- pendant/wall mount sink vs island: your call. If pendant on island, the extra cans are if your pendants are not good at task lighting (many aren't). If wall mount above sink, then (2) cans over island centered.

- (2) cans in doorways as you have it because the cabinetry and headers above doorways make the nooks darker.

- other: 540 lumens is on the low side. Line up counter lights on edge of counter (+/- a couple inches).

@nexp Thanks for your input. The island is right at the size where we could do two or three pendants, but I think three would be a bit much in our space. We have the same wafer lights in our master bath and lake house kitchen and I honestly don't notice a glare (unless they are on high and I'm staring right at them). I will check out the Juno you mentioned. The pendants would not have much use at all really. More just for decoration. Makes sense about the 2" cans over the sink since I was considering two wall mounted fixtures. I'm still playing around with the cans along the pantry wall. I've moved them so many times lol!

@3onthetree I'm not depending on the pendants to offer much lighting really. If I do two pendants, should I do two or three cans at edge of island? Three seems like a lot, but I don't know how I would space two? Ugh...this may help make my decision to not do pendants. I was wondering if 540 would be bright enough for the kitchen. That's what we have in the bathroom and they seem fine. I'll see what others I can find. I appreciate your help!

The (2) on island is if you don't have pendants there.

540 lumen is about an equivalent 40W incandescent. You can do that, but in a kitchen you might want them spaced <30". A 800 lumen fixture is closer to 60W incandescent so they can be spaced around 30"-48". IIRC you wanted the kitchen to have lots of light. The baffle is a good selection though.

@3onthetree I am assuming my pendants won't provide much useful lighting so that is why I figured the three cans at the island.

I just looked again. The ones we bought before and returned were 540. The ones we have now are 800 with a true baffle. Just need to get a few more once we decide for sure on the quantity. Would you suggest using the 540 for the three at the island if we do pendants and cans there? Or stick with all 800 and use dimmer when needed? Thanks for your help!

Good question. I think you understand this lighting schtick more than you let on. For those island cans, I would say it depends and it's just a choice. Residential lighting can't be perfect, so don't beat yourself up over the decisions you have to make. Here's my thoughts: definitely matching 800 lumen for (2) cans if you don't have pendants there; if (3) cans the 540 lumen would work, and might be better since one is right over someone's head at a stool (eating/relaxing, not prepping). And you won't get as bright of hot spots on the pendants. But on the other hand, those (3) need a whole 'nother switch, and it would be nice if the baffle style matches the adjacent 800 lumen fixtures. If you use 800 lumen for (3) island cans then you probably will just have the dimmer set constantly, but you then have at least an opportunity to "light it up."

And just to add: the easy answer is "dimmer always so it doesn't matter what lumens." However, if you want to get nitty gritty, note that a 1200 lumens fixture dimmed to 600 lumens is not perceived exactly the same as a 600 max lumens fixture. The LED diodes are typically spaced across the size of lens for the lumen output; so there is a slight difference in how that light emits when dimmed comparing to a fully-on LED. Probably unnoticeable to most, and not prominent for just your island in the overall kitchen, but others visiting this thread for knowledge for their situation might want to consider.

I understand way more now thanks to you! I think I've searched these forums more about lighting than anything else with this kitchen lol!

I'm thinking 800 over the island so the baffles match. That would drive me crazy if t hey didn't match. And they will definitely be switched separately from the other cans and be on a dimmer. Meeting with the electrician tomorrow. I know he and my husband will try to talk me out of all of these can lights lol! Good information about the dimmed to 600 vs true 600. I'm certain I would not notice the difference. Thanks again for your help!

So I ordered one white pendant to see how I liked it. Trying to talk hubby into installing it where our existing pendant is located so I can see how it will look with different bulbs I've purchased (2700 and 3000k). It's 14" and it seems huge. But I love the white and the leather strap on it. I'm thinking if I do these pendants they will be decent task lighting and I won't have to have additional reccessed lights at the edge of the island. If I do glass fixtures, then I'd probably have to have additional lighting at island. I also considered aged brass/gold fixtures, but then I feel it might be too much gold. Faucet and pulls will be champagne bronze. And I'm doing gold/champagne bronze in powder room right down the hall from kitchen. Surprisingly hubby likes these white pendants. But I honestly feel at this point he would like anything I brought home as long as it is not purple (I'm obsessed with purple and have purple lowlights in my hair lol!).

Thoughts on (2) 14" pendants above 45x80 island?? Also, any input on spacing if we go with these?

@Lynn Lou

I hear you about this kitchen remodel. Sympathies. Any tips for surviving it? I remember your microwave in the family room. How is Bare? Can you post some pictures? Maybe we can help you through it. Have you got a floor plan and pictures of materials? I am contemplating how to refinish my kitchen too, after the upstairs. I could learn from you. I love the pendants you posted here and can see the continuity with the powder room.

My contracter and husband are both very tall so we opted for recessed lights over the island and I just love it. This is a kitchen remodel.

I'd do pendants so you have some lighting that isn't harsh downlighting. I like the idea of the scones, but not in a kitchen that otherwise will only have recessed lighting.

@kl23 I'll be able share tips after I survive it lol! Our wet bar is our temporary kitchen for now. We have a couple TV trays as additional workspace and for some items we use everyday. Seems silly to have those items across the house in the dining room, but we are running out of room at the bar. So we are considering getting a small shelving unit to put in the family room to put some of those items. Washing dishes in the small bar sink has been fun. We've used a few paper plates/bowls here and there. Ha! Bare is good. We had workers in the house yesterday so he was locked in his room for the day (note locked because he can open doors lol!). So he was wound up last night. Hubby puts his banana bed on the mantel to keep him away from the TV...you can see how well that worked!

I have another post on here about the kitchen. I'm doing Cambria Southport counters, white perimeter cabinets and medium color wood for the island. The colors aren't represented well in this pic. The cabinets look pinkish, but they are bright white. I went back and forth about bright or warm white. The counters are white with beige/taupe/gray veins. Out of our comfort zone, but hubby and I both liked this counter as soon as we saw it in the showroom. They gave me a large sample piece when we were there and I've ordered two more samples. All three have the same colors, so hoping for no surprises when we see our slab. Some people have said the "white" background of some Cambria counters didn't match the samples they received, which then didn't match their cabinet selection. I fell in love with these pendants as soon as I saw them. I like the touch of leather they have. Also, the cord is adjustable instead of having to deal with fixed size rods.

@Valinta Very nice! I am short and hubby is tall. He really doesn't want pendants and would be fine with all recessed lights. But I want some kind of decorative fixture in the kitchen. We won't have a table in there, so the only place is the island.

@HU-918119203 That's what I've decided. I originally only ordered one of these pendants while I was deciding if I liked them or not. I ended up ordering the second one last week and it showed up yesterday, so I'm calling this decision done! Except that when I see glass pendants, I start second guessing my decision lol!

@Lynn Lou, the Cambria Southport is gorgeous. I wouldn't knock it you decided to put it on your powder room wall!

Bare is such a hoot!