resembling a clown. I had considered colored pendants but nothing speaks to me, so the personality I thought I'd bring in would be in the counter stools (with a funky print on them) and a throw rug. I like deb's pendants and also considered something like those or restoration hardware's benson pendants. Even at $200, that's a $150 savings when you buy 3. However, because of the size of my kitchen, I thought I may need something that was clear rather than colored so the eye doesn't stop. I like that one from ebay, too (and the price!)...the rest of my house is not modern but more transitional, so I think I can get away with something a little funky. Thanks for making it through my l-o-n-g thought process!

I tried out some options, some suggested by you all, and am curious what you think. I would like to keep the Stuart Swan chairs but probably have to let go of the ottoman if I move them to the living room. And then we may do a sofa with upholstered ottoman in the dining room for TV watching. Or a sectional with a left arm chaise (chaise closest to DR entrance, I mean; but that would make the entrance to the room a little less open). Thoughts? Option A, couch at window and chairs under piano window. Imagine a slim table between the chairs, a square coffee table and poufs opposite the chairs. Side table and lamp where pharmacy lamp is. Rug under chair & sofa legs. Bookcase goes. Option B (below): Couch under the piano window. Imagine rug under sofa legs and chair legs, slim table between chairs or C table on left one and a square coffee table with poufs opposite chairs or couch. Matching side tables and lamps on couch ends. Slim pharmacy lamp on left chair (if no side table). Bookcase goes. Out of option A & B - do you like either? Or do you prefer my earlier post with the two chairs like so, let's call it option C:

I'm definitely going to keep art above the mantle and I've sure been beat over the head on no stacked stone. :) Yes everdebz, the rug stays and would clash with the stone. Everyone agrees (including my wife the boss) that i need a simple tile. -- Now I'll just have to settle on a color. katinparidise - like the 2nd photo too on the tile color. a little warmer. vases an option. Also like the other ideas up to the pillow. We just got new pillows but you are right that they would look good.

Yes those wonderful mounts work well but not for us because we still need the TV to be at eye level and the mounts can't do that. It would have to be pulled into position so it would be in front of the fireplace to get it where we need it to be in order to watch it pain free. Plus over heating the TV and almost frying it was a big problem. Regardless of what went wrong for us folks need to do what ever works best for them. Whether it is to mount it over the fireplace or on another wall. This room does present a complex problem for seating. So J., I wish you the very best in your new home and hope you find many happy days and fond memories to come. MAE