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Pendants Over Island with Beam Obstruction

last year

In my new kitchen design our beam runs parallel to the center of the island. Where should I put in pendant lights? Or should I skip them altogether and add extra can lights on either side of the beam? Help!

Pics of my kitchen pre-remodel (and messy, 4 kids 🤪) to show roughly how the layout of

the island will be. The new islwill be all one height, of course.

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Comments (8)

PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
last year
I am having a hard time imagining stools sitting at an island where the frloor is 2 different materials Whay cabinets on either side of the seating space ? As for lighting you have pendants hanging over the island so why not just keep then pendant sin the same space since the island will just be the same size just all one levelThe new counter needs steel supports not cabinets supporting it then you have space for another stool You will IMO need to move the rug that is in front of the island for sure if you plan on stools .Why a different floor for the kitchen when this is really all one space visually.Sure hope a counter depth fridge is in the pan and with panels to hide any side . I also hope you are using an independant KD not some cabinet salesperson . How is the range vented ?
PRO
BeverlyFLADeziner
last year
No pendants for you.

You might be able to use something linear like you see below.
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you are going to have an 8' island. putting in tiny 6" mini pendants will look out of place. You will also need to lower them. countertop to the bottom of the lights really shouldn't be more than 25". (otherwise people sitting at the island will have the bulbs glaring in their eyes. mine are actually at 20") The ones you had over your previous peninsula are far too high (and too small) My island is 75". I have 6.5 pendants. If I put them in a line (they are in a triangle over the overhang because of the way the island/ceiling is built) they would be fine for the length. you have another 2' compared to mine. you could go a tad bit bigger or spread them out evenly. Don't worry about the sight lines. they aren't big enough to block anything!
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Jess, Love it! I think you definitely made the right choice to omit the island pendants! We are still leaning toward no island pendants as well. I already said this above, but, there will be a breakfast nook at the end of the island and a dining table along the front side... and I want a big George Nelson bubble saucer light probably over the dining table and something else hanging above the nook table. I think that'll be enough hanging lights in that open room! I also don't want to take away from the view out the windows in the nook. Who knows, we may change our minds, but my husband says he will support my "No island pendants" choice if that is what I want. I will come back and post a pic of what we finally end up going with!
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Linear Pendant over a kitchen island
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Comments (8)
It looks like an integrated bulb and IMO a bad choice always . So I guess if that is the case I would not go there. I think I need to see the kitchen it is going into basically you have yellow hued lighting so if you have a white kitchen it will now look yellowed . I think it is too short for a 9’ island and I would look for LED pendants where the light actually lights the island and I would do 3 pendants or get a much longer linear fixture that also lights the island not the ceiling.
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Pendants over island or recessed lighting?
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Comments (8)
No glare as they are on a dimmer, we mostly use the undercabinet lights for task lighting. Rarely will the recessed lights be turned up max. We used to have the old halogen recessed lights and replaced with LED which is so much brighter. Decided to just use the same holes instead of moving and repairing all the holes. That is why I have so many and are not really in the correct position (close enough). You really dont pay attention to all the details in time. I found I stressed over so many little details that dont matter any more.
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Kendrah
last year
Do you have a profile pic of the new island? I can't tell how far the counter sticks out beyond the posts. Is it the same as now? I think the pendants are a bit odd where they are now. I'd put them on the kitchen side of the beam so they illuminate the island and feel more a part of the kitchen.
PRO
Beth H. :
last year
do you have a side view of the new layout? how far out will the countrtop come from the beam?

are we talking something like this? so the seated portion will be directly under the beam? you can't move that either way?

Will you have the two diff ceiling heights like this one?

i have a smaller version of what you have. diff ceiling heights. the kitchen had a lower ceiling w/a 'beam' seperating the living area

At one point before the remodel, I had 3 pendants in a triangle. this time I went w/the two on the 'high' side. if the island comes out far enough, I'd do this.

if the beam is right over the seating area, have the beam run w/wire and put your lights in it

anyway the beam can be recessed?

you'd still have the supports on the side

or can you do something diff?

if the island will end up like this, put the lights in front of it.

it really depends on where the beam ends up over the island
Sarah Seitz
Original Author
last year
@Patricia, the entire kitchen and main floor will be gutted and we are putting in European Oak Engineered Hardwoods, so multiple flooring types will not be an issue. My design is fine, not looking for input there, just on the lighting. Of course I have a fridge panel and yes my range is vented 😂.

@Beverly, very helpful, thank you!

@Kendrah and @Beth, unfortunately I don't have a rendering with the island in the correct place. But the beam will run straight down the center of the bank of cabinets (parallel). I definitely agree where the pendants are at now is very awkward!! Maybe kitchen side is a good idea. So the countertop will come out about 25-26" from the beam on either side. The ceiling height is all the same, thankfully!

We can't move the beam or recess it (looked into it) so I gotta work with it! Helpful pics, @Beth, thanks. I wish I could be flexible about where the island ends up but I can't. We need the walking clearance between the fridge and island so I can't move the island towards the kitchen more.
PRO
JAN MOYER
last year
last modified: last year
I'd put two great semi flush in the area between island and sink, 3 inch recessed on either side of the beam and forget hanging pendants at the island. Always looks odd to me, when you can't see the mount.

I'd ditch those 2 cabinets boxing in the island.....asap. Sorry, they don't look good.

If it's a serious storage issue, and you have 26 inches ? Build out the back side with touch latch doors, shallow storage ten inches depth, and shelving behind. More seating space and a much better look.
Mindy Binder
last year
Agree with others that it would look better without the pendants.

BTW we have 2 cabinets “boxing in” our island and it looks great to us. Shrug.
PRO
LilDesignWorks
last year
last modified: last year
If you do want pendant lights put them on the side of the kitchen, that is the area where you need more light for prepping. Having the pendant lights though you draw the eye to the beam which may not be what you want. Another option is to just do potlights on either side of the beam that way the beam will just "dissapear" visually, one will not look up to see it. Just like your rendering

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