Joan, Cove lighting is the best route to eliminate glare as the light is reflected off a matte surface (e.g. - ceiling). It would work well if the skylight shade is closed when the cove lights mounted on the perimeter are on or if there is a substantial amount of ceiling space around the skylight and you have cove lighting on the perimeter of the room instead. Or you have cove lighting on the perimeters of the room and skylight washing the ceiling and sides of the skylight. In either case, there will be work to build an alcove to hide the light elements from direct view below. Other alternatives - 1. Track lighting pointing downwards 2. Having a bulb illuminating the skylight is another option that might have already been suggested. Hope this helps

Compared to a portable fan positioned in each doorway and one on the countertop, how much of an eyesore can a ceiling fan be? I belong to the "function before form" school for design and like fans. On the other hand, I also think that there is a physical intimidation factor if a looming fan is too close over a person, such as at a working peninsula or island in a low ceiling room. I would find a way to go sit on the front step when the fan was on. (Can the fan go somewhere else in the room?) We're pretty "green" yet vetoed a center of ceiling fan because we were installing geothermal heat and cooling, thinking that with windows open on other days, that would suffice. But I really wish I now had a way to gently disperse condensation from winter windows in my climate and if I had pixie wand I would redo my center ceiling lighting to accommodate. In your climate, what is your reason for using the fan--dispersing humidity and heat from items/people below it? Or generally moving the air throughout the kitchen? Or being a substitute air conditioning unit, with the fan on high all the time? I'd decide that first before putting that fan overhead right where you work or read and eat. I was recently at a fan shop that had a fabulous modern-look ceiling fan with a sculptural wood quality, plus a mod globe and matching pendants. Wish I'd seen it much sooner in my project. It takes some looking, but you can find suitable gems for your room. And be sure to read up about size and number of blades so you keep the scale right for the task and the room. People often buy overscale units. An idea--can you wire for the fan just in case you need it later?

Flo - I wish it was just the light itself...we renovated our kitchen. It was connected to 2 family rooms. Almost fully open to a small family room on one side, and a small doorway (32” opening) on the other side. We are a family of 5 and no one ever used the larger family room bc of that small opening. It seemed cut off from the rest of the house. We opened up that side, added a breakfast part and stools so it’s now a useable part of the house. We hired a kitchen designer. That was our mistake. He did a great job with the kitchen...but we needed someone to look at the big picture. I started to realize this after it was too late. Everything was going in. I kept thinking I’ll find a way to pull it together when the kitchen’s done and yesterday when I put the 2nd light up I realized how hard it will be ... I am in way over my head. It’s a very long open space. Open floor plan gone badly. I’m beside myself. I need to now just focus on finishing the last few details in the kitchen and bring in some different interior decorators, designers ... I’m not sure what - to figure out how to fix this.

yikes. i dont know what you decided in the end, but i would have gone with a huge, single light fixture over the island - like those ones with multiple globes. not 3 piddly lights. they would just be dwarfed in all that extra overhead space.